rickjames8

I've got a 94 Civic VX. I had a couple dash lights out in the gauge cluster, and the other day I started the car and they were ALL out. All fuses look ok. I pulled the gauge cluster out just a little with the headlights on and moved it around a bit, no change, not even a flicker. I pulled a bulb out and it looked ok (thinking maybe some surge could have burnt them all out at once??).

My heater control lights have never really worked since I bought the car 3 months ago. They came on one random night, and never again. That doesn't bother me. I would however like to see my speed at night.

Any ideas where to start?

Laughing Man

This may sound stupid, but by chance did you turn the dimmer switch down all the way by mistake?

Dasnegro

I know those dimmer switches go all the time to to a scrap hard pull a few of them out and try that should fix the problem

rickjames8

Thanks for that. I can't believe I never even considered the dimmer switch. I went out to the car thinking I'd look like a true idiot if it had just been turned down.

So, there's 3 wires from back of the switch: Red(w/1silver) - Black - Red(w/2silver). Can I jump 2 of them to bypass the switch? I cant say I ever need to turn the lights half way down.

Fliptard

Sometimes, with EG's at least, if the dimmer switch burns out, it can actually burn out something in the cluster and it won't light up ever again. From what I've read.

Dasnegro

So, there's 3 wires from back of the switch: Red(w/1silver) - Black - Red(w/2silver). Can I jump 2 of them to bypass the switch? I cant say I ever need to turn the lights half way down.[/QUOTE]


No

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

What do you mean the fuses LOOK okay? Which fuses did you check and exactly how did you check them? I've seen waaaaay too many people claim they checked fuses and it turn out to be a fuse. There's one under the hood you need to check as well.

rickjames8

I mean I pulled the ones from under the dash which I thought could have been tied in with dash lights (I think it was 2) by the description and they did not appear blown (there was one which specifically said "dash and cig lighter"). Then I checked the ones under the hood, and if I'm not mistaken, there is one which is 7.5A which feeds power to the clock and maybe the back-up lights, and that one was fine too. This was the only underhood one I thought had a chance of being tied to dash lights.

I didn't pull all fuses and check them, because I figured ones for the AC system or similar things obviously could not be it.

If the dash lights are tied to a fuse which might not seem logical by the description on the panel markings, please let me know which ones to check. Thanks.

rickjames8

Massive thanks to the people who pointed me in the way of the dimmer switch. Once I knew that, I did some more searches and you can in fact jump the red and the black and it works like a charm. No dimmer, but I have dash lights which go on and off with the parking lights. Will work until I can get a new switch.

lostforawhile

I was going to say the switch or the module, the dimmer switch only controls the dimmer module

NVturbo

it's the "ILLUMINATION" orange wire at the radio harness. More than likely, it's not securely covered and it grounded out.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

^^^This. Aftermarket radio installed?
And a visual inspection of fuses many times misses blown fuses.

lostforawhile

right, but often times it takes out the illumination controller when it shorts