Dash light question

[fastivaca]

I've got an perplexing problem that used to occur when it was cold out but has started to show up in the warm weather too.

Here's what's happening... when I turn on the headlights the dash lights don't come on but the lights in the heater control panel do. When I turn on the signal lights the indicators in the cluster both flash (sort of), the tach needle drops when the indicator lights come on, and the rear defrost light flashes on and off as well. The fuel and temp guages both indicate higher than they should too. The actual signal lighs work properly while this is happening.

After a while everything reverts to normal; the dash lights come on, the signal indicators work properly etc. The time frame seems to vary.

I'm guessing it's probably a grounding issue but your suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[sasquatch]

maby the connectors on the back of the cluster are loose? and try and trace that ground and see if thats loose....

[Fez]

I would say a bad ground.

[ejp2fast]

take your speedo cluster out and make sure everything is tight back there, then look on the green circuit board if anything is damaged/open circuit.. its likely something small