No dash lights with headlights on

Wade Durbin

Wade Durbin

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Hi all, recently I went to drive my 04 rubicon 5 speed home at night and none of my lights for my instrument gauges came on. My side marker lights also don't come on with the headlight switch rolled in first position like they should. Checked several fuses that all looked good. And now just replaced turn signal switch with still no luck... Anybody have a similar experience or resolution for this. Thanks in advance!
 
Do your turn signals work ?
Are any of the other dash lights affected ?
I would check the ground wires that are under the screws behind the front drivers and passenger speaker grills.
 
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Wade Durbin said:
Yes the running lights on the side of the fender flares. And I'm in Southwest Pennsylvania.
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Well update. Number 1 fuse behind glove box labeled PARK LPS SKIM (on door side of inner glove box) was blown. Lost my spare box of fuses so I took the 20A spare fuse in number 19 and everything works again. Odd that took all my background dash lights out with it. Maybe so you don't try to drive at night without the running lights... I have a new turn signal switch now as well 🤷😂
 
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CharlesHS said:
YES.... and the terminals where the light bulbs contact also.
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Ok thanks, I'll try to check them out if I'm having issues. Wonder if the one fog light connecter on my passenger side is causing an issue with water/mud. The other side I have wired to my small light bar. This one is however just ziptied up to the side marker light.
 
Not sure if it is the same with Jeeps, but my first car was a Plymouth Horizon. One day all my dash lights went out too. Found out a week later that the fuse for my tail lights was blown. They tied the dash lights to the same fuse so that you would know something is wrong, since you typically wouldn’t know your tail lights were out otherwise.
 
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Vidar said:
Not sure if it is the same with Jeeps, but my first car was a Plymouth Horizon. One day all my dash lights went out too. Found out a week later that the fuse for my tail lights was blown. They tied the dash lights to the same fuse so that you would know something is wrong, since you typically wouldn’t know your tail lights were out otherwise.
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Makes sense I guess. Pretty big inconvenience if you're driving home at night and don't have a spare when it goes haha. Thanks for the input guys. It's always the last fuse/cheapest part you check last 🥴
 
I have this same problem, every now and then it happens but sometimes it fixes itself. My parking lamps fuse I have replaced multiple time and no fix, although sometimes if I wiggle the fuse around it turns back on. When I wiggle the fuse I can also see sparks behind it, which worries me.

The fuse also gets very hot, as well as the brake light fuse, so hot that it even melted the fuse plastic a little. This can’t be normal, and concerned me a little, anyone have this happen before?
 
Wade Durbin said:
Well update. Number 1 fuse behind glove box labeled PARK LPS SKIM (on door side of inner glove box) was blown. Lost my spare box of fuses so I took the 20A spare fuse in number 19 and everything works again. Odd that took all my background dash lights out with it. Maybe so you don't try to drive at night without the running lights... I have a new turn signal switch now as well 🤷😂
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Just want to thank you for posting this!!! Finally solved my dash drama, nothing else was working. Been trying way too many random tweaks, this was the culprit.
 
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Wade Durbin said:
Hi all, recently I went to drive my 04 rubicon 5 speed home at night and none of my lights for my instrument gauges came on. My side marker lights also don't come on with the headlight switch rolled in first position like they should. Checked several fuses that all looked good. And now just replaced turn signal switch with still no luck... Anybody have a similar experience or resolution for this. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

The dash lights are wired through the tail light circuit. The power for the tail lights power the dash light fuse. Check the tail light fuse. This is a fail safe put in. If your tail lights go out, so will the dash lights to warn the driver.
 
Wade Durbin said:
Basically where the lights bulbs connect on the flares you mean?
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I would pull the bulbs and inspect wiring and sockets, check for any non factory wiring, trailer hitch wiring, alarm etc. Inspect the harnesses to the front lamps they are pretty exposed under the fenders. I am pretty sure the harness runs down the driver side door then up to the left rear body rail. Inspect for chaffing or any aftermarket screws in those areas.
 
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Wade Durbin said:
Well update. Number 1 fuse behind glove box labeled PARK LPS SKIM (on door side of inner glove box) was blown. Lost my spare box of fuses so I took the 20A spare fuse in number 19 and everything works again. Odd that took all my background dash lights out with it. Maybe so you don't try to drive at night without the running lights... I have a new turn signal switch now as well 🤷😂
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That is exactly why they wire the circuit that way. Now when you are driving and see someone without tail lamps pull up next to them and look at their dash.
 
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NskLJ said:
I would pull the bulbs and inspect wiring and sockets, check for any non factory wiring, trailer hitch wiring, alarm etc. Inspect the harnesses to the front lamps they are pretty exposed under the fenders. I am pretty sure the harness fun’s down the driver side door then up to the left rear body rail. Inspect for chaffing or any aftermarket screws in those areas.
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I did add a trailer hitch wiring adapter. It probably caused it. Haven't had any issues since I replaced the fuse some time ago.
 
Wade Durbin said:
Well update. Number 1 fuse behind glove box labeled PARK LPS SKIM (on door side of inner glove box) was blown. Lost my spare box of fuses so I took the 20A spare fuse in number 19 and everything works again. Odd that took all my background dash lights out with it. Maybe so you don't try to drive at night without the running lights... I have a new turn signal switch now as well 🤷😂
Click to expand...

#1 top right fuse fixed my no instrument lights or tail running lights problem. Thank you!
 
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