Just wanted to get some feedback on what else to check.

The dash lights on my newly acquired GSL-SE aren't working. The radio lights work fine, but no dash. I've already checked all fuses. Do I have to pull the dash and check all the bulbs? What else can cause only the dash lights to not work?

The dash lights in my '83 GSL also don't work but I think that it faulty wiring.

has anyone experienced non-functioning dash lights that can suggest what else to try? It's a little frustrating when driving around at night.

Thanks,
Mike

 

The dimmer switch is probably fried. You can bypass it to see if they come on.

Pull the shifter boot up and make sure there are no red and black wires connected together.

 

If that's not it,

1) Check that the dimmer is not set too low.

2) Pop off the switch, and bridge the plug.

 

I've already played with the dimmer switch, next I'll try bypassing it to see if that's the problem.

 

I had the same problem...

What I did was put my dimmer switch as far up as it would go... It's busted up into the dash a little so I figured it might've been broken. But THEN, I turned on my headlights and I had dash lights.

 

Before playing with the dimmer switch!!! Do this!!!!!

Pull up the shifter boot plate (it just pops out if you grab it from the back) and check to see if there are two wires down in there connected to each other. Just two wires (black with white dots i think?) with bullet connectors. These wires should NOT be connected to each other! They are for the automatic transmission's shift indicator light. What happens is people see them there, think "Hey, something's unplugged", plug 'em together, and the first time you turn the lights on it blows either the fuse, or the transistor in the dash dimmer.

Being sleazy, I just hardwired the dimmer - ignore the ground, connect red wire with blue stripe to red wire with green stripe. (There's only three wires, and the black one is ground...) If you do this make sure that there are no shorts in the system, or you will pop the fuse. (Yeah, it's just a fuse, but fuses are really annoying)

 

Isnt there a fuse link right by the dimmer switch, my 80 had one, but Ive never had any reason to check the 85, cuz it never went bad

 

Thanks for all the great advice.

Checked the black/red wires under the shift boot - they weren't connected.

Pulled the dimmer switch and connected the red wires - dash lights came right on.

Thanks again. Now I'm going to go see what it's like actually being able to see the dash while driving at night.

 

Well that answers it bad dash light dimmer switch... From an electrical perspective that should be OK, as the circuit is still fused via the fuse box So all is good as long as you dont mind being minus a dimmer switch which personally I never use I just leave mine set at max

 

Same here, so it's a perfect solution for me. I'm not sure how much a new (or working used) switch is but I'm probably not even going to waste the time finding out since mine is always at max anyway.

 

I have recently tried fixing the dash lights on my '83 but am not having the same favorable results as on the GSL-SE. I bridged the two red wires on the dimmer switch, but every time I turn the lights I blow the tail lamp fuse. They do barely go on for about 1-3 seconds, then "pop." Is it possible for the bad dimmer switch to cause this or do I have a short somewhere else?

I have yet to check the red/black wire thing, mainly because I couldn't find them easily on the first attempt. Will these being connected produce the above results?

Mike

 

Yes, that'd cause that effect. It should be easty to find if you remove the plastic around the shifter. The wires were meant to goto the lights on the automatic transmission shift indicator.

 

also for all the junk yard dogs out there I belive that mazda used the same dimmer switch on the old 626 so that would be another car to check for a good switch since most every RX in every yard I have ever been in has that switch broken. good hunting for any that actualy want to replace that switch.