1999 Buick Regal Dash Lights won't come on

TLUBBERS

MEMBER
1999 BUICK REGAL
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
176,000 MILES

Instrument panel illumination lights won't come on, such that I can't see the spedometer or tachometer at night. The odometer, stereo, HVAC lights are on, but seem to be very dim. Adjusting the dimmer on the headlight switch does nothing. When I remove the Panel Dimming fuse, they get brighter.

Any suggestions? Could it be the headlight switch? Is that relatively easy to replace?

Thank you.

3 Replies

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

Welcome to the forum, thanks for the donation. If you pulled the dimmer fuse, it should kill the dash lites? The info I looked at was for Regal GS, there was three or four different Regals, don't know if instrument cluster illumination wiring would be different on the others. Voltage from the park lamps fuse goes to the headlamp switch then to the tail lamp fuse, from there to the dimming fuse, from dimming fuse to s241, three branches off circuit, instrument cluster- radio- hvac illumination. The main leg goes on to the dimmer. You can take an actual voltage reading anywhere along that circuit.

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Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 AT 9:56 PM

TLUBBERS

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1 POST

Sorry, I wasn't clear, 99 Buick Regal GS. The LED lights, odometer, stereo, etc. Are Dim, when I pull the dimming fuse, those lights get brighter. When the dimming function worked those lights would dim with the dash lights. Still no dash lights. Seems as if the dimmer failed, at the dimmest setting. Does that seem reasonable. I'll try to trace the voltage as you suggested. Is it difficult to get access to that switch?

Thank you.

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Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 AT 7:33 AM

JDL