Why are all my dashboard lights on?

I had my starter and alternator changed in my car but I start it up an every light on dashboard comes on

My car has 207000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
GM has had many issues with their digital dashboards, and this sounds like one more. Disconnecting the battery for a few minutes, then re-connecting it will give you a reset. More often, a "rebuild" or refurbishment of the digital dash circuit board is required. There are a number of rebuilders of this essential component. There was also a Recall (04V036000) on the ignition switch – long "start" cycles would overheat the ignition switch and short the contacts, producing unexpected electrical behaviors. Make sure this Recall has been addressed.

If you need assistance, I would recommend having a certified mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to determine if your car is having electrical problems and suggest any needed repairs.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

When all your dashboard lights turn on at once, it most commonly indicates an issue with the alternator or the charging system. It is common for all the dash lights to come on with no alternator output; low voltage can cause unusual electrical issues. The alternator should be tested at the time of battery replacement.
The dash lights coming on and vehicle shutting down are, most likely, related to a charging system problem. It`s fairly common for all the dash lights to come on with no alternator output, low voltage can cause unusual electrical issues. The alternator should have been tested at the time of battery replacement.
Dashboard lights can become non-functional for various reasons. In case, the dimmer switch on the dashboard is turned down or off, the dashboard lights will not show. Also, a blown fuse or a bad lightbulb can cause the non-functionality of these dashboard lights.
The check engine light is usually the most serious and feared warning because of the kind of damage it can signal. This warning often indicates the potential for serious engine damage. When ignored, your vehicle could suffer from a blown head gasket or a seized engine.
A dashboard warning light related to your brake system could get triggered for various reasons, including improper wiring, a faulty rear brake light bulb, damaged brake lines, etc. Remember, knowing what a particular brake light means is vital in knowing what`s wrong with your car.
An early warning sign that your alternator is going bad could be dim, flickering lights. This symptom could show up on any or all of your dashboard lights, reading lights, headlights or other lights.
The Dashboard Lights Flicker

Similar to dimming headlights, these flickering lights are a sure indication of a failing car battery.

Red dashboard lights are serious warning lights. You should stop immediately, or risk damage to the car (or worse, yourself). If you are out driving when you see a red warning light, pull over and deal with the problem. If it requires attention from a professional, don`t drive down the block to get one.
Most modern vehicles have a fuse box located under the hood and another under the dashboard. The fuses for your instrument panel lights and the gauge cluster should be located under the dashboard or behind a panel near the driver`s side door.
If all the gauges in a car suddenly stop working, it`s typically due to a broken fuse or faulty wiring. To start troubleshooting, you`ll need to locate the fuse associated with the instrument cluster. Once you`ve identified the fuse, you can inspect it to determine if it has blown or needs to be replaced.
The likely cause is a fuse, headlight relay, headlight switch, dimmer switch or a wiring fault. About the only cause that is an easy fix is a blown fuse. Consult your owner`s manual to locate the main fuse for the headlight circuit and replace that fuse with one having the same amp rating.
Not every symbol that appears on your dashboard is a warning light. Some have to do with vehicle features (like lights and cruise control) or safety (like blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warnings) or mechanical issues (like low tire pressure and engine temperature warnings).
There are 3 different categories of warning lights; red, amber and green: Red warning lights mean you should stop the car as soon as it`s safe. Yellow warning lights mean that action is required. Green warning lights are for information only.
The Dashboard Lights Flicker

Similar to dimming headlights, these flickering lights are a sure indication of a failing car battery.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

No dash lights, back right tail light is out, no parking lights. Brake lights work though as does head lights.
ANSWER : Hi there. In many cases, when you have electrical problems like you’re describing, it’s caused by multiple electrical component failure. It’s likely that a few electrical relays are not working; especially if you have systems that utilize the same components (such as your brake light and tail lights). I would recommend having a professional mobile mechanic come to your location to complete an electrical problems inspection first, so they can pinpoint what is damaged and recommend the right repairs.

