no dash/tail lights- out of ideas- RESOLVED

[solace22]

Vehicle is 1990 K5 blazer.
the dash lights havent worked in some time so I figured i would try and tackle it. While doing my research i noticed that the dash lights and rear tail lights are all on the same fuse. I took the dash apart to check the brown wire, which apparently gives power, everything looked great fairly clean and plugged in properly. So I moved to the rear thinking maybe there is a pinched wire or bad ground. Both grounds looked fine, very tight no broken wires. One of the bulbs was blown and two wires that power the rear window were pinched but I could not find anything else wrong. At this point im not sure where to look. Should I trace the wires from the rear of the truck back to the front looking for issues?
Whats the next step? I have checked fuses 4 times and nothing is blown.

 

[diesel4me]

If it has a trailer hitch I'd look closely at any wiring involved..but--I'd think any defects back there would likely pop a fuse too..

It could be the headlamp switch itself,but they dont fail that often..

Might try checking ALL the fuses for power with the key on,the dash lights might be tied in with more than that one fuse that is labelled "dash lmps"--perhaps the radio or gauges fuse is involved in their circuit too..also there may be a ground wire under the dash that has come off...

 

[solace22]

alright i put the dash back together. the back of the truck seems to be okay hitch wiring and all. Underneath the truck seems fine, nothing pinched.
This issue all started some time back when i was working on the door strikers for the courtesy lamps. On the passenger side there were two wires a white and a black. The white went to the striker which grounds to the body. I have no idea where the black goes because it goes through a grommet then down to where the passenger side door strike would be. It is attached to something. there are no loose wires hanging around that it would go to.
the only thing that is there is an orange wire with a single female plug in I think it would go to a light in the glovebox (not there). Another wire is black and a red that are together in a grey covering and I think it is speaker wire becaause its on the drivers side that way too and its red and black as well.
I dont know how this black wire would make things with the dash lights work or not work but its my biggest lead at this point. I seem to recall it being hot but im not sure. ill try and test it soon.

 

[dyeager535]

So the fuse is good, but both circuits that the fuse powers don't work? Pretty basic, but just want to make sure you checked the fuse itself, maybe even swapped it with another one you know works?

You are most likely going to want to use a multimeter here (continuity tester).

By striker, do you mean the light switch in the doors? The striker is what the door latches to, I assume that isn't what you are talking about.

The dome light circuit is pretty confusing, but based on my experience, even if dome lights don't work the gauge lights should, door switches aren't tied into that...the cluster lights dim, the domes don't.

 

[solace22]

So the fuse is good, but both circuits that the fuse powers don't work? Pretty basic, but just want to make sure you checked the fuse itself, maybe even swapped it with another one you know works?

You are most likely going to want to use a multimeter here (continuity tester).

By striker, do you mean the light switch in the doors? The striker is what the door latches to, I assume that isn't what you are talking about.

The dome light circuit is pretty confusing, but based on my experience, even if dome lights don't work the gauge lights should, door switches aren't tied into that...the cluster lights dim, the domes don't.

Yeah by striker I meant the part that kicks the lights on when you open the door. Couldn't think of the name for it. Dome light works perfectly fine after I fixed the parts in the doors.
I'm going to swap the fuse for a new one even though the current one isn't blown. I'll test and see if there is power at that circuit too. Thanks for your help

 

[dyeager535]

As a matter of fact, when I re-did the lights in the cluster I recall that the cluster lights were powered directly from the headlight switch....brown wire perhaps? If power is going out on that terminal from the switch, you'll at least know the headlight switch isn't the issue. You've tried turning the knob for the dimmer function?

Check the link in my sig for the wiring diagrams, get closest to your year, that should help out immensely.

 

[solace22]

As a matter of fact, when I re-did the lights in the cluster I recall that the cluster lights were powered directly from the headlight switch....brown wire perhaps? If power is going out on that terminal from the switch, you'll at least know the headlight switch isn't the issue. You've tried turning the knob for the dimmer function?

Check the link in my sig for the wiring diagrams, get closest to your year, that should help out immensely.

yeah i think it is the brown one that powers it.
I believe I have it fixed, tail lights working I cant tell if the dash lights work its too bright out to tell. Ill check when its a little darker out this evening.

 

[Deuling]

I had wiring out in the back that was nasty under the wrapping it had.

I would turn the blinker on and my dash lights would blink


Lots of cutting and soldering and shrink wrap later...

 

[solace22]

I had wiring out in the back that was nasty under the wrapping it had.

I would turn the blinker on and my dash lights would blink


Lots of cutting and soldering and shrink wrap later...

Yep, I found two questionable lines I need to tidy up. Too cold to mess with right now.