Dash illumination out! Fuse OK. 1997 626 LX. What could be wrong?

The 15 Amp fuse is OK. Looks fine, even swapped it out for another. It's fuse 11, "Tail".

What can I check before giving in and visiting my mechanic? I've got the owner's manual and the Chilton, but couldn't find anything. Thanks!!!

Reply to
Dan_Musicant
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Check *ALL* fuses - I've found from experience that the markings, such as they are, in the 626 fuse box (mine's an '82) seem to have very little, if any, resemblance to what the fuse is actually wired to - The fuse labeled "radio" in mine, ferinstance, doesn't connect to anything that gets anywhere near the radio - Instead, if my tracing of the wiring involved is even a little like accurate, that fuse is wired into the wipers, and the hot lead for the radio is wired into the fuse that (supposedly...) connects to the brake (not tail/running) lights. Tail and dashboard lights on mine are both wired into the same fuse, which is, according to the label in the fusebox, supposed to be wired to the A/C clutch, but isn't - The fuse that's actually wired to the A/C clutch is two positions down from that one.

In other words, don't rely on that damned label for *ANYTHING* until you've verified with a meter that a given fuse actually connects to what the label says it does...

Reply to
Don Bruder

:In article , : Dan_Musicant wrote: : :> The 15 Amp fuse is OK. Looks fine, even swapped it out for another. It's :> fuse 11, "Tail". :> :> What can I check before giving in and visiting my mechanic? I've got the :> owner's manual and the Chilton, but couldn't find anything. Thanks!!! : :Check *ALL* fuses - I've found from experience that the markings, such :as they are, in the 626 fuse box (mine's an '82) seem to have very :little, if any, resemblance to what the fuse is actually wired to - The :fuse labeled "radio" in mine, ferinstance, doesn't connect to anything :that gets anywhere near the radio - Instead, if my tracing of the wiring :involved is even a little like accurate, that fuse is wired into the :wipers, and the hot lead for the radio is wired into the fuse that :(supposedly...) connects to the brake (not tail/running) lights. Tail :and dashboard lights on mine are both wired into the same fuse, which :is, according to the label in the fusebox, supposed to be wired to the :A/C clutch, but isn't - The fuse that's actually wired to the A/C clutch :is two positions down from that one. : :In other words, don't rely on that damned label for *ANYTHING* until :you've verified with a meter that a given fuse actually connects to what :the label says it does...

Thanks! I'll check EVERY fuse, and if they all check out I'm taking it to my mechanic this afteroon.

Reply to
Dan_Musicant

On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 21:03:06 GMT, Dan_Musicant wrote:

:On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 20:09:23 GMT, Don Bruder wrote: : ::In article , :: Dan_Musicant wrote: :: ::> The 15 Amp fuse is OK. Looks fine, even swapped it out for another. It's ::> fuse 11, "Tail". ::> ::> What can I check before giving in and visiting my mechanic? I've got the ::> owner's manual and the Chilton, but couldn't find anything. Thanks!!! :: ::Check *ALL* fuses - I've found from experience that the markings, such ::as they are, in the 626 fuse box (mine's an '82) seem to have very ::little, if any, resemblance to what the fuse is actually wired to - The ::fuse labeled "radio" in mine, ferinstance, doesn't connect to anything ::that gets anywhere near the radio - Instead, if my tracing of the wiring ::involved is even a little like accurate, that fuse is wired into the ::wipers, and the hot lead for the radio is wired into the fuse that ::(supposedly...) connects to the brake (not tail/running) lights. Tail ::and dashboard lights on mine are both wired into the same fuse, which ::is, according to the label in the fusebox, supposed to be wired to the ::A/C clutch, but isn't - The fuse that's actually wired to the A/C clutch ::is two positions down from that one. :: ::In other words, don't rely on that damned label for *ANYTHING* until ::you've verified with a meter that a given fuse actually connects to what ::the label says it does... : :Thanks! I'll check EVERY fuse, and if they all check out I'm taking it :to my mechanic this afteroon.

I went in and chatted with my mechanic. He couldn't get to it today, but says bring it in Wednesday morning. I think now the odds are that a bulb burned out. I assumed that the whole instrument panel wouldn't go dark from one bulb, but now I bet it's just that. They don't have a separate bulb behind the tack, the speedometer, etc. do they? I could replace it myself if I could figure out how to remove/replace the dash. Is it easy or tough? I do have Chiltons, although as noted in recent post in this NG, Chiltonns for cars like this is kind of nasty - so many cars it's hard to find what you need. I think I may give it a try, though. The weather's improved around here - warmed and stopped raining.

Reply to
Dan_Musicant

See the miata.net Garage for hints.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

:In article , : Dan_Musicant wrote: : :> I could replace it :> myself if I could figure out how to remove/replace the dash. : :See the miata.net Garage for hints.

