No tail lights, dash lights, wipers

[krivman65]

Hey all, I have a '79 210 that acts like the multi-function switch is going bad. I bought a new one and installed it. I have the same results. I also tripple checked both multi-function switches and they both read exactly the same.

I used a jumper wire on the harness plug(completely taking the switch out of the equation) and ran it from the hot side to the tail lights and then to the gauges. Still no lights. No blown fuses, and I double checked with a meter for resistance and I had 8.5-9 ohms of resistance everywhere. Obviously no short circuits.  Does anybody have any thoughts? A bad ground maybe?

 

Thanks!

[datzenmike]

Is there power even getting to the lighting switch???

[krivman65]

Yes there is. I have 2 hot wires(one from the battery and one from the fuse box) and I ran a jumper wire directly from them to the lighting circuit and nothing happened.

[datzenmike]

Did they ever work or did you buy it like this?

 

If it was working and stopped there are only so many thing that can cause this. If it came this way a previous owner (PO) could have fucked anything up.

 

 

Funny that there are no wipers... these have to come from the side of the fuse box that goes through the ignition switch. You can look at and clean a fuse but they can still be broken inside. Turn the key on and the wipers. Hold a quarter across the fuses one at a time to 'jumper' around them.... see if the wipers suddenly come on.

 

Try this with the lighting switch too. Have someone watch while you jumper the fuses.

[banzai510(hainz)]

when I have no dash and tail lights its the fuse.

 

wipers might not be related.

 

If a hack job throw what I said out the door

[krivman65]

Yup they worked for a while. I have known the car for about 5 years now, and I got it about a month and a half ago. Everything was fine up until about 2 weeks ago. Ok, I take that back; the wipers work intermittently. That's why I thought it was the multifunction switch.

 

Not a bad idea about jumping over the fuses. I will try that tonight. Thanks for the input!

[krivman65]

Ok, it occured to me that I didn't make this clear enough. The fuses are all fine, meaning I have power from the fuse box to the multi-function switch. I also have power directly from the battery to the switch(there are 2 hot wires going to the switch). Last night, everything started working again. The car didn't move at all, nor had anyone attempted to fix anything.  For whatever reason, it goes through phases like this; everything works for a few days, then nothing works for a few days. There doesn't appear to be any rhyme or reason to it all.

 

Any other thoughts?

[datzenmike]

As I said, the fuses are not to be trusted. Clean the clips that hold them and install new ones. This is easy and cheap and may fix the problem.

[krivman65]

I will be sure and do that, just to make sure. But, even when nothing is working, I still have power on both sides of the fuse box. Still think that could be the issue?

[datzenmike]

Then probably not.

 

Try turning the dimmer switch left and right several times to clean the contacts.

Unplug and plug back in the connectors on the harness that go up into the steering column.

[krivman65]

That's a good idea. I will try that too. It could just be dirty contacts in the plug. Why didn't I think of that?!

[Meticulous]

Hey im having the same problem with my 210, no dash lights or tail lights, did you solve your problem?

[Meticulous]

nvm fixed it, took my pocket knife and scrapped the fuse connections, works like brand new!