I have an 89 SE Max, and my instrument panel lights do not come on when I turn the lights on. I have replaced the dimmer switch and on/off switch(located on the tip of the turn indicator) but have had no results. When I got the car, the stereo was gone and the factory wiring harness was cut right behind the connector, but the instrument panel lights worked. Recently, I installed a cd player, and any of the wires that I could not used I simply taped together. Directly after this installation was when the lights went out. I have tried to go back through the wires which I taped together to find a short or something but to no evail. I know for a fact that my bulbs are good, though, because I bridged some ports on the dimmer switch connector with some speaker wire, and the lights came on. So, pardon the long message, but I figured it would give me the best response. Thanks.

 

have you checked your fuses? I believe the instrumentation is on the same fuse as brake lights so if that fuse is out, its a good idea to replace it as soon as possible

descriptions of which fuses control what are on my homepage in the how-to section

also, if you're able to jump some wires on the dimmer switch and get things to work, I would think the switch may be bad but you said you already replaced that so I dont know

good luck

 

but mine are on ,but i cant adjust them and it turnd down real low.let me know if you find the prob.

 

Glad to see I'm not the only one recently having a dash light problem with wiring the stereo. I am curious to know what wires you did bridge though to get the dash to light and did it stay lit without blowing a fuse. At this point I would be content with my lights on BRIGHT all the time. I went to the junk yard today and managed to get ahold of a SE dash and another dimmer switch, still had no luck of getting lights. Checked ALL my fuses, All of them were fine, Checked my tail lights, brake lights, blinkers, reverse lights, all that was fine. When I did loose my dash lights among the shifter(being its an AUTO), I smelt a burning electrical smell from behind the dash, Being I changed the dash today, That can't be an issue anymore. Not to mention I also changed all my dash lights a couple days before with all new 194 bulbs, so bulbs aren't an issue either. Any help would be great help at this point.

 

The wires that may have been crossed were a red w/yellow stripe and a black w/red stripe. I did some expirementing with the extra wires, and these two wires become hot only when the lights are turned on. So what I am thinking is that this may be a case of an incomplete circuit which would cause all of the instrument lights not to work.

 

Called the Nissan dealer today, and got to speak with the electrician guy there, He explained all the wires to me and where they go, that have to do with the interior lights. Among his explaination he mentioned a box that sits in front of the alarm module under the dash. Being I was at work at the time. When I got home I pulled this little box out, Sure enough, BURNT to a crisp on one of the soider joints. Back to the junk with me on a an advanture for this little whats technical Nissan name is a Time Control Unit. Hope this is any help for any of us others out there with this same "OPPS I BLEW OUT MY DASH" problem. I hope this will be the end of my problems. If not it may be back to the drawing board.

 

I took Chrisbear's research and hit the junkyard looking for a TCU. Found one, installed it, and the dash(and other pieces)lights up just like old times(except I don't remember it looking so good). The only hard part of the installation was properly removing the TCU from the car in the junkyard. The unit slides out of a metal retainer from its two sides, but you have to press-in on the sides of the unit in order for it to "pop-out." Hope that this helps because it helped me!

 

GOOD NEWS...As the same as the last post, I installed the new module and just like she was, PRETTY LIGHTS!! Only I took the whole damn unit, Alarm module and TCU, Two screws at the top of the bracket out it comes, Provided the lower dash is out of the way. Might also help to have a philips head screw driver that is a little bigger then the average phillips, Sake being the screws have big heads. Once again hope this helps others with the same common wire crossing problem or blowing fog lights problem that I read about.

 

i have the same damn problem... except my interior illumination is out along with the tail lights and corner lights.... at first, i assumed it was the switch, now i beleive it is the time control unit... i'll be giong to the junk yard tommorrow to get one... could anyone tell me exactly where the TCU is located? thanks in advance.

 

Hey Pbutta4, First before you head to the junkyard, Check TAILLIGHTS And TAILLIGHT FUSE in the fuse box, If your tail lights are blown, You could blow a fuse, which will also kill your interior lighting, Fix taillights, then fuses and if problem still not solved, Off to the junkyard with you, for the TCU, which is located exactly next to the fuse box, just under the dash, If you take the door off your fuse box, You will see a module to the right, that is your alarm module, Behind that is the TCU, Small white plastic box. Hope this helps.

 

alright... I checked all fuses: GOOD. I replaced the light switch on the steering column: GOOD. I replaced the TCU: GOOD. Still no corner lights, tail lights, and interior illumination.... my brake lights work, my blinkers work, my headlights work... I'm like WTF is going on here. I wonder if it's a bad relay or something? hell, I have no clue... I'm headed to the dealership on Thursday.

 

Did you adjust the dimmer switch? Maybe it's completely dimmed off. Perhaps the dimmer switch is even bad.

 

My apologise for piggy-backing on this one but....I'm having a similar problem with my climate control panel lights. They seem to flicker on and off at random. Anyone care to help on this one??? Thanks.

91 SE

 

i would check the connections. could be your stereo, if you have an aftermarket, but thats kind of uncommon for interior lights.
My guess is probably a connection because if a fuse was blown, it would be out all the time.
later
MrGone

 

Since this time control unit seems to be the solution to the interior light problem I thought i'd let you guys know i have an extra time control unit. If you need it jus lemmie know.

 

I too have a problem with the climate control. sometimes it's really dim so I have to hit it for it to light up. Sometimes it doesn't light up even after I tap it. Then the lights for the AUTO, ECON, and WINDSHIELD just don't light up at all. I think that this is partly a connection problem and partly a blown lights problem...but I'm not exactly sure. I tried to take out the climate control but it doesn't look that simple. Anyone have any easy instructions. I do know how to take out the stereo(i have a regular Bose).

Thanks,
Roman

 

also go out with the dash lights if the TCU is bad?