'97 Dash / Climate Control Lights Issue

[wyn97]

Decided to swap the bulbs in the cluster and fix the burnt out bulb in the climate control panel today since it was nice outside. Picked up LED bulbs back in November but decided it wasn't a cold weather job. Pulled the dash bezel off, this is a c1500, so only an airbag and cargo light switch to be contested with, beyond the light control knob. Got everything off the dash and started in on the gauge cluster lights. They went in no issue, tested with the switch and got them all on and the door buzzer fired up like normal when the light switch is on. So I went on to pulling the climate control switch panel out. Swapped the whole socket out on these, since the bulbs I ordered came installed in new sockets. They didn't seem to fit awesome when I twisted them in but they seemed to make contact well enough. Hit the switch again, no buzzer, no dash lights. I have other interior lights, and head lights / taillights, but no dash lights, no door buzzer. Dangit.

So, I start troubleshooting. I pull the HVAC out, swap back to the old bulbs and sockets, one at a time. Pull a bulb, try the switch, put an old one in, try the switch, and I did that for all four, nothing. Moved the old bulbs around, nothing. Pulled the dash cluster out and re-seated it, nothing. Put the old bulbs in the dash cluster, nothing. Double dangit.

Now, I started checking fuses (visually). Pulled any and all interior and lighting related fuses, one at a time, none looked blown. I didn't want to get the meter out so I decided to search here to no avail. I can't seem to find anything that resembles my issue (maybe I'm bad at searching), anyone have anything novel to try? I'm waiting till after dinner to fiddle with it, worst case I have no dash lights for a bit, but I want to solve this before too long.

 

[wyn97]

Went back to look at it, turns out it was a blown fuse; I was reading the numbers on the fuse block wrong. Pretty pitiful but, hey, mistakes happen. I went through swapping back to the LEDs one at a time, and found one that was shorting. The socket was cracked (probably my fault) and the contacts were touching. Spread them apart and now we're all good. Did blow both my backup 10Amp fuses trying to replace 14 and checking the problem, but I shoved a 20 in there since I was almost certain of the issue by then. I'll grab a 10 next time I'm at the parts house and all will be right with the world.

Lesson of the day, slow down and keep it simple.

 

[Jd1996]

I replaced the lights in my HVAC unit as well, however they flicker now, could contacts touching be a reason that they do this? Or could it be the circuit board is going out/(I've used a few different kinds of LED lights trying to figure out what I liked best so i wonder if the contact strip or whatever it is that the sockets touch when you twist them in could be worn off)