blinky blink goes the dash lights

[black_81_vette]

I think my dash lights are possesed! My dash lights will blink on and off go out and when I slap the bottom of the dash they come back on! I checked the plug in the the circuit board its pushed in all the way in and tight. Also I would like to point out its only the instrument panel lights that do this the lights over the console ect are not effected. Im stumped!

 

[JohnZ]

The only device in that circuit besides the fuse is the rheostat on the headlight switch that regulates the brightness of the instrument lights; its windings or the wiper that moves on them may be dirty. I'm not familiar with the '81 cluster, but the ground may also need cleaning.

 

[zachh]

Im leanin more toward a bad ground connection. That would cause a flicker in one cluster and not the other.
good luck
zachh