# Dash lights and A/C Heater Controls **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** lesabre, buick\ **Created:** [January 11, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-lights-and-a-c-heater-controls/59834 "2011-01-11T16:45:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![92buick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/f19dbf/32.png) [@92buick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/92buick)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-lights-and-a-c-heater-controls/59834/1 "2011-01-11T16:45:45Z")
Dash lights and A/C Heater controls dont light up, checked every fuse i could find. I could really use some help with this, how do i check if the lights blew? ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-lights-and-a-c-heater-controls/59834/2 "2011-01-11T17:03:08Z")
Check the dimmer control. There should be a dimmer control knob on the left side of the dash, near the headlight switch. If this is turned down, the dash lights will be off. With the age of this car, move it back and forth a bit with the headlights on and see if the dash lights come back on. The dimmer is a variable resisitor that can get dirty and lose contact internally, causing the lights to go out. ---
**Author:** ![92buick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/f19dbf/32.png) [@92buick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/92buick)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-lights-and-a-c-heater-controls/59834/3 "2011-01-11T17:20:21Z")
how do i check if the lights somehow blew at the same time? where is the light for the speedometer and fuel, etc… located ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-lights-and-a-c-heater-controls/59834/4 "2011-01-11T17:40:31Z")
Backside of the dash panel. The dash surround will need to be removed, then the dash panel itself. There are 5-7 light bulbs just for night illumination, and separate bulbs for each of the warning lights. Chances are very slim to none that all 5-7 bulbs blew at once. A circuit problem is far more likely. ---
**Author:** ![92buick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/f19dbf/32.png) [@92buick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/92buick)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-lights-and-a-c-heater-controls/59834/5 "2011-01-11T18:04:42Z")
where is the circuit located? ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-lights-and-a-c-heater-controls/59834/6 "2011-01-11T19:27:07Z")
The car is AWD ``` The circuit is all the wires, switches lights etc that allow or don't allow power to flow to lights switches etc. I would suggest checking the ground to the panel. I am sorry, but it can get sort of complex trying to provide specific instructions as different cars and different years mean different circuit design so I can't really give you specific instructions. I don't have a schematic for your car so I can't give specific instructions. ``` ---
**Author:** ![92buick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/f19dbf/32.png) [@92buick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/92buick)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-lights-and-a-c-heater-controls/59834/7 "2011-01-11T19:30:41Z")
understood, but if the panel were not grounded, nothing would be working, right?