I took the instrument cluster out of my 69 Dart, repaired some broken pins and reinstalled. Now I have no brake lights or turn signals in the rear, and no running/turn signal lights in the front at all . The emergency flashers work in the back only, and I have tail lights with the headlights on. Fuses and bulbs are all good, I haven't tried replacing the turn signal flasher yet.

When I repaired the broken pins, I added one on the left side board that I thought was missing, it was the one on the far left of the left board as you are looking at it from the guage side; so the outside pin of the group of 3.

Before I spend 2 weeks chasing down grounds and other wiring issues and finally resorting to a hammer, has anyone ever seen this and know where I should look first?

Look at the turn signal switch!

Before i dig into the switches, i was hoping there was something else worth looking at first. The only difference between last week when everything worked and now was the removal and reinstallation of the instrument cluster. Any chance the turn signal or headlight switch may cause no turn signals and no brake lights?

Make sure the turn signal switch plugs are tight together.

I agree ..Turn signal switch...

So the turn signal switch could cause the brake lights to quit working too? I'll check it out. Thanks.

Yes the brake lights do through the turn signal switch to split the power so both sides light. Seeing they use the same filament in the bulb to light both the signals and the brakes it keeps you from having both sides blinking with the turn signals on.

Wow, had no idea. Of course, you could fill an encyclopedia with the stuff I don't know...... thanks for the help everyone!

Easy way to test is just plug in the new switch... No need to tear apart the column just to test...

So it looks like it may be the turn signal switch; I think I've checked everything under the dash. I'm still skeptical that coincident with the instrument cluster removal the switch went bad. I suppose stranger things have happened though.

Since the switch is so dang expensive I'd like to test it without removing it, as well as test the wiring from the plug out to all the lights. Does anyone have a test procedure for the switch, knowing which 2 leads should have continuity when the lever is in each position and so forth? As far as testing the wiring, does anyone know if I can just put a jumper between the hot wire on the harness plug and the pin to each of the lights and check that they light up? It looks like a lot of the wires run through the emergency flasher, when jumpering pins on the harness can you leave the flasher in place or do you have to do any other wierdness? Just trying to be extra thorough before pulling the steering wheel and buying a new switch.

Speaking of the switch, anyone have a reasonably priced source for a 69 Dart turn signal switch?

No real test for the switch per se, but put 12V jumper on the brown colored terminal in the dash harness for the turn signal switch to see if rear right brake/turn signal bulb illuminates. If so, that part of wiring is good. Ditto for dark green terminal to check left rear. If both check good, which they probably will, problem is in turn signal switch. Tan is for right front. Light green is for left front. Colors are off '72 FSM A-, B-, and E-bodies. MAY be different for '69, but I doubt it. Check this for sure - wiring diagrams there. http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=27

A further check is if when the brake pedal is pushed, the white terminal in the dash harness should get 12V.

seperate the TS harness & see if there's continuity between the white wire (in from the stoplight switch) and the 2 "out" wires for the left and right rear brake lights (as said mymopar will have the colors) with the stalk in neutral because when you step on the brake with the TS not operating (neutral) both brakes light up normally. Then raise the stalk up (right hand turn) & see where continuity shifts to as it interrupts the RH side & feeds the right side to the flasher then back to the harness & out to the right brake then do the same on the left (stalk down). I dont have an answer for where the continuity should shift to but somebody does or with enough time at mymopar & checking continuities with your VOM you'll be able to tell if the TS switch is good or bad without buying another one first

People are forgetting there are 2 power supplies to the TS switch - key on through flasher for turn signals (red) and brake light power feed from brake light switch (white).

With TS centered, you should have cont between white (input) and dk grn (LR) and brn (RR)(brake lts).

R turn w/brake - cont between white and dk grn (LR)(brake), cont between red and brn (RR) + tan (RF)(R turn).

L turn w/brake - cont between white and brn(RR)(brake), and cont between red and dk grn (LR) + lt grn LF)(L turn).

Orange is dash lights; black/tr is horn feed.

Hope this helps

The 2 seperate power feeds explain why the brake lights work all the time and the turn signals are key on only. Then if the hazzard flashers are in the TS switch or on column (later years) there is another power feed for that. Can get pretty busy

Take apart a broken TS switch sometime and you'll see all the contacts that make/break as you move the handle.

Evil, your testing procedure was awesome. While it showed that the switch was fine, it also proved once again that I'm a moron. The test for power on the white wire with the brake pedal depressed showed all was well; when I rechecked the bulbs sure enough one filament was gone in each. One filament and the posts were gone; they both looked like one filament bulbs. New bulbs and I've got brake lights.

The test for power to the red wire showed it was dead, new signal flasher and now I've got turn signals.

As usual, it was the easiest fix, but I overthought the problem. Thanks to all for your help.