No dashlights, headlight switch is fine

Well I've searched around and it seems I'm yet another member with dash lights that do not work

Its a 1996 cherokee classic
the tail lights and rear turnsignals DO work
the front turn signals DO work

however the gauge cluster,HVAC panel,center console
and the side turn signals do not light up
i replaced the headlight switch with a GP sorensen switch
part # S2064
LS270 and nothing has changed
all the fuses are fine under the hood and in the drivers side area
and i see no bare or melted wires

what else am i missing?
Im tired of not knowing how fast im driving at night lol

Maybe the bulbs burned out?

the left side, right side, 2 in the center console, one for HVAC and im not sure how many in the gauge cluster.. all burning out at the same time?
while im sure its possible i dont think its likely

Thanks, I'm no expert but i at least got the routing down
I hope this ends up an easy fix... i hate dealing with stuff under the jeeps dash lol

spoo76 said:

Thanks, I'm no expert but i at least got the routing down
I hope this ends up an easy fix... i hate dealing with stuff under the jeeps dash lol

Click to expand...

You and me both brother, I'm 6'3" tall. I'm always hoping I don't mess up more than I fix. It's easy to get tangled up under the dash.
I once had the wire from the 5 amp fuse to the instrument cluster lights break someplace in the middle or at the splice. I just ran a new wire up to the instrument cluster connector directly from the back of the fuse block. I don't think it's a common problem though, I've never heard anybody else mention it.
I'd look real closely at the 5 amp illumination fuse. The fuse clips can get hot and relax and stop making good contact. The fuse can test fine, but as soon as it gets hot, it stops passing current (rare but it happens).
The headlight switch connector clips (contacts) can get hot, relax and spread open, or get covered in melted plastic. When the spade connectors get hot they often turn darl blue or black, sometimes splotchy in shades of gray.

Which year/model is prone to caustic fluid running down into the fuse box?
Could this be related?

my 92 lost dash also. i could not figure it out. no power coming into the fuse panel on only that fuse. i had to run switched power with a new fuse and back fed it!!!!!!!!!

hey dude, my dash lights have a nasty habit of cutting out and for no reason. check the fuse block under the dash and particularly the extreme right top fuse....i think it's #18 thats the culprit. if the fuse is fine, bend the fuse prongs a little bt to make sure they ae making contact .....let me kno if that helps

Yea same thing is happening to my 88 i replaced like 5 fuses and everyhting worked for 15min and now its back to nothing, still looking for help

md11fan said:

Yea same thing is happening to my 88 i replaced like 5 fuses and everyhting worked for 15min and now its back to nothing, still looking for help

Click to expand...

Most often it's the headlight switch. There is a resistor coil incorporated into the switch set in a ceramic wheel, it looks like a coiled spring. They didn't choose ceramic by accident, that coil gets hot. It's an old style resistor that changes volts to heat.
It can also get twisted up and short out. It's best to get the headlight switch out and replaced and to stop adding fuses. It may eventually cook the connectors, the wiring and whatever it comes in contact with. Heat travels down the wiring.
Whatever you do don't start putting bigger fuses in there, you'll just be making the oven hotter.

Here is a picture of the switch, though I think this is the improved model.




Mine actually looks more like this (though this is the older style and actually an FSJ switch). You can see the white ceramic wheel.

Going to keep a watch on this, I have a 96 as well with the exact same issue. I've been all over the place under that dash and can't find the problem. This all started when my wife pulled the knob off the headlight switch. Went to the store and picked up a new one, installed it and never had dash lights since......I tried roughly 6 switches since ( including a factory one out of a wrecked 96) and still don't have any dash lights.

Ok so today i was looking at my fuse box and found that 3 fuses were blown!! one of them was the one that says "parking lps" i think it is what is wrong so i went to the store and baught a 40 pac of fuses replaced 5 fuses and tested it out everything worked for 30sec took it for a spin with the lights on all good then bam everyhting went back to normal headlights worked but no dashligts, so i took the fuse out and it was blown so i checked the book and it says for 88-01 a 10 or 15 amp fuse is used so i tried a 15 and the second i turned the light on blown, same thing with a 10,15,25,30, and 7.5 at that time i gave up, and suggestions?

md11fan said:

..... and suggestions?

Click to expand...

You have a short some place. Look for frayed wires, worn out insulation, etc

md11fan said:

Ok so today i was looking at my fuse box and found that 3 fuses were blown!! one of them was the one that says "parking lps" i think it is what is wrong so i went to the store and baught a 40 pac of fuses replaced 5 fuses and tested it out everything worked for 30sec took it for a spin with the lights on all good then bam everyhting went back to normal headlights worked but no dashligts, so i took the fuse out and it was blown so i checked the book and it says for 88-01 a 10 or 15 amp fuse is used so i tried a 15 and the second i turned the light on blown, same thing with a 10,15,25,30, and 7.5 at that time i gave up, and suggestions?

Click to expand...

First suggestion would be to listen, putting a thirty amp fuse in anything that specifies 10 amps can melt your harness. A minor problem can turn into a major problem.

If just the 10 amp parking light fuse ( Position 7) is blowing and the 5 amp illum fuse (position 9) isn't, it's likely in your parking light circuit has a short someplace. If just the 5 amp illum fuse is blowing it's likely in the switch. If the wires get hot enough in the illum circuit they will blow both the 7 and 9 fuse. Putting a 30 amp fuse in there can start a fire.

The diagram I posted above is actually the same setup in a newer vehicle, the wire color and the fuse position may be different, but the routing and path of much of the wiring is the same.

I've posted the Renix dash illumination schematic numerous times, search a little.