Had shop install stereo deck to solve dashboard light problem
12-09-2004, 09:11 PM
#1
Had shop install stereo deck to solve dashboard light problem
........but instead, they didn't. To recap on the problem at hand for some of you just reading this for the first time; I had my stereo deck stolen about 3 weeks ago. When the "culprits" ripped the deck out, they obviously ripped a wire that affected my dashboard lights because now I have none at night time; hence me having a hard time seeing how fast i am going at night or how much gas I have etc. etc.
I figured the problem would be solved be having a new deck installed and the wire/s that were not connected; connected with the new deck and thus giving me "night vision" again on my dashboard.
But nothing, I had the deck installed and when i asked them what about my lights, they said that they could'nt figure out why.
I am sooo pissed; but most of all, desperate to solve the problem.
Can any of you Stereo "gurus" help me out please. Possibly look inside your FSM's (since I still need to get one), and let me know which wire/s need to be connected. thanx guys........... :attention
I figured the problem would be solved be having a new deck installed and the wire/s that were not connected; connected with the new deck and thus giving me "night vision" again on my dashboard.
But nothing, I had the deck installed and when i asked them what about my lights, they said that they could'nt figure out why.
I am sooo pissed; but most of all, desperate to solve the problem.
Can any of you Stereo "gurus" help me out please. Possibly look inside your FSM's (since I still need to get one), and let me know which wire/s need to be connected. thanx guys........... :attention
12-09-2004, 09:33 PM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
ask them if they ran a new continuous wire, or a new ignition one(power only when key on)...or if they reconnected to all original wires...if they reconnected to all original wires, and stereo works properly but your dash and other lights dont...maybe when they ripped it out, the wire leading to turn those functions on got broke somewhere....
12-10-2004, 04:51 AM
#5
if they can't figure it out, drop your TCU (timing control unit), it's under the steering wheel next to the anti-theft unit, it looks like a little white bar of soap, once you remove it from the bracket its on (I believe you remove the whole bracket first) unplug it and open it up, it's a very small board and if something looks burned touch it up with a little solder, fixed my problem
12-10-2004, 08:59 AM
#8
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,371
Originally Posted by Red92MaxSE
Just go back to the shop and tell them all of the lights were working when you brought it in and you want them to fix it. 
if its a reputable shop they would have done a check list on the car before they worked on it and they would have taken note of the fact that the dash lights didnt work. they do this so people cant screw them
12-10-2004, 11:29 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: EU Scandinavia
Posts: 4,323
Your dash light supply probably goes via the light switch.:
My J30 VG30E -93 fuseblock, second from top right, is a 10A tail lamp RH that works also for dash lights. These top right two tail lamp fuses get their juice via the main light sw [first-parking light pos]. If the switch is worn (typically they are poor quality) then lights wont come on.
Why the light sw would be damaged in ripoff, dunno, but if its in the same circuit... Is yor RH tail light is also nonfunctional? ...then swap the RH/LH tail fuses to verify them as a fuse might be looking good but is broken.
If none of above, then the supply from the fuse to dash has been cut off, and it has to be rewired. Should not be a big task after the dashboard is opened.
My J30 VG30E -93 fuseblock, second from top right, is a 10A tail lamp RH that works also for dash lights. These top right two tail lamp fuses get their juice via the main light sw [first-parking light pos]. If the switch is worn (typically they are poor quality) then lights wont come on.
Why the light sw would be damaged in ripoff, dunno, but if its in the same circuit... Is yor RH tail light is also nonfunctional? ...then swap the RH/LH tail fuses to verify them as a fuse might be looking good but is broken.
If none of above, then the supply from the fuse to dash has been cut off, and it has to be rewired. Should not be a big task after the dashboard is opened.
12-10-2004, 02:01 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,764
yeah maybe your taillights are melting and shorting out.. this would make your whole dash blow out.. *but the fuse would blow.. it would be a big coincidence but id check it
send your car to *BlehmCo* they fix electical stuff..
send your car to *BlehmCo* they fix electical stuff..
12-10-2004, 02:40 PM
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
I swear this happened to me but i wired my stereo up wrong because I did it quick....the next day there was this one wire that I had to tap into the continous power for the stereo....and then all my lights worked.....What all doesn't work? do you have power seat belts(all our cars have em?) and do your seat belts still work?
12-10-2004, 04:41 PM
#12
everything still works; minus the dashboard lights and also the clock dims when i turn the lights to the "on" position. I checked the fuses....everything is ok. There has got to be a wire loose somewhere.
I told the shop BEFORE hand about the problem, they said they would check it out while installing the stereo; but again; after they were done, they said they could'nt figure it out.
I told the shop BEFORE hand about the problem, they said they would check it out while installing the stereo; but again; after they were done, they said they could'nt figure it out.
