Niku-Sama

iTrader: (1)

ok comming home today my instrument lights and my running lights just went off, i cant seem to get them back and i had just got the car running good in the cold again too which pisses me off to no end.

its not the acessory relay i put a new battery and starter in. battery was about 3 weeks ago starter was 2 weeks.

the dash lights went out as i turned onto my streetso if it matters my right turn signal was on but my signals still work.

any thoughts?
any other relays to check out?

dtm88na

iTrader: (1)

Could have been a fuse? You probably already checked that, but you didn't mention it so I figured I'd throw it out there. By running lights what do you mean? If you mean headlights, tailights, etc., then another thought is the headlight switch itself, if that goes bad then when you switch it on nothing will come on. Just a couple of thoughts.

HowlerMonkey

Battery not held down contacting positive terminal against body during turns?

Recent aftermarket stereo installation that left the wiring for the stock face plate lighting just hanging around?

Niku-Sama

iTrader: (1)

no recent stereo checked fuses

madgun68

Well, if they went out as you flipped on the turn signal, I'm wondering if it isn't that switch assembly.

The same switch position controls both dash lights and running lights, does it not?

Niku-Sama

iTrader: (1)

it is a fuse, it blows every time i turn the lights on.

clearence lamps is what its in, i thought clearence lamps were the lights in the door pannels and not the RUNNING LIGHTS like they should have been called.

turn signal switch isnt much over a year old so i dont know why it owuld cause it or if it even is causing it. the voltage and resistance is good off of the turn signal switch. the head lamps go through the theft warning relay its good. tested with working relay. first click to the running lights blows the fuse.

i ****ing hate this electrical ****, this may be the last time i work on this god damned car.

dtm88na

iTrader: (1)

If that fuse blows when you click the switch over to the running lights position then you have a short somewhere in one of the running lights wiring. I don't have my haynes or fsm with me, but you'll need to trace the wires for everything powered by that fuse and see what's shorted out. a serious pain, but that would be the issue.

Niku-Sama

iTrader: (1)

well it shouldnt pop if its one of the wires going to the lights and i dos connected all of the running lights and the light sensors and it still pops, trying to pull the instrument cluster now but i vant find my ****ing short screw driver. i have a factory service manual too but for some ****ing reason it isnt where i put the thing.

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

I would check all the light sockets. Also look in the under the rear seat. There is a harness that runs to the back of the car. It can certainly rub the insulation to the point that it grounds. Check all your bulbs, make sure they aren't hosed.

Then take your anti-crazy pills....then look some more.

HowlerMonkey

I'll mention stereo again since there are a bunch of lights on the same circuit associated with the stock radio.

Niku-Sama

iTrader: (1)

alright i go it licked a while ago but then my computer crapped out and some one brought their wireless into work so i am using it.

i took my "anti crazy pills" about for of the pabst blue ribbon variety and found out the insulator cap on the end of the dimmer wire had come off and grounded aginst the metal mounting bracket behind the stereo. this wire came off before the factory connector though and i installed the stereo a year ago and i didnt cut any wires or any thing so i i dont know how it happened but i fixed it. drove the car on a road trip messed up the aav for some reason and i beat a silverado going up hill on I5 heading south...it was awsome.

but the aav thing i have done before so i guess i'll do it again.

sorry about the crazyness but wiring just pisses me off

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

Oh it pisses all of us off. I have a Volvo...it's worst.

Maximafrustration

hey all-
I'm posting this question here b/c I'm wondering if my crisis tonight is somehow related -it all started with a blinking instrument panel/dashboard.
1987 Nissan Maxima, about 84,000 miles, brand new battery in july. Some issues that I (and my dad) need to work on, but it's functional and in pretty decent shape.

I'm driving tonight on a 20 minute trip, suddenly noticed the dashboard/instrument was alternately blinking/resetting/going dead (no idiot lights though). Just a few minutes later i was stopped at a red light and my baby sputtered and died and did not come back to life (this was about an hour ago).

We are looking at it early Thursday morning. Anyone maybe have a thought what it could be? I don't even have my chilton's on me to look

Niku-Sama

iTrader: (1)

that kinda sounds like an alternator, i'd pull it and take it to auto zone or shucks or something and have it tested.

my lights didnt every blink they just went out but the car kept running fine

HowlerMonkey

Ah.........stereo

alllw86

I make it a point to always keep an eye on the voltage meter while driving my Max. The warning lights on the dash started to come on and off....looked at the voltmeter and it was reading battery voltage. Was running on the battery to make it home ..20 minutes. Yeah it was the alternator....orignal Nissan lasted 7 years, the Parts Store ones last about 3-4 years. I got pretty good at replacing these in 15mins.

Al