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Thread ID: 81871 2007-08-09 10:19:00 Car Dash Lights not working any ideas? radium (8645) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
578704 2007-08-09 10:19:00 The backlight on my dash when the lights are turned on has stopped working. I've checked the fuses but they all seem fine. I haven't checked the fuses under the bonnet yet just the ones inside the car? Could it be one of those?

I have a Mitzi Galant bout a 92 model.

I just put a new car stereo in but don't recall damaging any wires.
But I guess I did something wrong.

I had a couple of wires left over from the old stereo plug, I wasn’t sure what they were as I connected the speakers,the power and the ignition. I don’t have an amp or motorized aerial.
the stereo works fine.

Could these extra wires be connected some how to the dash lights. i.e. Like when you turn the lights on the stereo lights up, maybe I broke the circuit?

I am going to pull the stereo back out and have a look in the weekend, would just like some ideas.

Failing that I will just have to take it to the auto electrician, But I hoping to avoid that at the moment.


Any suggestions?

Thanks Guys
radium (8645)
578705 2007-08-09 10:48:00 blown bulb ? tweak'e (69)
578706 2007-08-09 11:06:00 My old car did this. If you take a sharp corner on a gravel road at a reasonable speed, it sometimes turns on. Try that. roddy_boy (4115)
578707 2007-08-09 11:21:00 Once you take a dash apart it's never the same. Perhaps if you crane your head down under the steering wheel you might see some access to the area under the dash.

There might also be some hidden screws in your centre console (behind the ashtray - that sort of thing) that if you undo allow access to wiring or bulbs.

Oh, and given that internet forums are the world's slowest search engines - have you tried a fast one like Google for your problem?
Deane F (8204)
578708 2007-08-09 11:28:00 I have sorted the problem, I googled it. It seems other people did the same as me.

I had used the illumination wire as the earth wire, which blew the fuse under the hood.

I earthed the stereo to the car and replaced the fuse and I now have dash board lights again. At least I can see how fast I'm going now.

Thanks for your ideas guys.

Cheers
radium (8645)
578709 2007-08-09 19:15:00 Damn. I should have noticed this thread yesterday. I was doing the same thing (inserting new stereo) and same thing happened. As per your case, was the fuse under the hood (91 Toyota Corona) Myth (110)
578710 2007-08-09 21:01:00 I did exactly the same thing when installing a stereo in a 93 Mazda Familia. Saw the green cable, thought, yip, thats the earth, connected it and each time I turned the headlights on, the driving light fuse blew. Took freaking ages to figure out what the problem was, but finally did, by trial and error.

The light around your cigarrete lighter hasn't stopped working aswell by any chance, has it? :lol: Had that happen in an 88 Lancer, the power for the light around the cigarette lighter was connected to the same cable that the backlight for the old stereo was connected to, so when you disconnected the stereo, that light stopped working too. There was some strange double back arrangement going on. Stupid Japanese engineering. :p
wratterus (105)
578711 2007-08-10 08:18:00 The light around your cigarrete lighter hasn't stopped working aswell by any chance, has it? :lol: Had that happen in an 88 Lancer, the power for the light around the cigarette lighter was connected to the same cable that the backlight for the old stereo was connected to, so when you disconnected the stereo, that light stopped working too. There was some strange double back arrangement going on. Stupid Japanese engineering. :p

It had stopped as well but it's all good now yeah Stupid Jap wiring. :lol:
radium (8645)
578712 2007-08-11 10:25:00 It had stopped as well but it's all good now yeah Stupid Jap wiring. :lol: Doesn't sound like stupid Jap wiring to me. Sounds like stupid and 'out of their depth' Kiwi DIY'ers who don't know how to identify wiring, or test that they have it right. :D

Cheers

Billy 8-{) :p
Billy T (70)
578713 2007-08-11 12:12:00 I don't understand why someone who's spent a load of money on a headunit would risk damaging it cos they're too tight or stupid to get it installed. Most car stereo installers would do a standard install in less than an hour, $50 Phil B (648)
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