Chevy Colorado Dash Lights Not Working (4 Reasons with Fixes)

Your car’s dashboard is the valuable information plug that updates you about your speed, fuel limit, heat overload, and engine oil.

It’s natural to start panicking when you face the problem of your Chevy Colorado dash lights not working.

But not to worry, this article has all the necessary answers to get your dash lights working again. 

How To Turn On The Dashboard Lights On A Chevy Colorado

Automobiles like the Chevy Colorado have an automatic setting that adjusts the dashboard’s light to suit the time of the day.

Asides from this, turning on your headlight can also dim the light on your dashboard. Whatever it is, chances are that it is a simple fix.

Here are the tips on how to turn on your dashboard lights.

  1. Ensure that your headlight is off.
  2. Ignite the car’s engine and keep it steaming.
  3. Locate the dimmer(adjustment) switch. You can find the dimmer switch on the right side of the dashboard beside the steering wheel. It comes in two forms – a long rolling switch and a round knob.
  4. Turn the dimmer knob to the left or right. If yours is a roll switch, roll it up and down. The more you roll or turn, the fainter or brighter the light gets. 

Reasons Why Your Chevy Colorado Dash Lights Are Not Working

When your Chevy Colorado dashboard lights malfunction, the likely causes are a weak battery or faulty alternator, a burn-out bulb, a worn-out fuse, and turned-on headlights.

Once you notice this problem, you have to fix it. Here are the reasons and possible solutions to get your dash light working again.

A Weak Battery Or Faulty Alternator

The dashboard light needs a fully charged battery to function.  The alternator charges your battery when it is low.

So when your battery is weak, and the alternator is faulty, the instrument panel will begin to flicker, and the dash light will not shine the way it should.  

A Burn-Out Bulb

If your Chevy Colorado is the recent model built with LED light, this may not affect you. But, if you still use the old model built with incandescent bulbs, you’ll experience bulb burn-out.

However, once you notice that the speedometer or the gearshift markings on the dashboard are no longer visible, you should change the dash light bulb.

A Worn-Out Fuse

When too much current flows through the car, and it begins to overheat, chances are that it will cause the fuse to blow. 

A Turned-On Headlight

A turned-on headlight and dash light do not match up. If your headlight is on, the dash light will not work.

What Should I Do If My Chevy Colorado Dash Light Keeps Going Out?

When your Chevy Colorado dashboard light is not staying on, identify and fix the problem. You can run a quick fix by adjusting the dimmer switch.

If these don’t work, the problem could be a faulty fuse, a damaged dimmer switch, a faulty alternator or weak battery, a burn-out bulb, or a turned-on headlight. 

Turning off the headlight to get your headlight working again is not a hard fix, and you can simply DIY.

But, fixing a damaged dimmer switch or faulty fuse and alternator requires professional repair, and you’ll have to contact the Chevrolet Service Center.

However, if the problem is a weak battery or a burn-out bulb, here are the quick ways to fix it. 

Method 1: Fixing A Weak Battery

  • Put on safety gloves to protect your hands.
  • Unscrew the bolts that hold the battery with a bolt screw, then remove the clip.
  • Take out the old battery and fix the new one.
  • Place the clip back on the battery.
  • Insert the screws back and tighten them. 
  • Test-run to see if it’s working. If the problem persists, contact a professional.

Method 2: Fixing A Burn-Out Dash Light Bulb

  • Get into the front of the car and locate the dashboard.
  • Lift the brake pedal, and you’ll find two bolts. Use a bolt screw to remove them.
  • Once you remove the two screws, remove the others from the sides of the dash panel.
  • Tape a flathead screwdriver, and use it to remove the dash panel. 
  • When you remove the dash panel, you’ll still find other screws. Remove them till you get to the board that holds the bulb.
  • Remove the old bulbs and replace them with new ones.
  • Finally, fix the board back and the dash panel, then screw in all nuts.
  • Test-run the project to ensure it is working.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Reset My Chevy Colorado Dashboard Lights?

To reset the dashboard lights on your Chevy Colorado, first, turn off your car’s ignition.

Then disconnect the cable on the negative terminal that houses the car battery and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.

Connect the cable again and turn on your ignition. 

Note that you cannot disconnect the cable using your hands. If you try it, you may get an injury. To disconnect the cable, use a set of pliers. 

Why Are The Lights On My Dash Dimming?

The lights on your dash are dimming because automobiles like Chevy Colorado have an automatic setting.

The automatic settings help to adjust the dashboard light depending on the time of the day.

The lights on your dash can also dim when the headlights are on.

Other likely causes are a bad alternator, a weak or spoilt battery, a burnt bulb, or a bad fuse. To fix it, first identify the problem before finding a solution. 

Dashboard Lights Not Working When Headlights On

If your dashboard lights are not working, it could be that you’ve turned them off by mistake or that the headlights are on. But, these are minor problems as there could be main issues like a faulty alternator or a burnt bulb.

Wrap Up

There you have it! The causes and fixes of your Chevy Colorado dash lights not working. Some problems are simple and easy to fix, while others are not.

If the problem is something you can handle, do it as soon as possible. If it’s not, contact the Chevrolet Service Center. 

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