UFGatorNation

Hey guys, wondering if anyone has any ideas on this one.........Went to go start my 91 stang and when I turned the key the idiot lights were kinda dim, and sure enough when I went to turn the key all the way, it clicked and I thought I had a dead battery.

So, I turn the key off and just because everyone has to try more than once, heehee I turn it again and my dash light are as bright as they should be, but when I go to start, nothing.....the dash goes dark.
So I get the other car and try for a jump, this is where it gets interesting.....

When I turn the key again, my lights come on and then everything goes dark, I turn the key back off and then on and the lights are really dim again, So just from getting frustrated, I tap the side of my instrument cluster, next to the headlight switch and my lights come back on, and then my instrument cluster lights come on, like I turned the headlights on, and then go out.

So now I try to crank again and nothing.....the dash lights come on and look bright but no joy. I hear the clicking when I try to crank. Hook up the volt meter and sure enough 12.5 I think I have a short someplace, or possibly a bad ignition switch, So thats where I am going to start tomorrow, just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this one? I know the previous owner had issues with the spedo and had the instrument cluster out and may have damaged the circuit board on the back, so that may be the problem also, ahhhh what fun electrical problems are! Thanks for any input guys!

UFGatorNation

Well I replaced the Starter Solenoid and got the car to start ok, so thats a start. I think there may be a short in my guage cluster that I will have to replace, it needs it anyway. No other Ideas from anyone??

99_GT

Sounds like a loose or bad connection. I would look at the headlight switch. Is it loose or feel sloppy? Thenlook at the cluster wireing. How do the lights act now, after the new solinoid?

Gary H

Does that year have an instrument voltage regulator? Might look online and see. Also, check the voltage at the battery when you crank it over. Are the lights fine when the car is running? Check the battery cables to, ground cable might be loose or corroded.