Speedometer and Tach lights out... not the bulb?

50

Asked by Mercurial5 Jan 16, 2016 at 08:45 PM about the 2003 Subaru Outback

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Been driving in the dark for months now.. finally replaced the bulbs in the dash.  A video I was watching said I could use 168's and I figured they wouldn't blind me.  It also said 194's would work. Got the 168's in but still no lights. What else might it be?

15 Answers

50

Ah, I feel pretty dumb. I've been looking for the dimmer switch on it for so long and never found it.. Googled that pretty quick and tada! Glorious, bright lights that probably had fine bulbs to begin with... Oh well, problem solved and something new learned. Thanks for your help!

5 people found this helpful.
48,040

Yup! When ALL lights are out it's the dimmer. Individual bulbs are neither of the models you stated, btw, but tinier green ones.

60

So if the speedometer is the only light out. Is it probably the bulb? Or is there a separate fuse?

6 people found this helpful.
10

So I have 2000 Impreza L I changed the stereo out and accidentally hit the illumination wire with the positive wire now my speedo, rpm,temp,had,heat controls don't work but everything else does no fuses popped for the cluster and when I switch the lights out they still don't work

48,040

You created a dead short to ground. If fuses are ok you'll have to repeat the cycle to revert the north-south polar magnetic axis, or maybe try disconnecting battery and looking for a wire burned to ground. Saving that, consider this a 20th Anniversary Funeral Pyre, and maybe a strong hint to move forward? Check for a burned-open illum dimmer too if you must. Have fun. Ern

10

So I need to touch to 2 wires together again? I just went through the wiring and all looks well the only burned thing was the lights for the speedo and rpm and temp and fuel

10

Could the dimmer switch allow half of the lights to work and others to not? I got my multimeter and found some of the cluster wires aren't getting connection but the wires are not burnt

48,040

ADYP, not generally. You may have an open at a connector or even a stretched wire that broke internally (happens in the hatch harness routinely). It's TWENTY YEARS OLD!

10

So after days and days I figured it out. I ended up frying my illumination control unit. Simple 5 min fix.

1 people found this helpful.

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