Pinto Car Club of America

I put the dash back together yesterday, (79 pony) I swapped out the dash cluster because it wasn't lighting up. This one doesn't either. The wiper knob & heater controls light, but thats all. Ideas from experience??

                                                                            Mike  MYTXPLODE

Check the fuses?

Might also check the wire harness that leads to the cluster.

Easy for the dash harnes to not get plugged in all the way.  Worst case pull the dash and check to see if you have power at the dash lights.  if not then work backwards on the wiring till you find the problem.

i had a similar problem a few years ago. i had to cleat the light sockets for alll the bulbs and replaced a few light sockets as well  it was very fustrating but that was after i tried  what the others have suggested.(fuses ,wires)
phil

Good point Phil! I had issues with some of my cluster lights not working. Some days they would, others they wouldn't.

It turned out to be the sockets the bulbs were mounted in. So I started to stockpile bulb sockets from 70s Ford cars.

The small brass/copper contacts in the sockets tend to wear out and get hairline cracks where the contacts bend at a 90 degree angle on the sides. It's hard to see the cracks, but you can tell if you push down on the contact point. If the arms don't spring back up, the socket needs replaced.

Thanks guys! They're dim, but they work!