Hey folks, my '71 Dart, 4 dr (225) is now officially broken in - hit 50,000 (orig) miles last month! As if to thank me, it has developed a new electrical snag for me to sort out. The dash lights and running lights no longer work at all. Headlights still work, signal lights and flashers work, brake lights and backup lights work as well. I checked all the fuses, removed them each and verified that they work, then decided that it must be the headlight switch (not the dimmer switch), so I replaced it. Big surprise, it didn't fix anything! I can jump power over to the instrument fuse from another fuse, and it'll give me dash lights, but I'm loathe to do this if I don't have to. Does anyone have any idea what else might be common to the running lights and the instrument lights, while leaving the turn signals and flashers alone? Any thoughts would be most appreciated!

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'71 Dart 4dr /6 - "just broken in"
'70 Charger 383 - "just broken" 8-(

Carefully check each of the terminals at the headlamp switch connector for spreading or corrosion. Pay special attention to wires that are yellow, orange and black. Also look carefully at the firewall wire connectors where the yellow wire passes through. Here's the '71 Dart wiring diagram (you have the FSM...right?), click for a larger version:

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Since you can get power by jumping right at the fuses, the problem is probably in the fusebox itself - check for a corroded or broken contact there. Since your backup lights work, you know ACC on the ignition switch works too.

I strongly suggest you disconnect the battery before dropping the fusebox - they may be loose hot connections that could short.

I forgot to add that it depends on which fuse you jumpered- the dash lights use usually a 5A fuse downstream from the switch; while the fuse for the running lights are upstream of the switch.

If you look at the old switch, one of the pins is probably marked B2 and is where fused power ought to come into the switch - check for power on that pin. If you don't see that, check the fuse block, if you do, check the P (?) pin at the connector for a connection to a load.

12V isn't much voltage to jump oxide layers; sometimes unplugging fuses, cleaning them & the contacts, and putting them back gets them working again.

Also, wires can corrode through or break right at the pins inside the headlight switch connector. The pins can be removed from their housing w/o damage and individually inspected & replaced. Look for signs that the housing has partially melted - a sure sign of a poor connection getting hot.