I recently bought a 1990 240SX, and it came to my attention the night I purchased it, that the gauge cluster illumination lights for night driving do not operate.
I've checked every fuse in the car along with the fusible links and all the cluster's bulbs, and I've even pulled the original cluster and replaced it with another, but to no avail. During replacement of the gauge cluster, I even inspected all the wiring clips for the cluster to ensure that all wires were in place, but found no problems.
Am I just being stupid here by missing something, or is this a problem that someone out there is familiar with?
I'm stumped, but I would prefer not to take it to a professional, as it would be good to learn about the wiring of the car. Anyone that has a wiring diagram please send it to me at [email protected]
Thanx Ryan C.
Electrical problem - Gauge cluster
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Rev_D21
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U12 2NR wrote:Dimmer switch or time control unit bad.
I'd put my money on the dimmer switch. I have seen those go bad so many times and it causes all the problems you have listed there. The time control unit doesn't really have anything to do with the gauge illumination circuit. Also if you have installed an aftermarket stereo and you forgot to hook up the illumination control wire you have broken the circuit and you need to find a way to bring it back online.
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ChavezSA
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Thanx gals and/or gals. I was sorta thinking the dimmer sawitch could be a possibility, or even the simple fact that the CD player doesn't operate may have been an indicator that something's been wired incorrectly(dont' look at me; I bought the car from some 18 year old chick).
Anyway, I got my hands on a FSM.pdf file and I'm going over that. I just wish the weather would clear up so I can get down to business. (I'd kill for a garage about now)
p.s. Where can I find a replacement cowl for my instrument cluster? Yup you guessed it; I snapped it in half
Anyway, I got my hands on a FSM.pdf file and I'm going over that. I just wish the weather would clear up so I can get down to business. (I'd kill for a garage about now)
p.s. Where can I find a replacement cowl for my instrument cluster? Yup you guessed it; I snapped it in half
The time control unit has the illumination wires running to it, if the soldered joints buned off then the gauges wouldn't illuminate. This is the case with many j-30 maximas. the illumination wire wire going to the stereo in most cases is just left out. It's a red with yellow stripe which is the illumination ground wire, red/blue being the positive. It's not necessary at all for these two to be connected in order to complete the illumination circuitry. The dimmer switch has a bulb which serves to protect the time control unit. If yo take a apart a dimmer switch, you'll see there's nothing there at all to go bad with the exception of the bulb. The bulb in the dimmer switch completes the circuit. If the blub gets blown then you have no lights. Illumination wires also extend as far back to the tail lights, the dash doesn't light up in the event your brake lights are out, to warn you about your faulty brake lights. it's a mess of wiring for the illumination circuitry, if you have a FSM it'll make things alot less complicated with the charts in there.