help! no dash lights or turn signals

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SI_nister

Junior Member
OK, I've had an ongoing problem and i'm at my wits end. I installed my sound system on my own for the first time in my '00 SI. It sounds great but my dash lights and turn signals don't work. All indicator lights work (SRS, hi beam, e brake), but no cluster lights or heater controls. there is one extra wire (dimmer) on the aftermarket wire harness than on the stock honda harness. I"ve heard just tape it off as it's not necessary. there is an Illumination wire from aftermarket harness (orange w/ white stripe) and a "dash lights" wire on stock harness (orange). I originally connected the two and no luck. I've tried about every combination of wire connections and no luck. I figured i also blew a fuse so i used a voltage meter and tested all fuses under dash and in the engine compartment. all radio and dash light fuses register voltage, but about six fuses don't register anything. Which is funny because the fuses not reading any voltage are hi beam fuses, but my hi beams work fine. but i did replace the fuses and still no luck. could i possibly have damaged my fuse panel box, or is there something obvious i'm missing. If anybody can help i'll be forever in your debt!!!!!
 
well i take it you have an alpine headunit am i correct, if i am disconnect all illumination wires and this will be a step in the right direction. from there i would look at the dimmer switch because if the illumination wire was hooked up incorrectly and if it was an alpine radio then that means it was because the orange with a white stripe is a negative wire not a positive one, that will mean you possibly blew the dimmer switch. check that stuff and post back with an update
 
2000 HONDA CIVIC si-PIONEER DECK, NO TURN SIGNAL OR DASH LIGHTS

ive got an older (maybe 4 years old) pIONEER DEH-P4300 HEAD UNIT. i.ve basically tried all combinations of wiring the illumination and dimmer wires, i've left them disconnected and everything else i can think of. from everyone i've talked to and what i've read online i'm thinking it's a fuse/fuse box issue. everyone recommends using a multimeter which i did, and like i said the dash lights, radio and turn signal fuses read positive voltage, but don't work. a few fuses aren't reading and i've replaced them to no avail. i've seen nothing but suggestions on all the forums i've run across, CAN ANYONE HELP?????
 
check to see if your hazard light switch got disconnected. this will cut off your turn signals and four way lights.
 
i did disconnect my hazards which caused the directionals to not work. thanx get nick. I still can't figure out the damn dash lights!
 
which dash lights? do you mean the cluster or the ones behind your heater and such?
 
My dash cluster lights (speedo, tach) and heater control lights are OUT. The only lights on my entire dashboard that DO work are the Pioneer head unit and indicater lights on dash (hi beams, directional, low fuel, ect.) have you ever heard of this problem before??????????
 
haha, this same shit happened to me, only I was messing with the cigarrete lighter one day and i think I caused a short somewhere or maybe the dimmer switch went out.

eh, i dont care anyways. i use my phone to see at night, lol.
 
haha, this same shit happened to me, only I was messing with the cigarrete lighter one day and i think I caused a short somewhere or maybe the dimmer switch went out.

eh, i dont care anyways. i use my phone to see at night, lol.

been there before. it's probably the dimmer switch.
 
So did I burn out my dimmer switch when I wired up the deck originally? Is there anything else I should try before I buy a new switch? And if not, are you talkin about the actual piece that has the knob to adjust the brightness on the dash? And my last question is where can I find the cheapest one? I've been drivin my car with all the under dash panels off tryin to figure this problem out and it's KILLIN ME!!! thanx for the advice fellas...
 
first check to make sure it's plugged in. maybe the wires got cut or something happened on accident. i would say try a junk yard or see if someone has one to test out. i had to re-wire mine in my eg when it got stolen and ripped out.
 
by the way

Get nick have you ever heard of a volt meter not registering any voltage to about six fuses even after I replaced them with brand new ones? And could that possibly be related to my frustrating dash problem?
 
which ones are reading 0? there are a lot that don't do anything on the fuse board.
 
Cluster Lights not working.....

Okay, I do have a few suggestions.
First, is there anything stuck in the cig lighter.... anything that could cause a short and blow your fuses....

Second, the hi beams should only show voltage through the fuse when activated. This means that you would have to:
-Have the key to the IGN position
-Have the headlights on and the High Beams activated

Then test ALL of your fuses
...the ones under the steering wheel AND the ones under the hood.

Also inspect the wires under the dash, and in the radio location..
(I suggest using a flourescant shop light,
to see in those really tricky "installer/contortionist-accessible"places
for any damage or any chance that they've been cut or are grounding out.

Here's a couple of other questions:
Does the stock radio make everything work "hunky-dory" if you plug it back in?
If so, something's not wired right on your deck.
Has the car ever been broken into?
Check for damaged wires
Are any bulbs burnt out?
Check all your turn signals and marker lights.

Incidentally, I had one of the little lights burn out behind my Hot/Cold dial.

Honda Parts Assclown........:nutkick: :usuck: ........ tried to tell me that they
"don't sell individual builbs. You have to buy a new heater control"

At 300+$ I really don't believe this guy... does anyone know if there's a shred of truth.... I mean, they're only 6 volt bulbs..... they must make more of 'em?
 
firstly try bridging across the dimmer this should get lights to work if dimmer is at fault. my dimmer broke and i did that now my lights are at full brightness all the time. second the globes should be 1.2 or 1.7 watt 12v wedges and you should be able to pick them up at any trade stockist but you may have to reuse the existing globe holders
 
Actually, "jumping" or "bridging wires is a really good way to..... blow up something important!! I suggest NOT doing what deranger suggested. Any fool with half an electronics background would never suggest anything like that.... No offense deranger but, that's a really bad suggestion because I'm sure you, as well as everyone else on here knows just how expensive Honda parts can get.

My suggestion is that you should find out the replacement cost of any piece that you're planning to diagnose, then after you've made sure that it's not cheaper to let a Honda Tech fix it, go ahead and start crossing wires. They make a really neato popping sound when they backfeed into your ECU. Not from experience, but I did watch a friend do it. (I TRIED to warn him!)Let's just say it was expensive.;)

Rule of Thumb: "Do it right, or Pay someone else to do it"^_^
 
Thanks. I posted some photos you might like those too. They're of the starting point of my trunk build;)
 
actualy i do have expiereence , not to sound coky but i am an auto electrician and almost everyday we bridge past a suspect part in a circuit to iliminate it and diagnose the problem. all the dimmer switch is is a varible resistor, bridging across it would be like turning it on high. if you are unshore try using a test light to bridge across it, this has a globe in series to put a resistence across the circuit, better yet use an led or multimetres and check power at both ends and continuity across the dimmer, or best of all take it to someone who knows, like an auto electrician
 
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