electrical issue

[refman1970]

I have a 1978 280z and all of a sudden the passenger headlight is dim and the tail lights and instrument panel lights do not work I have checked the fuse box replaced the bulbs in the tail lights and they still are not working. any clues?

[Matches]

Ug, electrics.

The first things to check are the areas of wire that have a greater exposure to the elements. Check connectors for corrosion. Check grounds for clean contacts. After that, I think someone who has in general better luck with sorting these types of issues than I do had better chime in.

[Ttiger]

I would double check the fuses. Sometimes they can detach inside and they'll look good but not make a connection. The early Z's had one fuse for each headlight and if one blew, that headlight would be dim.

[260zCaliCar]

Ttiger identified the EXACT problem that I had, for which I spent a pathetic number of hours tracking down. Turns out that the fuse wasn't blown, just so dirty that it lost its continuity (I replaced it, in fact, I was so upset that I didn't see such a simple item that I also replaced all the other fuses... just because I could).