so i was driving around town last week and my gauge cluster and tail lights went out. i replace a fuse but it didnt help. i was wondering if there is a certain fuse other than the ones that are under the dash that might have something to do with it.

 

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/electrical-problem-673891/
it's a epidemic!!!

 

how can i fix this problem

 

Was the fuse blown ? How did it not help, did it blow the second fuse or was the one you replaced ok to begin with ?

 

well there was one fuse that was blown, and i replaced it. but, the lights still dont work, so i was wondering if there is another fuse somewhere. or should i just have to rewire the whole thing lol

 

Was the fuse you replaced to the lights that didn't work ? (this may be the reason why nothing changed) wasn't the right fuse. Have you downloaded the FSM from the sticky. It has the wiring diagram as well.

 

yeah i replace the only fuse that was blown it was a 15amp. no i havent downloaded that. whats the web address for that diagram

 

ignition switch. if not, get a reflectometer to find the break in the wire.

 

where was the fuse you replaced? there are numerous fuses on the car, you may have replaced a blown fuse, but how do you know it was the correct one? There is also a relay in the very front relay box of the engine bay that will kill your interior lights and some exterior lights as well, I'm going to guess thats it. I'll try to find a pic...

EDIT: it's the TNS relay in the relay box bolted to the area just next to the hood latch behind the front bumper on the passenger side of the car. Can't find a pic, but the relay box is about 2 inches wide, 6 inches long, it has a cover that flips open. You should see one labeled TNS, and if you have someone you know with an FD try swapping their TNS relay into your car and see if that fixes it.

 

dimmer switch may be the cause of you gauge cluster.

 

I'm having the same problem and was already leaning towards the TNS relay. Going to pull it and try to bypass it this weekend to see if I can get my lights to work.

By the way, TNS stands for tail, numberplates, sidemarkers.

 

You know, i have a similar problem in my 94.

I was driving on a kinda mountainy pass near my house, and suddenly my dash lights went out, my headlights were fine, but the dash was dead, i didnt take notice if the tail lights are out, but after a few minutes they turned back on, and since then its done it a couple times, never for longer than 5 minutes. i havent checked fuses since the lights do come back on.

any ideas?

 

I had the problem......TNS and fuses ALL checked out good. Wasnt until i bypassed the dimmer switch and grounded the circuit that i was able to get everything back to working order

 

You mean your tails and parking lights went out as well?

 

huh, you grounded the circuit? was it a bad ground over all? that would explain it...

 

I found the problem. The retard little mexico shop that I had put my clutch in screwed the wire I ran to power the boost guage light to the transmission tunnel. Jesus Christ You can CLEARLY see the wire trapped under the bolt. This is why I NEVER! NEVER will take my car to a shop. I always take it to a specialist. The only reason I took it there was because I just could not move the car with the old clutch. I wonder what else they screwed up.

 

yes they did. However i had multiple problems. After my TNS relay checked out i tracked it down to the fuse under the dash for my tail light problem. My interior dash lights went out at the same time and the fix for that was to bypass the dimmer switch. I had one of the two wires for the ash tray light broke off and im assuming it grounded causing the fuse to blow and i think kill the dimmer switch.

here is the details for the interior light problem i had and my fix:

"my fix required me to bypass the dimmer switch....which i think went bad but have been unable to get another yet to put in its place. It also removed the dimming abilities that the FD lights have....but fixed my problem (at least temporarily) till i can replace the part in question.

I had to ground one of the wires from the ash tray light to bypass the dimmer switch, which resulted in getting my lights back at the expense of not beign able to dim them anymore (i never used it anywyas)

however once i get a new dimmer switch i would hook all the wires back up to stock to regain the dimming feature"

and as far as the tail lights not working...it could either be the TNS relay which is easily tested by jumping the terminals or, the fuse(s) that are located underneath the driverside dash....test with test light

 

heres my thread
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/help-wanted-if-you-know-basic-electrical-662504/

 

Thanks.

Mine turned out to be a bad TNS relay. It had been sitting in water while I was rebuilding the motor... for months, so it was nothing but a rust ball inside.

 

Does anyone know where i can get a new TNS Relay? ive visited every parts store in the area, and they dont seem to be able to find it, save for this one relay that had to do with interior lights and was 160 USD. Id rather NOT go to Mazda for the part (you know how they jack prices up :P).

 

Mazda is your only hope unless you want to go to the junk yard. I think I found the TNS relay in a Protege engine bay fuse box.

 

Oh, and for the record... my TNS relay was rusty, but was not the problem. I am getting no current to the relay coil.

 

Had that problem my self fixed that and a fuse under the hood and it all came back to life.

 

huh... well ill just steal the TNS out of my friends 626 :P xD damn... well mazda here i come

 

why not just test the one that's in there? take it out and make sure there is current to the pins in the car that would connect to the terminals labeled "coil" on the relay. if they get current, then there is something wrong with the relay because that should switch on your lights. if they don't get current, then you have a blown fuse or bad switch/wiring.

I just resolved my problem to a bad relay and blown fuse.