Based on the numerous posts about dash lights not working and too much personal experience w/the issue myself, I figured I would post a quick step by step on how I finally resolved this issue on my Camaro.

Most dash light's not working are related to ground issues. I'm working on a '67 but what I'll run thru will probably work for a '69 too. Follow this process and you should address your ground issues.

1 - Do you have power coming to the circuit board from the harness? When you turn on the lights, the wire going to the circuit for the lights should be live. If it isn't, your issue probably isn't a ground issue but a bad fuse, headlight switch or wiring issue. This needs to be solved first.

2 - Are you sure the cluster is grounded? Take a test light and connect the clip to a 12 volt power source and see if it lights up when the probe touches the cluster. There is a wire that loks light a bent paper clip that goes from the back of the cluster to the middle upper screw that holds on the cluster housing. It is often broken or not making a proper ground. If it doesn't light up, run a dedicated ground from the metal part of the cluster to a good ground. I run a dedicated ground from the back of the cluster housing even with the original wire in place b/c the original wire is a really poor set up to get a good ground.

3 - Are all your bulbs good? You can test them by twisting them out and running a live 12volt wire to one terminal and a ground to the other. Your cluster should still light up if one or more bulbs are dead but won't if they are all gone which is a possibility in a 40 year old car. Also check the bulbs in the screw in holders to make sure they are making a proper connection.

4 - Is the circuit board properly grounded to the housing? This one often the real culprit. You need to remove the cluster from the car and ground it w/a wire. Then take a 12 volt wire and connect it to the various circuits on the printed board. You can tell which one is for the dash lights b/c it goes to each bulb. On a '67 it is on the top left of the board. When you power it you can test the board w/a test light by checking the hot side of the circuit board by each light. You should also check the ground side of the circuit board by connecting the clip side of your test light to a live 12volt circuit.

You may find that one of the ground screws between the board and the cluster isn't making a proper ground. This can usually be fixed by removing the screw, cleaning the circuit and cluster and replacing the screw. The screws that should be ground out are easy to figure out by following the circuit board.

While you're at it, test all the lights and circuits. Just be careful because some of them ground off the harness and not off the cluster. You can see this by following hte circuit board.

Then put it all together and make sure you keep the new ground for the cluster in place when you put the dash back together.

Good luck and enjoy seeing how fast you're going at night again!!

Paul

Looks like a good sticky for the electrical forum. Thanks for sharing Paul.

I modified an image off the board to detail the workings behind the cluster. I made the positive circuit red and the ground yellow. This should help with steps 3 and 4 of the process in my original post.

Good luck and I hope this helps someone in the future.

http://www.oakster.com/Camaro/circuit_board_1a.gif

I love you... 2 weeks of disassembling everything, stupid tin ground paper clip thing!

oh, your the man........:beers::hurray:

I like it.

If you don't mind, I'm gonna add a few things to your original post, and include this in the electrical basics sticky.

I wish I knew photoshop well enough to be able to select the runs and color them like that. Separate colored photos of 67, and 68 tach and non tach PCB's, with all the circuits detaile, would help many.

i have a brown wirer about 5in long by fuse block with conector on it what hooks up to it,also the high beam indicator light i read there is a red lense that the bulb with green wirer hooks to with the ground strap that hooks to cluster,i cant find this red lense in any parts book,there has to be a wirer that hooks to fuel gage,what and where,thank you

Great post. I was having trouble on my 68, gas gauge cluster was dark while speedo cluster was lit, it took the whole thing apart and checked it with an ohm meter and it turns out it was fine. The problem was the connector sockets of the light bulbs were corroded after 40 years. I cleaned em up with some sand paper and swiss files and they worked fine for a few months. But now the whole cluster goes off and on, but now Im 90% sure its the ground wire fix Ive got to do based on this thread. Yay! : )

Paul, thanks for the tip, I pulled the cluster out again this weekend and ran 2 ground wires just like you suggested and it works perfectly! Thanks again for the tip! : )

also if you have the cluster out make sure that the metal connections on the bulb sockets are bent out slightly. after a while they tend to bend inward and do not really make a good contact. You can use your fingernail to pry them out slightly and get a better ground. You should do this to each socket

Brandan-

I have the tic-toc-tach version:

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h140/hmbrew4u/Camaro%20Stuff/electrical/clusterwiringdiagram1.jpg

Oops, need to add key:

Black = ground
Gray = cluster light power
Brown = tach
Dark Blue = right turn signal
Tan = e-brake/diff. switch
Light Blue = left turn signal
Yellow = low fuel warning
Pink = 12V

I used those colors since those are the wire colors that are in the plug/harness...

