No Dash or Running lights

Technical Question and Answer - On topic to 71-74 Plymouth B-bodies only.

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EaglesCall
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No Dash or Running lights

Post by EaglesCall » Mon May 18, 2009 12:37 am

(Rallye Dash on 72 SSP) Should be simple, but I'm stumped. Have power to the switch but it doesn't make it to the fuse box. All wires check out fine, tried a few light switches I had laying around - even went and bought an aftermarket, no go. I can run power to the fuse and all lights work fine. Everything points to the switch but it isn't bad.
Is there a relay or something in the circuit that isn't shown on the wiring diagrams?

Dome light, head light work fine.
Thanks,
EagleCall
'72 Satellite Sebring Plus
'99 Dodge Dakota SLT 4X4
'57 Nash Metropolitan (Hey - it's an adopted orphan!)

landon1
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Re: No Dash or Running lights

Post by landon1 » Mon May 18, 2009 7:27 am

someone else was having this problem on another site - i think it ended up being the dimmer wheel being bad - he used a jumper wire to bypass the dimmer switch, which made the dash lights non-adjustable, but i think most people have them as bright as possible anyways.

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Diriccatiticka
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Re: No Dash or Running lights

Post by Diriccatiticka » Mon May 18, 2009 3:45 pm

I didn't have a problem quite like this, but I second-vote it's the dimmer switch. I had missing dash lights, and once it was contact-cleaned and played with, it worked!

Good luck!
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Currently Engineering New Setup! 8)

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72RoadRunnerGTX
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Re: No Dash or Running lights

Post by 72RoadRunnerGTX » Tue May 19, 2009 1:54 am

There are two power feeds to the headlamp switch. Labeled “B2” on the switch is a pink wire running to the red three plug dash wiring un-switched acc. power plug that draws its power from the cigar lighter. The circuit changes color to a red wire, then runs back to the fuse block to the cigar lighter fuse(lower right hand side). Check the fuse/circuit for the cigar lighter, a fault on this circuit would explain no park and dash lights.
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EaglesCall
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Re: No Dash or Running lights

Post by EaglesCall » Tue May 19, 2009 1:59 am

Thanks, this sounds probable. I'll let you know what I find this weekend. Thanks Again!!
'72 Satellite Sebring Plus
'99 Dodge Dakota SLT 4X4
'57 Nash Metropolitan (Hey - it's an adopted orphan!)

AZ-Nick
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Re: No Dash or Running lights

Post by AZ-Nick » Sat May 23, 2009 4:01 pm

I had this problem 2 times and I went nuts both times looking for the problem.
Both issues at seperate times, I thought it could not be a different problem but it was.
First time it was fuse/circuit for the cigar lighter - was a bad connection, then a few months later it was the dimmer wheel. :mad:
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EaglesCall
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Re: No Dash or Running lights

Post by EaglesCall » Sun May 24, 2009 1:48 am

Thanks guys - got it! It was at the cigarette lighter. Turns out my son took the power from there (literally) when he installed my Pioneer Supertuner for me. That was a year ago, shows how often I drive this car. Thanks again for the help.
'72 Satellite Sebring Plus
'99 Dodge Dakota SLT 4X4
'57 Nash Metropolitan (Hey - it's an adopted orphan!)

NOrrTH
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Re: No Dash or Running lights

Post by NOrrTH » Sat Aug 22, 2009 1:06 pm

I have this problem also. Someone also installed a cd player inside the glove box so I'm suspicious of them taking the power from the cigar lighter. I dont have a service manual for the car. Could anyone tell me where to find the fuse box that would hold the cigar lighter one?

Cheers
'71 GTX N96

EaglesCall
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Re: No Dash or Running lights

Post by EaglesCall » Sat Aug 22, 2009 8:07 pm

The fuse would be in the main fuse panel behind the accelerator pedal. Try pulling out the ashtray and take a look at the cigarette lighter though. It would be one slide on connector with 2 wires feeding it. One wire is power from the fuse box to the lighter - and the other is power feed from there to the headlight switch. This is the power feed for your dash and running lights. My guess is this is where you will find your issues.
'72 Satellite Sebring Plus
'99 Dodge Dakota SLT 4X4
'57 Nash Metropolitan (Hey - it's an adopted orphan!)

Elvad
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Re: No Dash or Running lights

Post by Elvad » Tue Aug 25, 2009 12:59 am

I had three Chargers that melted the power wire at the radiator support. It fried the dimmer switch and at first had high beam or no beam. See if the harness is cut and grounded where it passes through the radiator support on the left side on the way to the headlights.

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