dash lights dont work
 

i have a 87 rx7. the problem is that the dash light do not come on. where do i start to fix this problem?

i would start be trying to get a new light control dimmer switch. i had the same problem too. after i replaced the switch, it fixed the problem. if replacing the switch doesnt work then its probably something wrong with the electrical.

Check fuses, then switch, then harness.

fuses are fine. i havent tried the switch. i pull the steering column out...and couldnt figure out how to get the dimmer switch box out

Where is the dimmer switch box? b/c i have the exact same problem.

It IS the lever you pull on to dim/brighten the lights.

You have to pull the gauge cluster surround out to remove the lever, light switch, cruise switch, wiper switch or any and all the above.

Thats what i was thinking that you meant. Well with my car my lights come on and off randomly. When the lights are on the dimmer switch works.

i thought the dimmer switch was the switch on the outside of the lights on and off "switch"?
you turn it for brightness..and on my car this does not work..
would this short it out or somethign?
and where would i find this? the rx's at the junkyard dont have one :[

This problem is covered in the FAQ for FC sticky thread guys.

You should be reading the FAQ for FC sticky thread before posting.

My bad. I saw dimmer switch and thought dimmer as in headlight dimmer. The dimmer for the cluster lights is what the fellow said. It's part and parcel of the light switch assy. If you turn it and nothing happens, then it's probably the switch. Easy to prove.

Just pull the plug off the light switch. Get a piece of elect wire bare at each end. Jumper that wire b/t the White/Green wire in the connector and the Red/Green wire in that same connector. The lights in the cluster should come on. Key does not have to be turned on to do that. If they come on, the light switch is kaput.

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...6&d=1204850214

badass...
ill try that...
cuz when i turn it nothing happens at all...
i have them piggybacked off the cigarette lighter...
so i will try that and see if it works...
thanks

I assumed the front side lights and the rear side light all work. IF so, then that is the way to go. The white/green is the power from the fuse and the red/green is a direct path to the combination meter lights and other interior lights. Since the front and rear side lights work, then you Know the fuse is good and the white/green has power. Sounds like the rheostat in the switch is bad.

so no one mentioned the bulbs, did you check them.. that would be my starting point..

checked the bulbs..
as i said i have them piggybacked and working

I missed that part about piggyback off the cigar lighter. That makes this a strange problem. Look at the wiring schematic I attached above. The cigar lighter and the instrument cluster get their power off the same output wire from the switch.

If you turn the dimmer rheostat on the light switch, does the cigar lighter light get dimmer/brighter?????

Look at the schematic. See the RG wire coming out the bottom of the light switch and how it goes to the Cigar lighter? But it also has a splice in it that heads to the right where there is a list of items that are getting fed from that same wire. One is the METER ILLUMINATION. So if the cigar lighter lights up, then the meter lights should light up.

Soooooo maybe I'm the problem and don't know which lights are not coming on.

Dash lights........we're talking about the lights for the tach, speedo, oil gauge etc?

yes we are talking about the lights for the tach and speedo.
I have no cigarrete lighter...
I never got around to putting one in...
so therefore i do not know if it would get brighter or dimmer...?
but im going to bridge/ jump those wires in the next couple of days...
and before doing that I am going to take the piggybacking off...

I see. It's me.

You say your piggybacking off the cigarette lighter to light the lights. I made the mistake of seeing the cigarette lighter bulb in my schematic and assuming you had power on that, but in reality your using the power for the lighter itself. My bad.

Yes. Remove your piggyback, then jumper the two wires in the light switch plug. It's almost a sure thing the lights will light up.

What this proves is that the rheostat inside the light switch is non working but does prove the wires from the switch to the instrument cluster are good and there's no open connecter inbetween.

I wonder how your doing the piggyback thing? From the cigarette lighter to what? where?

The piggyback from the cigarette lighter is a direct connect to the back of lights and then bridged from there.

mine stopped working and i had to replace the whole cluster.

i jumped the two wires and sure enough the dash lights came on.
but now i bought a switch and i am going to put a switch to toggle it on and off...
i am also going to put in an inline fuse in between the llines...

My problem is that the key doesnt have to be on (when the wires are jumped) for the dash lights to come on...
is there a wire I can connect to have them only come on when the key is on.?
also is there a better way to go about this issue besides buying a new dimmer switch/cluster?

It's the light switch that you'd replace. It has the rheostat inside it that feeds the lights that were not working and also makes them bright/dim as you rotate the knob of the end of the light switch.

It seems the light switch is the bad actor since you had no dash lights before with the switch connected.

That wire (green/white) in the plug, has power all the time. I know of no other wire in that plug that is switced by the key. No help there.

i know the switch is out...
im just asking what is the best way to go about rigging this....?
its 280 dallors for the switch...so not going to buy that... :(

the problem is fixed...looks really nice too...
its wierd to have lights at night...
:]]]

Do you know if same applies to a '93 FD? My gauge lights are out, and was hoping to try this, if same operation? Thans