tail lights & dashboard lights out

[tastydoubles]

On a drive out to Galena with my recently purchased 73 240Z, my dashboard lights went out suddenly. Then about 5 minutes later I got pulled over and found out my tail lights were out too. I saw a thread with this discussion before but couldn't find it again. So I am posting what I found.

The headlights still worked. I changed out the tail light fuse. Didn't work. Then I read sometimes the fuse box gets rewired and monkeyed with so that the labeled fuses aren't always right. so I changed out all of the fuses. Didn't work.

After much searching up and down the wires from the tail lights up under the dashboard and into the engine compartment, I narrowed my search. If the headlights still work, but the tail lights and dashboard lights are out, it must be somewhere near the switch, by where the three triverge. I removed the plastic steering column cover, found the coupling for the headlights. Then, right under my nose, near the light switch/wiper arm, there is a little circuit board with 4 or 5 soldered wires. A green wire came undone. I tested it by tapping it down. My girlfriend confirmed that they were coming on. Bingo, presto, eureka. I soldered it down, and now tail lights work and dashboard lights work as well. This solution was not posted on the previous thread I had found, so I wanted to let anyone with a similar problem have a possible solution.

I have heard that on longer drives these kinds of connections come undone often from the vibrations and shaking. There you have it.

Greg

[EScanlon]

Greg;
Good job finding the problem. Even better, getting your lady to help!

Just a note for anyone else that reads this, I believe the "green" wire you are referring to is actually a Green/White wire, i.e. Green body, White Stripe. That GW wire is the main feed to the Park Lamp circuit, Side Markers as well as the Dash Lights.

The "little circuit board" is actually the Headlight Switch itself, and what you were seeing was the connections to it.

As a further diagnosis, your Brake and Turn Signals would have operated normally in the rear, but it was your Park Lights and Side Markers ONLY that didn't function.

FWIW
E

[biddljj]

Similar thread ... Different issue 1972 240Z
Running lights work, Dash lights work....

Brake lights don't work...... Fuses tested for continuity fine....
I am thinking I'll test the brake light switch on the brake pedal next....

Jay
Not just a Z - ZDisease

[Zs-ondabrain]

Jay,
Test the Switch on the pedal, then test the wire from there to the Turn signal switch as they are all intertwined. The T/S switch disconnects the brake light of the side your turning. Meaning.... When you take a left and use the Turn Signal, the switch disconnects the left brake light and routes it thru the flasher....

Hope that helps,
Dave

[biddljj]

The switch on the pedal tests fine.
Continuity between the brake switch and the turn signal block is good.

State of build: Tail lights, marker lights, installed and working
- Headlights and front turn signals are not installed yet...
- Brake Light, Turn signal, and hazards don't work

Could a dead flasher cause no brake lights ?

Jay
Not justa Z - Zdisease

[Zs-ondabrain]

Then start at the Haxard switch. Once again, the brakes and turn signals go thru the Hazard switch. If it gets loose, unplugged or old, it can fail the Turn signal and brake lights.

I dead flasher will only kill the Turn signals. Not the Brake lights.

Dave

[biddljj]

I got a piece of it... I found a floating ground wire in the dash.... I hooked it up...
Flashers started working..... I didn't get a good look at the Hazard switch...
I'll steal the wifes mirror to check out the hazard wiring tommorrow.

Brake lights and turn signals dead. Fuses good (still) I did a good examination of the steering column.... All the connections look good...

Jay
Not jus a Z - ZDisease