Also, the other circuit (not grounded to cluster housing) is actually a power lead trace (pink) going to the sockets with the other side of the light socket going to the associated "switch". In other words, when the e-brake switch grounds, the BRAKE light in the dash is grounded. When the temp. sensor switch in the block (non-gauge cars) is closed and grounded, the light in the dash is grounded. Etc., etc. This works for the Low Fuel Light in the gauges cars, too.

good info. I have a 68 and am trying to get the dash carrier off to get access to the back. do you have to drop the steering column to get the dash carrier off? if so, how do I go about doing it? thx!

It seems to be the only way to do it w/o some force... I just remove the plastic column covers under the dash and pull out the column mounting bolts. DO NOT put much, if any, down force on the column once the bolts are out. This method is really a quick way to do it. It can ruin your rag joint if you put too much force on the column... Support the column if left unbolted. But I recommend putting the bolts right back in.

thx flyingskibiker - are the column mounting bolts the 2 that connect the column to the dash? or the 4 that are on the underside of the column itself? I also had trouble taking the steering wheel off. I took off the nut but the wheel did not budge -do I need a puller?? thx again

Hmmm, I don't remember exactly. Were they nuts? I'm pretty sure it was two big nuts holding the bracket on...

Yes, you need a puller. Pulling on the wheel by hand is a bad idea...

i have a light bulb out on the gas gauge cluster can i replace the bulb without removing the cluster.

Great info!

Mike you may be able to reach your hand through the back but it is difficult(I can get my hand on the bulb but difficult to turn). It may also be a ground connection that failed and by moving the socket slightly, it may help. Worst case, drop the column and pull out the cluster.



Brandan

It's not a big deal to drop the column and remove the cluster. Basic of basics. At least while your in there you can address any other issue and clean up the circuit board, etc. Just do it.

Hello,
My issue is when I hit a bump the dash lights go dim and the directional lights come on.
Is that the upper ground wire you all are talking about or something different?

Thanks
Mike

Wow. Could be anything. Ground wire, circuit board, connector wires, connectors, wire(s) in harness... But should start w/ ground(s).

Wow. Could be anything. Ground wire, circuit board, connector wires, connectors, wire(s) in harness... But should start w/ ground(s).


Seems it has a few electrical gremlins... I guess one problem at a time.

great post......thanks for passing on your knowledge

ok...i might have a dumb question but here it goes.......i have turn signal light and bright light indicator light.....but i do not have speedo or gas gauge lights....check fuses and one of the bulbs that i could reach from under the dash which seems to be fine......is the cluster grounded independently...ie one ground for signal lights and a seperate for the speedo and gas gauge? any additional help would be greatly appreciated

Dave, from my recollection... I think that all the cluster lights are grounded with the flexible circuit board that is then grounded through the grounding wire which runs through the center screw on the speedo/tach housing. Since you are getting the high beams light you are getting a ground. I had the same thing that the lights for the speedo and the tach were not illuminating. I had to pull the unit out and went through each bulb. Some were burnt out and some were not getting the good ground. I took out each bulb and had to re-bend the spring contacts to make sure they werre hitting the flexible circuit board. There is an excellent post here on Camaros.net with the photo of the back side of the circuit board that shows which "wires" on the flexible circuit board do what. Start with each individual bulb. I know it is a PITA because you have to drop the column and stuff but it really isn't that big of deal to get those lights working.

Brandan-

thanks Brandon

Help Needed...I have a 1968 Camaro RS and I'm having electrical issues with the turn signals. I have pulled the instrument panel, checked and replaced burnt out bulbs, checked and replaced all fuses in the fuse box, replaced the turn signal cluster in the steering column and replaced the turn signal flasher on the fuse box and the one under the dash but nothing has helped. Everything works as advertised until I pull out the headlight switch. When I pull the headlight switch, the signal lights on the instrumental panel illuminate...full on without movement of the signal light lever. When I do move the lever, up or down, the signal lights flash very slow. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Randy

Clean and reinstall your front harness grounds and your dash harness ground. Trunk harness grounds also. Clean to shiny bare metal, and reinstall with star washers if they're not in place.

Clean and reinstall your front harness grounds and your dash harness ground. Trunk harness grounds also. Clean to shiny bare metal, and reinstall with star washers if they're not in place.

Question: Where do I find the front, harness and trunk grounds?

