PLEASE HELP WITH 99 PATHFINDER ILLUMINATION PROBLEMS

[hillmigh]

I have a 1999 Pathfinder LE with a bose system. I recently installed the XtremeVision DVD head unit, the harness consisted of 12v constant, 12v switched, ground, brake, and antenae leads. There was no illumination lead. Now I have the two illumination leads for the old unit just hanging there. I messed up by trying to connect them together thinking one was a ground. Now my instrument cluster lights don't work along with the gear selector lights. The ac panel will show up as well as the light in the odometer but as soon as I turn on the headlights they go out. Please any help would be greatyly appreciated, I have checked all fuses, tracked all wiring, and cannot find anything, how can I get this up and going and what do I do with the two pink/black and pink/green illumination leads.

[Ron Burgundy]

There is a fuse in the engine compartment labeled TAIL. Its a 10A fuse.

Check/Replace it. Just happened to me the other week. The link didn't look blown but I replaced it anyway. It's worked ever since.

[hillmigh]

I tried that but still have had no luck

[kefferjoe]

Its imparative that you get a wiring diagram and see there is a wire that needs to be grounded i had this similar problem and until i got a wiring diagram i didnt have dash lights just google it and you should find it make sure it is a 99.5 or a 99 they are different

[hillmigh]

Which wire was causing problems for you? Which one needed to be grounded?

[K03sport]

have you tested each wire with a volt meter?

since you have access to the wires, start the PF and turn on the lights. Test one wire at a time (one lead on the wire, one lead touching a known ground).

which ever wire returns 12-14v, you know is a positive and that wire should be wrapped in electical tape and affixed in a manner to not touch anything. The wire that returns 0v is your ground.

[hillmigh]

Thats what I don't understand both of the wires put out 12 volts, I had thought that one was ground and the other power.

[Chuck Tribolet]

At least on my 2001, the two illumination wires are +12, and kinda sorta ground. The second one is the center of a variable resistor. Depending on where you have the dash light brightness control set, it will vary, but withno load, it may well show 12V You needan FSM for your manual to figure out which fuse you blew.

Those two wires were separated by some light bulbs in the previous headunit. When you connected them together, you blew a fuse.

[Pwnin O'Brien]

I hate to ask the obvious, but did you check to make sure the illumination dial is turned all the way up? Normally when you blow the fuse for the illumination system, it will keep the compass, digital clock and AUTO A/C screen at full brightness when you turn the headlamps on (unless the illumination system in the 99 is different). In your case all of those simply go out, as if the illumination dial was turned all the way down. All I could suggest is that you double check all of your fuses (both the interior fuse box and the under-hood fuse box) with some sort of testing device; checking by eye is not a good idea because sometimes it can be impossible to detect a bad fuse by eye. As far as those two wires, I would suggest leaving them unconnected and away from any other wires or body metal until you figure out the illumination issue.

[hillmigh]

Yes I have tried adjusting dial but it makes no difference even on the lights that do work. Is it possible to damage the dimmer dial?