My backup lights, tail lights, and instrument cluster lights have quit working. I have looked at all fuses both in the paasenger compartment and in the engine compartment. I have also looked at the tail light bulbs. Where else can I look?
Thank you.
This usually a fuse. If you have a railer hitch and the hitch or trailer wiring shorts, it blows this fuse. The instrument lights are included to let you know that it happened.
Possible ignition switch.
Try wiggling the key a bit to wiggle the ignition switch too.
You’ll notice when you first turn the key a bit those ciruits ( used to anyway ) turn on. Then as you turn the key to run the starter those circuits turn off durring that short time. When the truck is started you release the key and those circuits all turn on now that the truck is running.
A bad ingnition switch might not connect those circuits.
While checking the fuses is always a good first step in looking into problems like this, you should also verify that power is getting to them using a test light probe or meter. If you find power is ok there then move on to other areas like the light switch and check there.
Okay, I read that same advice in my Haynes manual,
and maybe I’m dense, but I don’t have the room to get my test probe to the back side of the fuse box, nor am I having luck releasing the box from its holder. How would you do this?
Thank you for your time.
You do not have to get to the back of the fusebox to check for power. If you look at the top of the fuse, you will see two tiny shiny spots. You can probe these or you can pull the fuse and probe the fusebox contacts, one will/should have power.