Headlight switch

[87 ChevyVan]

87 Chevy Van G20

Dash lights all not working.

Rheostat turns on the cabin light, but nothing going on with the dash lights.

Dash light fuse is good, checked with a test light.

I'm thinking that the headlight switch is bad for the dash lights, wondering what wire to check.   I noticed on the tech pages it mentioned the grey wire.......wondering if that is the wire to check.  If the wire is hot with the lights on and the rheostat all the way counter clockwise, then it is the switch.....right?

[bd]

If the 5-amp dash lamps fuse tested good with a test light then the headlamp switch is supplying power to the fuse, right?  Check the instrument cluster bulbs and check the cluster ground connection to the left kick panel.  Also, check the harness connection to the backside of the cluster.

Follow the procedure in Diagnosing dash instrument lights, step by step from beginning to end.

[87 ChevyVan]

Check the instrument cluster bulbs

Do I use a test light to check the bulbs or will they just appear burnt?

check the cluster ground connection to the left kick panel.

What does the lick panel look line?  Why is it called a kick panel?

Also, check the harness connection to the backside of the cluster.

Is the harness connection on the back side of the cluster checked with a test light?
I'll be looking for the cluster, not sure what it is, but it sounds like a thing that I should be able to recognize.

Follow the procedure in Diagnosing dash instrument lights, step by step from beginning to end.


I got started on that from the beginning, and found it hard to follow for my lack of knowledge of wiring.  I'm going to work through it.
If I was real good, how long should it take to accomplish the whole task?

Thanks for your help

[Mike81K10]

You can normally see if a bulb is burn't out or use a multimeter (ohm meter) to check the filament.

The kick panel is named because it is in the location where your feet are. You can do a google search to find that type of information.

The cluster, Cluster (multiple fuses - clustered together). Be careful not to short out circuits when using a meter or test light. Also check for any loose grounds etc.

As bd said, follow the Diagnosing dash instrument lights. This forum has the information available, click the link that bd gave you. Look at the wiring diagrams. The question of how long it takes to accomplish the troubleshooting task, well that depend on you.

[bd]

Check the instrument cluster bulbs

Do I use a test light to check the bulbs or will they just appear burnt?

check the cluster ground connection to the left kick panel.

What does the lick panel look line?  Why is it called a kick panel?

Also, check the harness connection to the backside of the cluster.

Is the harness connection on the back side of the cluster checked with a test light?
I'll be looking for the cluster, not sure what it is, but it sounds like a thing that I should be able to recognize.

Follow the procedure in Diagnosing dash instrument lights, step by step from beginning to end.


I got started on that from the beginning, and found it hard to follow for my lack of knowledge of wiring.  I'm going to work through it.
If I was real good, how long should it take to accomplish the whole task?

Thanks for your help

The instrument cluster is the pale green plastic assembly that contains the gauges, speedometer, indicator lights, and dash illumination lights.  It nestles in the dashboard behind the black plastic trim bezel.



The driver kick panel is the short inside cabin wall located to the left of the floorboard, below the dash and forward of the door.  The cab interior ground connections attach to a metal strip that bolts to either the kick panel or the park brake pedal frame.



If the truck has factory A/C, to access the backside of the instrument cluster and the instrument panel harness connector you will need to remove the A/C duct that crosses under the steering column, below the dash.  The instrument panel wiring harness plugs into the backside of the gauge cluster, left of center.  Pinch the plastic clips at the ends of the harness connector together and unplug the connector from the back of the cluster.  Then you can probe the terminal at the end of the gray wire while the headlamp switch is ON and rotated all the way CCW.  If the gray wire terminal is hot, plug the connector back into the cluster and recheck the instrument lamps.



An experienced professional might consume 20-30 minutes diagnosing the instrument lights, though it really depends on the complexity of the failure and the experience of the technician.

If you have specific questions regarding the diagnostic procedure, feel free to ask.

[Mike81K10]

Much better response bd!

[87 ChevyVan]

Not to leave this up in the air, the dash lights work now.

I think I may have been expecting lights with a clockwise turn rather than a counter clockwise turn.  I had a new windshield installed and when driving the Van back to the parking lot, I noticed the dash lights were working.  I don't think enough stuff got jostled around enough to make them work......I think I was just wrong.

Anyways had a great trip to Salida Colorado and did a bit of camping, everything was working fine.