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Ok I am losing my mind on this interior lighting

N

Nutro

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jul 16, 2020
Posts
128
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Location
Austin, TX
So I replaced the dash cluster bulbs with white LEDs, installed LED over head and under dash lamp and rear LED cargo lamp. All have been working well and I love the white LED look. I recently was trying to install the lower dash vent duct (The large plastic one that connects to the drivers side left hand vent) and maybe I screwed something up? Now, when I pull the headlight switch knob, the fuse blows for the under dash lamp and instrument panel lighting. I can put a new fuse in and as soon as I pull the headlight switch, bam, fuse pops.

I just went out to test my new headlights at night. Open door, overhead, rear cargo and under dash lighting comes on but very dim. Turn the knob to the left and overhead and rear cargo light up fully but not under dash. No gauge lights in the dash.

I have one of those fuses that lights up when popped an it's glowing like hell.

Bad headlight switch? (I just replaced it a few weeks ago)
Short to ground?

I'm not very good at electrical problems. I googled but I really only see people with unsolved issues.
 
I forgot to mention that I couldn't get the vent seated properly so I pulled it back out. I looked it over briefly but it was dark out. If a fuse pops when the switch is pulled, that typically means a hot wire is grounded, correct?
 
Yes sir. I replaced the drivers side door jam switch recently. I don't think its that
 
door jam switches are ground side, you can't short to ground a ground. So it is the courtesy fuse ? So the light switch on lights dash ash tray and any other add on gauges ? also is the rheostat turned all the way clockwise ?
 
Ok so I open the door, the overhead and cargo lights come on. The under dash light comes on but DIMMER than normal. Rotate headlight switch knob full counter and clockwise, no change.

No gauge lights, no tail lights when headlight switch knob pulled BUT when I pull the switch knob out and the headlights come on, the under dash light goes out. No ashtray light.

Fuse is labeled: T/L CRTSY
 
tail lights and courtesy, so from that description I think you may have pulled a ground loose. or shorted two hot lights circuits together
 
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I dug around under the dash and don't see anything obvious. I did push the lighter in to heat it up and it popped the fuse for Horn/Lighter
 
If fuse popped instantly, it shorted to ground. If it popped slowly, melted, might be to high current draw, of new element.
 
Did you pull the cluster to change the bulbs or do it while it was installed? I had the same fuse blowing when turning on the headlights. For me, it was a wire coming off the headlight switch that was connected to nothing (cut by previous owner) was grounding out. You're more than likely having the same thing happen but maybe with a different wire. Check for any broken or loose wires coming from the switch itself or anything that may be tapped in to a switch wire.
 
Yeah I'm still losing my mind on this. Bought a new headlight switch just to check it out. Still does it. Disconnected the lighter, still does it, removed the courtesy bulb (Under dash) still does it. Looked up under the dash, no wires grounding. Nothing under the hood, took glovebox out, no wires loose or grounding. I'm gonna have to take it to a shop I guess. I give up.
 
have you seen any melty looking looms? check the Headlight grounds. Headlight may be grounding through courtesy circuit.
 
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