Headlight switch has absolutely no effect. It worked when I bought my car back in December.

Speedo also is dead (but the odometer and tripmeter work just fine).

I remember reading about a possible faulty ignition switch to blame for these issues. Can any of you speak to this?

Any ideas before I start replacing parts?

 

Do the parking lights come on at all? I would think that they would work regardless of the ignition switch as you don't need a key to turn them on.

 

Now I'll have to check on the parking lights. I think they work.

 

Do the brake lights work? Have you checked the fuses e.g. fuse 19 for the headlight motor...?

Alan

 

Brake lights, indicators work (although probably irrelevant to this issue). Fuse is OK. Grounds clean. Double-checking on the parking lights. I'm beginning to think relay.

 

Relay, relay, relay.

On my '82, all the instruments went dead - with the exception of the speedo which would bounce in time with the turn signals. Usually would clear itself within a few miles. It finally got to the point where it wouldn't clear and I was afraid to drive it because I couldn't remember how much gas was in the tank.

Tried shooting each relay with an IR meter - no help. So I started pulling relays, one by one. When I pulled the flasher relay, my instruments came back. Replaced the flasher relay and all is good.

No idea why a bad flasher would take out all the instruments.

 

All of my other gauges work just fine. It is literally just the speedo that is dead.

I wonder if the flasher relay is one I can find locally.

 

Wow, I'm really slow... I double checked the fuse panel again for #19 and ITS GONE. I deserve the idiot king award today. I was testing something a while back and never put it back. Silly silly me!!!

 

That will certainly do it ... Always start with the easy things - it's nice when there isn't really anything to fix...

Sometimes you get lucky - savor it for now!

Alan