# Dim Dash lights in 67 GTO



## Mathew Sokos (Sep 6, 2016)

Just got my car back frommy mechanic and noticed that on the drive home at night that I could barely see the dash despite the lights turned all the way up. I have just purchased the car and haven't really driven it. Can some point me to a step by step approach to fixing this problem. pictures or video would be helpfull or a book with instructions.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

There are 7 bulbs in the general illumination circuit in a daisy chain 8 if you have the stock radio, I had the same problem and changed them out with 12V cool white ultra bright LEDs.
The cool whites have a slight blue tint that look good with the gauges.

BA9S-WHP Cool White

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/ba9s-ba7s/ba9s-led-bulb-1-led-ba9s-retrofit-car/958/ 

This retrofit will fix the problem and they are bright enough that you will have to use your dimmer to tame them down.

There is also Diode Dynamics that is a sponsor of this site, contact them with the part number and I am sure they can hook you up.


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## newsandu002 (Sep 14, 2016)

The first thing I would do is the fuse box. Check to see if all your contacts are clean and rust free. Are your dash lenses yellowed ? Look at them during the daylight hours to see if they look clear. The last thing would be to pull the dash and replace the bulbs. Replacements have a better filament power and there are LED's available if you want to go that route.


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## GTOJUNIOR (Aug 7, 2011)

Also confirm good grounding, Not un-common to have ground issue that can and will effect many things such as lighting.You can do a quick test by making a jumper wire with alligator clips on each end and just clamp one to the metal gauge housing and/or switch grounding strap/bracket and the other to any clean metal surface of the body/dash. Whenever I re-install dashes I always add additional ground straps to the housing.


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## Frank R (Nov 25, 2016)

I would start with checking the grounds. The switches are grounded to the cluster by brackets. The gauge cluster is grounded by a bracket mounted to the back of the speedometer to the pedal mount. The dash bezel is plastic and will not ground without these parts. As previously stated you can test the grounds with a piece of wire. If the grounds check out it might be the headlight switch. The dimmer may be corroded.


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## Lemans guy (Oct 14, 2014)

those are all great suggestions, Has anybody replaced those without pulling the dash?

and also how difficult to pull the whole dash? been under their for wiring switches and ductwork, but have not yet upgraded those bulbs to LED....

Goat Roper did you do it with the dash installed?


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

Lemans guy said:


> those are all great suggestions, Has anybody replaced those without pulling the dash?
> 
> and also how difficult to pull the whole dash? been under their for wiring switches and ductwork, but have not yet upgraded those bulbs to LED....
> 
> Goat Roper did you do it with the dash installed?


No, my dash was a can of worms and Mr. Goodpliers had done a number on my A/C unit which had to be restored.
I tore it all down to replace the speaker and in the process cleaned the gauge package and removed and repaired all the hacks done to the loom.
You can get to them by removing the ducts and the radio to get to the heater control.
My control also needed to be restored, I had to replace the contact leaves in the switches and the hoses as well as replace the vac can on the engine side with the proper dual port unit and properly route the hoses.
The cable was also installed upside down, basically all the repairs previously done were all done wrong.
One thing just led to another and since I pulled the steering column I also rebuilt it, new rag joint etc.


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## Lemans guy (Oct 14, 2014)

Thanks GR, I have had that duct work out a number of times, comes out easy, tricky getting it back sometimes! When it is right the vents blow great thanks again


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## Brian Daniel (Sep 13, 2016)

*Bulb Question - Trouble shooting*



Goat Roper said:


> No, my dash was a can of worms and Mr. Goodpliers had done a number on my A/C unit which had to be restored.
> I tore it all down to replace the speaker and in the process cleaned the gauge package and removed and repaired all the hacks done to the loom.
> You can get to them by removing the ducts and the radio to get to the heater control.
> My control also needed to be restored, I had to replace the contact leaves in the switches and the hoses as well as replace the vac can on the engine side with the proper dual port unit and properly route the hoses.
> ...


GoatRoper - really appreciated the dash light post. Do have a couple rookie questions you might be able to point me to:
1. What was the original bulb numbers used (- with 2 wires, slides in clip and screws to back of cluster? I purchased the tower version you suggested it was a BA194 wedge. Reason for the question, got dash back in and all my gauges are functioning BUT the Speedo and Other cluster has no light when i turn them on. Wondered if I’d chosen an incorrect bulb. Replaced with the original bulb. Still no luck. 
2. What’s the chance - you mentioned they are done in a Daisy 8. Could it be that just one of the bulbs is not seated enough and making a connection and that would toss out the other bulbs? - Seems odd because i have both turn signals, Generator Light (and assuming high beam indicator (haven’t checked). 
3. Lights outside, signals, markers all working fine, so not a switch issue. 

Will stop here...and see what you think. Then my next journey is 3 orphaned wires that weren’t connected when I got under their originally no clue what someone else had in there .


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Brian Daniel said:


> GoatRoper - really appreciated the dash light post. Do have a couple rookie questions you might be able to point me to:
> 1. What was the original bulb numbers used (- with 2 wires, slides in clip and screws to back of cluster? I purchased the tower version you suggested it was a BA194 wedge. Reason for the question, got dash back in and all my gauges are functioning BUT the Speedo and Other cluster has no light when i turn them on. Wondered if I’d chosen an incorrect bulb. Replaced with the original bulb. Still no luck.
> 2. What’s the chance - you mentioned they are done in a Daisy 8. Could it be that just one of the bulbs is not seated enough and making a connection and that would toss out the other bulbs? - Seems odd because i have both turn signals, Generator Light (and assuming high beam indicator (haven’t checked).
> 3. Lights outside, signals, markers all working fine, so not a switch issue.
> ...



Please note when you add a reply to look at the upper left hand top of the reply in the red band - this is the date of that reply. This post was last answered almost 2 1/2 years ago.

It would be best to start a new post with your question to get an answer. :thumbsup:


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