Car stolen, recovered, now no gauge lights

[Luckybob2485]

This last week the worst happened, my 03 cobra was stolen. 18 hours later, it was recovered with minor scrapes and bruises. However, now the dash gauges are not illuminating and the steering wheel controls are not lighting up. The car has full coverage insurance, but I'm wanting to try to figure this out ahead of time.

Everything is working except for the illumination of the dash gauges and steering wheel lights, but the steering wheel controls do still work. There was never an issue wih these gauges previously. I have checked the illumination fuses and all seem to be good.

Any ideas on what this thief could have done in 18 hours to make the dash lights stop working?

 

[rymax101]

Probably tried to pull the cluster due to pats. Or pulled the fuse

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[Luckybob2485]

It definitely appears to be something as simple as fuse, because all the gauges and everything work, but just the illumination is out. I checked the fuses: 5-instrument cluster and traction control switch, 21- instrument cluster and engine control memory, 34- instrument cluster, CCRM, data link connector, securilock transceiver module, 37-adjustable illumination.

All these fuses to do with the instrument cluster illumination look good. It doesn't appear that anything has been taken apart in the car, so I'm stumped as to where to look next.

 

[rymax101]

I dont think my steering wheel switches light up??? Can you confirm they are supposed to.

 

[msp.ecoboost]

Damn! I remember when one of my Big Rigs was stolen! They screwed up the transmission.

Sorry you had to go through this!

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[Luckybob2485]

I thought that the cruise control buttons do light up, but i could be wrong.

 

[Luckybob2485]

Damn! I remember when one of my Big Rigs was stolen! They screwed up the transmission.

Sorry you had to go through this!

Sent from my Z812 using Tapatalk

It was the worst. Was trying to sell the car, and the potential buyer ran into the car and drove away with me standing two feet away.

 

[speedoflife]

It was the worst. Was trying to sell the car, and the potential buyer ran into the car and drove away with me standing two feet away.

Wow. Just wow. People never cease to astound me.

I would wish that experience on nobody. Glad your car is ok for the most part.

Do you have a factory radio? How many miles are on the car? It also could be that the cluster *just so happened* to go out at the same time as this event. Not likely, I understand, but the two occurrences don't have to be causally correlated just because they are temporally so.

 

[hotcobra03]

I don't recall steering wheel controls to light up.

Head light switch dimmer?

 

[hotcobra03]

Also..hate to ask..

I'm assuming pats is disabled. .

How was it taken.

 

[Luckybob2485]

Also..hate to ask..

I'm assuming pats is disabled. .

How was it taken.

I put the car up for sale. Potential buyer contacted me and we met at a bank parking lot. While looking over the car, he jumped in the driver seat, started car, and took off.

 

[PaxtonShelby]

That is insane! Wtf is wrong with people?!?!

At least you got it back in one piece - but dang.

Maybe I should snap a photo of a buyer's driver's license before letting them drive something I'm selling. Even so, I usually go along for the ride just because the buyer isn't usually familiar with the neighborhood.

 

[Roots-type]

Steering wheel buttons do not illuminate on these cars. Gauges probably were dimmed when the potential buyer was turning on the headlights. Rotate switch counter clockwise and see if that helps.

 

[Luckybob2485]

Steering wheel buttons do not illuminate on these cars. Gauges probably were dimmed when the potential buyer was turning on the headlights. Rotate switch counter clockwise and see if that helps.

I have adjusted the dimmer both ways. The odometer and radio will adjust, but still no gauge lights.

 

[Luckybob2485]

Wow. Just wow. People never cease to astound me.

I would wish that experience on nobody. Glad your car is ok for the most part.

Do you have a factory radio? How many miles are on the car? It also could be that the cluster *just so happened* to go out at the same time as this event. Not likely, I understand, but the two occurrences don't have to be causally correlated just because they are temporally so.

The car just turned over 29k miles. Factory radio. If it did go out coincidentally, then luckily insurance will be covering it.

 

[speedoflife]

The car just turned over 29k miles. Factory radio. If it did go out coincidentally, then luckily insurance will be covering it.

That's pretty low miles...

At this point in time it seems like you'd need to pull the cluster to test if power is getting to it. If so, then it/the inverter is probably just out.

I can't think of what else it could be.

 

[zredfire04]

not trying to minimize the situation here, but it's critical that i point out the irony/accuracy of your user name.

i have no other input of value.

 

[Bioburner]

I have had 3 dimmer controls go out on Fords. Never on anything else
Hope no other issues on the car retrieval

 

[FromGTtoSVT]

I put the car up for sale. Potential buyer contacted me and we met at a bank parking lot. While looking over the car, he jumped in the driver seat, started car, and took off.

this is by far the most brazen robbery of a car I have ever heard of. It's unbelievable to me someone would attempt this and try to get away.

Sorry

 

[03cobra#694]

I put the car up for sale. Potential buyer contacted me and we met at a bank parking lot. While looking over the car, he jumped in the driver seat, started car, and took off.

WTF?

this is by far the most brazen robbery of a car I have ever heard of. It's unbelievable to me someone would attempt this and try to get away.

Sorry

That's what I was thinking, holy crap that's unreal.