dash lights quit working after cd install. not a blown fuse. help!
07-24-2005, 02:09 AM
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dash lights quit working after cd install. not a blown fuse. help! ok i just put in my Kameleon cd player last night and everything was working fine. tonight when i left work i didn't have any dash lights. as soon as i got home i checked all fuses. i checked the one inside the car as well as the two under the hood. all of them are good. i was very careful when putting it in not to let any wires touch anything. i pulled it back out about a hour ago and all the wires look fine. anyone have any idea as to what i have done? btw i did use a harness adapter, if that helps. is it possible that the bulbs blew? i know that's a long shot but i really have no idea why it would work one night AFTER i put the cd player in and then the next night it craps out. it's not a huge deal but i would really like to have my lights back. any suggestions of what i could try to figure out what the problem is would be VERY welcome. thanks guys.....zac
btw i did a search for this but only came up with people having problems with the gauges not working. everything works but the lights.
btw i did a search for this but only came up with people having problems with the gauges not working. everything works but the lights.
07-25-2005, 08:30 AM
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There's probably no chance that all the instrument panel, HVAC, radio, ashtray, PRNDL, and door switch illumination bulbs would go out at the same time. I suggest you recheck the fuse (#16 - IP DIMMER - 5 amp). Don't just pull it and look at it - put a new one in. Sometimes fuses look fine but are actually blown.
07-25-2005, 08:20 PM
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checked all fuses again and still nothing. replaced a few of the older ones including the one you mentioned but it didn't change anything. my radio plays fine and it lights up. i have headlights and interior lights just no dash or ac control lights. i never had a bulb in the ashtray. any thing else anyone can think of that i could check?? thanks......zac
07-28-2005, 02:31 AM
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umm no that was the first thing i checked when it first started. is there a chance that the dimmer switch went out? any help would be appriciated. i gotta drive her again sat and would like to figure out what is wrong by then. thanks guys....zac 
07-28-2005, 11:14 AM
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did you hook up the dimmer wire off the harness? there are probably two, an orange and an orange w white stripe. orange is a park light wire and orange with white is your dimmer wire, check to see if these wires are touching. I usually never use these but some people like to.
08-27-2005, 10:21 PM
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ok still having the same problem. i checked the wire you were talkign about and i hooked it up right. my wife just had a baby so i haven't been driving my car till now. one thing that is new, don't know if it has done it since start and i didn't notice it or not. i don't have any tail lights i do have brake lights. i know i'm gonna get pulled over for this crap and i'm not sure what could be the problem. like i said before i appriciate any suggestions of things to check. thanks again......zac 
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08-28-2005, 09:24 PM
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I would suggest you check your fuses again. Don't just look at them - either use a tester or replace them with known good ones. Fuses can be blown but still look good. The fuses to check are labeled TAIL LPS, PWR ACCY, GAUGES, and IP DIMMER. All are related to the instrument panel and/or taillights in various ways.
01-06-2006, 02:39 PM
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i know this thread is from a while back, but did you ever find out a solution to this problem...same thing happened to me, as soon as i put on an aftermarket cd player the lights didnt work all of a sudden...my tcs light does work and so does my airbag but just the gauge lights and the a/c control lights dont work
01-06-2006, 03:37 PM
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Originally Posted by jorLT1
i know this thread is from a while back, but did you ever find out a solution to this problem...same thing happened to me, as soon as i put on an aftermarket cd player the lights didnt work all of a sudden...my tcs light does work and so does my airbag but just the gauge lights and the a/c control lights dont work
01-09-2006, 01:22 PM
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well i got home the other day and i decided to just change every fuse on the side of the dash and all of a sudden they started working...i have no idea what it actually was thought but as long as they work
01-09-2006, 08:03 PM
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I think its the power accessory fuse inside the vehicle. I changed out a HU the other day and had a similar problem. I didn't have an odometer, interior lights, the remote hatch didn't work and prolly some other things I didn't check. I thought I'd wired something wrong as well but it was the power accessory...15amp blue fuse right in the middle of the fuse box. Wasn't obvious right away either.
09-20-2015, 05:51 PM
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did you hook up the dimmer wire off the harness? there are probably two, an orange and an orange w white stripe. orange is a park light wire and orange with white is your dimmer wire, check to see if these wires are touching. I usually never use these but some people like to.
I'm having this problem right now.. only gauge lights won't turn on. They went out as I was going over tracks and I pulled my CD player out and both of my orange wires were exposed.. Im thinking they grouneed out. But what would this do I have checked and changed all necessary fuses and still have no gauge lights
09-20-2015, 08:39 PM
#15
Unless there is a broken wire somewhere, it is almost certainly a fuse. Check the TAIL LPS and IP DIMMER fuses along with the POWER ACCY fuse. Never rely on a visual inspection - old fuses can blow without looking blown - always use a fuse tester or replace with a known good fuse.
10-14-2015, 07:48 PM
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Taillight fuse fixed mine I had blown the interior hatchback open fuse which is the accessory fuse then noticed instrument lights were out but still flashed when I used remote door lock. Instrument fuse was OK. I checked all other fuses all OK, or at least I thought they were. Cleaned dimmer switch and checked wires to it and headlight switch. Then I noticed no parking lights and no taillights. Replaced blown taillight fuse and instrument lights, lights on alarm (which I didn't know wasn't working,) taillights, & parking lights all work now. Fuse is 20 amp 2nd from left top on my 1998 Firebird. /U][/[
ok i just put in my Kameleon cd player last night and everything was working fine. tonight when i left work i didn't have any dash lights. as soon as i got home i checked all fuses. i checked the one inside the car as well as the two under the hood. all of them are good. I was very careful when putting it in not to let any wires touch anything. I pulled it back out about a hour ago and all the wires look fine. anyone have any idea as to what i have done? btw i did use a harness adapter, if that helps. is it possible that the bulbs blew? i know that's a long shot but i really have no idea why it would work one night AFTER i put the cd player in and then the next night it craps out. it's not a huge deal but i would really like to have my lights back. any suggestions of what i could try to figure out what the problem is would be VERY welcome. thanks guys.....zac
btw i did a search for this but only came up with people having problems with the gauges not working. everything works but the lights.
btw i did a search for this but only came up with people having problems with the gauges not working. everything works but the lights.
Last edited by eyeu81; 10-14-2015 at 07:51 PM. Reason: Spelling error
09-04-2016, 11:59 PM
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Having same problem currently. All the fuses look good, but, the dimmer fuse, and gauges fuse are showing no power to them when I'm using a test light. Tried replacing both with no luck.
09-05-2016, 12:21 PM
#18
The IP DIMMER fuse is fed from the headlight switch through the dimmer switch. You must have the lights on and the dimmer turned up for there to be any power at the fuse.
The GAUGES fuse is fed directly from the ignition switch. You must have the ignition in the START or RUN position for there to be any power to the fuse.
The GAUGES fuse is fed directly from the ignition switch. You must have the ignition in the START or RUN position for there to be any power to the fuse.