Burnt Out dimmer and now dash lights don't turn on
 

I was doing the auto dimming mirror install and at the very end some wires got mixed up and I smelt burning plastic. Well, i can tell that my dimmer switch it burnt cause i opened it up and a connection is broken after that happened i turned on my lights and nothing lit up on the dash. All the lights on the mirror light up(or so i can see as it being very bright out).

My question is, is this the reason why my dash cluster and interior lights(like the climate control) are not working any more? I checked what i thought may be the correct fuse and I checked several others and didn't find a burnt out one. Which fuse is the one for the dash illumination?

thanks

FWIW if you're going to check fuses, you check ALL of them. Just because they don't seem relevant doesn't mean they aren't.

And if your illumination switch is dead (or unplugged) no, you won't have any interior lights until it's fixed/replaced.

thanks phmor!

I believe if you jump pin 2 (R/Y) to pin 3 (B), you'll get full brightness. That way you at least have lights until you replace/repair. Just a guess based on a quick look at the wiring diagram, though.

do you have a pic of the pin layout? i couldn't find it in the fsm

'96 EL-71, connector M32.

thanks again

Would a bad dimmer switch cause my entire climate control not lighting up? My dash lights work, and interior lights work.

It's all or nothing, really.

Sure the bulbs are good?

I'm not sure if it's the bulbs or not, Cause one day the buttons all lit up, and the next they are all out. Seemed kinda wierd to me. It all happened after I installed my indash Pioneer dvd player. I've checked all the connections and replaced all the fuses. Haven't looked into the bulbs yet

If it's the bulbs, which one would work
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...next=50#NEOb-x

Thanks for your help!

I pretty much have the same problem. Since I bought my max, every time I turn on the headlights, all of my interior lights shut off an the clock dims.
No climate control lights, no stereo/radio lights, AND my gauge lights don't come on.

I have had multiple people check the fuses (including myself) and there are none that are bad.

I took out my dimmer switch and found that it wasn't plugged in to anything, but I couldn't find a lose wire hanging anywhere to plug back in to it.
I'm not even sure if that is the root of my problem....But how would I go about solving it?
as cool as it is for it to be pitch black inside the car at night it sucks having to turn the lights on and off to mess with the a/c haha

Yes, that's your problem.

If you can't just get to the harness as is, you're going to have to pull out the cluster surround and look in there for it.

Do you mean the cluster around the gauges?
What exactly do I do to remove it? I know I have to take out 2 screws and pop off the security thing (dunno what it's called lol) but is there anything else or will it just pop off after that?
I don't want to break it more than it already is...

Cluster?

No, the surround around the gauge cluster. You don't need to remove the gauge cluster itself.

A little searching will tell you exactly how to remove it, but basically yes; remove two screws, it just pulls out.

Ahh, thanks very much!

That's like the fifth thing you've helped me out with since I joined the forums yesterday, can't thank you enough, pmohr! :D

See my interior lights come on, dome, doors, odometer, window switches, only thing is the buttons for my climate control.

Which narrows it down to the climate control.

Assuming you did check the wiring and fuses, that narrows it down to the bulbs. So again; have you checked the bulbs?

Search, you'll find which bulbs need to be used. Hell, it's even in the stickies IIRC.

yup checked/changed every single fuse, even if it didn't look blown. Wiring made sure nothing was loose or disconnected. Where can I find these bulbs at? Pep Boys? Autozone?

Not sure how to check if the bulbs or blown or not, I took them out earlier, and looked closely as possible and I think i saw the filament.

Well, you could always run power to them, see if they light up. That or check resistance/continuity.

As I said before:

I''ve searched. All I find it LED mods. I just want stock bulbs. I can't find them anywhere.

You want stock bulbs? In that case:
27545-40U00, $3.58 each at Courtesy
27545-40U05, $3.58 each at Courtesy

Or if you just want replacement halogens, third hit on search: http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...rol-bulbs.html

This is assuming you have manual climate control (which you haven't specified). If digital:
28529-0P000, $4.31 each at Courtesy

I'm sorry I didn't specify I have a Digital climate control.

