Dash lights still not working after replacing dimmer.

[TorqueEffect]

Ok, I have been bashing my head for two weeks over this. I finally picked up two dimmers at the junkyard, tried both of them, one was obviously bad since it started smoking, but the other one didn't smoke but still didn't kick on the dash lights.

I have tested the hot wires on the dimmer, and they both read 12volts, and the ground for the dimmer is just fine. I test the illumination wires at the connector behind the cluster, both the wires read 12volts.
Also threw my non-tach cluster in there, still no dash lights. So it SHOULD BE $%#$ing working! Especially when the wires AT THE CLUSTER read 12v, but they refuse to turn on.

The only thing I can think of is that the Festiva system works like christmas tree lights, if one bulb goes out, the entire system of lights go out.

[Prafeston]

The only thing I can think of is that the Festiva system works like christmas tree lights, if one bulb goes out, the entire system of lights go out.

Well I know that's not the case. I had a light out in my old cluster and half of it wasn't visible at night. Luckily it was like 60+ on the Speedo so it wasn't like I was going to be in that range very often anyway!

[zoom zoom]

Have you installed a stereo or messed with the rear taillight wiring lately? Are your taillights working, the heater control lights, or the dome light?

[william]

Do your tail lights and markerlights work.
If not look at the relay on the passenger side buy the head light.
You can swap this relay with the head light relay it check if it works.

[TorqueEffect]

all the dials and diagnostic lights, Taillights, and markers all work. Dome light works too, everything electrical works, besides the dash lights, and the heater/blower control lights.

Now Zoom Zoom may be on to something about the Radio. I haven't messed with it since I installed the radio last year, but the Illumination wire for the stock stereo is just hanging behind the stereo, it could be shorting out. (Previous owner cut off the radio harness plugs.)

I will report back if I find anything out about the radio wire.

EDIT: Nope, not the illumination wire.

It's not the wiring, its not the dimmer, it's not the cluster, it's not the bulbs, it's not the fuse. I am completely out of options here.

I am about to cut the wiring for all the illumination bulbs and run new grounds for them. Driving without my cluster at night is dangerous, and is bound to get me pulled over.

[tooldude]

Pull out one of the bulbs in the cluster and probe for positive voltage on the socket. If you get voltage there then you don't have a good ground. If you don't get voltage, then the problem is between wherever you find positive voltage, through the wire end, socket terminals, and board foil to the lamps.

[bravekozak]

I am about to cut the wiring for all the illumination bulbs and run new grounds for them.

This is too radical. Check the ground to the dimmer switch. I think that ground runs to a multi ground connector screwed to the body under the dash. If the ground is O.K., then bypass the dimmer switch. Connect red/white to black. Are the cluster lights on now? or did the tail fuse blow? I am suspicious when a dimmer swich fries, unless it had water inside. Test the dimmer switch make sure it has continuity to the ground terminal before you put it back in.

[Team Lightning]

Just a thought but have you checked the bulbs and verified that they are good?

[TorqueEffect]

This is too radical. Check the ground to the dimmer switch. I think that ground runs to a multi ground connector screwed to the body under the dash. If the ground is O.K., then bypass the dimmer switch. Connect red/white to black. Are the cluster lights on now? or did the tail fuse blow? I am suspicious when a dimmer swich fries, unless it had water inside. Test the dimmer switch make sure it has continuity to the ground terminal before you put it back in.

I tried to do something like that, I set my multimeter to the 10amp setting to measure current, and I jumped the red/white to the ground, it shot up to nearly 10amps and the wires on the multimeter got hot very fast, so I immediately shut off the lightswitch.

EDIT: woops I was thinking the Red/Green, I just tested the red and white bridged to the ground, and all the lights lit up. Thanks very much, it was just that all of the dimmers were bad. Thanks allot!! Time to go get my $4 for that switch back from the junkyard.

Just a thought but have you checked the bulbs and verified that they are good?

Yes, multiple times.

[bravekozak]

Don't buy any lottery tickets for the next three months.

[TorqueEffect]

Don't buy any lottery tickets for the next three months.

lol no kidding.

Two bad switches in a row, who would have thought? Three if you count the one from a 91' MX3 I tried to rig up, but that might have just had incompatible circuits for the Festiva system.

Thanks again for all the help!

[tooldude]

Not being mean - there is no such thing allowed as a hot (positive) wire going to both a positive and negative wire. That would be a short. I didn't see anything about your initial problem so I made some asssumptions(BAD to do). Maybe that dimmer switch is bad. It has a transistor and a diode in it. . Try what Bravekozak said, bypass that dimmer. After that I would check for voltage at some light sockets, then check ground. Hope that gets it. My instrument lights are too dim but I haven't worked on it yet because I don't have enough of those extra symbols to type. *****NOW I see you made that post and I don't know how to delete these things.

[TorqueEffect]

Not being mean - there is no such thing allowed as a hot (positive) wire going to both a positive and negative wire. That would be a short. I didn't see anything about your initial problem so I made some asssumptions(BAD to do). Maybe that dimmer switch is bad. It has a transistor and a diode in it. . Try what Bravekozak said, bypass that dimmer. After that I would check for voltage at some light sockets, then check ground. Hope that gets it. My instrument lights are too dim but I haven't worked on it yet because I don't have enough of those extra symbols to type. *****NOW I see you made that post and I don't know how to delete these things.

Yeah, it is just weird. I don't know how the dimmer really works internally, but I can tell you there is definitely power on both the red/green, and red/white wires, and they BOTH go to the dimmer

Also you could just edit, then delete all the text from what you said before if you want to delete it, of course you would still need some text like "Post deleted" or "Edit: Nevermind"

[tooldude]

I have schematics for 1989 & 1993 only. Looking at them I would bet that dimmer is the same for all models. For both years the two R/G & R/W wires branch from a common junction (fed from the fuse box). They're a parallel circuit that feed different bulbs and end up at the dimmer for common grounding.

[bravekozak]

The only way I can figure out the schematic is that there is an internal relay in the switch that closes when it receives power from the TAIL fuse. That is the reason why there is no continuity on the R/GN wire terminal when you test it. The circuit says that it is hot in park or head(light). Perhaps it's just a way to prevent the instrument cluster lights from frying.

Like I said before, If the radio light is on, your dimmer switch is probably gone if you don't have cluster lights. The radio has a direct ground from the R/GN. There is no need to check the fuse since they both use the same one.

Now you only need to wire a kill switch to the tail lights for police chases. Can you say "headlights only".