Hello,

I searched all past instrument panel related problems but couldn't find what I needed. Anyway I was looking for a 12v cable (to power custom gauge bezels) and screwed up big time in the process. I didn't think about using the cable that goes into the cd deck for some reason but its too late now.
Anyway, I removed the driver side vent (the one where the cruise control button is located). So I simply unplugged the cruise control plug from the button (to give a visualization). There are 4 wires that are part of that plug. Two red ones (one of them obv having a stripe), some other misc color, and a black. I figured one of the red cables would be the 12v I was looking for, and the black would be my ground cable. Well obviously neither of the possible connections worked (w/ me switching the pairs of red1-black and red2-black if that makes sense). My idea was exposing a decent size gap to allow me to connect what I needed to connect and that I would just electrical tape it up when I discovered a connection that worked.
Well when I let go of the plug to grab my gauge cluster, somehow (with my luck) the exposed areas of both the red cables crossed, sparked, and I immediately noticed the sound that bleeps when you leave your headlights on shut off. So I taped up the connections and restored everything as it was before. The cruise control works just fine, and my cd deck works fine as well. However, the lighting in both my entire gauge cluster and dash went out. Basically everything that would light up when you put the what I think are called fog/standby lights (orange, the click before the headlights) don't work. So, using common knowledge I checked the fuses. They appeared to be in perfect condition so I even swapped it with another one of the same rating level and it still didn't do anything. My only quess is that maybe I burned some kind of wire somewhere.

So heres what works:
-everything in gauge except lighting
-engine/blinker/empty gas tank/etc. gauge indications
-blinkers/emergency lights
-headlights/high beams
-cruise control
-key/door open sound

Heres what doesn't work:
-interior lighting (gauge, dash)
-fog light/orange lights
-headlights left on sound/door open at same time


I'm stuck on what I should do. I really don't want to take it into the dealership because I don't want them telling me I need a new gauge cluster or telling me I need way more than I really do. Also I don't want to take it in because everything installed in my car is custom. I don't want to waste a $110 custom gauge bezels for instrument lighting, and I custom soldered all the cables together for my cd deck (I didn't purchase a factory plug converter thing). So I really don't want another tech to touch the setup just because I have it setup the way I like it and they would hate to deal with the whole thing.
I do realize that this could be more serious then antisipated.

 

Just to update: I figured out problem. In fact it was a fuse that I blew. It was the "license plate" light fuse which I guess is the same fuse for the entire instrument panel light as well as the orange and rear lights.