Dashboard Illumination Problem
 

This one has me scratching my head...

Last night when I drove my 2004 Disco, I turned on the headlights (which worked great) and my dashboard remained dark. All the warning and indicator lights lit up correctly when I first started up the engine. The odd thing is that the clock and ac control backlighting didn't dim when I turned on my headlights, which I would have expected them to regardless if the dashboard lights were working or not. Everything else electronic/electrical seems to be working fine on the truck - just no dashboard illumination. I checked the fuses and they are all good. Any ideas?

Cheers,

Chris

2004 Discovery S
1996 Range Rover HSE

Did you check your dimmer control and make sure the lights were not turned off?

Not a bad comment, but...
 

Actually, I did check it. I actually pulled it out to verify it was still connected up right. I've done bone head things like the before, so thanks for pointing it out.

Chris

Past that the only other thing I can think it would be would be the switch and the is a 50/50 guess.

Do your tail lights work?
Typically when the dash lights go out that means the tail lights do not work, this is true on all cars.
Its a safety kinda thing, they expect you to investigate if you do not have dash lights.

guage clusters die also....

Thanks so far. Still no solution, but more data on the problem. I've also noted that when I turn the headlights on, the ac\heater illumination DOES dim, the clock illumination DOESN'T dim, the ODOMETER illumination DOESN'T dim and the gear selector illumination GOES OUT COMPLETELY including the small red LED next to each gear. All the exterior bulbs are good. I did do some recent work putting in a navigation type radio - is there anything in the dash that I could have nicked or bumped that would fit this problem??

take the steering whel covers off and the shroud for the gauges....then jiggle the wires for the cluster located on the top of the cluster...... let me know what happens...

Been there, fixed that. Here's my story:
Same symptoms
The light switch contact had burned out: disassembled it, cleaned, lubed w/vaseline, reassembled, now ok for last 3 years.

Remove the steering colums shroud and on the left side check the color of the plug at the switch. If it's yellow/orange/brown, there is too much heat at the switch contacts and it burns out.
It really isn't hard to rebuild but do stretch the springs a bit to force a better contact.
The hard part is to remove the switch assembly without removing the steering wheel but it can be done.

SD

Soccer Dad - thanks for the tip. I wouldn't have checked there. I'll give it a look this weekend and let you know how it goes. Thanks!

Chris