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No lights on Gauges? Defender

15K views 22 replies 11 participants last post by  6777 
#1 ·
Hello,
The gauge cluster does not light up when I turn the lights on. The headlights, dash warnings, exterior corners etc do, but not the gauges. 1989 Defender 110 V8.
Any ideas?

Than you
 
#3 ·
Hello, The gauge cluster does not light up when I turn the lights on. The headlights, dash warnings, exterior corners etc do, but not the gauges. 1989 Defender 110 V8. Any ideas? Than you
Wriggle your headlight switch, that thing goes quickly and that is the first symptom
 
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#4 ·
The gauges have a weird daisy chained ground attached to the brackets that hold them in place, easily could be frayed or have come loose with vibration, they are just little nuts (at least on my 85) if you look at a tutorial on how to change over the lights to LEDs (which I did recently) you will see these grounds, I'd be willing to bet one of those little turn screws has backed off far enough to eliminate the grounding chain
 
#8 ·
I don't think the ground is mentioned anywhere, but its worth doing the led install and taking a look inside to check those grounds while you are at it. they are very obvious when you lift the panel up.

if you remove the gauges a piece of electrical tape to hold the brackets in place while you lower it in to hook the grounds back on is your friend, I did it the other day in 0 degree weather.
 
#17 ·
resurrection from the dead.
Was this ever figured out?

I think have the same issue. Gauges are dead and the lights and the gauge lights don't work. I did check the fuse and the all the other lights work.

I did switch over my hazard, dome, and heated window switches to carling switches. I ditched the three way but i didn't think that affected it the functionality of the gauge lights.
 
#21 ·
The dash light switch is the same one that turns on the interior light. Interior light in one direction. Nothing in the Center and dash light in the other. If that is not it check fuses first.
 
#22 ·
I have an '84 110 and I'm having similar issues --- the panel at the left knee position with the hazard and other switches was empty. I found the hazard switch behind the dash and reinstalled it. No other switches. Mine is a hardtop converted to soft top, so I'm trying to untangle the bundle of wires right now and figure out which is for what.
 
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