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Location: Dallas
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Speedometer/Odometer Lights not working
Just finished repairing the gear on the tach in my '88 which crumbled. I carefully marked all wires and reinstalled it then did a test drive last night. The odometer is now working but ALL three lights are out...WTH did I do wrong? I made sure the lights all went back in exactly the same holes they came out of but I think two are interchangable so that does not seem to be the cause.
Also, I now noticed what appears to be an unused brown/white wire with a female blade connector that is accessible in the hole where the speedometer goes but I'm 99.99% I don't recall it being hooked up to the speedo and I don't recall removing it, I think it may be a red herring for this problem but I am curious as to it's function. TIA
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Buck '88 Coupe, '87 Cab, '88 535i sold, '19 GLC 300 DD Warren Hall, gone but not forgotten |
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06-06-2009, 12:49 PM
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Location: Capistrano Beach, Ca.
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I believe the wire to the instruments is blue with black stripe. Are the lights on the other instruments working? Is the knob on the slight switch turned so the dash lights are on brightest?
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L.J. Recovering Porsche-holic Gave up trying to stay clean Stabilized on a Pelican I.V. drip |
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06-06-2009, 01:34 PM
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Yes, all other lights in dash are working perfectly. Only the speedo/odometer lights are out. It has 3 lights, 2 for guage/dial illumination and the third for the parking lights and none of those three appear to be working. Very confusing...
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Buck '88 Coupe, '87 Cab, '88 535i sold, '19 GLC 300 DD Warren Hall, gone but not forgotten |
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06-06-2009, 02:08 PM
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Quote:
The instrument lights are all wired in series so you should be getting power to the speedo lights if the others are on unless there is a break in the wire. Have you checked the sockets with a voltmeter? Is there any voltage from any sockets? How about the speedo body--is it grounded properly? Maybe the ground wire has been disconnected. Checking for power at the sockets with a trouble light or voltmeter will tell if there is a break in the wiring.
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L.J. Recovering Porsche-holic Gave up trying to stay clean Stabilized on a Pelican I.V. drip Last edited by ossiblue; 06-06-2009 at 06:38 PM.. |
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06-06-2009, 04:56 PM
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LJ,
I think you have got me in the right direction. I can get the lights to come on IF I ground the socket to a ground point inside the dash. I must have somehow done something to the ground in the case. Not really sure how I messed that up but at least I'm in the right direction. Thanks!
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Buck '88 Coupe, '87 Cab, '88 535i sold, '19 GLC 300 DD Warren Hall, gone but not forgotten |
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06-06-2009, 07:12 PM
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That's good news! Much easier to fix a ground problem than to track down an open circuit. Keep us posted.
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L.J. Recovering Porsche-holic Gave up trying to stay clean Stabilized on a Pelican I.V. drip |
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06-06-2009, 07:35 PM
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