WHERE TO PUT ILLUMINATION WIRES WHEN THERE IS NO ILLUMINATION ON NEW HARNESS??

[hillmigh]

I have installed a new head unit in place to the bose stereo and don't know where to wire the existing illumination wires too. The new harness that goes to the new stereo doesen't have illumination wires, and most of the instrument cluster lights are out which I am sure is due to these two wires not being hooked up to anything, what should I do?

[WINNIPEGS_MOST_WANTED]

illumination wire isn't necessary. You can abandon it / tape it off / etc.

[fueler]

why would the dash lites be out? i bet you accidentally hit the dimmer switch during the install. i dont have my ill. wire hooked up to anything and my car is fine

[Pwnin O'Brien]

Your new head unit doesn't have an illumination input?

Yeah, if your illumination wire is just dangling there (and not touching any metal or any other exposed wires) then all of your lights should work perfectly fine. The illumination wire doesn't have to be hooked up to anything. Just make sure you cap it off or tape it off securely so it doesn't accidentally touch something behind the head unit when you put it all back together. If your other lights still don't work then you may need to troubleshoot this issue further.

[hillmigh]

There is an illumination constant and a illumination dimmer wire should I cap them both off? I won't have an open circuit if I just leave them? It seems lik the stock head unit was providing ground but I don't think it would be providing ground through those.

[Pwnin O'Brien]

There is an illumination constant and a illumination dimmer wire should I cap them both off? I won't have an open circuit if I just leave them? It seems lik the stock head unit was providing ground but I don't think it would be providing ground through those.

You can just cap those off. The illumination circuit is wired in parallel, so leaving that disconnected wont affect the rest of the illumination circuit. Your head unit wasn't providing ground or power, it was simply sensing the activity on the illumination wire. If it detected 12V then it would dim the LCD display and illuminate the buttons.