My new toy, a 62 Valiant 225, push button auto, 4 door has two separate problems. I've got no dash lights at all (almost forgot-no dome light either). I've got directional lights and all the external lights except the brake lights. I'm going to assume the brakes is just a bad switch but have heard the instrument lights are a printed circuit board. Where do I start with trying to fix that??
Thanks.
Joe

Welcome on the board! This is actually probably just one problem. The brake lights and dash lights (and dome light) are on the same fuse, so that if all your dash lights go dark you know there's a problem to be looked into (since you usually can't see the brake lights from the driver's seat).

There's a good thread on the causes and fixes for this problem over here.

(Be sure and pick up the factory service manual for your '62 as soon as you can...but until then, you can download a pretty good free wiring diagram for your car over here.)

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

Thanks, I've just gotten the service manual, I guess it's time to use it. Is that same fuse in the block with all the rest?? I couldn't find one marked for brakes/domelight/instrument panel.
Thanks.
Joe

Yup, it's in the fuse block. I can see it on the wiring diagram I pointed you at.

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

I actually opened my manual, there was no fuse in the block for the brakes, etc. I put one in and now have a dome light from the passenger door but thats it. Still no brake or dash lights and nothing works from the drivers door. Any ideas??
Thanks.
Joe

Sounds like wiring faults -- lucky you! (not ) That manual (and a voltmeter/test light) is going to be your friend.

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

Time to get a test light and start tracing things back from the fuse box. Follow the wiring diagram and check every connector and junction point until you find the place where there is no power; this process will isolate your problem area (s). Likely points of failure are connector blocks, switches and rheostats. The brake lights pass through the turn signal switch so be sure to check it as well. Be sure the instrument panel circuit board is properly grounded too. I prefer a test light to a volmeter for this kind of trouble shooting but either will work. Good luck.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

I took my dash apart to see if I could find the problem for my dash lights not working, and my test light broke! My tail, brake, and dome lights work, but not the dash lights.

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'74 Duster 225 Super Six w/904
14" Cragar SS wheels

It is a good posibility that your headlight switch/rheostat is bad/dirty. I had the same problem with my Dart. The contact points were blue with corrosion(car sat for over six years). Cleaned off corrosion, and things are good again.


Mike

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An officialis Tyrde-Browne Racing membrum

I did replace my headlight switch. When that didn't work, I replaced all of my light bulbs. When that didn't work I replaced my whole gauge cluster. That didn't work, so now im stuck. What is a rheostat anyway?

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'74 Duster 225 Super Six w/904
14" Cragar SS wheels

It's good to know that I'm not alone with this problem. I know the car sat for a while so maybe I'll start there and dig deaper in the manual. Electrics and me usually don't get along so this might be a long process.
Thanks.
Joe

A rheostat is simply a variable resistor, also known as a "potentiometer." It is used to control the flow of current through a circuit to dim lights, change the speed of motors, or control the volume of an audio circuit.

Joe, pull the kick panels on either side under the dash and check your connections there. The circuits to the brake, tail and turn signals all connect in behind the driver side kick panel and run to the rear though a sheetmetal channel along the driver side sill. Wires in that channel can get chafed and short out. To gain access to the channel you will need to pull the sill cover(s) and rear seat and peel the carpet back. If it's a 2-door you may have to pull the side panel as well. The handles are held in by a clip that you push to one side to release them. The dome light circuit for the passenger side is behind the passenger side kick panel. Good luck!

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

I took the proud beauty to my mechanic today and explained my problems. It took him about an hour and a half and I've got brake lights. Made me a happy man. I still don't have dash lights, he traced them to the circuit board and stopped. The brakes were a bad brake light switch. He played with it(rebuilt)and they work fine. At least I can drive it now and feel like I won't get rear ended(they do drive a little agressive up here). I'm thinking about a third brake light just to be on the safe side.
My manual is telling me how to get into the circuit board so I might try it this winter.
Thanks for all the help, I do appreciate it. It's really nice to have a support group.
Joe

Hey Joe, welcome to the flock, you are only a little over two hours away!

I attended the car show over at Blue Hill Fair Grounds with a bunch old car guys from Calais this summer with the Dart. Nice show, we enjoyed it.

The circuit board, if damaged, can be repaired with a little solder, wire, and nuts & bolts. You won't know its condition until you pull the gage cluster. The Factory Manual details the removal procedure.

Below is a repair I made to my 67 Dart's board to repair a little melt down:

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

H'mmmmm...those brake light switches are not really rebuildable. He may have cleaned it up and got it working, but keep an eye on it — check the brake light function regularly. You may wind up installing a new switch anyhow. It's neither difficult nor costly.

Keep in mind the possibility that all your dash light bulbs are simply burnt out, which would be an easy fix.

Central 3rd brake light retrofit kits have always varied widely in quality. I try to keep my horn-blowing quiet on here, but see the Allpar article about the LED units I have.

Also, while your mind is on electrics, keep in mind your '62 has no main circuit protection at all; adding a good deal more circuit protection is a very fine idea, sooner rather than later if you want to keep the car. A good place to start reading is here.

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