Randy, the load reduction relay is not involved in this.

The wires from the dash lighting circuit go to many places in the dash
in the area of and on both sides of the radio hole. It is most likely
that the radio installation caused this. The involved wires are all
gray/blue, (gray with a blue stripe.) One place it goes is the stock
connector for the radio. Perhaps they hooked this up to something they
shouldn't have. Maybe they aren't using the connector at all but it is
laying in there with that pin shorted out against metal by chance. You
will probably have to remove the radio to get to the wires in any case.

Mark

Randy Charrette wrote:
>
> A week ago I lost All dash lights for gauges, cig. lighter and diff lock.
> When this happened I had just had an alarm and radio installed. I left and I
> had smoke comming out of my light switch upon turning the lights on. When I
> removed the switch I could see the head light part was fine, but the dimmer
> was melted. The shop double checked all with me watching and then removed
> everything they did just to be sure (I watched!). There is apperently a dead
> short somewhere. What I have done so far is trace as much of the dimmer
> system as possible. I have a new switch installed. Down at the fuse box
> there is 1 wire comming in(from switch?)  and 2 going out. 1 of the 2 going
> out goes right back into the fuse block down below?? Anyways I have one at a
> time cut these wires and the put in a fuse to see if the lights come on.
> They do not. I have a Bently, but am not to good at reading wireing
> diagrams. I did notice that there is a "load reduction relay" in the system
> (spot 8). Could this be my problem?? Any suggestions appreciated.
>
> Randy
> 87 Syncro Tiico
>