crazycaucazian86

This is for a 96 Civic Hatchback btw...

Ok I had my old UNGO alarm replaced with a brand new Viper 791xv unit. Since the install the backlights of my gauge cluster would not light up, and my dimmer switch when adjusted anywhere in the middle (meaning not fully adjusted to the left or right) made my alpine headunit flicker.

I had spoke to my friend that did the alarm install (who is also a install manager at bestbuy) and he said that they do not hook up the illumination orange wire on headunit installs because it sometimes makes the dimmer switchs go bad on honda civics. So with that said I immediately thought that maybe my dimmer switch was bad...BUT...

my dimmer switch still seemed to work since it was able to dim the AC controls still...but it had no affect on the lights on the gauge cluster. The ONLY things that light up on the gauge cluster is the CEL, SRS, Indicator Lights, Highbeam lights and so on...

Since this problem has occured, I have checked all my fuses (no blown fuses)...I have tried three different dimmer switchs (all confirmed to work on other hondas). All with no luck. I have checked the bulbs on the back of the gauge cluster (none of them blown).

Now where I stand is...basically no where...I have no idea what it could be. The back of the gauge cluster looks perfectly fine...does not look charred at all. I followed the wiring under the dash and nothing looks melted or burnt. I checked all fuses from under the hood to under the dash...

I have done countless searchs all over the boards and can't think of any other solution to this problem.

What should i do?

(the only thing I have not checked is checked the wiring from the dimmer switch connector and followed it into the black wire taped bundle it seems to go through...I'm kind of afraid to unwrap it and mess up something...although I am not a noob when it comes to wiring I can if I have to do it)

fcm

If you have an aftermarket HU, pull it and check the wiring, pay attention the the red/black lead in the radio harness, [illumination], make sure it is not shorting to or connected to anything, the same goes for the red lead, illumination ground, [from "Dash Light Brightness Controller", sometimes called dimmer switch], make sure neither of the leads is being used for anything on the HU.

Is it just the gauge lights or are all the dash lights out?94

crazycaucazian86

it is just the backlights of the gauge cluster that does not work, the ac control lights work. I will check on the wiring on the headunit when i get a chance. I appreciate your help big time.

crazycaucazian86

ok i checked all the wires...everything looks fine, now what should i do? the only portion of wires i didnt not check was where the red/black wire from the dimmer switch which follows down into a bundle of wires covered in wire tape...

its not a messy bundle, its tightly wrapped and looks professional...but thats the only portion of wires i have not yet looked at.

crazycaucazian86

ok i decided to get a test light and test the wire connections to see if it lights up...the red black wire on the back of the cluster on the connecting harness does light up but its a very very faint light that comes up as opposed to the really bright light we get one testing any of the other connector leads...

i am going to test tomorrow with a multimeter...what should the voltage be out of the red/black wire on the connecting harness?

i have also ruled out the idea that the cluster was bad because i used my friends cluster that was proven to work and it did the same exact thing...

no back illumination lights on the cluster...

fcm

The voltage at any red/black lead should be around 12.5V, [when park/head lights are on], test the red/black at some other point, radio harness or at the Dash Lights Brightness Controller to see what kind of voltage you get at them.

You will also need to check the red lead, [ground for illumination bulbs] it should test as a ground with full continuity to ground when DLBC is turned all the way up and no continuity when turned all the way down.

There should be no "aftermarket" wiring connected to the red/black, or any, wiring comming from the DLBC, [dimmer switch].94

crazycaucazian86

using the multimeter...

NOTE: this is with the parking/headlights on.

i tested the red/black lead from the Dash Lights Brightness Control (Dimmer Switch...) and got a reading of 11.59v.

with the DLBC switch disconnected I also tested the red/black lead on the cluster harness and got the same reading of 11.58v-11.59v.

when i attached the DLBC switch back to its connector, i then try the red/black lead on the gauge cluster and got a voltage of 1.05v (fully adjusted to the left, BRIGHTEST) and a reading of 6.8v (fully adjusted to the right, DIMMEST).

crazycaucazian86

i tested for continuity but i have no idea what im doing...i am using a craftsman multimeter and when the headlights are on and DLBC connected, i test the red lead (ground illumination) and i get either a high pitched sound or a low pitched sound when the DLBC is fully adjusted to the right or left.

crazycaucazian86

ok i tried to test once more and with the DLBC controller connected and fully adjusted to the DIMMEST position which is the right...i get a low pitched sound at the red lead. When it is fully adjusted to the left the BRIGHTEST setting I get no noise at all. I am testing at the connecting harnesses for the cluster.

now when i take the DLBC controller off while the gauge cluster is disconnected, i test the red lead with parking lights on and get no noise, but when i turn the lights off i get a high pitched sound from both the gauge cluster connector and dlbc connector harness on the red lead

crazycaucazian86

ok nm, it has been fixed, my original installer came and remedied the situation...god its so nice to have cluster lights on now...its been about 2 months now finally haha...

fcm

So what was it? 94

crazycaucazian86

he said the original installer of the old UNGO alarm (which is now viper 791xv) tapped a wire at the red/black lead and apparently it was okay for a little bit till i had mentioned to him later on that somethings began to not work...

once he installed the new alarm, he tapped into the same wire as the old installer and his reasoning was that the viper alarm probably was drawing too much power to tip the scales and make the cluster not work...

he ended up doing it the proper way tapping the wire elsewhere and it works beautifully...

also fixed some of my speaker wires since the previous owner did a total **** job of everything...