Poundz9oh9 Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 I went out to the Z after a trip to the movies and I turn the lights on and notice the instrument panel lights were slow to come on. Like a 2 second delay after I turn on the headlights. I knew it was odd and shut off and on the lights a couple times just to make sure it just wasn't me. Still did it. So we were driving home from the movies with my wife in the car, which is very rare for her to ride in the Z. Anyway, smelt a burning smell and noticed my guage lights went out. I pulled over to prepare to fight a fire but there was nothing. Just the smell. I checked all the fuses, made sure at least the headlights were working and got her home. Once I got home I really looked under the dash for the obvious melted wiring because I thought it just had to be a short somewhere. Anyway, I check all the fuses, wiring and stuff and came up with nothing. Am I forgetting anything? Oh, and the tail lights went out too. I have turn signals/brake/reverse/head lights, but no running or guage lights. Is there some super secret thingy mawhoseit that I'm forgetting?????? TIA guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted June 4, 2004 Share Posted June 4, 2004 Marcus I had the same problem that was caused by one of the side marker lights shorting out. It kept blowing a fuse that took out the instrument lights and the tail lights. Are your marker lights out too? Miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poundz9oh9 Posted June 4, 2004 Author Share Posted June 4, 2004 Well, all the marker lights have been shaved. I'll go check the left over connections in the morning but................. all the fuses at the fuse box were fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted June 4, 2004 Share Posted June 4, 2004 I had the same problem and it was caused by a failure of the combo switch. replaced it and no more problems! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poundz9oh9 Posted June 6, 2004 Author Share Posted June 6, 2004 Thanks for the suggestions guys. It fixed itself though. i buttoned everything all up this morning to go out to the Triad Z car show and turned the lights on while it was warming up. Everything worked. I can only assume that it was in fact the Combo switch though. Nothing was working and that was the last thing that I did (messing with the switch). I had unplugged it and was going to try hooking up a spare switch that I had in the garage, but the connections were a little different. So, I just plugged the old one back in and now everything works. Go figure Thanks again guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavy Z Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 It could be one more thing since this sounds exactly like a problem I've had. My fix was in the fuse box and was easy, all I had to do to get them to work was twist the one fuse that runs these all, rotate it a bit in the connectors and the lights would go back on. Yes it fixed itself too, next time it happens on you go to your fuse as it might be the problem. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAW Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 The fuse can corrode inside (from condensation) at the connections from the filament to the bases. It's difficult to see and otherwise the fuse is unblown. You could check with an ohmmeter but I would replace the fuse first before looking elsewhere. DAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhaTTy Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 Had same problem and am currently working on fixing. The problem was in the plastic connector from the lighting wiring harness to the combination switch plastic connector in the steering column. Somehow some of the wires shorted and burnt the side of the plastic connector to bits. Now I have to find a source to replace my '83 connectors for both ends (male and female) so I can fix it. Might wanna try checking that out also. Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poundz9oh9 Posted June 12, 2004 Author Share Posted June 12, 2004 Well, I can definately say that it's somewhere in the switch. It did it again last night while I was driving. All, I did was shut off the lights thedn turn them back on again. I'm pretty sure that it's in the connection. I'll pull it all apart again and clean the connectors really good. If that doesn't help, I'll have to say the switch is toast and is either going to get worse, or will be like this the rest of the life of the car. Anybody got an extra switch they want to get rid of???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaohabq Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Well, I can definately say that it's somewhere in the switch. It did it again last night while I was driving. All, I did was shut off the lights thedn turn them back on again. I'm pretty sure that it's in the connection. I'll pull it all apart again and clean the connectors really good. If that doesn't help, I'll have to say the switch is toast and is either going to get worse, or will be like this the rest of the life of the car. Anybody got an extra switch they want to get rid of???? There's always a ton of these for sale on Epay, tho the Combo switch isn't that hard to rebuild, just time consuming. Phar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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