Hello! New to the forum and new to vintage car ownership. I'm somewhat handy, but I've realized I'm out of my depth. Electrical definitely isn't my thing. I can't get my instrument lights to work, but everything else seems to be working. The headlights, the tail lights, the reverse lights, the instrument panel brake light, h/l light, turn signals, (when I press the brake the emergency flashers go solid) but otherwise, they blink, the radio has power and lights, the shifter has lights, the fog lights work, courtesy lights work. I replaced the light switch because it was suggested all over the place that's probably the culprit due to corrosion, but seems it wasn't the problem. I've attached two photos in the hopes one of these two items may be the culprit. I'm not sure though. Any ideas? I have no idea why there's a wire with connector plug to the light switch that's unused. I also see what could be a short on the IVR, I'm not sure why it was spliced like this, it appears to go to one of my gauges. Help!

 

There is only one photo attached, and it is a little too close up to evaluate the whole cluster. Like it or not you're going to need a multimeter for this. Attached is a diagram for your cluster (well, it's for a Cougar, but it is the same), The #19 wire, which is blue with a red tracer has a splice that branches out to all of the cluster lights (A-F). First thing I would check is whether or not you have power at the car side of the connector where the #19 wire connects - with the lights on. If you do, I would look at that splice where A-F split off to all the cluster lights. I would also look for that #57 black ground wire and make sure you have continuity to ground. In the center of the photo there is a black wire with the insulation split and the conductor compromised.