the newset 240 in my fleet doesn't have dash lighting and neither do the rear defroster, heated mirror or AC switches.I checked the bulbs and fuses but thats not the problem.Befoe I pull out the multimeter is there something else I should check ?
Thanks,Phil

Hi Phil,

It is probably the dimmer. Before you replace the dimmer, check the light in the shifter for damaged wiring. A short there, or anywhere in those lamps that aren't working will take out the dimmer rheostat, especially if someone's popped in a 16A fuse where the 8A belongs.

You might just tie the wires together on the back of the dimmer, bypassing it. Who needs to dim those lights? Well, some have said they do. Been discussed before here.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

"Any ship can be a minesweeper....Once."

Your suggestion to bypass the dimmer is a good one but I am one of those people who puts the lights on a low setting. Easier on my eyes at night - I believe I have better nightvision from not having lighted gauges.

(I have even replaced bulbs w/ red ones - to be like an airplane cluster - but it's too much work on a 240.)
--
240s: 2 drivers and some parts cars

Check the dimmer rheostat. Also make sure the lamps for the rear ashtray and automatic shifter are in place.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Don't worry about avoiding temptation... as you grow older, it will avoid you. - Winston Churchill

Doing a search brought up this post in answer to no dash lights.

One of the 89 244's has no dash lighting whatsoever.

The fuse is good, the rheostat is good and jumping around it makes no difference, with the headlights on I get 12v on the cluster plug at #9 and a ground at #5. Cluster bulbs are OK

Shifter light and rear ashtray light are unknown at this point. Do those bulbs have to be good for the dash lights to work??? That would seem odd to me, but what says you, please?

Anyone, anyone... anyone ??? (in my best Ben Stein voice)

Randy

Whoops, Randy, you hijacker you... :)

Saw Philvo's post come up and hadn't realized I already answered him once.

There's no need for the other lamps to be good, although I can see why you'd ask around the holidays.

I can't guess where the trouble is, but you can trace it if you have the right info.

The cluster plug #9 is for the clock and #10 is for the lights - the brown wire. The ground is on #4 of the 6-pin plug some refer to as "half moon", a black wire.


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

"Clean it, if it's Dirty. Oil it, if it Squeaks. But: Don't Mess with it, if it Works!" - USAF Electronic Technician

I rushed past the problem and made more work for myself... both cluster bulbs were bad. Visually they looked good to my old eyes.

This 89 is one I provided for my parents and it never gets driven at night by them. I noticed the lack of dash lights when I brought it home last night to give everything a once over.

With all the extra parts I have I did not have any good cluster bulbs. I did find out however that the smaller warning light bulbs from the clusters will work in those two positions (even though they are a little loose)- they are just not as bright.

Thanks for your help.

Randy

Thanks Art,

It is embarassing to admit I have the Green Book, but failed to figure out that the feed was 10 and the ground was 4 (on the other connector). Having you supply the correct information enabled me to see what I was missing before.

Having an electrical Green Book only increases the probability that I can cause some real damage when searching for electrical problems. If automobiles were equipped with enough amperage/voltage I would have been killed years ago.

Randy