Dash lights aren't working

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Cruznlife1

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at night the dash lights never come on regardless of the headlight knob. I have ZERO lighting in the instrument cluster, the ONLY thing lit up is the climate control LED Display and the radio's LED display, the climate control buttons are not lighting up, dash buttons aren't lighting up, the stereo controls aren't lighting up, the buttons below the air vents (Fuel, Reset, etc..) arent' coming on, I would think they would have some lights behind the buttons on the doors and the shifter etc... I'm pitch black aside from the display on the radio and a/c....

I brought it to lincoln and they wouldnt cover it, I didnt let it bother me before because I thought I was getting it fixed, now that I know I'm on my own I'll look at it tomorrow. I have done lights when I open the doors, but when I slide the dimmer switch up and it clicks the dome lights dont come on, when I mess with the dimmer switch it does absolutly nothing.

Tomorrow I'm gonna check for blown fuses etc... Is this a common thing does anyone know ?

How hard to possibly change the dimmer switch ??

Thanks fellas
 
I just went out there with a test light and checked every fuse in the passenger side kick panel, under the hood, and the fuse box next to the spare tire in the trunk. all is well. I guess I'll check for things unplugged or damaged behind the dimmer switch tomorrow. If anything, I'll be paying the dealer. It's ridiculous at night, with my windows tinted as dark as they are, and I live in the middle of nowhere with no street lights, I can't see a damn thing inside, unless I turn on the maplights to check my speed/fuel etc...
 
If you brought it to the dealer and they wont cover under warranty, maybe you could ask them what the problem is.

Id ask whats wrong, and see if its do-able on your own, or if youll have to have them do it.
 
Could be a burned out tail light. That happened to my '91 Sable. I think the lack of dash lights is to alert you the tail light is out. I have also seen it on other cars.


Just a thought......
 
I know for sure one of the license plate lights is out. Never heard of that before, but all the other taillights are on and functioing. The message center also tells me my tails and brake lights are working
 
On my 02 if I switch the knob for the lights too fast sometimes none of the inner lights light up at all, the headlights do. If I go back a switch the knob to off again and back it fixes itself. Just a thought...maybe it's something with the knob area///? prob not but worth a try...
 
Sure sounds like a fuse somewhere where they are all out like that. Have you looked at your owner's manual to see exactly what fuses to look at? There may be more than one feeding that circuit. You may also want to get a wiring diagram and start following the power and grounds in the car.

By the way...DO NOT use a normal test light when working on these delicate circuits. It can actually create too much draw. Use a digital meter or a test light designed for very low current applications.
 
Speaking of fuses. The LS is negative triggered, that is the negative is interrupted, not the positive for powering and de-powering devices. If you check the fuses with a probe without pulling them out and doing a visual check, they will all look "hot". They are hot all the time. Look in the OM and find out which fuse controls the IP. That fuse is probably bad.
 
I can't find "IP" in the manual. well I checked all of them with a light, than I went through the manual and checked them all by visiual inspection (pull them out, check wire) that sound like it could be for the lights, anything for interior lights, cluster, instruments etc.... All of those were good. What is IP ?

As for headlight knob I've messed with that thing for a few minutes in all positions back on and off etc... nothing. and yeah it really sounds like a fuse which worries me because fuses blow for a reason. so I gotta see whats up
 
How do I get the panel off that holds the dimmer and the headlight switch ? I wanna see if it's anything obvious behind there. (something unplugged for some reason ??)
 
I went through fuses very thoroughly. They're all good visiually and with a test light. In the trunk, under the hood, and in the passenger compartment they're all installed, accounted for and working fine. I got that panel off that holds the headlight switch. I unplugged everything and cleaned all the contacts etc... The headlights, taillights, markers and everything works, the auto lamps work and the foglamps work so the headlight switch is working. The dimmer switch does NOTHING. wont turn the dome lights on or do anything for the instruments. The mirror switch right next to it is workign fine though. Also forgot to add, the little buttons for the trunk release and fuel door dont work either. I tried it with the valet button in AND out etc.... So it's the instrument lights and the fuel door/trunk release buttons dont work.

Could they possibly go to a common module ?? The dealer didnt want to help me out and all.... They wanted to charge me 2 hours at like 70 dollars an hour or something just to diagnose it. I took me keys and left. I noticed today, the a/c controls are coming on with the lights, it's everything else that isnt.

Everything is all plugged in, and the fuses are all good, I just wish I knew what the deal is
 
LS4me said:
Speaking of fuses. The LS is negative triggered, that is the negative is interrupted, not the positive for powering and de-powering devices. If you check the fuses with a probe without pulling them out and doing a visual check, they will all look "hot". They are hot all the time. Look in the OM and find out which fuse controls the IP. That fuse is probably bad.
Click to expand...

LS4me....while it's true the LS uses a ground side switch, the fuse will still test in the normal way. You don't have power applied to both sides of the fuse...only one. Therefore, if it lights the fuse on one side, it MUST light it on the other if the fuse is good. If it's bad, it will NOT light both sides of the fuse.

A negative trigger means that power is applied to the load at all times and is triggered (turned on and off) by switching the ground.
 
2001LS8Sport said:
LS4me....while it's true the LS uses a ground side switch, the fuse will still test in the normal way. You don't have power applied to both sides of the fuse...only one. Therefore, if it lights the fuse on one side, it MUST light it on the other if the fuse is good. If it's bad, it will NOT light both sides of the fuse.

A negative trigger means that power is applied to the load at all times and is triggered (turned on and off) by switching the ground.
Click to expand...


Thanks for clarifying that. I had all kinds of problems wiring my amp until I discovered that!
 
maybe the switch is bad? see if you can find another LS, and use their switch to see if thats the problem.
 
Mine just went out today? Has anyone elser had this problem? I am scheduled for service tomorrow morning but I am not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about this knowing that Cruznlife1 couldnt get warranty coverage.
 
JaredLS said:
On my 02 if I switch the knob for the lights too fast sometimes none of the inner lights light up at all, the headlights do. If I go back a switch the knob to off again and back it fixes itself. Just a thought...maybe it's something with the knob area///? prob not but worth a try...
Click to expand...

I kind of thought this might have beenn the case but couldn't get it to work for me but I I just weent back out side and turned the car over then slowly turned the lights on and viola the interiors are back on again.
 
well the problem is on again and off again litterally. It came back this morning so I took it in to the dealership at lunch time.
 
Well picking it up today. In short they could not reproduce the problem. The dash lights are on once again. Oh well I needed an oil change any way so it wasn't a total loss.
 
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