Dash illumination/wiring major problem (recent dash swap)

[xparadigmshiftx]

Hey, recently while I was driving my fuse #23 randomly blew on the interstate, after replacing it a couple times the illumination and tail lights finally started working again. I thought it was the head light switch so I replaced it. The tail lights and license plate lights worked again, but sadly the gauge cluster illumination, center console a/c control illumination area, and rear defogger quit working (all linked to fuse 23). I have not finished putting my car back together from the dash swap and have several wires unplugged which I also need help figuring out where to connect them (it has been sitting in my garage for sometime after I put the new dash in). A red/grey wire and brown/white wire both that were unplugged tested positive for 10v with the multimeter when the headlight switch/potentiometer was pulled. A blue/brown plug is also hanging behind the steering column. Also have an aftermarket stereo that I installed (all the wiring was done properly for it, I really doubt its involved).

Please help.

http://postimage.org/image/bwrx7f50/ (brown/white)

http://postimage.org/image/bwwvtgmc/ (red grey)

http://postimage.org/image/bxdf6xk4/ (blue brown plug)

http://postimage.org/image/bxlovo10/ (what is this??? thinking the pic before this plugs into it somehow)

[xparadigmshiftx]

Bump, forgot to add that the OBC illumination is out when headlights are on, pretty much everything on that fuse except the tail/license plate lights.

[xparadigmshiftx]

fixed it. bad headlight switch plus the brown/white and red/grey wires would touch a metal piece and blow fuse 23. taped those off and got a new headlight switch and it works perfectly now

[StereoInstaller1]

the headlight switch was a casualty, not a cause.

[xparadigmshiftx]

the headlight switch was a casualty, not a cause.

so i'm guessin those wires that shorted blew the switch? what exactly are those for because i could not find anything to plug them into :/

[StereoInstaller1]

hard to say from here, but more likely the switch was just worn out, or mostly shot to begin with. Either way, good job on fixing it!

Luke

[84driver]

The headlight switch is a really simple piece of circuitry on a thick PCB board. When mine was having trouble, it was just corrosion on the contacts. Took the switch apart and refurbed it with sandpaper in just a few minutes. IIRC there is a resistor or diode on one of the circuits but that would also be a simple replacement. If the switch is already dead you have nothing to lose by trying to fix it! Multimeter recommended to test the circuits.