# DSM:Electrical Woes **URL:** \ **Category:** PittSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [October 13, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142 "2008-10-13T18:31:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pghdsm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pghdsm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/pghdsm)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/1 "2008-10-13T18:31:47Z")
Well as of last week my dash lights (cluster) , parking lights, and tail lights no longer light up on my 91 gsx. However, the headlights (both hi & low) and turn signals work. I’ve checked every fuse and I’ve looked all over for bad grounds. The bulbs are not burned out either. I’m at a loss. If anyone can shed some light on this situation or could help me out the slightest bit let me know. I live in the North Hills right off of Babcock Blvd if anyone would like to stop by. I’ll pay you for your time. I hate electrical stuff with a passion and am sick of messing with the voltmeter for the past 2 weeks. Thanks in advance! - Brett ---
**Author:** ![BigMack\_Srt8](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bigmack_srt8/32/6025_2.png) [@BigMack\_Srt8](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BigMack_Srt8)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/2 "2008-10-13T22:03:55Z")
so your dash lights, tail lights , and your parking lights dont come on. . its all one fuse located in the fuse box under the hood. I checked dsmtuners and someone had this problem here was there answer. " I had a wire in my tailight somehow come undone and it was rubbing off something and it for some reason made mine short out/ stop working. maybe it grounded it out or something like that but when i fixed it my lights all came back on. It wasnt blowing the fuse either ." also if you have a aftermarket cd player. Check the wire coming off your aftermarket cd player called Dimmer, or illumination.It could be shorting out somewhere.Doesnt matter is your cd player works fine this only has to do with if when you turn on your lights, does the cd player dim? Dont know if that helps but i tried. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![T70\_Tsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@T70\_Tsi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/T70_Tsi)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/3 "2008-10-13T22:05:10Z")
Usually the ALT or MPI fuse controls those, I can’t remember which, I think the ALT fuse. ---
**Author:** ![GOMBOS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ec9cab/32.png) [@GOMBOS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GOMBOS)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/4 "2008-10-13T23:29:39Z")
ya i know i had my ALT fuse go and a whole bunch of shit stopped working. i can’t remember what all stopped workiing though ---
**Author:** ![pghdsm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pghdsm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/pghdsm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/5 "2008-10-14T02:30:17Z")
hey guys thanks for the quick replies, i’ll check out the alt & mpi fuse when i get off work. im also half tempted to rip out the tails again and check for bad wires. thanks a million! - Brett ---
**Author:** ![T70\_Tsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@T70\_Tsi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/T70_Tsi)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/6 "2008-10-14T12:17:15Z")
The dash lights/tailights/parking lights are also tied into the taillight relay FYI. It’s done on purpose so when your tailights go out the dash lights do to alert you. ---
**Author:** ![pghdsm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pghdsm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/pghdsm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/7 "2008-10-14T12:30:41Z")
> [@Corrupt A Wish](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/corrupt-a-wish/38337/35): > > The dash lights/tailights/parking lights are also tied into the taillight relay FYI. It’s done on purpose so when your tailights go out the dash lights do to alert you. Yeah I read that on tuners. It’s kind of like a warning when the dash goes out to let you know your tails aren’t working… ---
**Author:** ![Cheeks](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cheeks/32/5930_2.png) [@Cheeks](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cheeks)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:16pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/8 "2008-10-14T13:16:20Z")
have you tried measuring alternator output? sometimes when the car isn’t getting enough voltage it will shut off certain things ---
**Author:** ![imported\_Jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/edb3f5/32.png) [@imported\_Jon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_Jon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/9 "2008-10-14T15:30:27Z")
> [@COD 4](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cod-4/38120/50): > > Yeah I read that on tuners. It’s kind of like a warning when the dash goes out to let you know your tails aren’t working… That doesn’t sound very safe at all if it happens at night! Then you’re at a lack of tail lights and you can’t even see how fast you’re going! ---
**Author:** ![T70\_Tsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@T70\_Tsi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/T70_Tsi)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 5:10pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/10 "2008-10-14T17:10:06Z")
It’s called dont’ be a moron, pull over your tailights are out :doh: MOST cars are like that :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![imported\_Jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/edb3f5/32.png) [@imported\_Jon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_Jon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/11 "2008-10-14T17:42:32Z")
> [@T70\_Tsi"](#): > > It’s called dont’ be a moron, pull over your tailights are out :doh: > > MOST cars are like that :rolleyes: So if you’re driving somewhere at 2 am and a bulb goes out you stop and put in the spare you happen to have in the trunk? ---
**Author:** ![pghdsm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pghdsm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/pghdsm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/12 "2008-10-17T13:59:47Z")
PROBLEM SOLVED: Found THE smallest light gray wire running on one of the main harnesses under the steering column was cut in half. Soldered it back together and voila, I now have gauge lights, parking lights, and tails back. 🙂 I’m guessing it was some kind of illumination wire or whatnot. It was seriously thin as a piece of string. ---
**Author:** ![xfrankx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/2bfe46/32.png) [@xfrankx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xfrankx)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/dsm-electrical-woes/200142/13 "2008-10-23T18:17:39Z")
glad to see you got it fixed my old 91 tsi kept blowing the mpi relay and somehow burnt up the ecu. ☹ and its funny because the car was fine. i changed the turbo and when i went to start the car it somehow developed an electrical problem from sitting for a few days. i didnt even touch a wire.