How To: Use Factory Gauge Cluster Dimming Button With After-Market Gauges!

[Thoughtful_One]

After buying my boost gauge, I always wondered how I could adjust the brightness of the gauges, as well as have the back-light turn on when switching on the headlights so the light wouldn't be on all the time, rather than wiring to a constant 12V source.

With the help of a moderator on this forum a few months ago, I finally got around to installing my boost gauge yesterday.

The gauge is a mechanical Autometer Ultra-Lite gauge being installed in a 1992 Nissan 240SX with S14 SR20DET.

After you have your gauge setup to measure whatever parameter is in question (in this case, I connected the vacuum lines to the gauge to measure boost), pull your radio out.

On the largest harness plug for the radio, locate the red wire with blue striping, and the red wire with yellow striping. The red with blue provides the power, and the red with yellow is ground. They should be right on top of each other. It does not matter whether you have an aftermarket radio or not (I have an aftermarket one from a previous owner), since the harness plug shouldn't have to be changed out.

Purchase 16-18 gauge quick splice connectors, and purchase some 16 gauge wire (both can be found at Autozone).

Seperately splice both the red with blue stripe, and red with yellow stripe, with enough 16 gauge wire to connect to your gauge.

In my case, my gauge came with a simple light bulb with a + and - wire coming out of it, which connects to the back of the gauge. Use a screw on wire connector to bring the wire from the bulb with the wire from the power sliced connection. Do the same procedure with the ground spliced connection and the remaining wire from the bulb.

Now, just switch your lights on, and you'll find that they light up just by switching your headlights on. You can then adjust the brightness by using the dimming button for the gauge cluster!

Let me know if you have any questions.

[wzntha]

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[positron1]

I'm about to hook some up too so I was wondering about that dimmer switch also!

[Thoughtful_One]

I forgot, those with smoked gauges can't do this.

Your gauge back light will be on as long as your cluster lights are on.

I've had it in for about a day and I still have yet to have any problems.

[Thoughtful_One]

I'm surprised this didn't get as many hits as it did...

[shift_SRDETuser]

will those two wires work and be the same on an s14 car?

I have an SRT4 pro comp autometer gauge I am installing this week, It is either hook it up there or use the cigarette lighter plugs....

[positron1]

I've been looking for this thread, I forgot to save it when I first came across it some time ago. Thanks!