Abs light, emergency brake light, steering wheel assist light, engine light, EPC light, traction control light
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. The vehicle does utilize a lot of the same sensors for these systems. Are there any other codes that are coming up when this code appears? If so you will want to take these into consideration when processing the repair and making a diagnosis. The module may be bad, and replacing it should fix the problem. The lights should turn off once the main computer recognizes the new module and the sensors sync up. If you believe the sensors need to be cleaned you may do so. Do as minimal as possible to make sure you are not damaging the sensor or disrupting the wiring inside. A bad connection would make the lights stay on. With so many lights that are effected by the module being illuminated, the module is likely bad or does not have a connection. Check the connection first and then resort to replacing the unit. For more help with these electrical tests, contact our service department.

All dashboard lights and tail lights do not work after driving through a lot of snow. Headlights work. And brake lights work.
ANSWER : Hello. We’ll be happy to help you. There are a few things that I recommend checking to discover why your lighting system is malfunctioning. The headlight dimmer switch should be checked. Along with the wiring harness above the right front tire behind the fender well cover. Also
the main fuse under the hood should be inspected because other people with your particular vehicle have had similar lighting issues if that fuse goes bad. It will be a great idea to check the rest of the fuses in that area too while checking the main fuse. Once the fuses are checked inside of the main fuse box then I would check the fuses inside of their interior fuse box. The interior fuse box should be located on the driver side of the dashboard near where your legs would be. If you need more assistance with repairing your vehicle please keep in mind that our organization provides Mobile Mechanics who can help you diagnose and repair your vehicle, all at competitive rates.

Intermittently, dashboard and interior lights do not work
ANSWER : Hello there, thank you for asking about your 1988 Oldsmobile Toronado. This is something that would require first hand inspection for complete diagnosis. However, there is a technical service bulletin (TSB) that may pertain to your issue. The TSB is number 89-T-129 and it deals with an "Electrical Problem" message on the message display and erratic air conditioning operation. The solution is to replace the HVAC control module with an upgraded one. There is also another TSB 89-T-140 which deals with intermittent climate control and instrument cluster operation due to a faulty solder joint in central power supply. The fix is to replace the unit with an upgraded model. I recommend having the pros at YourMechanic diagnose the electrical issues and repair this problem for you.

Car starts, dashboard lights flicker, air conditioning shuts off
ANSWER : Hello there, thank you for asking about your 1993 Isuzu Pickup. It sounds like a bad ground in the instrument panel circuit. Looking at the wiring diagram, I see the AC heater control panel and instrument cluster share the same ground, which is designated G200. That is the first place I would start. Electrical diagnosis and repair can be tricky, so I suggest you have a professional look into this for you. A certified technician from YourMechanic can inspect your car’s electrical problems and make the necessary repairs.

2012 equinox reduced power light engine light and traction light came on. Lost a lot of power got home and all light except engine
ANSWER : Your car has what is called a "safe mode" that will be engaged by the computer when it detects that something critical has gone wrong related to any of the major components in your engine chassis or power train. This may be related to a number of things, most of which should have been registered in the computer when the check engine light came on. I recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to inspect your check engine light and diagnose any codes registered by your vehicle’s computer.

replaced heater core,,,now the car has no tail lights or brake lights,or dash lights,,took dashboard out again all plugs r hooked
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. The first thing to do is look at the wiring and try to find an error or any damage. The electronics for the systems you say are effected are mostly located right there under the drivers dashboard where you found the plug. You may want to locate a wiring diagram to help you figure out where the extra plug needs to go. You can replace the relay if you feel the need, however I strongly believe there is a bad connection under the dashboard. If you have access to a voltmeter, you can trace voltage and find where it drops off before making it to the components in question. For more help with electrical testing, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.

signals, daytime running lights are not working, park brake light on dash is on steady and chime is dinging steady 4×4 wont engage
ANSWER : This is likely a brake light switch problem. I would suggest testing the brake light switch which should be located down by the brake pedal. This may also be a computer problem as well as indicated by the other lights on in the dash. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your home to possibly replace the brake light switch and diagnose with a scanning tool which will download useful data from the truck’s computer indicating what specifically the problem may be.