So today while I was installing a boost and pyro I figured I would clean under the clear plastic cover for the factory gauges and since I was that far why not take off the black plate that the gauges stick through to clean that as well. While I was pulling it out the warning lights for the ABS, low wash, brake, etc all those bulbs that are attached to it came out some were pulled out I figured no big until i button everything back up and only my oil pressure gauge works any ideas.

 

thats why i dont screw with factory guages, i screwed them up in my last truck. well all the guages on the panel are electrical, and i think if i remember corectly they are all in a wiring harnes. maybe that came disconected somehow

 

Maybe I really dont want to do any real complicated stuff

 

shouldnt be complicated take you dash cover off (the one on top, under the window, not the black bezel) and see if anything is disconected, once your dash is off is very easy to see everything, thats how i was able to run new vaccum lines when i had a leak

 

Ok ill get on that tomorrow hopefully something simple thanks

 

it should take more than 10 minutes to take it off about 5 screws at the window. pull the bezel then i believ about 10 screws and it should come right off

 

When I pulled of the black gauge bezel underneath the clear plastic cover all of the warning lights (LOW WASH, ABS, 4WD on the left side and on the right BRAKE, seatbelt symbol, SHIFT) were still connected to the black bezel which holds the powering circuitry from the instrument panel to the bezel via the bulbs the problem is all the circutry is still connected to the main instrument panel so when I separated the black bezel from the instrument panel this pulled the circuitry basically around the warning light bulbs and all but one section pulled right though but the super duper critical LOW WASH bulb ripped a nice little slit in the circuit and this cause none of my gauges to work.

Anyways what can be learned from this:

Always take out the warning bulbs before separating the gauge bezel from the instrument panel. The instrument panel comes out far enough that you can reach down and give each bulb a quarter turn and pop them out them carefully slide the circuitry off of the bezel.

 

oh wow what a pain

 

Ya that sucks, i painted the dash on my dodge ramcharger and after i taped everything off and painted it, put all the dash parts back togeather and made the thing look really sweet, all the lights stoped working i never figured out what happend, just beat the thing in the woods. that was that.....Good to know thoe i will watch out for that if i ever take mine appart