1995 dash lights / radio / tail lights not working

[thekirch]

i have a 1995 YJ 2.5 you know the little 4 banger that could. We'll get right to it, first off since i acquired this jeep a few months back it has a toggle switch that turns on the dash light.. yes the gauge cluster lights on a toggle switch. they worked but flickered and would eventually just go out after a few minutes. so i looked under the dash to find wires all over the place. i then decided i wanted to clean this mess up mainly because a loose wire was getting caught on the clutch pedal. i followed it to the radio which is a pioneer MVS model. i shit you not all 12 wires on the harness were just stripped back and twisted together to the new radio harness with some electrical tape. and somewhere along the way i followed a long black wire to the fuse box and then to the toggle switch then to the battery... i decided i would take it all apart and do it the right way with heat shrink well since then i have had no radio no dash lights no anything. ive checked all the fuses they were all wrong too go figure but that didnt fix the issue. my question is are the gauge lights supposed to turn on when the headlights or dimmer switch are tuned on? and why would he use a toggle switch for them? if not like i assume which wire under there is for my gauge cluster lamps and how should i fix this. im no electrician but give me a motor or suspension and i got you.

also i have no rear running lights at night when my headlights are on. brake lights work reverse lights work and turn signals work, i kinda figured it may not have had those running lights back then but i am unsure of that. i also thought it might have to do with whatever this man did to the wires under the dash.

CAN ANYONE HELP ME!!!!?

 

[Albert5]

I have a 93 YJ that had no tail lights, no dash lights and no seat belt buzzer. Using a test light, I found that there was no power coming to the tail lights. I stumbled across a forum string that suggested the headlight switch was a common problem with those symptoms. I purchased a new headlight switch on Amazon and installed it; this required some dash panels disassembly. But, it worked. I now have fully functioning taillights, dash lights and seat belt buzzer. The original switch was 30 years old so it was time for it to be replaced.