Guages & licence plate constantly lit

[layed521]

Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere here, I looked, couldn't find anything on it. Anyways, my gauge lights & the rear licence plate lights are staying on. The rest of the lights (headlights, tails, parking, etc.) will shut off but I can still brighten & dim the gauges. Anyone got a clue? I'm goin over the wiring diagram now, just cant see why/where power could be jumping to just those 2 sets of lights.

[WannaBOpelOwner]

is there a direct hotwire that the PO might have messed with i had a 1990 blazer that had the same thing. The PO had for so,e wierd reason hooked up a hotwire to the brake lights.. i doubt thats it but just a possibility

[layed521]

I don't think so, the brake/tails come on & go off like they should too. The only lights staying on are the gauges & licence lights. Actually, I noticed that w/o the key on I have no brake lights. They work as long as the key is on though. Normal? The PO did run wire from from his makeshift blinker switch to all the indicators due to a broken hazzard switch. I've got all that stuff wired back to the stock wires. That was easy, he just clipped em & butt-connected his new wires in place.

[WannaBOpelOwner]

id check the grounds on the gauges i do remember when i helped Billy (Willy_g77) install leds in his gauges and the wiring behind the gauges is like a rats nest lol.... but id almost bet it was a ground somewhere...

[ben]

i would check and see if the fuse box was connected right
looked at my chart and i see were power comes from if thats good
try look at the junksion block where the rest of the lights plug together their should only be gray wires coming off that block if that does work try replacing the swicth
hope i helped sorry about the spelling

[jordan]

id check the grounds on the gauges i do remember when i helped Billy (Willy_g77) install leds in his gauges and the wiring behind the gauges is like a rats nest lol.... but id almost bet it was a ground somewhere...

A faultly ground if anything will prevent lights from turning on, it will not allow them to remain on after they are switched off.

[baz]

is your side light switch on?? or broken so it stays on ??
its one of the group of 6 on the lower dash

[layed521]

All the other lights come on & go out as they should. I have a spare set of dash switches, so I may just swap 'em out to check anyways though if I can't find any other cause.

[namba209 (R.I.P.)]

According to my DESTEC schematic, the instrument panel lites get power from the license plate lite circuit through the fuse panel. The license plate lites get power either from the headlight relay or the parking lite switch. I would find the additional source of power to the Grey/Green wire. HTH.

[Dmcbrass]

You may have one of the 4 sets of contacts built into the headlight relay stuck in the closed position. One set turns on the right parking lights, one the left parking lights, one feeds the dimmer relay and one feeds the dash/license plate lights. I had a similar problem with my parking lights staying on after I turned the ignition switch off and after I rotated the headlights to the closed position. My problem turned out to be that one of the main power cables to the fusebox was attached at an angle and was touching another connection. I would reach up under the dash wiggle wires and they would go back off. As soon as I drove the car the problem would return. I was convinced the problem was in the headlight relay and chased my tail off and on for a couple of days before I found the crooked connection. Try disconnecting the power to the headlight relay and see if the lights go off.

[jlthunder]

I noticed that w/o the key on I have no brake lights. They work as long as the key is on though. Normal?

Yes, that is normal on all Opels.