Gauge lights

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Gauge lights - 9/2/2006 12:00:44 AM    Bad96_3.9 Posts: 404 Joined: 5/8/2006 From: Crawfordville, FL Status: offline I was driving home tonight and when I started my truck back up, my guage lights will not come on. They are not dimmed and the overdrive, A/C, and radio lights are still working?????I was wondering if anyone could help me out please. _____________________________ 1996 Dakota Club Cab 2wd SLT Spray in Bed Liner Custom Racing Stripes 3.9 to 5.2 Conversion!!! Mopar Performance computer, K&N, flowmaster, no cat. http://www.myspace.com/topher73 Post #: 1

RE: Gauge lights - 9/2/2006 12:19:43 AM    dodgerules86 Posts: 2704 Joined: 12/25/2003 From: Sycamore, Illinois (displaced to Arkansas) Status: offline Another common problem, (and, thanks for bringing this up, I will put this in the Gen 1 FAQs). I had this problem too. It turned out to be a bad connection on the back to the instrument cluster. Solving the problem is pretty easy, just kinda time consuming. All you need is some di-electric grease (optional I guess, but I recommend it), a screwdriver, the proper size Torx bits (and a multimeter if you have one), and, some time. The following info is coming straight from the service manual: 1.) Disconnect negative battery cable. 2.) Remove the knee blocker (the plasic piece under the steering wheel, 2 screws) 3.) Remove the lower left insturment panel end cap (2 screws) 4.) Remove cluster bezel (on my truck its the plastic wood grain piece; 2 screws at lower edge on either side of steering column, 8 screws on the face) 5.) Remove cluster lens and mask (4 screws) 6.) Remove the cluster. (? screws) NOTE: The cluster will only come so far forward. There are two round connectors on the rear, one on the left (red) and one on the right (gray). Its pretty tricky to get to them, but, its possible. The problem lies with the left (red) connector. Cavity E isn't making a good connection. (You can reconnect the battery, turn the headlights on, and use the multimeter you can test to make sure there is voltage, and than turn the headlight knob like you are dimming the lights, and voltage will drop, disconnect the battery after you are done testing) What I did was put some di-electric grease on this connection (and, just for the hell of it, I put some on every connection), and than, reconnected the connector, connected the battery, and tested the lights. Everything worked, so, I put everything back together. I did this operation back in February, and, haven't had a problem since. Thumbnail Image Attachment (1) < Message edited by dodgerules86 -- 9/2/2006 12:20:26 AM > _____________________________ Current ride: Belleville 220 DES ST - leather, reinforced front end, tan color. Runs on ''alternative fuel'' :) 1996 Dodge Dakota 1986 Honda Civic CRX (in reply to Bad96_3.9) Post #: 2

RE: Gauge lights - 9/3/2006 9:14:30 PM    Bad96_3.9 Posts: 404 Joined: 5/8/2006 From: Crawfordville, FL Status: offline That fixed it. thanks alot _____________________________ 1996 Dakota Club Cab 2wd SLT Spray in Bed Liner Custom Racing Stripes 3.9 to 5.2 Conversion!!! Mopar Performance computer, K&N, flowmaster, no cat. http://www.myspace.com/topher73 (in reply to dodgerules86) Post #: 3

RE: Gauge lights - 9/3/2006 9:56:12 PM    dodgerules86 Posts: 2704 Joined: 12/25/2003 From: Sycamore, Illinois (displaced to Arkansas) Status: offline Glad to hear thats what it was. It's a problem with a few other Chrysler vehicles too, my grandpas mnivan is the same way. _____________________________ Current ride: Belleville 220 DES ST - leather, reinforced front end, tan color. Runs on ''alternative fuel'' :) 1996 Dodge Dakota 1986 Honda Civic CRX (in reply to Bad96_3.9) Post #: 4

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