YACT: taillight problems

[TheBoyBlunder]

I drive a '92 Nissan Maxima that's obviously seen better days. Anyway, earlier this evening I came out of Krispy Kreme, started my car, turned on the lights and the dashboard didn't light up like it was supposed to. The dashboard instruments are supposed to illuminate, along with the a/c controls, but nothing came on. The headlights came on, the car started, my radio worked, everything else seemed to work, but not the dashboard lights. I checked the back of the car just to be sure, and the rear running lights were out as well.

Questions:

1) Is it possible it's just a burnt out fuse?
2) If yes to #1, is it worth checking myself, and how would I check it? (besides buying a couple new fuses and changing them myself)
3) If it's not a burnt out fuse, what could it possibly be, and how much would it cost (roughly) to fix?

Thanks in advance for all relevant replies.

 

[Heisenberg]

Check the fuse first. Find the fusebox, pull out the one that's for the dash lights, and see if it's blown.

 

[TheBoyBlunder]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Check the fuse first. Find the fusebox, pull out the one that's for the dash lights, and see if it's blown.

Since I'm pretty much a car noob, it'd be pretty obvious if the fuse was blown, right?

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Check the fuse first. Find the fusebox, pull out the one that's for the dash lights, and see if it's blown.

Since I'm pretty much a car noob, it'd be pretty obvious if the fuse was blown, right?

Sort of. Look at the center part of the fuse. In a good fuse you'll be able to see a metal piece inside that's continuous. In a blown one, that piece will have a gap in it.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder
I drive a '92 Nissan Maxima that's obviously seen better days.

Why obviously? Seriously, at only 11 years old it should still be in good shape. Any car with a half-decent observed maintenance schedule ought to be good for 200,000 miles or more.

ZV

 

[TheBoyBlunder]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder
I drive a '92 Nissan Maxima that's obviously seen better days.

Why obviously? Seriously, at only 11 years old it should still be in good shape. Any car with a half-decent observed maintenance schedule ought to be good for 200,000 miles or more.

ZV

Oh the interior and drive system are fine, but when I was younger I got into a minor accident, then I got hit twice in the last 6 months. It's got some cosmetic damage, and it's worth so little right now it's not worth fixing.

 

[psteng19]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder
I drive a '92 Nissan Maxima that's obviously seen better days.

Why obviously? Seriously, at only 11 years old it should still be in good shape. Any car with a half-decent observed maintenance schedule ought to be good for 200,000 miles or more.

ZV

When did he ever give maintenance records of the car?
Do YOU know the history of the car better than he does... whether it's been in accidents, driven the hell out of, well maintained, etc.?
He's merely stating the car is not what it used to be.

 

[Evadman]

#1 fuse.
#2 blown lightbulb
#3 broken wire

 

[TheBoyBlunder]

Originally posted by: Evadman
#1 fuse.
#2 blown lightbulb
#3 broken wire

Basically...
#1: Cheap & easy to fix
#2: Fairly cheap & easy to fix
#3: Not very easy or cheap to fix