Gauges stop working and all dash board lights come on

try hold up the key while starting, shot in the dark. if it startes remove extra items off key ring

Hi Eileen,

Yes you have to inspect fuse board and i think the main fuse is the problem.

regards,
nuwan

there is a regulator for the display brightness, you may have it turn'd down or it has stopped working;. it controls the brightness at which the dash lights are. usually has a speedo sign on it. goes up and down. it works with the main light and is conecter to them on the same lighting board if it has gone then a new light swtch control switch will be needed.

Faulty battery, recharge and test or replace

ckeck wires or fuse relays under hood

sound like loose ground wire or your gauges controls or instrument panel control shorted out.take car back to whom sold it to you.tell them your car has a electrical problem in dash control panel.to me buying a car nothing should not be breaking down when you drive off lot with a new or used vechicle.that bad omen car break down after driving it off a car lot.the person sold car to you they have to fix problem or give money back.

Dam you need a EXORCISM!
No just a loose connection in the dash.
Sounds easy right!
IF you are lucky it may be the main plug not seated into the dash board. Or a bad ire in that connector.

Check the fuse for those items that don't work.

faulty wiring for the lights, and blinkers....

broken gears for the fuel and temp gauge...

just get rid of the damn car, get a Civic of the same year.

I was given a 323 once, unsiezed the rear brakes (the idiot left the thing parked with the e-brake on all winter), then sold it for beer money.

It may be possible to get instrument cluster to do a self-test? If you want to try this to rule out instrument cluster.
Press and hold odometer reset button, turn key from off to run, run is where the dash lites come on. Any stored 3-digit codes will be displayed in the odometer vf display. The vf display will perform a sequential segment test. All indicators, data controlled, will illuminate. All gauges will cycle in 12.5% or 15% increments. The cluster will automatically exit self-test. The self test does not verify serial data stream. The cluster internally commands all non-hardwired gauges and indicators to operate. The fuel level sending unit sends info to pcm then pcm sends data to instrument cluster.
I don't know if that self-test will work on your vehicle? It won't hurt to try. If all the gages cycle except fuel gage, then I suspect the instrument cluster. You can call around different shops, get an estimate for the repair.