I just bought a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo on Saturday (03/01/08). All of the interior and exterior lights work, with the exception of the illumination for the gage cluster and related backlighting for all the controls. But all controls work.

This JGC has the "auto" headlight control. I have tried adjusting the interior light dimmer switch with no luck. However, if you put the lights on "auto" at night and press the brake pedal all the backlighting flickers on and off until you release the brake pedal.

Do I have a short somewhere? Why would this only activate when the brake pedal is pressed?

By the way, you do not get this result if you turn the headlights over to a "full on" or just running lights condition and press the brake pedal. Under both of those conditions I do not get any backlighting at all.

Help!