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Gauge Lights out but gauges working

2K views 22 replies 9 participants last post by  Lowrollin12 
#1 ·
Yes I did search and only found issues with YJ's. This is for my 03 Rubi.

The gauges work fine but last night the lights all went out for gauges and heat controls. I am going to start looking for a bad ground or corroded wire but I wanted to see if their was a common problem with the TJ's before I rip the dash apart.

I did say I needed some busy work for the jeep but I was referring to locker compressor relocation and on board air, not searching for a bad ground! :banghead:
 
#2 ·
Also what I found odd, the up shift, flog light, brights and engine light were all working. I didn't think they would be on a different circuit.
 
#4 ·
1st thing I checked but I figured the gauges would be powered together. No blown fuse. I have it apart now. going to trace the power for the illumination. I am surprised no one else has had this issue here.
 
#7 ·
The ground is good but I am not getting power to gauge cluster or heater controls.... with the dash apart I found the illumination power and wasnt getting anything.

I think it is a bad MF switch I got from rockauto.com when my fog lights weren't working. Now I cant even turn on my int lights with the switch, this is the same ring you turn for brightness on my guage lights. Going to talk with rockauto and see how they handle this...... GREAT! :) I will keep you posted if this ever happens to anyone else.
 
#8 ·
well Rockauto doesnt do returns after 30 days.... LAST TIME I USE THEM! I had the switch in the truck for less than 4 months. time to go to the stealership!
 
#12 ·
I recently had a similar issue. I would double check that your 5amp fuse is not blown. I know you said that you checked the fuses but most people don't think to check the 5 amp fuse. If you do find that this fuse is blown, you will probably find that it keeps blowing if you replace it. Disconnect the Heater and A/C lights and then try replacing the fuse. If it doesn't blow that's your problem. That's what happened to me. Everything works fine for me but I don't have lights on the HVAC.

Basically just keep disconnecting things that go to the fuse that's blown until you find what's causing it.
 
#14 ·
I've had the same issue in my 06 SE too. First time it happened the stealership said I had pinched a wire when I removed my steering column.... since it was just shy of 3 years old and I had never actually removed the steering column (seriously???) They covered it under warranty. Flash forward 2 years and it does it again. Now its not covered and damn if I'm going to pay 100 bucks an hour for them to diag it. I tracked down all the wires inside the switch and found the one that should be activated when the switch gets turned on, no power from it. I used a length of wire and a rocker switch to temp bypass it (for the last 2 years) until I get a replacement switch. I guess its good enough for now and keeps 150 bucks in my pocket for a little while longer.
 
#16 ·
Yea, my issue is a little different. I am not blowing fuses. Checked them all. The MF switch is the issue. I talked with Rockauto and it is covered under warranty. So I have to take back my last statement. blowing fuses is completely different from my issue. I will let you know when the part arrives tomorrow but I don't have any power coming from the switch with the ground and fuses all good.
 
#17 ·
I am going off memory from my Automotive Electrical classes from 10 years ago but you can test a circuit with Ohms on a multimeter if you are having a bad wire issue. Someone will correct me if I am wrong but any complete circuit has to have resistance so if you get a 0 Ohm rating that is a bad ground or wire.

Again, going off memory but I used to use this test on my old Sport.
 
#18 ·
So I got the MF switch from Rockauto very quickly and unfortunately that isn't the issue #facepalm! So I am back to the drawing board..... Bad wire somewhere....
 
#20 ·
I will let you know when I find it... Don't have the patience for it for the next few days... Luckily its manual so I know how fast I am going at night.
 
#21 ·
Ugh well I replaced my headlight switch cuz it was getting really bad and it fixed that little issue but still no gauge lights so I took my cluster off and couldn't believe what I found. The Light blue/white trace, Dark blue/ white trace, Black/ white trace wires were cut. Geez!!
 

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#23 ·
Update: Thanks to another guy on the forum having the same issue, I found out that the circuit board in the gauge cluster was burnt out. I took it to my buddy who builds computers to see if he could sodder a jump wire and he said it wouldn't work with how bad mine was burnt out.

I found a replacement gauge cluster on ebay for 75.00 with the same mileage. I saw others for 150.00 to 195.00.

I would verify you have a burnt circuit board and get a new cluster.

FYI the dealership wanted 950.00 for one!
 
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