No tail lights or dash lights

[Zorm]

help please.
This one has me dumbfounded. Not new to working on cars, do all my own work, rebuilt engines, swaped engines, 4x4 and 2wd work, vw and water cooled cars/trucks, but this has me thrown

Friends 97 Taurus has no tail lights or dash lights. Checked fuses, all good, check lights, all good, bought another headlight switch, no fix. Car has head lights, brake lights, emer flashers and turn signals.

All connections appear to be good, am I missing anything?
any info would be helpful

thanks

[tripletdaddy]

Any recent work done on it? I've heard of countless problems with aftermarket keyless remotes where it wasn't wired right or the wiring was disturbed. Do you have access to the owner's manual or some other detail of what is on the fuses to see what is on them? You could pull fuses to try to figure that out. My 95 does not have the tail lights and instrument panel on the same fuse circuit, but if yours does, then I would first see if other things on that circuit are ok. Then I would start wire tracing for hot either from the tail to the front or reverse. If they are related, hopefully you will find something on the back of the fuse block or behind it that isn't right. It sure sounds like someone disturbed the wiring under the dash at some time and now it has worked loose. Has there been any water leaking in there and corrode terminals? Some have said that fuses can only reliably be tested by continuity not visually. So just be sure. Good luck.

[mwt47]

At this point you need a schematic and test light and start tracing

Mike

[shorod]

For the dash lights, make sure the dimmer on the headlight switch is not turned all the way down.

For the tail lights, check for evidence that a trailer wiring harness was installed at one time. I've seen a lot of cars with taillights that stop working and trace it to where someone used those interior, dry location only Scotch-Loc connector splices. These don't seal the wiring, it corrodes due to moisture, and eventually corrodes all the way through.

-Rod