gauge cluster issue and sun roof issue

jezefink · Sep 28, 2009, 02:35 PM

so...my car has been down for about a year...finally got it back together ..working out all the little gremlins from sitting for so long...heres my problem
the gauge cluster is dim on the right side IE...temp gauge/gas gauge/ and part of my rpm gauge..this worked ok..with the headlights on before the motor went...now heres the weird part..all of a sudden it's on when the head lights are off..but when i turn the headlights on the whole cluster goes dark..

also i dont have my owners manual...i need to find the sunroof fuse and the rear wiper fuse ..i believe they are both blown..now by the drivers side kick panel it shows the sunroof fuse and says located above..but i can not find it...
any help would be appreciated..thanks

Z_Lancer_Man · Sep 28, 2009, 02:40 PM

For the gauges dimming with the headlights on - as simple as this sounds, check your dimmer switch and make sure it's rotated to the brightest setting. When the headlights are off, the electrical system bypasses the dimmer and automatically sets all the gauge lighting to maximum brightness (so you can see it in the sunlight). However, once headlights are on, it goes through the dimmer, since some people have more sensitive night vision.

Hope it was just that!

jezefink · Sep 28, 2009, 02:57 PM

its not the dimmer switch....i def checked that...the cluster will be on when the head lights are off and when the head lights are turned on the cluster literally goes black

i figured out why its dim on the right side....thanks to an old thread...the right bulb is burned out..but this still doesnt help with the cluster being reversed

Z_Lancer_Man · Sep 28, 2009, 03:00 PM

If it's totally blacking out then you have a blown fuse. The EVO cluster is never meant to turn off (hence why it burns up bulbs so quickly). Good luck.

jezefink · Sep 28, 2009, 03:03 PM

if theres a blown fuse....wouldnt it just be out totally..rather than just turning off when the head lights are turned on

Z_Lancer_Man · Sep 28, 2009, 03:12 PM

Not necessarily - the headlight switch engages additional circuitry and an element in that circuit could be causing the problem. Perhaps you should just go through all your fuses one by one and see which ones are blown. As tedious as it sounds, it would help eliminate those as a source of the problem and its relatively easy and cheap. Always a good idea to start at the easiest and work your way up

jezefink · Sep 28, 2009, 03:32 PM

nice....yeah i went through the fuses under the hood too..it was a 7.5 amper..that was blown..put a new one in..and wa la..golden..

thanks again...sunroof fuse looks fine..im guessing i have to tighten the two bolts under the head liner

Z_Lancer_Man · Sep 28, 2009, 03:56 PM

Glad you found it!

Jp7 · Sep 28, 2009, 05:36 PM

its nice when people can actually fix these gremlins!

thatguy · Oct 25, 2009, 10:44 AM

If the right part of the dash doesn't illuminate because of a burnt out bulbwould that also cause the headlight icon not to illuminate on your dash as well?

Z_Lancer_Man · Oct 25, 2009, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thatguy

If the right part of the dash doesn't illuminate because of a burnt out bulbwould that also cause the headlight icon not to illuminate on your dash as well?

No. They are separate bulbs in the clusters.