Which bulb would it be from this website? I pulled the bulb out from my AC cluster and it's blown. Only thing I can see on the base of the bulb is Ts.

Here's the website: http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...next=50#NEOb-x

You are aware that the entire site is LED bulbs? Earlier you specifically said that you didn't want to put LEDs in there.

I'm thinking it's NeoWedge Instrument LED bulb and the 4mm sized one. But i'm just going by the picture.

I just went to NAPA, Advanced Auto Parts, Nissan dealer, honda dealer, they all don't have the bulbs. I'd just rather buy the LEDS they are cheaper.

Hi, I have a related question... I just pulled out this Clarion unit from a 98 max and r&r a broken tape player. I noticed there is an empty connection in the back, the white one in the pic. I can't seem to find any plugs in the dash center for this. The reason I ask is because the LEDs inside the head unit don't seem to light up very well in the outlined red area. I can barely see any light in those buttons, but seems that is only due to the fact that rest of the buttons light up and light travels through those clear plastic light carrying pieces inside.

Has anyone had this problem before, and is it related to the missing plug or are the LEDs burnt out? I looked but couldn't find a sticky on this particular issue, can anyone help?

http://i30.tinypic.com/ipwo5v.jpg

http://i26.tinypic.com/5wz8g9.jpg

http://i31.tinypic.com/k2d2j9.jpg

Thanks!

The white connector isn't your problem. That's for the CD changer, IIRC.

If the LEDs were burnt out, they wouldn't be producing any light at all.

pmohr,

When I took the front face panel of the stereo apart, there were clear plastic pieces (to spread light around buttons) with holes for the LEDs. There were many LEDs. Could it be that some are burnt, specifically the ones for the lower part of the panel? It sounds like that is the problem, although unlikely as LEDs last for a long time and typically don't just burn out like this.

Does anyone know a good place for info on these Clarion (pn 2213d) stereos, specifically the LED schematic. It didn't look like it would be easy to resolder them and the LEDs looked different from the ones on sale usually.

Thanks,

I plugged the stereo in opened like this, and only one of the blue LEDs lit up!!

These are actually white, but they have this blue plastic casing, almost like rubber shell.

Can anyone help me find these LEDs??

http://i27.tinypic.com/258794x.jpg

http://i31.tinypic.com/6h5iti.jpg

http://i32.tinypic.com/14kitg6.jpg

Thank you for your help!

I'd pull one off and see if it's integrated into the plastic base, or it just sits in there. It looks like the leads come up and over the sides, then are soldered to the PCB.

You could just get some regular LEDs from Radio Shack or wherever of the appropriate diameter to fit the condom.

the blue condom comes off, and the light bulb has leads going down through the plastic square base and then out on the sides where we see them in the pics. Cant separate the bulb from the base, I desoldered them off the PCB and now just need to figure out what current and resistance these use to find a replacement.

thanks,

These are not LEDs, they are micro lamps. LEDs cannot be dimmed, and these panel lights all dim. I tried an LED and it cannot stay lit if the dimmer switch is adjusted.

Does anyone know a good place to search for a compatible micro bulb ... radio shack doesnt have jack...

So it was my bulbs in the end. Still don't know how all 4 bulbs could blow out in one time. But bought the blue LEDS so it would match the pioneer dvd player. Only costed about 13 bucks shipped. Fast shipping too.

As mentioned, those are not LEDs, they are micro lamps. I had almost ten burnt out in my dash when I got my Max 2 years ago. I got the lamps at Radio Shack, they came in packages of 2. I just checked online and did not see the same package available but they may still have them in stores. I did find these http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2104023 which are close but more expensive. The ones they used to have (and perhaps still do) were just a little smaller than the originals so the "condom" may have to be held on with a small dab of clear RTV.

oh I was talking about my digital climate control

The bulbs are the same throughout the dash (except the instrument cluster I think).