02 Chrysler T&C with ~56K miles. The dash lights as well as the lights illuminating the radio/heater controls in the center part of the dash dont work. I find it odd that all the lights went out at the same time. There is no fuse that I could find, but the light switch was recommended as a source of the problem. I replaced the head light switch hoping to fix the problem, but no luck. What’s next to try???
Two things come to mind: 1) be certain that your brake (stop)lights are working. These are often on the same circuit as the dashlights. If so, these should be on a fuse–perhaps marked brake lights; and 2) if there is a rheostat to dim the dash lights that is separate from the headlight switch, this rheostat may have gone out. This happened to me on a Ford Aerostar that I used to own.
I also vote for the dimmer switch. On my '02 it is on the left of the steering and I would say it is a clumsy switch too.
you moved the dashboard dimmer switch to off position by accident?
Brake lights work, I dont think the dimmer rheostat is doing anything. The original as well as the bone yard replacement both dont dim…what are the odds that they both dont work…unless it is a lousy design.
Perhaps your dash lights have a common ground point and the ground is defective. A wiring diagram would be helpful in this case. If you can get to one of the bulb sockets, you might use a voltmeter to see if there is power between the socket and the ground. If so, there is a bad ground. If there is no power, the ground isn’t the problem. We had the problem of the dash lights going out on a 1952 Dodge my parents owned when I was in high school. I leared how to reach under the dashboard and jiggle the connection to get the lights to come back on. I would have thought Chrysler corp. would have solved the ground problem after 50 years, but maybe all the have done is redesigned the dashboard so you can’t reach under it.
Dimmer rheostat works just fine…no lights at the gauges or heater / radio controls