When we bought our 1990 Civic DX the dash lights would come on occasionally while driving. When you would drive the car again, there wouldn't be any dash lights and they might come on and then again they might not. Finally, they quit coming on for good. Changed the dimmer switch. This didn't help. On the wiring to the dimmer switch I found that there were 3 red wires. The maximum voltage I could read with a digital multimeter was 2 volts or less. I don't know which is supposed to be the positive wire coming into the dimmer switch. Is there something between the light switch or fuse box and the dimmer switch that I don't know about? It seems like something else must have gone out. I really don't have a clue what I'm looking for. Can anybody help me? Thanks.

 

first think i would do is look at the bulb(s); but the way they went out tells something different. does that dimmer switch only dim them(???), or does it turn them off also. if it just dims them, then possibly it is the switch (same switch on the column that turns the lights on (i guess))

 

Originally the dimmer switch worked properallyas long as the dash lights stayed on. The switch is a roller type dial located to the bottom left of the dash. I put in another switch to try and still had no lights. The light switch on the column was replaced also and turns the headlights on as it should. This is when I checked the voltage to the dimmer switch and found out that there wasn't more than 2 volts at the dimmer switch. Could there be a relay somewhere that is bad?

 

i had the same problem with a 91 dx. check the fuses that coincide with the instrument panel. my end result was repalcing every bulb in the cluster, after that i had no problem.

 

Thanks I will give that a try.