Ground Wire For Gauge Cluster / HVAC?

[Trevor K]

OK guys, my gauge cluster/HVAC lights randomly go on and off in my Laser. I know it must be a ground, because if I hit the dash they'll come back on.
Where do both of these ground? I'm assuming it's a common ground since both of them flicker on/off. I tried the Haynes manual with no luck...


Thanks

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Trevor
90 Laser RS 1.8L "Shauna"
"I almost beat the bicyclist!!"

87 Z28

[eagletsi]

i think i read somewhere that it is iether one of 2 things

1. ONE bulb i snot making good contact, they are wired in a series so if one isnt making ocntack none of them will light up

2, there is a dimmer ground wire to the stereo and if you have installed an after market stereo you need to have those 2 wires groudned properly somehow. I opened my gauge cluster and saw wires on the dimmer switch that loook EXACLTY like the ones just dangling after I installed a stereo...hmmmmmmmmm thats all I knwo at this point

[James92TSi]

Originally posted by eagletsi
i think i read somewhere that it is iether one of 2 things

1. ONE bulb i snot making good contact, they are wired in a series so if one isnt making ocntack none of them will light upThe light bulbs are in parallel, if one goes out the others will still work. No need to try and hunt down the burnt out bulb like on the old style series-wired christmas lights.2, there is a dimmer ground wire to the stereo and if you have installed an after market stereo you need to have those 2 wires groudned properly somehow. I opened my gauge cluster and saw wires on the dimmer switch that loook EXACLTY like the ones just dangling after I installed a stereo...hmmmmmmmmm thats all I knwo at this point If you install an aftermarket radio, you won't use the stock "dimmer" wire for anything (the black/yellow wire). This wire should be taped off. Aftermarket decks get a +12v signal when the parking lights are on, which comes from the green/white wire in the factory wiring. Neither wire gets connected to ground.

For the guys question.. the dash cluster and HVAC ground through the dimmer switch (black/yellow) and receive power from the +12v parking light circuit (green/white). Not sure where your problem is, maybe the main ground for the dimmer switch is screwed up. The dimmer is just a potentiometer that adjusts resistance between the dash lights and ground... so if the dimmer's ground is screwed up, the dash lights won't work right.

[eagletsi]

so did you ever figure out what the problem with your dash lights was???

[xxhiyanxx]

hey sorry to drag this one up.. but i'm having the same problem with my hvac... either the lights don't come on.. or if i smack the dash they come on.. but sometimes if i adjust the controls they will turn off again.. i've taken the whole dash apart but i'm not finding anything...

[mrecl1pse]

Originally posted by xxhiyanxx
hey sorry to drag this one up.. but i'm having the same problem with my hvac... either the lights don't come on.. or if i smack the dash they come on.. but sometimes if i adjust the controls they will turn off again.. i've taken the whole dash apart but i'm not finding anything...

You've gotta have a lose connection somewhere. Try turning on the gauge lights with the HVAC cluster out and wiggling the wires around to see if that makes the cluster flicker any.