12-10-2004, 04:43 PM
#13
Originally Posted by Wiking
Your dash light supply probably goes via the light switch.:
My J30 VG30E -93 fuseblock, second from top right, is a 10A tail lamp RH that works also for dash lights. These top right two tail lamp fuses get their juice via the main light sw [first-parking light pos]. If the switch is worn (typically they are poor quality) then lights wont come on.
Why the light sw would be damaged in ripoff, dunno, but if its in the same circuit... Is yor RH tail light is also nonfunctional? ...then swap the RH/LH tail fuses to verify them as a fuse might be looking good but is broken.
If none of above, then the supply from the fuse to dash has been cut off, and it has to be rewired. Should not be a big task after the dashboard is opened.
My J30 VG30E -93 fuseblock, second from top right, is a 10A tail lamp RH that works also for dash lights. These top right two tail lamp fuses get their juice via the main light sw [first-parking light pos]. If the switch is worn (typically they are poor quality) then lights wont come on.
Why the light sw would be damaged in ripoff, dunno, but if its in the same circuit... Is yor RH tail light is also nonfunctional? ...then swap the RH/LH tail fuses to verify them as a fuse might be looking good but is broken.
If none of above, then the supply from the fuse to dash has been cut off, and it has to be rewired. Should not be a big task after the dashboard is opened.
12-10-2004, 08:26 PM
#14
When you turn your headlight on, does the clock dims as it usually do or does it dim to a point that you can't see it anymore (i.e. like when its off)?,
also, when you open your door, your dome light would go on correct? but when you close your door, does your dome light and the light around your ignition slowly dims off or do they go off immediatly?
if your clock dims to a point that would make it looks like its off, and your dome light go off immediatly instead of a slow dim, then I do what DMad8724 said, and drop your TCU, open it, smell it and visually inspect it( check the back where all the solders connections are). if its burnt, go to a junk yard and grab another one, or take it to a local radio shack and ask them to touch it up for you.
also, when you open your door, your dome light would go on correct? but when you close your door, does your dome light and the light around your ignition slowly dims off or do they go off immediatly?
if your clock dims to a point that would make it looks like its off, and your dome light go off immediatly instead of a slow dim, then I do what DMad8724 said, and drop your TCU, open it, smell it and visually inspect it( check the back where all the solders connections are). if its burnt, go to a junk yard and grab another one, or take it to a local radio shack and ask them to touch it up for you.
12-11-2004, 07:22 AM
#15
Originally Posted by disgruntled
When you turn your headlight on, does the clock dims as it usually do or does it dim to a point that you can't see it anymore (i.e. like when its off)?,
also, when you open your door, your dome light would go on correct? but when you close your door, does your dome light and the light around your ignition slowly dims off or do they go off immediatly?
if your clock dims to a point that would make it looks like its off, and your dome light go off immediatly instead of a slow dim, then I do what DMad8724 said, and drop your TCU, open it, smell it and visually inspect it( check the back where all the solders connections are). if its burnt, go to a junk yard and grab another one, or take it to a local radio shack and ask them to touch it up for you.
also, when you open your door, your dome light would go on correct? but when you close your door, does your dome light and the light around your ignition slowly dims off or do they go off immediatly?
if your clock dims to a point that would make it looks like its off, and your dome light go off immediatly instead of a slow dim, then I do what DMad8724 said, and drop your TCU, open it, smell it and visually inspect it( check the back where all the solders connections are). if its burnt, go to a junk yard and grab another one, or take it to a local radio shack and ask them to touch it up for you.
I take it the TCU is under my steering wheel? What exactly does it look like again? (if you guys haven't mentioned it already)
12-11-2004, 09:18 PM
#17
(sorry, this will be a long post, if you want to get working right away, start reading on the second paragraph.
from what I have read and from your input, let me give you a scenario:
When the thieves ripped out your stereo, undoubtedly there will be some loose ends where the copper is sticking out, and when two wires containing live current hits each other, you guessed it, a short, but things will not go bad until your turn your headlight on, so when you turn it on, the whole electrical system will briefly fluctuate for about a couple seconds before the TCU blows, then after that, you "magically" have no instrument lights anymore, but other idiots light will still work, since they are not grouped together to that particular light cluster.
