Ok here it goes i was putting in a new head unit in my car. after i was finished i started the car up and turn on my head lights and all of a sudden my dash started to smell like it was on fire and my windshield wipers are on when i have the switch in the off postion and the lights in my dash dimmed down to nothing what should i do

someone please help!!!

Oh the new head unit is a pioneer DEH-P640

 

um.... run!!!

you probably fried a wire harness or two. check the wire harness for your stereo and heater.
check your fuse panel for broken fuses too.

hope this helps good luck

 

sounds like something got wired backwards maybe

does the radio even work now?? I remember when I installed my first monitor(non-fused ) the power and ground wires were backwards and I turned the car on....zzzzzzzzztttt....*sizzle*....and a lot of smoke! no fun for me

 

yea the radio works its just the lights and windshield wipers that are not working correctly

 

I would go to the headlight harness with a continutity tester or test light and check for short. Same at the wipers. The power need not be on. If you get a short at the headlight (run power to the testlight, touch tip of light to power lead on headlight, if it lights up you got a short..grounding out), pull the fuse and try again..that will tell you if your short is before or after the fuse. Did you use fuse taps at the fuse block for some reason? THose things can damage the block. Tell me how you wired everything. Just head unit right..no amp or EQ?

 

the headlights work fine its the dash lights when i put the headlights on they dont work ne more

 

make sure you hooked up the illumination circuit right on the head unit then. sounds like you messed that up. that'll kill your dash lights.

the wipers are a mystery, but I have a feeling you FUBAR'd a few things under the dash. I suggest you take it to a car audio shop and let them look things over. paying them $50 to fix it will be better than you accidentally messing something else up and catching your entire dash on fire.

 

hmmm, I'm kinda thinking he might have fried the time control unit - it controls the dimmer for interior lights and if it's not working, it wont let those lights come on, also controls intermittent wipers so maybe that's it. Hooked up the illumination wire wrong and fried that module somehow

at any rate, recheck and test all your wiring, sounds like you did something wrong back there

 

yup. I wasn't aware that the TCM controlled both.. sounds like that's what you did.. I've got a few extra "boxes" in the garage from tearing apart my parts car.. if you need one and I've got it, make me an offer.

 

Yup.. craig is right about it being hooked up to the TCU, but 100% the module isnt fried.. b/c the A/C, Intermittent wipers and dimmer lights are all hooked up to one 10-Fuse..

to fix the problem, look at your fuse box under the dash and check the Air Conditioning fuse. But before you replace that fuse.. fix your messed up wiring for the head unit.. and then check things again..

 

Where is the TCU at and MATT about how much would it cost for the TCU and is it easy to replace

The A/C Works fine but its just the wipers and dash lights

 

i also fixed the illumination circuit. there is a soild orange and a striped orange from the car and i put them to the one Striped one from the headunit and thats what i guess happened

 

so does any one know where the timing unit is

 

anyone?

 

I think noone was answering because it's in the archives several times before and they figured you'd find it there (or at least I did)

here are a few good threads from the search:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....&highlight=tcu
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....&highlight=tcu

also, on my how-to page, I have a "chime mod" or something like that and it'll show you how to get to the TCU (time control unit) and where it is; from there it's just a few screws to take out, you should be able to figure it out
good luck

 

thanx craig im gonna try this after school 2-day

thanx again

 

Hey, did you ever get your new floor mats? I tried to make those templates as good as possible and still be able to send them in the mail easily

 

i gave them to my uncle and he hasnt got them done yet

 

Oh, that's cool. Hope they turn out great. My mats are fine, but my poor leather seats could use some love.

 

well i took apart my dash today after school and i looked at that little white box the TCU and it had a big hole burnt through it so i rewired the headunit now i just have to get the TCU thanx for all the help you guys gave me does ne one have a TCU that i can buy off you

thanx
William