How can i test all the idiot lights? My lights dont come on when i turn on the ignition. Do yours? the e-brake light doesn't work, the only one i have seen so far come on is the "Stop" light. Can someone shed some lights? Thanks

Evan

 

With the key in the ON position (but the engine not running) and the handbrake up, all the lights should be on.

If they do not then you will need to troubleshoot the circuits or repair the solder joints on the back of the plug of the idiot/warning light assembly.

 

damnit, i have herad enough about these solder joints. What is wrong with them? they look fine!@

 

Does anyone have some before and after pics of repairing the idiot lights. I opened my brothers 86 up today because he is having problems with his clock and other idiot lights , and nothing looked burned up or anything but I am definitely not experienced on this stuff.

 

When joints were orginally soldered on many of the electrical parts on Mazdas, Fords, Nissans, and some Japanese Hondas back in the mid to late Eighties had weak solder joints. Toyota had this same problem in the late '70s.

If the connector being soldered onto the board wasn't heated enough to bring it to the same temp as the solder or the soldered joint moved slightly while the solder was cooling you got cold solder joints.

If you took a magnifiying glass to the joint often you would see small cracks in the solder of the joint. These cracks will enlarge over time from corrosion, vibration, and the heat cooling cycle that cars are subject too.

When the crack gets large enough the contact is no longer being made and the circuit dosn't work.

So to fix, heat the joint, suck out the old solder, flow in some new solder making sure that the largest metal part of the joint gets heated the temp of the solder but don't burn the board.