Dash / interior lights 65 convertible

[Jimmy Roggenbuck]

the dash lights on my car only have two of the bulbs lighting and the lights themselves test O.K . I have checked the bulbs and all interior light, headlight, taillights and turn signals work. Questions:
1. Is this year equipped with a turn sighnal retun to automaticly turn off indicator?
2. Is there a functional dimmer switch i.e. rotating the knob to turn certin lights up or off.
3.Most archives talk about not having the proper ground. Is it possible to have partial grounding to some of the light and not others?

I am thinking that my switch or partial wiring problem but not sure since not familiar with above questions. Lost in the wonderful new car fix its
thanks #37372

[Jack H.]

Re: Dash / interior lights 65 convertible

(1) Steering column IS equiped with T/S cancelling mechanism. If upper end of TS switch (attached to column cable) is broken or not torqued down to column hub, cancelling switch will 'swing' and fail to operate. Most auto parts stores sell individual repair pieces for plastic T/S cancelling mechanisms, but you need to have yours out to visually identify what's wrong and what the part(s) you need look like....

(2) Dash lamps DO dim based on rotation of headlamp switch knob. At one end of the scale, dimmer switch 'clicks' into over-ride postition (all interior lamps ON, full brightness).

(3) Can ground be a problem? Yes, but you should say more as you mentioned TWO lamps do illuminate, but not which lamps/where.... Some interior lamps have their own ground (E.g. dome lamp). If some of the lamps that are working are part of the instrument cluster where others are not working, it points to faulty wiring (open circuit) in various branches of the console harness and/or inproper insertion of lamp(s) into illumination socket (the snap-in fit of bulb socket to dash hole is what completes the bulb circuit to dash ground).

[Bill Clupper]

Re: Dash / interior lights 65 convertible

some of the lights carry both feed and ground, generally using plastic sockets, the others using metal sockets ground thru the housing they are attached to, so yes it is possible to have one area of the car grounded to the wiring harness and functional, while another is inop. An example of this would be if the clock light worked, but the instrument cluster lighting did not. Yes, ther is an override built into the dimmer to put lights to full brightness. With respect to your turn signal question, yes there is a turn signal cancelling mechanism located in the hub area below the steering wheel.

[Paul Rose]

Re: Dash / interior lights 65 convertible

There also can be a feed back of power from a bad ground or more then one ground. This will sometimes light an otherwise turned off light. You can check this with a wire bear on both ends going from light to light checking for a brighter light. There could be a short aswell, check with a test light between the negitive term of the battery and the negitive cable. The light should be out with all lights off. Pull the fuse for the clock as this will show up as a draw otherwise. Good luck!