70 dart rally dash dim dash lights

[426 wedge]

why are my dash lights so dim?  all the bulbs work , but some are brighter than others. how do i fix the problem

[68_Val_Sedan]

Does the dimmer work properly ?   if so pull all the bulbs and check to see they are the same part # , I believe they should be #158 or #194. 

[426 wedge]

yes the thumb wheel works , I will have to pull the gauged to see if they are the same part# N.O.Sl

[thebankerstoy]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I've been fighting the very same problem in my son's 72 Dart Swinger since 2002 when we bought the car. Recently, I had a VERY smart friend of mine come over and look at our Dart. After we fixed some issues with the dashboard wiring harness, we then checked and double checked all of the dash cluster light bulbs and light bulb sockets. Then we dropped the steering column and removed the dash cluster, so my buddy could look at it's design. As we were looking at the cluster and he was studying it's design, he took a look at my factory service manual to check out the wiring diagram's. After looking at all of this information, he told me that the problem with our dash cluster lights, comes from the fact that the designers have placed to few lights in the dash cluster and have also put the lights in incorrect locations to give you the proper lighting. There is only one way to fix that problem and that is to fix the design problem. As we speak, he and I are designing and building a new lighting system for not only A-Body cars, but most ANY older Mopar and for that fact, most any older car that uses this type of printed circuit board lighting system. As soon as we finish the prototype and get it installed and tested in my son's 72 Dart Swinger, we will be offering this new lighting system for sale here on B.B.D and other Mopar web sites. If it woks as expected, the end of your lousy dash lighting will come to an end soon if you want it to!  As far as why some of your dash lights are brighter than others, it's because some of them are powered by the dash cluster's printed circuit board and some like your radio, a/c & heater controls ect, are hard wired to your dash wiring harness.

Richard