Dash lights dont work

[CIRE5109]

I have a 1990 240sx and ever since i installed my aftermarket stereo my dash lights and the lights for the air conditioner stopped working. Some said it was because my stereo was not grounded correctly. Well i found a good ground so thats not the problem. All the light bulbs are good. I think i remember reading on these forums once that it shorted out something on a kickpanel that has to do with my console lights. If someone could please tell me the location of where to find these things then i could fix it. Thanks.

[gschroeder78]

Driverside kickpanel, pull off the fuse box cover. there should be a fuse marked Illumin, another on called electronics and maybe even the cigarette lighter. Check all of those. If none of them are bad, check all the rest. This is all for an S13 but is should be te same more or less, across the board.

[CIRE5109]

I checked all my fuses and they are all good. Does anybody have any other suggestions? Has anyone ever had this problem after installing an aftermarket stereo?

[Ozone240]

Where did you ground the stereo?  

If all the fuses check out then the Timing Control Unit may have blown.  It is a little white box that is in the driver's side kick panel.  There is a procedure for checking it in the FSM, but if you can find someone local and try using theirs might be easier.  


kevin

[dave240sx]

I've got the same problem, but I'm too lazy to go out and figure it out.  I've been told the the...(thinking)Dimmer Switch?? is bad.  But I havn't checked it out yet.

[LexusRules]

ever since i installed my 180sx cluster the lights on the cluster dont light up and it dont work at all.. do you guys think its the fuses or some wiring? i dont think i wired it wrong i dont know why it wouldn't work... but the little lights do come up on it like the battery light is always on for some reason and the e-brake light flashes.. wtf

[RedlineRacer]

You can tell if you have a bad ground or not cause your head unit lights and sometimes even your interior lights will fade whenever it hits bass. I use not have a good ground for mine and it would blink with the music. I guess it is kinda cool if you like that gay stuff, but i hated seeing it.

[crxcess]

Did anyone ever figure the lights out problem? Im there now too. No bad fuses here either.

[Uniac]

i had somthign similar happen, It turned out to be the ground wire that connects the block to the enigne bay.

[themeaningfulsn]

yeah i got the same problem, i changed the dimmer switch and it was'nt the problem. All the bulbs work i tried that. I have no clue to what the problem actually is. Please help me

[crxcess]

Ok this is what I did to fix it.
First remove the cluster, then pull out your digital volt meter. Check the dc voltage across the contacts of the large bulbs. I found that my cluster had voltage on both sides. I looked at the ground circut and found that it ends on the black connector with a red/orange wire 3rd wire from the end. I disconnected that from the harness and jumpered it to a ground. Your lights should work after that. The only drawback is that the dimmer dosnt work anymore and the climate control panel has no lights. I will try to figure out the source of the problem later...most likely the control module.

[crxcess]

Did this help anyone?

[rsxyz]

check the timing control unit on the driver side kick panel , it should be a little white box that looks like its made out of white plastic material , take that off and open it up , check to see if any of the connections are burnt out , mine was , and you have to look very closely at it , and also if you do have a burnt connection solder it back up and everything will be fine =)

[mike9808]

Ok this is what I did to fix it.
First remove the cluster, then pull out your digital volt meter. Check the dc voltage across the contacts of the large bulbs. I found that my cluster had voltage on both sides. I looked at the ground circut and found that it ends on the black connector with a red/orange wire 3rd wire from the end. I disconnected that from the harness and jumpered it to a ground. Your lights should work after that. The only drawback is that the dimmer dosnt work anymore and the climate control panel has no lights. I will try to figure out the source of the problem later...most likely the control module.

did you ever find a fix

[mike9808]

got this 1992 240sx for my son no dash lights small bulbs work large bulbs have power to both sides when i turn lights on /and no hud its inop any help would be great just trying to be a good dad thanks mike

[bb4_96]

Try removing the stereo head unit. If it starts working the wiring is your problem. If it doesn't work and it did work before you installed it you fried something when you installed it. I doubt its the tcu if its only the hvac lights that re off. tcu affects cluster lights.

[conrad_s13.5]

unless its all running lights,...cluster are known to just go out sometimes too

theyre like 20years old