'71 Dash Light Problem

[Mike G]

I was replacing the speedo needle on my '71 and obviously had to take the dash apart. When I went to put the dash back in, none of the dash lights worked any longer(i.e. lights around the speedo and tach). The signals lights do not work, nor do the dash lights. The brake light however, does work.

I've checked the obvious like fuses, however, everything checks out. Can anyone suggest what else I might have done and how to troublshoot this problem. Hope I dind't do something to the harness.

Thanks.

Mike G

[Stephen L.]

Re: '71 Dash Light Problem

Possibly didn't connect the ground??? Try a clip lead from a ground point to the dash housing metal.....

I believe the brake light has its own separate ground.

[Chuck S.]

Re: '71 Dash Light Problem

Without researching to see what circuits are grounded by the harness, I would check to insure that all the specified grounds are good...i.e. clean the grounding surface and terminal with steel wool or fine sand paper, and tighten the ground screws well.

Another possibility is that the dash light dimmer rheostat in the light switch decided to rebel against all the movement around, and went south. This is a common problem when the dash lights stop working, and the only solution is a new switch. If all your grounds look good, check the continuity across the rheostat coil in the headlight switch.