[RESOLVED] Instrument Dimmer Control Switch

[Pro Kid]

Bought a new car recently from a guy that lived nearby me. Everythings good with the car, only thing is that I checked it out during the day. So I wasn't aware of the tail lights being out or that the dimmer switch was busted. Anyway, took it to a garage, they checked everything, fuses are fine, so are the gauges. Just needs a new part because the old one broke. To make a long story semi short I don't have the new part, is there any type of temporary fix I can do for now until the part comes in. Can't stand driving at nite with nothing on except my head unit. Any help will be much appreciated. Here's some pics...

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[luv2rallye]

You can ground the dimmer switch's black/yellow wire which will make the dash lights go on full when taillights are on.

 

[Pro Kid]

How do I do that?

 

[luv2rallye]

Find the connector under the dash that went on the dimmer switch. It should be a 4 pin inline connector with 3 wires on it - black with yellow stripe, black, and green with white stripe. Splice into the black with yellow stripe wire (cut insulation) and add a new wire from it to the car's metal body (like under a bolt head) that is a ground. Solder the splice if you can but if not, at least tape it up.

When you find out just how expensive a new 2g dimmer is (which is different than the 1g one), you may decide to just stay with this fix (or go used).

 

[luv2rallye]

Or better yet since the black wire already goes to ground, just connect the black with yellow stripe wire to the black. You may even be able to just stick a jumper wire in the end of the connector to these 2 wires (and tape it up to hold in place).

 

[Defiant]

Or use a paper clip if you can be trusted to find the correct wires. Proceed with caution, wearing rubber undies.
Avengers, Sebrings, Cirrus and many other Chryslers use the same dimmer control. Check eBay and your local scrappers. Yes, they bang the hell out of you for a dash dimmer.

 

[Pro Kid]

So yea the problem still hasn't been fixed. Just too busy to take the time out and I don't wanna rig it up by grounding that one wire. Does anyone know a website that I can order the part from. I can't find a single one.

 

[ndsti]

Try this website OEM PARTS. They give a 20% discount and very resonable shipping.

 

[luv2rallye]

You can safely jumper the black with yellow stripe wire to the black wire in the connector (The middle 2 pins of the 4 pin connector) after disconnecting the dimmer (leave disconnected). That is what the dimmer does when it is on full intensity.

 

[2geclipse565]

luv2rallye is right I did this mod about seven months ago and it has been working ever since. Just unplug the connector from the dimmer switch and use a piece of wire to connect the prongs of the black/yellow wire and the black/white wire. Then all I did was tape it real nicely and its worked great for me. I never used the dimmer before anyway and wasnt about to pay for a new or used one.

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here is the connector that is attached to the back of the dimmer switch in the dash, simply put a piece of wire conecting the two prongs like I have there

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Here is a better pic of the wire connected to the prongs, sorry for the poor quality of the pics my cell phone camera was all I had.

 

[aarongierka]

sorry to open an old thread but, i have tried everything, checked all fuses. my tail lights work, even the soft lights. i tried bypassing the dimmer switch the way described but it doesnt make the gauges light up, it just blows my tail light fuse immediately. its just my gauge lights and console lights that arent working, also my blinker switch recently broke. i was turning left the other day, hit the blinker, and it stayed on after i turned. the only way i could make it stop was to take out the turn signal fuse. if i put a fuse in the blinker just comes on even if switch is off. would that switch (headlight/blinker) have anything to do with my gauge lights?

 

[dsm nuff said]

DO NOT SPLICE AND JUMP WIRES TO BYPASS THIS. I did it and ended up melting the wires all the way up in the wiring harness. Now I have to rip the dash out and track the entire wire to where its not melted and replace it all. DONT DO IT. I listened to people saying just bypass it just bypass it and this is what it got me.

 

[GODofWARREN]

Alright so ive read these threads about the similiar problems but i cant get anywhere. I did the dimmer bypass "lovestorally" said and it it isnt working. my stereo side harnes has 2 orange wires just hanging and i know they are the dimmer and illumination wires needed to make the lights work. i connected these 2 wires to another test wire and ran that directly to the positive battery terminal, succesfully lighting the dash, amber corners, ciggarette light, and tail lights up. BUT the damn black and yellow wire on the car side of the harness got a little too hot and melted. im lost. Can somebody please help me figure this out, ive no clue where to go next.

 

[luv2rallye]

DO NOT SPLICE AND JUMP WIRES TO BYPASS THIS. I did it and ended up melting the wires all the way up in the wiring harness. Now I have to rip the dash out and track the entire wire to where its not melted and replace it all. DONT DO IT. I listened to people saying just bypass it just bypass it and this is what it got me.

I just now saw this post. He obviously either jumpered/spliced it wrong, doesn't have stock wiring, or left the dimmer switch connected (plugged in). I said to leave it DISCONNECTED!!! This mod has been safely working for years.

 

[luv2rallye]

Alright so ive read these threads about the similiar problems but i cant get anywhere.....

Jumping the dash dimmer connector black to black-yellow puts a ground on the black-yellow (note dimmer switch must stay disconnected (unplugged)). The dash cluster lights have +12v on one side and this black-yellow on the other - so it provides the ground to complete the circuit. You must NEVER put +12v on the black-yellow (direct short). And the black-yellow must NOT be used for anything other than dash illumination lights (ie. NEVER taillights, corner lights, cigarette lighter, etc)!!!

 

[EclipseWarrior]

My car dash lights didnt want to turn on either. And I was like crazy trying to figure out what fuse was bad, but they all were good. So I searched and found this thread, it has really been helpfull. I put a wire from black to black/yellow and it worked. I still have one doubt. Shall I leave the dimmer connected or disconnected?

 

[luv2rallye]

Shall I leave the dimmer connected or disconnected?

Re-read post 15.

 

[Nasty Dream]

If I remember correctly, I found that it stays wherever you left it last. So if you unplug it when it's low, it will stay low. But if you unplug it when it's full on, it will stay that way.

So you could borrow a friends

 

[EclipseWarrior]

Re-read post 15.

Ok thanks I didn't noticed that will do ASAP! THANKS!

 

[Dante]

I've been messing with my 1996 mitsubishi eclipse rs. Just put a new cd player in, just little things here and there. But I've noticed that i have no dash lights, none of my ac/heat knobs or brake lights, tail lights work just fine so does everything else. I've checked all the fuses under the hood and under the steering on the floorboard to the left, everything checks out good. Going to check relays today just been busy but if anyone could help me with this, It would be highly appreciated.

 

[exHondAFanatic]

I've owned my 96 gst for 2 wks with no lights I was using anything I could to see the gauges and I found this thread and it actually works now I'm thanking the car gods I was really worked up about not having lights and not being able to fix it