Im going to look at a second gen for a buddy and all he can tell me is that there is no tail lights and no cluster lights, I am a general auto tech and most situations tell me to check grounds on both and the head light switch itself,
Is this something that is common, have u seen this before. So before i start pinning and tracing wires i'm hoping for insight. Thanks if you can

 

15 amp illumination fuse in the interior fuse box powers both. If that isn't the problem I could provide you w/more info.

 

Does he mean the taillights do not illuminate at all or that the brake lights don't illuminate when he presses the brake pedal?

 

thanks for the tips

 

Also could be a bad headlight switch and/or headlight switch harness. Very common.

 

as more of a typical diag that is what i was thinking i didnt know it there was any other frequented problems

 

White/Green wire powered by the illumination fuse feeds voltage to the switch. As the **** is turned to the first setting the W/G wire passes voltage onto the Red/Black wire that turns on the tails and the Red/Green wire also receives power as well which turns on the gauge and dash lights. If the ground was bad then the lights would not pop up when the switch was turned to the second position.

 

yank the switch and look at the plug. is it burnt?

 

i had this problem.. check your head light switch like satch said.. check the fuse, if the fuse is good i would suggest a tester to make sure you are getting circuit if not check your w/r wire and fuse under hood.. correct me if i am wrong anyone.

 

The Retractor and or Head(light) fuses are not involved in the tails or dash light operation.

 

thanks.. i stand corrected

 

Anyway. Check your headlight switch. VERY common problem. Your headlight switch harness is probably burned. If not then your headlight switch is. I and many other members have had this exact problem. Very easy to pull and check. First things that went when mine went out.

Dash lights went out and no tail lights or side marker lights when the running lights were on or headlights either. S4's seem to have this problem more than S5's. Pull both the switch and plug through the dash and get back to us.

 

I had a similiar problem a year a go... Check the radio wires, that they don´t go to ground...

That might solve your problem... Solved mine

 

had this same problem with mine years ago... ended up being a blown fuse.

but just to be sure, i also checked the headlight switch and beefed up the harness.