Tail lights and dash lights not working

[dennisb]

On my 61 I just lost the dash lights, courtesy light, tail lights, license lights, brake lights, and rear turning signals. The headlights, parking lights, front turn signals, radio, and clock all work. Gas guage works.

I checked the fuses and they look ok. I pulled the tail light fuse and put it back but nothing changed.

The other night while driving I noticed I had no dash lights. I fiddled with the headlamp switch turning it back and forth to no avail. About 15 minutes later they came on. The courtesy lamp has never worked from the head lamp switch, only from the door switch.

Could a bad headlamp switch cause all this? If not. what else to check?

 

[WayneC]

Unfortunately, at this moment I do not have a C1 wiring diagram to look at (and I'm a C2 owner).

I may be off base with this answer, but I seem to recall that older cars used to lose the dash lights when a tailight went bad... that it was a way of alerting the driver that cars behind couldn't see him. If you have an owners manual, check that for info.

You might also check to see if you have zero ohm resistance (need a multimeter) between a tailight socket inner surface and a bare spot on the frame (if not, you've got a bad/broken ground wire or connection somewhere).

Just looking at a fuse doesn't tell you it's good, replace it with a new one or check it with a multimeter to be certain there's current at both ends as it sits in the fusebox (with the headlight switch on or at least in the parking light position). If not, check the wire for current as it leaves the headlight switch to see if the switch is the problem.

The brake light switch is another possible problem area.

 

[dennisb]

I need to update my original post. I do have rear turn signals. Just no tail lights, brake slights or dash lights.

Did replace the fuse. No change. Checked the fuse panel and found I have no power coming into the top 2 (TAIL and STOP) slots or the bottom (INSTRM) slot. But I'm not sure if the headlight switch was on. I know I had the key on. I'll check again. And if not, I guess I need to pull the fuse box and see if I can see why no power. I do have the wiring diagram in the AIM but I need to get a magnifying glass first. My old eyes can't follow those lines. LOL.

Any other thoughts are welcomed !

 

[WayneC]

"Checked the fuse panel and found I have no power coming into the top 2 (TAIL and STOP) slots or the bottom (INSTRM) slot. But I'm not sure if the headlight switch was on. I know I had the key on. I'll check again. And if not, I guess I need to pull the fuse box and see if I can see why no power."

Seems to me that if you find that both those fuses are not getting power with the headlight switch on (parking light position is sufficient), you need to look at the diagram to find out what's common to both... ie, does the same wire from the headlight switch power them both? If so, check for power at the wire as it leaves the switch, and/or check continuity from the switch end connector(s) of the cable to the corresponding fuse holder(s) with the multimeter before you start tearing the fusebox apart.

 

[dennisb]

Problem Solved !

Tested the fuse slots with the headlight switch on and still no power. SO, we pulled the fuse box off the firewall (only one bolt holds it on). There is a red wire that was rusted/broken off the connector. Got a new connector and crimped it on the wire, cleaned the post a little bit, and put it on. Got tail lights, stop lights, and instrument panel lights. Obviously this wire supplies the power to those fuses.

Hope this might help someone else some day.

Thanks WayneC for your very helpful suggestions.