Dash lights, strange?

[JNeil]

Hey guys,

I'm new to the forum, I just bought my mx-3 today and yes I did search for a solution using the search tool before posting this..

My question is this, I just installed my pioneer deck to replace the factory deck. During the install (in my infinite wisdom) I did not have the battery disconnected.. I shorted something and my dash lights won't work now when I turn on my lights.

I replaced the tail light fuse (which was burnt out), and the deck and speakers work fine. I checked most of the fuses and they seemed to be fine.

What else might have shorted when I installed my stereo?

I am trying to avoid taking the dash apart as I'm new to the car and have yet to find a Haynes or Chilton manual, I don't want to take things apart blindy.

Thanks in advance for any help,
-Jamie

[umcamara]

Likely you used your car's dimmer wire as a ground wire for your deck. This is a very common mistake. The dimmer wire shows ground normally, and 12 volts when the park lights are turned on. This is why most people mistake the wire for ground.

[NorCalMX3]

what he said. But welcome to the forums! and by the way, getting to the gauges isn't so bad i've been in them twice in the last week cuz I installed some indigo gauges. takes 15 minutes and a few screws.

[Smith18]

wow man welcome but dam... always! always! disconnect the battery when working with the car electrical system... and check all your fuses, when i first got my car i was pissed when it turned dark out haha i had no interior light or head lights... fuses!

[JNeil]

Thanks guys, I'll try grounding the black wire from the deck and see if it fixes anything. If I used the dimmer for the ground will I need to replace the switch?

[umcamara]

Disconnect the black ground wire from whatever you connected it to, and connect it to what you are certain is a constant ground, such as the vehicle chasis, or the car's deck ground wire.

No, you won't have to replace the dimmer switch. It will have just blown the fuse when you turned on the parking lights.

[JNeil]

Ok, I disconnected the ground wire from the dimmer wire.. I grounded the black ground wire and left the orange and white dimmer wire hanging loose. The dash lights however, still do not work. I will check the fuses again tomorrow morning when it's light out. But my brake lights work fine and everything else works fine so I doubt somewhat that a fuse is blown.

Any other suggestions in the event the fuses are all fine?

Thanks again,

Jamie

[umcamara]

Make sure you tape up that wire that you left hanging, otherwise it will short out when you turn on the park lights. Do your parking lights work by the way? Make sure you test the continuity of each fuse with a multimeter.

[JNeil]

Thanks guys, I got it figured out, the parking light fuse blew twice and I didn't check it the second time so checking the fuses solved my problem.