Removing dash light panel

[Analog Kid]

What is the easiest way to remove the dash light panel? Do the lamp sockets come out or is there a disconnect for the Orange wiring?

I’m troubleshooting an issue with my dash lights not working and I think the panel is not grounding properly so I am going to sand it down. It would easier to do it with it out of the car.

And Yes….I’m afraid of damaging something because I’ve already cracked the lower dash panel taking it off.

Any help is appreciated

thanks

Dave

 

[CBODY67]

Dash lights not working? Not sure about your Plymouth, but our '72 Chrysler has ONE ground screw in the middle of the light panel. When that screw might get loose, the lights would flicker or go out until we hit another bump and they came back on. When I found that screw, tightened it, problem fixed for a LONG time.

Just my experience in that area on our Chrysler. Hope your Plymouth might be similar.
CBODY67

 

[Analog Kid]

I’m not getting any voltage at the instrument lamp fuse. I checked continuity from the switch (inst lamp terminal) to the fuse box and then all the way to the ground screw on the dash lamp panel. Checks OK.

Courtesy lights are working which I think gets it’s power from the same terminal as where the dash lamps should get it. I also replaced the headlamp switch so that is brand new.

Kind of stumped here.

 

[Analog Kid]

Correction. The terminal for the courtesy lights is not the same as the dash.

I’m not getting any voltage at terminal B2 on the headlight switch. That’s my problem.

 

[Analog Kid]

Problem solved. Lower left fuse that supplies power to B2 terminal was corroded and creating too much resistance. Took some sandpaper to it and now dash lights are working.

 

[nightman61]

View attachment 467529

Problem solved. Lower left fuse that supplies power to B2 terminal was corroded and creating too much resistance. Took some sandpaper to it and now dash lights are working.

Going to check this on my 73 Newport. New headlight switch, new fuses, new bulbs, but still no lights. I added additional grounds to fuse box and headlight switch. I saw a mention of a ground for the instrument lights, but the ones on the 73 are overhead and shine down on gauges, not from behind like they do on my 67. I really have to ask, what where the engineers thinking.

 

[CBODY67]

Look at where the steering column is, then feel upward (under the lip of the instrument panel pad) to where the lights shine from. There should be a screw there, which screws into a metal strap. THAT is the ground for the lights which shine on the instrument panel gauges and such.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[nightman61]

Look at where the steering column is, then feel upward (under the lip of the instrument panel pad) to where the lights shine from. There should be a screw there, which screws into a metal strap. THAT is the ground for the lights which shine on the instrument panel gauges and such.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

I will check that out. The upper panel that fills in above the dash face plate was missing, so who knows what was where. I did find the dash lights, and looking over the parts book, saw how these work. I don't see a point on the panel to attach any ground to, since it is plastic. The only metal would be the actual pieces the light sockets plug into.

 

[CBODY67]

Well, the way I discovered that "ground screw" was after we were driving in our '72 Newport one nighe, on the way home from visiting relatives, when the "dash lights" would come on an off by themselves. Knowing they were flood-lit, I looked there first. That's when I discovered the loose screw and metal strap. I tightened the screw and that solved the problem. When it happened again much later, I found the screw loose again and made sure it was tight. End of problem.

 

[nightman61]

Giving everyone an update.. I checked one light, attached a jumper with clip on the grounding plug, behold a light. Since this overhead panel was missing on mine, off to ebay I went. Got one, and learned a lesson. The panel on an IMPERIAL is about 4 inches longer, yea, that's what I bought. Little hacksaw, took car of the problem. Now, since I learned, grounding was the issue, I opted to create a ground wire. I removed 1 rivet from each of the metal boxes the lights plugged up to, used a wire, and put new rivets in, with a wire attached. I connected all of them together and added a ground wire that would screw to the overhead metal plate. This would ground each light and solve the issue. While I did not find any type of metal strap to attach anything to, I don't understand how these would be grounded unless they had a copper strap around each light when plugged in and then maybe screwed in with the panel screw.