From my own experience (I crossed my cigarette lighter light by accident :P), I would say that your TCU is definitely the blame, so now just go ahead and drop that cover under your steering wheel, the one that had one single heater vent on it, right where your knee would be, and you will see the fuse block and all its glory, to the right of it would a metal box with a sticker on it saying "Anti Theft", remove the two front screws that holds that box, becareful to use a WIDE phillip head, not the standard one , or you will ruin the screw head and can't get it out all together, after the box is dropped, unplug the harness connecting to it, then you will see a white, square-ish plastic box, that would be your TCU, now look directly above it, there will be another two screws holding that thing there, drop that and then use a small flat head, and pry open the TCU where you see the four notches holding the thing together, carefully pull out the PCB board and check it, it would help to smell it first, as you might be able to notice an electrical burn smell, check to see if any resistors are busted, then flip the board over, check everything carefully, especially near the heatsink area, check the board's etches, if you find it burnt and are severed, as mine did, you will now have two choices
1. hit the local junk yard and grap another one, they shouldn't cost much, I got mine for 5 bucks, a little more than a fuse(it doesn't matter what model year, as long as it belongs to a 3rd gen)
2. resolder the connection like I did, if you're handy with soldering, or take it to your local radioshack and ask them to do it, some may charge you, some may do it for free as the repair is very simple, after the repair, put some hot melt glue onto the repaired area to protect it from warping from the temperature extremes.
Plug the TCU back, check all your wirings near the stereo area where its been ripped to make sure there is no short, then turn on your headlight and see, if everything is ok, then just put everything back and you're set.
P.S. I saved my broken TCU, since I fixed it, so I can take pictures of the TCU board for you if you like to know where exactly the trouble spot is,oh, by the way, if your light is not dimming down, your TCU control chip might be damaged in previous short where the short time is not enough to bust it.
Just a side note: It is possible for you to drive your car while the TCU and the Anti Theft is unplugged, so if you need to run to the junkyard with your car, don't worry about it.
Tell me how this instruction had help you out, and good luck.
from what I have read and from your input, let me give you a scenario:
When the thieves ripped out your stereo, undoubtedly there will be some loose ends where the copper is sticking out, and when two wires containing live current hits each other, you guessed it, a short, but things will not go bad until your turn your headlight on, so when you turn it on, the whole electrical system will briefly fluctuate for about a couple seconds before the TCU blows, then after that, you "magically" have no instrument lights anymore, but other idiots light will still work, since they are not grouped together to that particular light cluster.
From my own experience (I crossed my cigarette lighter light by accident :P), I would say that your TCU is definitely the blame, so now just go ahead and drop that cover under your steering wheel, the one that had one single heater vent on it, right where your knee would be, and you will see the fuse block and all its glory, to the right of it would a metal box with a sticker on it saying "Anti Theft", remove the two front screws that holds that box, becareful to use a WIDE phillip head, not the standard one , or you will ruin the screw head and can't get it out all together, after the box is dropped, unplug the harness connecting to it, then you will see a white, square-ish plastic box, that would be your TCU, now look directly above it, there will be another two screws holding that thing there, drop that and then use a small flat head, and pry open the TCU where you see the four notches holding the thing together, carefully pull out the PCB board and check it, it would help to smell it first, as you might be able to notice an electrical burn smell, check to see if any resistors are busted, then flip the board over, check everything carefully, especially near the heatsink area, check the board's etches, if you find it burnt and are severed, as mine did, you will now have two choices
1. hit the local junk yard and grap another one, they shouldn't cost much, I got mine for 5 bucks, a little more than a fuse(it doesn't matter what model year, as long as it belongs to a 3rd gen)
2. resolder the connection like I did, if you're handy with soldering, or take it to your local radioshack and ask them to do it, some may charge you, some may do it for free as the repair is very simple, after the repair, put some hot melt glue onto the repaired area to protect it from warping from the temperature extremes.
Plug the TCU back, check all your wirings near the stereo area where its been ripped to make sure there is no short, then turn on your headlight and see, if everything is ok, then just put everything back and you're set.
P.S. I saved my broken TCU, since I fixed it, so I can take pictures of the TCU board for you if you like to know where exactly the trouble spot is,oh, by the way, if your light is not dimming down, your TCU control chip might be damaged in previous short where the short time is not enough to bust it.
Just a side note: It is possible for you to drive your car while the TCU and the Anti Theft is unplugged, so if you need to run to the junkyard with your car, don't worry about it.
Tell me how this instruction had help you out, and good luck.
12-11-2004, 11:21 PM
#18
thanx for the imput; your write up was VERY helpfull. go ahead and send me some pics if you get a chance. In the meantime, i'm going to go ahead and try to take apart the bottomside of my steering wheel. My e-mail address is f1vel1terbeater@yahoo.com ; again, thanx for the imput. 
03-08-2006, 07:57 AM
#20
Originally Posted by XyNoix-HIC
Sorry but what is the TCU and what does it do, also what is a FSM?
TCU = Time Control Unit. according to the FSM it does 11 things:
1 & 2 - intermittent wiper control
3 - windshield washer & wiper control
4 - light warning chime timer
5 - ignition key warning chime timer
6 - seat belt warning chime timer
7 - seat belt warning lamp timer
8 - rear defogger timer
9 - interior lamp timer
10 - door key hole illumination timer
11 - instrument panel illumination control
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