370ZRR Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 HELP! turn signals, tail lights, dash board lights DONT WORK! help I just got 77 280z a few months ago that wasnt running. I got it running (faulty fuel pump and relay) did a lot of cosmetic work to it body paint, rims, suspension , exhaust and it looks really nice now but all of a sudden my brake lights, turn signals, dashboard lights and aftermarket cd player dont turn on anymore?? I dont want to drive it without the lights working because there is a police station around where I live and work and if they pull me over for that there is a lot more they can nail me for (loud exhaust, no bumpers etc...) I replaced all the bulbs for the exterior lighting and nothing. one day the rear lamps wouldnt do anything (turn on or brake) and then the next day and currently my rear brake or driving light stays constantly on so i have to disconnect the battery when I turn the car off. Looks like someone messed with the wiring before and I bought a new flasher relay and that didnt do anything for the turn signals. Actually the hazard lights work whether the flasher relay is connected or not. I thought that was strange. summary: what works- headlights, -hazards flash only in the grill whats doesnt work- brake lights when I press pedal, -all turn signals dont work, -none of the amber or red lights turn on when the headlight switch is turned on, -dash/tach lights dont work, - aftermarket cd player no longer turns on Please anyone I need some help with this. I m in san diego if anyone local can check it out and help also. 858-205-3500 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayG1988 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Did you try replacing your fuses? Did you check your wiring? Sounds like you have to find your factory service manual and fix the prior owner's mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S30 SPL Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Check the ground point at the rear interior panel. It is on the inside of the car behind the license plate. Check your brake switch around your brake pedal for the brake lights that won't turn off. If there is an alarm in the car, check that for faults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armand Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Do a search. I myself have gone through the same problems and the answers are already posted. You're gonna have lots of fun fixing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
370ZRR Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 I ll try that. do the combi switches go bad? i wonder if i need a new one. yeah this has been frustrating me for weeks now!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naviathan Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 This wouldn't be all of your problems, but it would explain the head unit failing. Check your ground you used for the cd player. I've seen people use the dash lights for a ground because that's what they read on the multimeter when the lights are off. This in turn blows the fuse and causes problems with the head unit when the lights are turned on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
370ZRR Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 still no luck and now my headlights wont work now also. I ve yet to get a new headlight combi switch for it. I could bring it to a electrical shop but I rather spend the money buying new parts for it to figure it out. What are a list of things I should buy that are possible culprits? or should give up and bring it to a shop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
370ZRR Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 So I got some stuff to work again. I cleaned out the ecu and whatever connectors I could find that looked dirty around the whole car. I messed with the hazard light switch for a while. The rear lights being on all the time was because the brake light stopper came out so i fixed that and now the tail lights work properly. My hazards and headlights work again. ITs just my dash lights, cd player and turn signals not working. IF the cd player was wired to somewhere in the dash where is it usually wired to? There are 2 wires that look like power that someone soldered to the fuse box. should that power it alone or do cd players need another connection to turn on? also does anyone know for a 77 where the dash/ turn signal relays and the wiring grounds are located? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WizardBlack Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Do you have a Haynes manual or a multimeter? It's been a while for me (since I removed all the factory stuff), but I don't think the hazards or turn signals have relays. They have the switch (that you flip) and the timer that clicks it on and off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Remove the CD player from the vehicle and see if your lights come back. The first stereo I ever installed in a car was in my old Geo Storm, and somehow I originally wired it up wrong in a way that the stereo worked, but my running lights (including tails) and gauge lights didnt work; I discovered I had wired a ground up improperly (I Think I used the vehicle's illumination wire for a ground? or something?) But try pulling the plug on the stereo and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest p_tree244 Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Hello, this is my first post and hope it will help. I got my '77 280z about a month ago with some of the same problems. The search function and this, plus other sites had everything i need. The first thing I did was the fusable link upgrade, http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/ this site helped me with that, from this same site you can find a link to where you can "get" a fsm(full shop manual) then you can slowly start to understand you car, and learn it. As for me it took me carefully peeling back some black tape to realize that my ground wires were pretty much fried, and that the previous owner did a couple of funny things, I also did the zx alternator upgrade, there are still things that need to be done, but with the help of searching, reading the FSM, and this and other z sites my car gets better and better every time I work on it. Im sure that once you get the FSM and follow the wiring diagram you should be able to find your problem. Then you will feel good that you did it yourself . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dat1gai Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 i had a similar/almost identical problem with mine.. perhaps the headlight switch is bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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