SO I recently bought a 2003 Maxima SE 6mt.

Tonight I put in an Alpine CDE-154BT Headunit. Headunit, dash trim pocket kit... I used a crutchfield harness, and the OEM harness is untouched.

Install went pretty well except for this one moment I went to de-pin one of the pins on the stock connectors and instead ALL of the pins came out. I hadn't yet taken the ground off, so the car had power

I know, stupid.

Got everything wired and finished up, and the radio is working great! I button everything back up... GO to drive home, and I have NO dash backlighting, and no HVAC backlighting.

Now, here's where it gets crazy... ALL of the fuses are fine (yes, including the tail lamp fuse)... and the TAIL LIGHTS STILL WORK 100%

So at this point I am at a loss.

All of the warning lights still work correctly, as do the headlights, hazards, turn signals, tail lights, brake lights, fuses etc. it's all fine!

So, at this point I can only assume the car has a bad dimmer switch? Or perhaps I have the radio harness "illumination" wire hooked up incorrectly... but I don't think so.

I think next test now that I have checked all fuses, is to take the aftermarket radio, plug the stocker back in, and see if it changes things.

IF you have any input, it would be greatly appreciated...

 

re-check your INT ILLUM fuse.

Is your dimmer switch plugged in? Sure it's not turned all the way down?

 

The only fuse I saw related to interior illumination was a "ROOM Lamp" fuse I saw on the interior fuse panel under the drivers' side dash. When I pulled it, dome light and door panel splash lights all went out... fuse was obviously fine, and when I plugged it back in dome and door lights came back on.


SOOOO Idk. Dimmer switch was never unplugged and I've turned it all the way in both directions multiple times.

I'm thinking I have an illumination wire crossed in my stereo harness. I hope...

 

 

I can't remember for the life of me which one it is. BUT if you check to make sure your cigarette lighter works than its either that ONE fuse or the elec. parts fuse on the on the top left side second down. There isn't a designated fuse for JUST the dash lights and the hvac lights its melded into one of those.

 

stupid question, but where is the dimmmer wire on the radio harness connected to? I think I remember someone else having this problem that it came down to that wire. Something in the back of my head says blue/white wire, or brown.

I hope that helped but I doubt it.

 

No stupid questions its all helpful. I connected it per what the radio and the new harness said. The radio does dim slightly when the lights go on, so I assume thats hooked up correctly for the radio, but maybe that is interfering with the dash/hvac illumination.

I think my plan is to pull the radio and disconnect the radio harness and see if the lights go back to working, and then I will know if its the aftermarket harness or not.

it seems like a good place to start!

 

It's the dimmer switch! I pulled the new radio and disconnected the harness... Nothing. Checked the dimmer. The wiring. Hooked the stock radio back up. Nothing.

Checked EVERY. SINGLE. DAMNED FUSE in the engine bay and kick panel fuses.

Pulled apart the cluster shroud and steering column trim, started doing wiring and continuity tests. Tested power all the way up to the dimmer. Then ground.

Lo and behold, the dimmer switch is a rheostat (common sense), but it's a rheostat that operates on GROUND!!!

and the rheostat is fried. I jumped it with a paper clip... And I have illumination again! Looks like I need to hit eBay! Also half the lights in the HVAC cluster is out. Fuuu


At least now I know!