Dash lights & Fuel Gage don't work-88

[NCFJ]

The dash lights and fuel gauge do not work on my 88, checked the fuses and all seems good. This common, happen to anyone else? I am thinking they may be related.

 

[fourwd1]

The backlighting uses the TAIL fuse, the gauges use the ENGINE fuse, so it's unlikely they're related.
Could be a bad/loose connection on the cluster, bad fuel gauge sender or damaged wiring at the tank, bad bulbs in the cluster...

 

[WANTSUM411]

I just fixed the lights in my dash in my '85 SR5 ...all bulbs were good , fuses ect.Upon inspecting the circuit Strips on the back of the Instrument Housing for Continuity I found 2 Breaks in the Copper Stripping.
To fix I.....T Tapped the Proper lead Off the Harness with a Small 18= 20 Ga.Wire & Stripped the other end Bare & Placed it under the next Bulb in the Line then twisted back in the bulb completing the Broken Circuit .
As far as the gauge you should be able to Ground it & make it move then go from there .

 

[NCFJ]

Thanks guys, I am going to start digging into it this weekend. I wanted to see if there was some sort of common issue that happens often prior to taking the dash apart.

 

[SparkEE]

My 87's fuel gauge only worked for the first gallon or so. As mentioned, check the sender in the tank. Mine ended up having most of the coils broken. Found a junkyard one and soldered the 'new' coil assembly to the old sending unit and voila, it works again.