So, I finally got my '86 running. But, now we've figured out that when I turn on the headlights. Neither the tail lights or the dash lights turn on. The brake lights work though... Does anyone know what to do? I looked at my fuse box, but don't know which one to check out. Any insight would be lovely. Thanks again, Kukiri.

 

Check to see if the main fuse is blow or bad cluster switch or ground.

Also check the meter fuse hope this help out.

 

Covered in the FAQ for FC sticky thread found at the top of this, the 2nd gen RX-7 technical section.

The meter fuse controls the gauges and reverse lights, it would have nothing to do with dash lumination or parking lights.

 

most likely a bad main headlight switch, same thing happened to me, but check the FAQ page as IceMark suggested

 

If the main fuse was blown then the car would do absolutely nothing

 

for the taillights check the fuses and make sure they have a good ground. for the dash check for a blown fuse thats where i would start

 

if it's not a fuse it could be a bad headlight switch harness

 

It's probably not the fuse and most likely the switch or switch harness...

But people want to post their wrong guesses anyway.

 

wrong guess? i'd bet money that his fuse for the taillights, dash lights, and radio is blown. there all on the same circuit, i thought you knew. check the diagram.

i'm just not just some know nothing just posting for the hell of it. i do this stuff for a living man.

 

haha i think icemark knows his stuff, hey maybe thats why my reverse lights dont work, i guess i better check out my meter fuse

 

icemark 25000 posts, rexman 1000. icemark ftw! :P

 

i didn't think post count determined automotive knowledge. just shows how much more time i've got out in the real world repairing cars, not just rx7s. anything on the road, i work on it at my shop.

 

and I have been working on RX-7s since before you were born...

Regardless, he didn't say anything about the radio and 99% of the time, it is not a the fuse blown... it is a headlight switch or headlight switch harness that has melted.

Now I suppose if you **** up the installation of a radio, and use the Red/black at the back of the radio for the ground (and still failed to read the FAQ for FC and radio wiring) then you might blow the fuse...Of course the radio would still work... just the parking lights and dash lights wouldn't... so other than for the radio lumination they really are not tied together.

But then that would be the idiot installing the radio...someone that probably should not be installing the radio anyway if they hooked up that lame without checking wires or wiring diagrams.

But again, he did not mention that there was a problem with the radio... Instead he said no dash or parking lights. And two seconds of checking a fuse would tell him that a blown fuse again, is probably not the problem.

 

that's the thing he hasn't even checked a fuse yet. i admit i was wrong about the radio i checked the diagram. i was only saying it was a possibility. he said he wanted an insight. besides there is a 15A fuse feeding the headlight switch that powers up the marker and taillights and glove box and storage bin lights. nobody knows anyway we don't have the car in front of us. that's why i originally said if not the fuse, the harness or switch. start with the simplest first.

 

its not the fuse. my bad on that one. it is a burnt(melted) or open wire from the warning and clock unit to the tailights. but the instrument cluster is a switch.