![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:33 • Filed to: Shoebox, blue torpedo | ![]() | ![]() |
Something’s broken on the Fiat again. Here’s Your hint:
EDIT: AuthiCooper1300 got it. Light switch is in the ON position, but I get nothing but the headlights. No Taillights, backlight or ‘lights light’ on the dash. Pulling out the switch and reinserting it in the connector fixes it, so it’s probably a wonky connection. I’ll drown it in contact cleaner when I find it and see if that helps.
Here’s how the dash should look:
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:43 |
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battery/alternator?
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:44 |
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how is it going 5 km/h in your garage?
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:44 |
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Nope. Both are fine. In fact the engine is running in that photo.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:44 |
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That’s where the speedo pegs. :P
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:45 |
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Fix-It-Again-Tony - dash lights, maybe all the lighting?
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:45 |
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Ding, ding, ding! Light switch is on but no lights.
(Well, the headlights are on, but no taillights and no dash backlight + no lights light)
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:46 |
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Dash lighting?
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:47 |
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Just been answered. You’re literally 30 seconds late.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:48 |
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Fuse?
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:48 |
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Check all your fuses first and foremost. That may give you a direction to hunt at least.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:49 |
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Szkoda! Slightly corroded fuse contacts? Damp fuse sockets?
I think you need some Lucas smoke.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:49 |
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(pretty sure it is compatible with Magnetti Marelli hardware)
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:51 |
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Fuses are fine. Lights come back after I pull the switch out and reconnect it.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:51 |
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Checked them first thing. They’re fine.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:52 |
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All the electricals.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:52 |
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Probably slightly corroded light switch contacts. I’ll drown them in electronic cleaner tomorrow if I can find the damn can.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:56 |
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I think your car is crying for an Italian tune-up. When the weather is damp some services/accessories in my 75 play up (particularly if the car has been standing for a few days).
A couple of hours of driving with the engine up to temperature works wonders. Suddenly everything comes back to life!
![]() 04/02/2016 at 12:58 |
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I give it one fairly regularly. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to help with the electrics. :(
![]() 04/02/2016 at 13:02 |
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Strange. In my Alfas it does. But then they have the engine up front so the dash etc get heat soak. Not so easy in your car.
What is the going rate for a nice-ish Maluch nowadays? I don’t mean perfect, just usable. I’d love to fit one with a Steyr-Puch engine some day (a few 126s were sold that way in Austria in the 70s).
![]() 04/02/2016 at 13:03 |
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500-600 Euros can pretty easily get you a nice one in Poland if you’re willing to look. Couple hundred more if you want one straight away.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 13:05 |
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Wow. That is very tempting. Thanks for the info.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 13:06 |
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Damn. Missed it in the time it took me to reply.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 15:07 |
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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Polish is generally brought to you by the letter Z.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 15:16 |
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As my English friend likes to say in Polish: ‘szczszcsczszzsczszcszczsczszcsczcszsc’.
![]() 04/02/2016 at 17:49 |
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Sounds like it should at least be an easy fix! :) Never realized how green the original dash lighting in the 126 was, haha! :P
I’ll probably swap the bulbs out for some LEDs of a different color when I get mine! :)
I’m surprised actually, your dash looks faiyl readable, but I’ve read online that a lot of people complain the 126 EL/ELX dash is poorly lit at night...?
![]() 04/02/2016 at 17:52 |
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No idea why anyone would think that it’s hard to read, the backlight is completely fine. Also, I don’t mind the green. It feels old-school. :P
![]() 04/02/2016 at 19:49 |
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I would’ve thought the stock dash color would be white! :)
![]() 04/02/2016 at 20:17 |
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Green dash backlight is very 90's. :D