My dashlights/illumination does not want to work. All the fuses are good, headlights, taillights, and side markers work. I just bought another dimmer switch and still nothing! Has anyone experienced the same problem or can help me out??

 

turn the small **** on the switch all the way forward!

 

It also could be your headlight switch. W/the headlight switch turned to the first position the switch should power the Red/Green wire at the switch and this activates the dash lights. The R/G wire powers the light for the cigarette lighter. So, gain access to the wire which illuminates the lighter bulb and see if it has 12 volts w/the headlight switch turned to the 1st position.

 

ok thanks I will try that right away

 

yeah there's no power to it at all, with both switches there's nothing, I put the probe on the actual pin and still nothing

 

did you check your meter fuse?

 

where is that?

 

lol never mind don't answer that

 

the meter fuse is good

 

Sometimes people say the meter fuse when they really mean the illumination fuse. If this fuse was good the White/Green wire at the headlight switch would have constant voltage. If it does then the switch is your problem. If this were the case then you could jumper a wire from Red/Black in the headlight plug to the R/G wire and the unlit lights should work.

 

I don't have my Haynes book on me right now so I can't look, what does the b/r wire power?

 

Red/Black powers the tail lights.

 

the black and red has constant power as well

 

It's Red/Black and not Black/Red. Secondly, constant power means no key and nothing turned on just like a battery has power all the time. If the R/B wire had constant voltage then your tails would always be on.

 

sorry I got the b/r and r/bmixed up

 

but if I use a jumper it won't short anything?

 

It shouldn't.

 

well it did.

 

What did?

 

it shorted and blew the illum. fuse

 

Then the Red/Black wire could be shorting to ground. W/the meter set to continuity you would place one meter lead to the R/B wire and the other meter lead to a ground source and if it rings out then the wire is grounding out and needs to be repaired.

 

have you done this before?

 

but I will try that when i get the chance, thanks for the help.

 

Checking for a short to ground? Yes, and it's a rather simple manner for determining if a wire is grounded out or not. This is a routine use of the meter and has been used in the electronics business since for many decades. Just use no key and don't turn on the switch when performing a continuity test.

On a side note I had the same problem as you had twenty years ago and the simple jumpering cured my problem. Obviously my problem originated within the switch while yours originated outside of the switch. We know this since your fuse blew when voltage was placed on the wire.