SkaterAJR

I installed my new head unit today and i got it in ok and everything, and it works fine. But once everything was done and put back together i relized that the dashboard lights and running lights did not work. The rear defrost switch, whidsheild iper, and hazards switches work just not the dash lights. Originally i thought it could be a fuse, osi went down that route. I tryed to identify what fuse it would be but couldnt really tell, i replaced a couple but still nothin. So my quesiton is if it is a fuse, which one is it, or is it something more serious that might tkae a little time and money to fix.

-Any ideas would be great

-Thanks, Andrew

GXLBidwell

not sure! but there maybe a wire for the radio illumination, that if is not connected would not complete the circit? just a thought

rs_1101

i had the exact same problem. where did you connect the + cable (not acc). theres only a couple wires you can do it to properly. in my car its been t spliced into the ignition column and it doesnt blow. just make sure you dont mess with any wiring except the radio, you could damage your headlight switch

HeffBoost

Could the addition of the new stereo illumination be the straw that broke the camel's back? That circuit seems to be right on the edge after all these years anyway.

Do your taillights work? If not I'd look into your HL switch/harness. If you find either melted, fix/replace it and then put a 30A relay on the taillights - problem solved.

SkaterAJR

my brake lights work but the tails dont, same deal?

Icemark

what did you hook up to the factory Red/black at the back of the radio??? Many micky mouse installers hook the aftermarket radio ground to this wire (which would be way way wrong and cause your problems).

The tail lights and dash lights get their power from the same fuse. The brake lights get their power from a different fuse.

SkaterAJR

There was already another wiring harness in there becuase hte previous owner had a tape deck in there, so what it sounds like is that the circut is fried because the cd player is drawing to much power?

Icemark

no, it sounds like micky mouse installed the radio to the incorrect wires or you have shorted the red/black, and blown the tail fuse.

SkaterAJR

i tryed replacing that fuse its not it. its nothin to do with the wiring im pretty sure becuase its useing the same wirnig harness as before, and before it was jut fine, im pretty sure its the circut is being overloaded with the new cd player, but whatever thanks anyway im gona try all your guys suggestions until somethin works

Thanks agian, Andrew

Icemark

If you over load the circuit it blows the fuse... you can not overload that circuit without that happening.

Your other option is that (as covered countless times and in the FAQ for FC at the top of this section) is that you burnt out the light switch and it happened at the same time as your install.

But the fact that you do not know what is attached to the factory red/black wire at the back of the radio screams that you or your installer screwed up. Perhaps the wire was not used with the last radio install, and it is now.

You will need to get in there and test the red/black wire. If it is dead (with the parking light switch on), then you will need to check (with a multi-meter) the fuse in the fuse box. If it is good, and the wire is still dead, then you will need to look at the back of the light switch and read the bloody FAQ for FC before posting next time.

WAYNE88N/A

Make sure you're checking the right fuse- it should be the 15A "illum" fuse, either the top, or second row down in your cabin fuse box...

rs_1101

CHRIST NO DONT DO THAT ARE YOU RETARDED!>? if you push a 30amp in there, now congratulations, youre drawing all that power through your DASH SWITCH.. then you will have burnt harness. i can almost guarantee as long as you dont do the 30amp thing you wont have to fix any harness.

first off, unhook the cd player and see if your lights work with a new fuse. double check the fuses.
if the lights work again, you should simply rethink how youre going about this install.

HeffBoost

Are you high? Do you understand how a relay works? It will do the opposite of what you said and route the power through the relay instead of the switch.

Wow, I realize misinformation is rampant on the net, but jeez. I think you're the one who's the tard.

rs_1101

no you see, i tried that. 4 feet of replaced harness later, i decided i wouldnt do it again. and i am sry.. i didnt see hl harness, the harness hes prolly looking for is the illum fuse, which is the top one on the right. thats the fuse he has blowing, because his stereo is wired incorrectly, but to be fair, there could be hundreds of things wrong with his car, b/c i dont know exactly how he wired it, but what i do know is never put a higher fuse than specified in your car.

SkaterAJR

sweet i fixed it thanks a lot guys

P.S. rs101 you were right

P.S.S. IceMark anytime I post anything u tell be to read FAQ, what the hell would i type in the serch bar, cd player wiring diagram or somthin like that, i got a feelin i would'nt work, but ill try to use FAQ more often

rs_1101

heffboost <= PWNED!!!!!!!!

anyhow, im not entirely sure what the secret for wiring stereos in our cars is, but heres how mines done.

ground on a 2 prong connector for illum, i believe, acc is on a blue/white wire, and + is actually wired to the ignition column on another blue/white wire.. im not sure how this works, but my stereo hasnt caused a single problem for my electricals.

Icemark

"Radio wiring" would have been what you would want to use to search for the wire up on a aftermarket radio/CD player.

for example I just searched using "radio Wiring" and "Icemark"as a name and about the 3rd thread down was this:

I guess I need to add it to the FAQ for FC

HeffBoost

Whatever bud. Unless you're a dipshit and wire it all screwed up, adding a relay to anything wouldn't cause any harm to it.

Anybody with the smallest inkling of electronics would understand this.

Peace dude

rs_1101

im just playing wit cha.. anyhow, ive been advised by many many many people that adding a larger fuse is always inadviseable. this includes a radio engineer who designed the OC police radio system, and 2 people from this forum whos opinion i trust more than my own.

SkaterAJR

Yeah IceMark that lets me no what wires do what but it dosnt tell me what is wrong with my car, so in other words that would not help me.

Heffboost, im gona reserch more bout what u were talkni bout to make sure i did the right thing os i dont end up with a broke *** CD player

-thanks all

rs_1101

in my car i had to replace the interior fuse with a 15a as opposed to 7.5a. but please dont go above 15a, 30 will burn circuits.

SkaterAJR

aight cool thanks for the help agian

WAYNE88N/A

Doesn't matter what fuse you put in- the fuses are there to protect the wiring, not the components. In other words, a fused 7.5A circuit has wiring that is of a gauge that any current flow above a continuous 7.5A may damage the wiring. A 15A circuit will have larger gauge wiring, and so forth. If you have to put a 15A fuse in a 7.5A circuit, something is wrong. If you added components to this circuit which overloads the 7.5A fuse, you have a chance of overheating the wiring. Simple...

Icemark

I have told you several times what the problems in your car probably are, yet you refuse to check them... Don't know what to tell you... if you won't even get in there and check anything no one can help you.

Do not ever exceed the factory fuse rating. The factory rating is for the wire gauge and circuit in the car. Putting a larger fuse in (even a 10 amp fuse in place of a 7.5 amp fuse) is enough to cause a fire and wiring melt down. I saw a guy put a 15 amp fuse in a 10 amp dome light circuit that shorted out in an 86 MR2. The wire melted through the carpeting and caused enough smoke damage that he had to replace most of the soft parts of the interior.

Remember fuses blow when they exceed the rating by 110%. So a 10 amp fuse really does not blown until 11 amps draw.

SkaterAJR

i already no whats wrong with my car, i solved like two weeks ago im talkin bout FAQ, theres noting i can type in to find out whats wrong with my car