In my 70 Satellite, when I bought the car the thumb wheel dimmer switch on the dash did not work. All the "in dash" lights do (blinkers, back lighting, etc). So I looked under the dash to find that someone unplugged the dimmer switch harness and used a small "jumper wire" between two of the three "plug in's" on the dimmer switch harness. Keep in mind the dash lights work and the dimmer switch does not. So I unplugged the "jumper wire" and then plugged in the dimmer switch as it should be from the factory and NOW dimmer switch works, however now the dash lights do not???...Is anyone up on this type of electrical where they can help me solve this issue? Sounds to me like I might need a new dimmer switch but I would also like to know if it more involved like wiring? The switch is not cheap if its not my problem. Thanks guys!~

Ok, so the question I have . . . how do you KNOW the dimmer works ??? It is SUPPOSED to have a detent where you have FULL brightness on the dash lights, then come off the detent (turn the thumb-wheel and you can DIM the dash lights . . . if you have NO DASH LIGHTS, then the dimmer switch IS NOT working. . . .

Mark
A12rag

Ok . . .this sounds like someone has either played with the connector (probably) so that the dimmer function is on the WRONG circuit . . . . your dome light and lights that would come on when you open the door, should only be ON and OFF. When you run the DIMMER thumbwheel - that is supposed to be for the dash lights, not the dome lights and such. Your best bet is to get a factory manual with the wiring diagram and go thru it . . . this shows what should be connected where. The detent should be a very sutble difference when you hit the top (or bottom???) of the thumbwheel switch - but you should feel it.

Ok, thanks for the post! I will go through the wiring manual and see if I can track it down. Appreciate it.

If I am reading the wiring diagram correctly . . . the TAN wire would be the feed TO the fuse, then thru the fuse to the instrument lamps (dash lights). . . the Black wire would be the feed FROM the headlight switch (might also have a yellow wire with a tracer in the same connection point). . . the Yellow wires (no tracer, probably two in one connection point) are the feed TO the dome light circuit.

That sounds about right, I just downloaded a wire diagram from mymopar.com Thanks!

the yellow wire is FROM the courtesy lights, and they ground thru the dimmer switch. the detent is the ground point on the switch, and this lets you know you have turned your courtesy lights on or off. some instrument dimmer switches will turn the dash lights off when the courtesy lights are on.

I think that if you swap the positions of the black wire & yellow wire with tracer, for the yellow wires . . . you will find your dash lights will dim . . . and your dome light should operate as intended - on/off with the door switch . . . then check operation with the dim switch - should of course turn the dome light on/off as well . . .