Horn and dash lights not working

[bhermes]

OK, now that I have my over voltage situation resolved it is on to the next problem.

My horn and dash lights do not work. Headlights and map light do work. Brake light is working (laugh all the time the car is on)

Not sure if the horn and dash lights not working could be caused by one problem or not.

I will be looking at the rheostat for the dash lights.

Comments? Any direction would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[SteveJ]

Do the running lights work? They are on the same circuit as the dash lights.

[LeonV]

Check fuses first, especially after over-voltage situation. Use a continuity meter.

[bhermes]

Yes, running lights work.

[SteveJ]

Then for the dash lights, examine the rheostat.

[Wade Nelson]

Your dash lights and your tail lights and running lights are all on the same circuit / fuse. Do you have a circuit diagram / FSM?

All three go through the same switch on the steering column. So if all three are out, it's the fuse, wiring, or switch.

If you have tail lamps and running lamps but no dash lamps, it's PROBABLY the bulbs in your dash blown out by the overvoltage situation you described.

Drop the panel beneath the steering column and you can probe the connector coming from the lighting switch. Red and Yellow (coming from the fuse block) should be hot (B+), red and blue (RL) should be hot with the switch on.

I kinda doubt the rheostat is bad or got fried. It would be the LAST thing to burn up in an overvoltage, bulbs would be first.

The horn is on a separate circuit. First, unplug the connector at the horn itself and apply 12V and see if IT is good --- it should honk, that's simple and easy before you dive into the steering column.

If it turns out you need a new combo switch / lighting / washer / horn, there's Ebay, and I also have one. But they made several styles, with and without cruise control, for instance.

I happen to have a combo switch --- my old one --- no cc --- which is good, except for one burned contact. You could swap one GOOD set of contacts from your old combo switch if it turns out your switch is bad. (i'm not 100% sure it's bad, it may have just gotten some grease in there, but it's black....)

Putting the tail lamps on the same circuit as the dash was a smarty-pants way Datsun told drivers --- people behind you can't see you at night, so we're not gonna let you see your gauges in order to be sure you get it fixed.

How's that for an answer, 6 hours after you post? Ain't the Internet great

[bhermes]

Great. OK to get to the horn connector is that something I can get to without taking off parts. Not with the car right now but want to start on this in a few hours. What does the connector look like. It appears some rewirnig may have been done around the steering column area. I currently do not have a key swith and start the car with a screw driver into the piece that the switch would attach to. I probably will find the horn switch but a little guidance may help.

Also where is the combo swith and what does it look like.

Again I will start searching just trying to use the expertise of those here.

Thanks.

[SteveJ]

For the ignition switch: http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Arnley-201-1179-Ignition-Assembly/dp/B000CB246K/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1335104896&sr=1-1

The combo switch is the switch that controls the headlights & wiper. Some also refer to the blinker switch as part of the combo switch since it controls the high beam/low beam circuits. By the way, Rockauto still has a couple of the headlight switches left for $157 + S&H.

Look through the FSM and also look at http://www.Carpartsmanual.com for a breakdown of parts. That will help you identify the parts you need to look for.

[Richard Oben]

This place still never ceases to amaze me. Put the correct words in and the answers come through.

Dash was dim, bypassed the rheostat and only about half my bulbs work. Search for the correct number (also found on this site) and viola found them in 10 packs for 3 bucks a 10 pack, got two ten packs shipped for under 15 bucks. Got them at Cousins Video . Just trying to pass on a good vendor, delete if inappropriate. Cheers Richard.