My 1992 5 speed car has just developed a very weird issue. When the car starts all dash and center panel light up perfectly. Switching the headlights on and the dash and center panels go dark - not a light on. Any ideas? My wife still uses this car as a daily driver believe it or not. However if there is not an easy fix here I might just put the car in storage and buy her something new. She doesn't want to give it up and I don't want to spend the money HA HA .

 

What is the point of storing a car with an issue. You said you want to buy something new for here and later don't want to spend money???? Dash bosrtd has current limiting regualtor I believe. That regulator may have gone bad.

 

Sorry I was not clear. I don't mind spending money on the car but I upgrading my boat next week and that is more than enough the toy budget for quite a while. It may just be time to buy a modern driver. Can you tell me how to get to the regulator? Thanks for your response.

 

Sorry, I was just joking. Regulator is integral part of alternator these days. Quickest way of checking alternator output is using O'scope to see whether it is putting out good clean DC current. Alternator has 3 phase output rectified by diodes. If One diode is bad or open. the wave form of output will have high ripple. Regulator is also solid state module. IMO, auto electric shop or PepBoy has a tester for free testing if you bring the alternator. Many times battery takes blame when charging circuit is not working right.

 

Thank you Htony. The alternator was just replaced with a rebuilt unit in December. I bet it is related to that, a great place to start.

 

Look for a **** with a timer sort of silk-screen. This **** controls a rheostat [like volume control] that adjusts the brightness of the instrument cluster. During day time, the instrument is at full brightness and at night [when the lights are turned on] the driver can set the brightness. So during the day [with the lights turned off] the **** has no effect. Test it out in a covered garage with lights on or at night.

Salim

 

Thank you Salim. The dash light adjustment **** was turned way (but not all the way) down and the entire dash panel and center stack was pitch black. When my wife first told me of the problem last week I thought to check the **** but it completely left my mind by this weekend when I has a change to (not) think about it. I've owned these cars a long time and should have known better.

Thanks for taking the time to post a reply - it saved me a lot of aggravation!!!.