Last evening all the dashboard lights on my 1987 420 SEL failed to illuminate when I turned the car on.

The fuses are all intact.

I'd appreciate some guidance; is there a relay I should replace?

 

No one has any guess as to why this has happened...same problem as Sidmariner?

Started my car last night and all dash lights where out.



Please help...

 

on back of the instrument cluster where the gauges are there is a rehostat which controls the dimming of the lights....it goes bad and the lights will not work...the part is about $120 and has to be soldered in..

 

Problem solved.

I noticed this evening that there was the faintest bit of light behind the thermometer. I tried rolling the dimmer control and noticed it would get a little brighter. Thinking back to how some of my old radios would act up, I realized the rheostat pot was probably a little oxidized.

After vigorously rolling the dimmer back and forth for a few minutes I was able to restore full brightness to the dash and radio face. Someday, I will have to pull the instrument cluster out and clean up the pot with some contact cleaner.