Buick Lesabre Electrical Problem

[cmf21]

Parents 2000 Buick Lesabre has this electrical problem. For the past few weeks when the car is statted, the interior dash lights take 10-20 seconds to come on. Any suggestions as to what it might be?

 

[Arkaign]

The relays are in a row near the firewall IIRC, you might pull them and make sure the contacts are clean and everything is seated correctly. That's an odd issue. Nothing else going on? Any CEL codes?

 

[cmf21]

Everything looks fine. No codes, no nothing. Checked battery and all electrical connections. This only started happening a few weeks ago. The car has 240,000 miles on it so something is bound to happen. Only thing they ever done to it is replace the intake manifold gaskets and a engine mount and that's it. It needs a new rear main seal but it's too costly and my mom is worried the car is going to go out on her and they can't afford something else. I don't think it's a big problem, maybe the 110 degree heat has something to do with it. Who knows. Could it be a fuse going bad?

 

[Vette73]

Also check the ground cable/system. Could be it takes a little time to warm up and make a good contact.

can also remove and reinsert each relay/fuse to make sure there is no corresion.

 

[boomerang]

There's a dimmer switch for the dash lights. What happens when you twist that back and forth when the lights are already on? Do they brighten and dim?

It's nothing more than a rheostat. You may find that turning it slightly and leaving it there may fix the problem. Working it back and forth may clean off the internal contacts and allow current to flow more easily.

It may need to be replaced. I think the dimmer is providing too much resistance to the circuit.

Best guess I've got without a wiring diagram.