Hi,

I just bought a 97 accord. If i turn on the parking lights or headlights the dash lights, heater lights, shifter light all turn off. However if i turn the headlight switch to off the dash lights and the side back lights and the light on buzzer turn on and stay on until the battery is dead. Everything else works except the ac and i am not sure if the condenser is good or not. All other lights work as expected, radio works, heater, horn, everything else works fine. Anyone ever heard of this?

 

sounds like someones been tampering with your wires and crossed one backwards.

as a matter of fact, (I have a 94, ((same body style)) but still could be a lil different) check on the dash to the left of the steering colum, and you'll see a dimmer switch. pop that dimmer switch out and see if your dashlights go out (which they should) and in that case, could be a bad dimmer.

P.S. don't let your battery die too many times, not good for it and won't keep a charge as well and can make a simple grocery trip turn into a nightmare.

 

this little doo-hicky.

 

When the combination light switch is turned to parking or headlights, the small lights (e.g., dash lights, heater control panel, glove box light, moonroof switch (if equipped), A/T gear position light, etc.) suppose to also turn on.

On your car, it is doing the opposite. If you just bought the car, the previous owner may have had a problem with the interior small lights and connected a different power wire to the small lights. Usually, they try to hook up a different power wire to the red/blk wire at the dimmer switch (aka dashlight brightness controller). Either ask the previous owner if they did something like that or look for some hack job near the dimmer switch or somewhere under the driver's side dash.

 

The dimmer switch does nothing with the dash lights on or off. I looked around and didnt notice anything. I did notice the positive battery cable was loose earlier in the daytime. This problem is probably why. So do you think it is the dimmer switch wires are backwards or the headlight switch is faulty?

 

I feel that the dimmer switch may work if the dash lights would come on when they are supposed to (when the headlights or parking lights are turned on). The only time the dash lights come on is when the headlight switch is turned to off. Which the dimmer switch would have no operation anyway

 

the lights run through the ECU to the dimmer switch to your dash. with the dimmer switch unplugged or taken out, the dash lights should NOT work at all. If that's the case, I'd try to replace that switch or look at the wires plugged into it and see if any have been tampered with or ran somewhere else. (like to another switch perhaps)

 

it sounds like it's been wired wrong and something somewhere is back feeding causing your lights to come on when they aren't told to. Hence, I'm trying to help you narrow it down.

 

The lights do not run through the ECU.

 

then what completes the circuit from the dimmer switch to the dash? I thought it had power coming from the ECU. Does it come from somewhere else?

 

Here is how the circuit runs to the small lights inside the cabin. I won't get into the details regarding the taillights, license plate light, etc.

1. Power (+) from Fuse 32 (15A) (Underhood fuse box) feeds a Red/Grn wire to the 20P Blue Connector (Connector C413 located under driver’s dash) and then to the Headlight Switch.

2. When the Headlight Switch is turned ON (Parking lights or Headlights), power from the Red/Grn wire then feeds a Red/Blk wire via the 20P Blue Connector – C413. The Red/Blk wire then plugs into the back of the underdash fuse box via a 16P Gray Connector (Connector C407).

3. Power from the Red/Blk wire at C407 then runs through the underdash fuse box to feed the 18P Gray Connector (Connector C751- plugged into the front of the fuse box).

C751 feeds the power for lighting to the Dashlight Brightness Control (dimmer), Cruise Control Main Switch, Sunroof Switch, Cigarette Lighter, Heater Control Panel, Hazard Switch, Read Window Defogger Switch, and Glove Box Light via red/blk wires. Red/Blk wires supply the power (+).

4. The ground (-) for the small lights comes via a black wire from Ground G401 through the dashlight brightness controller (aka dimmer), and then through various red wires (supplying ground (-)) to the various small lights in the cabin. The exception is the glove box light, which gets its ground via a black wire directly from Ground G404.

 

oh yeah? well you know what?







..........I didn't know that.


so

 

Well i tried replacing the head light switch and that wasnt it. If i unplug the dimmer switch the dash lights still stay on. Anyone think that changing the dimmer switch will fix it? Or not?

 

Ok so what would make the red wire constantly hot? I think i have the wires followed to the plug in the picture but if i unplug that the shifter lights still stay on when the car is off. I checked the red and red and black wires to make sure they were in the right spots in the harness and they look correct.

 

The headlights are always hot, that's why they turn on without the ignition being turned on. I also think it might be the dimmer switch/**** being the culprit.

 

I am not talking about the wires to the headlights. The red wire on the dimmer switch is always hot when it is supposed to be a ground. I tried a new dimmer switch and it started smoking as soon as i plugged it in. Probably due to this red wire.

 

You probably mean the Red/Blk wire. The Red/Blk wire should not be constantly hot. It only suppose to receive power (+) for the small lights when the headlight switch turned to parking lights or headlights.

The previous owner may have had a problem with the interior small lights and connected a different power wire to the small lights. From the dimmer switch, the Red/Blk wire comes from a 20P blue junction connector behind the cluster area before it comes from the 18P blue connector at the dash fuse box (in your picture). But, before it comes from that 18P blue connector, it comes from Connector C413 (a 20P blue connector) above the left kick panel area which goes to another connector at the back of the dash fuse box. --Check the Red/Blk wire at Connector C413.

 

The Red/Blk wire is for power (+) to the small lights. The Red wire is ground (-) coming through the dimmer. If the Red wire has power, then something is hooked up improperly.


What I mentioned previously:
"On the dimmer switch, the three wires are terminal 1 (Red/Blk), terminal 2 (Red), terminal pin 3 (Black).

- Red/Blk is a red colored wire with a black stripe running through it, that is the power (+) wire and only should have power when the headlight switch is turned to Park or Headlight.

- Blk wire is the ground (-) wire coming from ground G401. The ground will eventually go through to the Red wire from the dimmer switch.

- Red wire is ground (-) which the dimmer switch controls by varying the resistance when you turn the ****. The higher the resistance, less ground (-) current goes through and the lights are dimmed. The lower the resistance, more ground (-) current goes through and the lights are brighter."

 

That's why I hate g rigging anything. It just makes it harder to fix again later.

 

No i am talking about terminal 2 red wire is constantly hot. The red/black wire is working the way it is supposed to

 

Based on the circuit diagram wiring, the following are areas where the Red wire from the dimmer switch goes to:

• A/T gear position console light
• Hazard warning switch
• Cigarette lighter
• Gauge assembly
• Moonroof switch
• Cruise control main switch
• Rear window defogger switch
• Heater control panel
• the 18P blue connector in front of the dash fuse box (in your picture)
• Connector (18P blue connector) at back of dash fuse box