I just went through the exact same thing. I found my my horn contact stuck closed, the dimmer switch was shorted out, the fuse panel flasher and the turn signal flashers were installed wrong. I also found my voltage regulator bad. After replacing these items, everything worked except when I turned my headlights on and either turn signal stayed lit and not flashing. I connected the negative battery terminal wire lead to the radiator support, found a ground strap off the engine to firewall and the under dash and trunk ground leads broken and not cponnected. I cleaned all connectors with contact cleaner and wallah!!! EVERYTHING WORKS!! This took me 4 days to do but I started at the battery and meter ed everything on my way back to the trunk/licenseplate light and make sure you install the star washers to BITE into the painted surfaces or clean off ALL paint to establish a good ground!!!

Is it possible to put a brighter bulbs in the sockets? If so, what is the part number for those bulbs.
Thanks
Mike

You can get brighter lamps. They would basically be 12v LED's with a wedge base. Might be too bright?

You can get brighter incandesant replacements for 194's. They are "L-something" that I can't remember at the moment but I got them from NAPA. Will try to post the correct number this evening.

You have a great variety of led lights to choose from which makes it all the more difficult!
I just finished doing all my lights will led. When considering the dash lights be aware that you only need to be concerned with the two bulbs left/right of center. The other bulbs are just for turn signals,high/low beam, oil,generator etc. Adding led bulbs or brighter bulbs to these is a waist of time and money.

The two center bulbs are what illuminates your gauge panel. I have done mine in "cool blue" and ended up using bulbs with 13 leds on each. You have a great deal of room in this area so do not be worried over the dimensions of the bulb size. You "do" want a led that throws the light around as apposed to directing the light straight or angled in this instance. If going "white" start with at least a 13 but you may want a 24 led bulb.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-SMD-9-LED-Car-Light-Bulb-Lamp-Super-White-194-T10-New-/120828418663?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item1c21ef5a67

The bulbs are inexspensive for the dash area so buy a few different sets and experiment and taylor it to your needs.

just type in "194 led" on ebay

Chris, do those LED bulbs respond the same to the dimmer control?

All the ones i have purchased have responded to the dimmer control! Some of the single spot ones "do not"! I purchased a bunch of different ones and the multi ones all worked in the aux oil pressure, temp, volt gauges. I had to use the 5 led bulbs on them to dim.

These may be a good choice for the two center dash cluster lights. Yes they will fit! http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-42-SMD-T10-LED-High-Power-Light-Bulb-Lamp-168-194-501-192-W5W-White-12V-New-/320772380557?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item4aaf86178d

These i used in the seperate gauges i run and they dimmed! pic to show the style of bulb. Different part # for auto meter gauge.

These types below would not dim. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-PCS-White-2W-T10-High-Power-SMD-LED-Lights-Bulbs-194-168-5W5-X2-/320792021834?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item4ab0b1cb4a

http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-194-T10-168-White-LED-Wedge-Inverted-Side-Bulb-Light-/200688161339?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item2eb9f2523b

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-PCS-T10-W5W-194-BULBS-1-LED-WHITE-CAR-DOME-LIGHT-1LED-/260811924022?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item3cb99a2236

These i used on the aux gauges i run and they dim. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-7-LED-Blue-Bulb-Signal-168-194-W5W-Car-L-1055-4077-C-/200614814130?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item2eb59321b2

These i used in the center dash cluster and they dimmed! http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-SMD-9-LED-Car-Light-Bulb-Lamp-Super-White-194-T10-New-/220915408048?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item336f959cb0

These would be better http://www.ebay.com/itm/13-5050-SMD-LED-T10-168-194-White-Wedge-Bulb-Parking-/130396050613?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item1e5c35d4b5

I read the entire post and thanks for the great info. Still trying to confirm if it is possible to swap out the turn signal indicator bulbs without removing IP?

My turn signals work both in front and rear of car and also with hazards on. Right turn IP indicator lights up but left does not some thinking it is bulb?

Thanks in advance.

Help Needed...I have a 1968 Camaro RS and I'm having electrical issues with the turn signals. I have pulled the instrument panel, checked and replaced burnt out bulbs, checked and replaced all fuses in the fuse box, replaced the turn signal cluster in the steering column and replaced the turn signal flasher on the fuse box and the one under the dash but nothing has helped. Everything works as advertised until I pull out the headlight switch. When I pull the headlight switch, the signal lights on the instrumental panel illuminate...full on without movement of the signal light lever. When I do move the lever, up or down, the signal lights flash very slow. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Randy

I have this same exact issue. I have no speedo or tack lights, only the green turn signal lights come on with the headlight switch. I automatically assumed it was the bulbs and an easy fix since the green lights still worked, now after reading this great post, it sounds like a grounding nightmare.
So.... I haven't taken the panel out yet (never have). But i was gonna tackle it this month. I will follow the advice of the previous post but which is the best place to start? should i replace the switch first? The Glass fuse seems fine but i will replace.