1982 911 Targa SC Electrical

[PROESLER]

My parking lights and dash lights are not working.

I have replaced the fuses.

I have checked the bulbs

The brake lights and turn signals work.

I cannot figure out why the lights do not work.

Any ideas?

thanks!

Patrick

[SpyderMike]

I will try to help!

Did this just start happening or has it always been this way? Was anything done to the car recently?

I would try working the instrument lights first. If the car is new to you, you might try pulling the light switch out and rotating it to brighten and dim the instrument lights. My light switch instrument light connection is a bit oxidized inside I imagine as I need to find a happy spot near full bright for them to work.

If that isn't it, then if I read my schematic right, power for the instrument lights comes from the ignition switch to the light switch. From position 58a on the light switch it heads through a bulkhead connector into the frunk, through a single pin connector it seems where it is a set of small gauge black with blue stripe wires that branch to several instruments bulbs. If all dash lights are affected, then you are in the light switch through bulkhead connector to the single connector and the place where they branch before first instrument run most likely. I would check the connection on the back of the light switch first, and then that bulkhead connector.

That connection on the light switch (58a) also powers the bulb in the emergency flasher switch and in the heater blower switch. Do those lights work?

Other connections on the light switch (58R and 58L) power the headlights and parking lights, so it could mean that you have other poor connections in back of the light switch or a bad light switch. You can test a bad light switch by moving the wires at connections 58a, 58R and 58L to other posts on the back of the light switch that have voltage (there might be a spare connection point at the incoming power to the switch - connection 75), or making a temporary jumper wire to the wire leaving 58a and putting 12VDC on it to see if the instrument lights power up.

Are you good with a voltage meter if needed?

Mike

[86 911 Targa]

^^^^^
Took this pic for our M/Y 86.

Good luck,

Gerry

[universeman]

Do you have a 12v trouble light? If so it's an easy thing to pull the bulb from the ashtray, glove box, gauge, clock, or one of the other various lights you have access to, touch the bulb or the connector with the light and see if you're getting 12v there, narrowing down the issue. My guess is no connection from ignition switch to dash lights (basically the 58s in the picture Gerry posted)

[universeman]

...12v *test* light... not a trouble light ... more coffee

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=12v+test+light&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[PROESLER]

Gerry,

We do not have power to terminal 30. If we move the wire from terminal 75 over to 30, we do get the lights to work! Any ideas on why no power on 30?

[SpyderMike]

This might help as 30 on the light switch is powered by the ignition switch 30 and it should be always energized:

understanding the ignition switch

Light switch 75 is switched power from the ignition switch X connection.

You might pull the electrical section off the back of the ignition switch and visually check it - verify integrity of the 30 contacts, and check for continuity there. If you suspect that the 30 wire is damaged you might splice a new large gauge red wire from 30 near the ignition switch to 30 on the light switch.