Dash lights wont light up after stereo install

[psteffy]

UPDATE:

So, my parking lights dont work either. I pulled both of their fuses and they are ok as well. So it seems the issue is the switch, and not the stereo (I could be wrong though). I'm going to search some more on the subject, but maybe someone has an idea to help.

EDIT: After a little research, I found out that I have the same problem as the guy in this thread: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=68389&page=1&pp=15&highlight=parking+switch

The dash lights come on when I pull the headlight switch to a certain point but not at the right places (mid pull for parking lights and full pull for headlights). He couldnt find the solution for his problem, so I dont know exactly what i'm going to do. I'll start tomorrow with examining the switch.

 

[scoobyxj]

Make shure you checked fuse#16 in the PDC under the hood. To get the end off the switch there is a little button on the inbord side of the switch body. To get the knob off push the knob in a bit while pushing on the button, then pull the knob and shaft out. To access the switch you'll need to remove the knee bolster on the lower part of the dash. Also if you have had the switch on shut it off for a bit to let the resistor cool you can burn you fingers if not.

 

[psteffy]

Make shure you checked fuse#16 in the PDC under the hood. To get the end off the switch there is a little button on the inbord side of the switch body. To get the knob off push the knob in a bit while pushing on the button, then pull the knob and shaft out. To access the switch you'll need to remove the knee bolster on the lower part of the dash. Also if you have had the switch on shut it off for a bit to let the resistor cool you can burn you fingers if not.

I just checked fuse #16 and it was blown. I replaced it and tried again, but it was too bright to see if the dash lights were coming on. I checked to see if the fuse had blown again, and it did.

 

[MJmk]

I just checked fuse #16 and it was blown. I replaced it and tried again, but it was too bright to see if the dash lights were coming on. I checked to see if the fuse had blown again, and it did.

By looking at a Hayne's diagram, it would appear that fuse 16 is for the constant 12 volt supply to the radio. Does the radio work properly? Station presets and clock stay set after the ignition is switched off? Radio go on and off with the key? Any chance you may have had trouble with the dash lights before the radio install?

 

[psteffy]

By looking at a Hayne's diagram, it would appear that fuse 16 is for the constant 12 volt supply to the radio. Does the radio work properly? Station presets and clock stay set after the ignition is switched off? Radio go on and off with the key? Any chance you may have had trouble with the dash lights before the radio install?

Radio works great. Station and clock stays and the radio switches with the ignition. Dash lights were not a problem before the install. I'm going to try and run a better ground (there is an additional post on the back of the radio for a ground) and see if that will help.

 

[87manche]

the ground on the back of the radio is just fo the radio chassis, it shouldn't do anything with your dash lights. I had a similar problem with my dash lights after a radio install. Check that when you pulled out the wires to solder to them that you didn't chafe one and cut the insulation.
Mine was an 87, I did have the blue wire but I did not hook it up. I don't know if they have the same wire color code.
With my radio install I only hooked up the orange wire to my radio's dimmer. My radio dims properly. I had random outages with my dash lights, and I had pulled the orange wire out too hard and it was randomly grounding against the radio frame where the insulation was damaged.

 

[MJmk]

Radio works great. Station and clock stays and the radio switches with the ignition. Dash lights were not a problem before the install. I'm going to try and run a better ground (there is an additional post on the back of the radio for a ground) and see if that will help.

Is there a way to unplug the radio and isolate it from the Jeep wiring? If you can, replace that fuse 16 and see if it blows. What i'm getting at is at this point you need to un-wind the install until you find the problem. Eliminate the radio, then the wiring changes, etc until you get those dash lights working again. I know there isn't a lot of room around the radio, any chance you got a bare wire behind the radio shorting out? Good luck!

 

[psteffy]

Is there a way to unplug the radio and isolate it from the Jeep wiring? If you can, replace that fuse 16 and see if it blows. What i'm getting at is at this point you need to un-wind the install until you find the problem. Eliminate the radio, then the wiring changes, etc until you get those dash lights working again. I know there isn't a lot of room around the radio, any chance you got a bare wire behind the radio shorting out? Good luck!

I'll look into all that as soon as I can (working late on a monday sucks )
I think your thought process about going backwards will be a good starting point. I can almost guarantee though that the wires are good, though. We were meticulious in our wiring/soldering/taping. But, I could be wrong. :dunno:

 

[psteffy]

ANOTHER UPDATE

So, fuse #16 in the PDC has been popping everytime i replace it. I disconnected the stereo and put in a new fuse and voila! It worked... well, everything but the stereo, obviously. When I plugged the stereo back in and pulled the headlight switch. Same old same old. No dash lights and the stereo works.

Something odd that has been happening too is that the stereo will turn itself off and on when it hits a loud point in the music. I know this has been a drawn out dilema, but I appreciate any help that can be given. Its obviously a problem with the stereo install. Maybe the stereo is drawing too much power or its not grounded enough?

 

[MJmk]

ANOTHER UPDATE

So, fuse #16 in the PDC has been popping everytime i replace it. I disconnected the stereo and put in a new fuse and voila! It worked... well, everything but the stereo, obviously. When I plugged the stereo back in and pulled the headlight switch. Same old same old. No dash lights and the stereo works.

Something odd that has been happening too is that the stereo will turn itself off and on when it hits a loud point in the music. I know this has been a drawn out dilema, but I appreciate any help that can be given. Its obviously a problem with the stereo install. Maybe the stereo is drawing too much power or its not grounded enough?

I looked at your previous post where you listed the wire colors and what they are connected to. The speakers, ground, and the switched and constant 12 volt look right. Did you connect the left over illumination wires to anything?

What does the melted fuse look like? If you are drawing too much power, the fuse wire just melts and falls down inside the plastic. If you have a short to ground, the fuse wire will look like it exploded, leaving a black, burnt residue inside the plastic. Which do you have?

 

[scoobyxj]

Ok here is the weard thing. Fuse #16 also is power to the PCM you would think it would have some weard shifting going on too. You definitly need to check all your radio wiring. You can try grounding the chassis, but I don't think it's your problem. One thing I would try. Is running a fused wire to the radio + straight from the battery to test if it blows that too. From everything you're saying I am thinking that the radio has a problem.

 

[psteffy]

FIXED

I ran a current tester on all my wires, and I had no ground. For some reason my ground wire wasnt grounding, and I suppose the only way the radio was making contact was with the chassis. I ran the ground to the body, and everything works great now.

 

[scoobyxj]

I done a quick look at the grounding for you too. There are several things grounded at the same point that the radio is supposed to be too, but sence you're not having any issues with them I would say the problem is in the radio ground wire itself. I tried to locate exactly where this is, but it's not told. I am guessing (from the other componets that share its grounding location) that it's over by the fuse box. This is if you want to try to fix the factory ground.

 

[psteffy]

I done a quick look at the grounding for you too. There are several things grounded at the same point that the radio is supposed to be too, but sence you're not having any issues with them I would say the problem is in the radio ground wire itself. I tried to locate exactly where this is, but it's not told. I am guessing (from the other componets that share its grounding location) that it's over by the fuse box. This is if you want to try to fix the factory ground.

Thanks for all the help throughout this problem. I ran the ground to the body and for now am not having any problems. If something happens, I'll start at the fuse box.