I think I have a bad dimmer switch in my charger (70) how do I jump it so my dash lights and gauges work?

jump this two terminals at dimmer switch

thanks man...I have the diagram but it might as well be in Russian.

don't worry, I understand this kind of russian LOL

becarefull and don't jump the other wire ( where plain yellow arrives ) because that's ground switch to dome light. The other two are the input and output from rheostat, driving positive. The one in the middle is the output to fuse, then to cluster and the one coming from headlights switch is the input

BTW, you know that quite often the dimmer just need to be cleaned out from sulfats ( that green corrosion stuff )!

maybe doesn't need to be rebuilt or something similar, and just applying one of those battery post cleaners will save that

pretty sure I cleaned it good before I put it in...but that was a year ago.

If you know how to solder, just solder a jumper across the contacts on the dimmer that connect to the coiled wire. This bypasses the resistance and outputs constant voltage.

That's what I did. Putting a jumper in the connection will work also as mentioned.

I've been busy with other problems and haven't solved the dome light not working after jumping for the dash lights. That solder trick might be your best overal bet, would have the same dashlights as the jumper and have the DL still work.

dome light works, dash lights and gauges don't

Dome light won't if you jump the dimmer. If you jump the DL wires as well it will stay on all the time.

the dome light and dimmer functions are TWO VERY DIFF functions, just related because both are dirven by the wheel. The rheostat ceramic housing wheel push a tab in to the switch housing at the end of the wheel to provide the ground to turn on the Dome light, for a while the rheostat INSIDE the ceramic wheel drives positive with two tabs or contacts both separated from the ground tab.


ground input on switch is chassis, for a while output is the prong related to ground tab

positive drive has been already posted

Hey Nacho you want to come over and fix it for me??? anyway, I junped it and nada still nothing. So I gace all the dash screws and extra grudge turn. They were tight then I fumbled w/ the dimmer again and 1/2 the cluster came on. The 4 small gauge lights still aren't working. Dome light is burnt out now, maybe from keeping the door open all this time.
Why would the gauge lights not work. All of them are new and I cleaned all the contacts????

I was THINKING on go to Carlisle this year like last year, but don't know if I'll be able too ( finnantial problems )... I think I can began a fixing tour from there if I go LOL.

jokes appart some steps before

do you have PARKING LIGHTS ? The input to dimmer is an splice from parking lights output at lights switch

then did you CHECK fuses ? there is a fuse that only drives the dimmer output before get the dash lights.

He would have no lights if the fuse were blown.

Well I had parking lights well one front one now I don't the rear lights come on and the side markers aren't hooked up yet. However the brake lights, turn signals work, until you turn on the lights then the drivers side just stays on..no blink blink. The pass side front parking lamp is in-op. Not sure why I cleaned the snot out of it and replaced all the blubs before I assembled everything. Funny thing is this car has a new dash harness, engine harness and I ohmed the rest out before install. It's becoming a real PITA. Seems new isn't always better.

Sounds like grounds. They will cause funny things to happen due to feedback. Clean the bulb sockets again, and check where each bulb grounds. It usually isn't the one acting up, it's one of the others going through the one that's flaky.