[TROUBLESHOOTING] - Gen 1 RX7 - Headlights come on - No dash lights
 

I have a strange issue maybe someone has experienced before.

My battery went dead cause it was cold out, I got a jump, car cranked a few times and then nothing. So I bought a new battery.

After installing the new battery, I had zero power. It acted just as if the battery was dead, other than one thing. The headlights would turn on, but they stayed open.

I checked fuses, all was fine.

So here is where I am at overview:
New battery
Fuses are fine
Headlights come on, but do not open and close, just stay open
No dash lights, no engine crank, no dome light etc

I am not sure which relays to check or even if there is possibly a fuse under the hood somewhere? I did not see any, but that does not mean they are not there somewhere.

If anyone has any ideas I would appreciate it.

welcome to the board. :)

it would help to include the year of the car. however, based on your description, i would say you should check the fusible links first. you can upgrade them fairly easily. there are threads describing the process.

Thank you.

And yes I forgot, it is a 1982 GSL

I will check the fusable links. I found one of them based off a wiring diagram, but I am not experienced in reading these things or anything electrical for the most part.

Well, I think I found one anyways, do you happen to know if they look like the standard 5,10,15,20 fuses like what is located in the fuse box on the inside of the car? The one I found looked identical, and was encased in a plastic covering. All was well with that one. I replaced it anyways, it looked like it came with the car in 1982.

Not sure if I should post hear but seems like one of you might know the answer. I have a 83 Le I just got and everything electrical works but the lights don't go down when I turn off the switch they stay up for a while then randomly will go off. Anyone have any insight of this?

the fusible links are going to be on the driver's side strut tower. it should be 3 of them. they are basically wires in a casing with a female plug on both ends. at one point i think they were color-coded (the covering), but after decades of service (dirt, oil, elements, etc.) they almost always look black.

if you confirm that that's your issue, then take the time to upgrade all 3 of them. if it turns out NOT to be your issue, make a point to upgrade in the future.

are you saying that the lights have a delay between being switched off and when they retract, that there is a delay in when they de-illuminate, or both?

either way, i would first look into the switch. maybe try cleaning the contacts???

Ya there's a delay from when I turn the switch off and when they go down the light itself works fine but they stay up for awhile after I turn the switch off. They always go down it's just random as to how long till they go down.

first of all, get a wiring diagram.

check the switch, as i said. also check grounds (at the switch and at the retractor motors). yet another idea, i think one of the 3 fusible links is for the retractors, so that's another avenue to explore.