Lussan

I went to take my 2001 Honda Civic DX in for emissions, everything appeared to be going in order and my car was ready to pass the emissions test (no check engine light, or negative codes on my vehicle) but when the emissions tester went to turn the key over to see the check engine light flash on and then go off, the check engine light didn't come on at all. He told me to check my fuses and also the bulbs on my cluster to see if they were all functional. I did both. I went and purchased new bulbs (the#74 ones) and replaced all of the bulbs on the back of my cluster. I also checked my fuse box to make sure none of my fuses were blown.

The only lights that light up on my dash are the E-Brake light, the seat-belt light, and the "maintenance required" light (the maintenance required one only comes on for a brief moment when I'm starting up my vehicle).

This car also has an aftermarket radio as well as aftermarket speakers. I have heard of individuals that install the aftermarket radio incorrectly and end up frying their cluster or CPU, but because some of the lights are working on my dash it gives me reason to believe that neither my cluster or my CPU has been fried. Also I was informed that the battery was disconnected at one point when the previous owner was working on this vehicle. Other than that, this vehicle has no mechanical issues at all and hasn't given me any driving issues what so ever.

Any ideas of what this issue could be?

NDNV

The aftermarket audio install may have caused some of the dash lights not to illuminate. Is this a new issue or has this been an issue for awhile? Some aftermarket stereos want you to tap into the illumination circuit for the stereos backlights so you can control them with the dimmer **** in your dash. Usually this tapping results in lost dash lights. Is your dimmer **** turned to full brightness?

Lots of hits on google with "some dash lights out aftermarket stereo civic"...

Lussan

I took out the face center area where the radio is and checked the wiring, and the two orange dimmer wires are not connected and are taped off.

Lussan

Turns out the previous owner took out the dimmer light switch and put in a switch for lights belove the car. I took a look at the switch and the dimmer wires are ran through it. Is there away for me to change this?

fcm

Reinstall the stock DLBC, [Dash Light Brightness Controller] install the switch for the "lights belove the car" someplace else.

The under dash fuse box has power "free-pins" to get power from, one of them is a park light power, use it so you can never forget the lights are on. 94

Lussan

Is there a guide to install a DLBC floating around anywhere in the forum? Also how do I uninstall this switch for the lights below the car? Do I have to purchase a DLBC from Honda or are they found at places such as AutoZone?

fcm

DLBC will have to come from Honda or your local bone yard, [Picknpull].

My guess is the PO unplugged the DLBC and installed a jumper so dash lights would work, he may also have used the illumination power to the DLBC for power for the lights, so check out behind the dash for the DLBC plug, hopefully the numb-nut did not just cut the plug off.

As for the lights below the car , by the look of that switch there is no relay, [wired direct] so a power into the switch a power out of the switch to the lights and a ground for the indicator light in the switch.

Hard to say without knowing exactly how the switch is wired now, a relay should have been used, you will just have to fallow the leads on the switch and see where they go. 94