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1956 Cadillac instrument lights won't come on

Started by jaxops, November 16, 2018, 08:17:18 AM

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jaxops

 My dash lights stopped working.  [Of course I found that out after a car corral in October after it got dark at 7pm.] The radio won't come on either and the fuses are all good, but headlights, antenna, tail lights and interior lights all work.  I was thinking it was a ground.  Should I run a ground wire to the body from the speedometer back?  Thanks for any ideas.
1970 Buick Electra Convertible
1956 Cadillac Series 75 Limousine
1949 Cadillac Series 75 Imperial Limousine
1979 Lincoln Continental
AACA, Cadillac-LaSalle Club #24591, ASWOA

gatech1956

You may have to take out the headlight switch (A pain to remove and install back in) and check your wiring. I can't speak for the radio, but I had the same exact problem with my dash lights. The wire for the panel lights is a gray wire and I found out as a temporary fix the previous owner took a strap wire and connected it to where the gray wire plugs into the switch and fed it to another wire on the switch so dash lights come on when the taillights turn on. The permanent fix would probably be to remove the switch and clean all the connections and contact points.

J. Gomez

Quote from: jaxops on November 16, 2018, 08:17:18 AM
My dash lights stopped working.  [Of course I found that out after a car corral in October after it got dark at 7pm.] The radio won't come on either and the fuses are all good, but headlights, antenna, tail lights and interior lights all work.  I was thinking it was a ground.  Should I run a ground wire to the body from the speedometer back?  Thanks for any ideas.

Mark,

If you do a search you will find several posts related to the dash lights, headlight switch-rheostats which is the most common issue with them.

As for the radio, one quick check if the radio is properly power is to check if the vacuum tubes are glowing on either the radio and/or amplifier (passenger side), it may be a bit tricky check them but doable if all is dark.

The radio and amplifier are grounded at different places on the dash and they are also have grounded shield cable between them, so either can provide the ground.

If you see the orange glowing on the tubes it means you have good power +12V and ground, the non-working issue may well be with the vibrator on the amplifier or other internal issues.

Good luck..!
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

jaxops

I will clean the rhoestat on the headlight switch and see if that helps the dash lights.  I think you're right about the grounds on the amplifier and radio.  Thanks- I will check them out.
1970 Buick Electra Convertible
1956 Cadillac Series 75 Limousine
1949 Cadillac Series 75 Imperial Limousine
1979 Lincoln Continental
AACA, Cadillac-LaSalle Club #24591, ASWOA