Couldn't find any relevant hints there. I asked my mechanic if he thought I could do it myself, and he tried to discourage me. He seemed to say that the hardest part was disconnecting the speedometer cable from the dash assembly prior to its release, which I'd have to do to be able to switch out the bulbs. Unless someone tells me I can do it, I'm bringing it in to him tomorrow morning.

Dan

Reply to
Dan_Musicant

If the '97 is anything like the '82, getting to the speedo cable to pull it so that the cluster can be pulled varies between "pain in the ass" and "stone bitch" depending on the size of your hands. Pulling the steering wheel is definitely mandatory action - don't bother even trying without jerking the wheel off first. You'll accomplish nothing but turning the air blue otherwise.

Reply to
Don Bruder

My apologies, I missed that it's a 626, not a Miata. I'd buy a shop manual.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

But, have you checked ALL the fuses yet as a previous post suggested?

Dan_Musicant wrote:

seemed

Reply to
DBLZOOM

But, have you checked ALL the fuses yet as a previous post suggested?

Dan_Musicant wrote:

seemed

Reply to
DBLZOOM

:But, have you checked ALL the fuses yet as a previous post suggested?

Yes, I checked every single one. They all look OK. Thanks.

Dan :Dan_Musicant wrote: :> On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 03:30:23 GMT, Lanny Chambers :> wrote: :>

:> :In article , :> : Dan_Musicant wrote: :> : :> :> I could replace it :> :> myself if I could figure out how to remove/replace the dash. :> : :> :See the miata.net Garage for hints. :>

:> Couldn't find any relevant hints there. I asked my mechanic if he :> thought I could do it myself, and he tried to discourage me. He :seemed :> to say that the hardest part was disconnecting the speedometer cable :> from the dash assembly prior to its release, which I'd have to do to :be :> able to switch out the bulbs. Unless someone tells me I can do it, :I'm :> bringing it in to him tomorrow morning. :> :> Dan

Reply to
Dan_Musicant

:In article , : Dan_Musicant wrote: : :> :> I could replace it :> :> myself if I could figure out how to remove/replace the dash. :> : :> :See the miata.net Garage for hints. :> :> Couldn't find any relevant hints there. : :My apologies, I missed that it's a 626, not a Miata. I'd buy a shop :manual.

Umm. I only have Chiltons. A shop manual is something different, I take it. My mechanic has some kind of computer system for checking out how to fix various systems on the cars he works on. I guess a lot of that may be online stuff, or maybe it's on disks, I don't know. I just brought over the car and asked him if he thought it was wise to replace all the bulbs back there if he found any burned out. He said he decides on that generally based on how tough it was to get back there. He said he didn't remember with my car... he does so many different cars. I left it there and I guess he'll get to it this afternnoon and call me. thanks for the ideas and help, people.

Reply to
Dan_Musicant

:In article , : Dan_Musicant wrote: : :> On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 03:30:23 GMT, Lanny Chambers :> wrote: :> :> :In article , :> : Dan_Musicant wrote: :> : :> :> I could replace it :> :> myself if I could figure out how to remove/replace the dash. :> : :> :See the miata.net Garage for hints. :> :> Couldn't find any relevant hints there. I asked my mechanic if he :> thought I could do it myself, and he tried to discourage me. He seemed :> to say that the hardest part was disconnecting the speedometer cable :> from the dash assembly prior to its release, which I'd have to do to be :> able to switch out the bulbs. Unless someone tells me I can do it, I'm :> bringing it in to him tomorrow morning. :> :> Dan : :If the '97 is anything like the '82, getting to the speedo cable to pull :it so that the cluster can be pulled varies between "pain in the ass" :and "stone bitch" depending on the size of your hands. Pulling the :steering wheel is definitely mandatory action - don't bother even trying :without jerking the wheel off first. You'll accomplish nothing but :turning the air blue otherwise.

I figure odds are it's tougher than I'd like to mess with. The Chilton's made it sound easy enough except for maybe the complications:

  1. removing the speedo cable, "if necessary"

  1. getting the wheel out of the way, if necessary.

How am I supposed to know from my vantage point? I'll ask my mechanic how tough it was once he's done, if he thinks I could have done it myself. :)

Reply to
Dan_Musicant

My mechanic replaced all 3 bulbs he found back there but the ones he replaced looked good and checked out OK for continuity with a multimeter. My guess is that a connector wasn't doing its job and when the mechanic put it back together it was doing its job. The dash lights are working again as well as the illumination in the various front dash buttons. That's not a bulb thing, it's a question of juice getting to everything.

Reply to
Dan_Musicant

Bet you're one happy guy, Dan. Congrats on getting the problem resolved.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

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