My 87 Maxima SE has a strange electrical problem. Only some of the dash lights work. The gauge cluster lights up fine and the little 'AC' letters on the AC button light up too but none of the other dash lights work The auto shifter console, cigarette lighter, ash trey, and dash switches do not light up at all. I have taken the entire dash apart trying to fix this and I have checked all of the fuses twice. I put a test light on the harnesses that go to the various switches that won't light and they are not receiving voltage with the lights turned on. All of the other interior lights work fine including the glove box...the problem is specific to the dash and center console. Is there someone with electrical expertise that can help me with this? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

I have an 86SE, can't say for sure if the wiring is the same. Looking at my 86 circuit diagram, the illumination lamps for the following is on the same circuit... meter, ascd switch, defogger sw, a/t indicator, audio, a/c sw and fan sw, with their ground from the Time Control Unit.
The ash tray Ill., cigarette lighter Ill., and glove box Ill., are on another cicuit that uses a different direct ground connection. What's common is they all get 12 volts from the same source... the Lighting Switch.
You said the AC and Glove light works, since this information is for an 86se, all the lights should then be working. Yours is an 87se so maybe different.
Here's a dumb question, are you sure the bulbs are all good and not blown? It's better to use a volt meter to test for +12 volt and ground connections. Check the connection for each lamp for 12 volts using a known good ground. Check all the grounds for bad connections. Find a good ground source, metal with no paint on it.
Another ????, how's the exterior lamps, side markers, clearance, license, are they working? Same 12volt source, different ground.
LOL Al

 

All, you are correct: the glove box, AC, and AT overdrive indicator lights work as well as the entire dash cluster. It's all of the switches behind the steering wheel (defrost, cruise, fog lights, etc.), HVAC, cigarette/ashtray, and shift indicator lights that don't work. I will try what you said and test each light with a voltmeter instead of a test light. I guess I need to learn how to read a wiring schematic too...yikes!