dashlights out when headlights are on

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=118977
Printed Date: May 13, 2025 at 3:50 AM

Topic: dashlights out when headlights are on

Posted By: josephbland
Subject: dashlights out when headlights are on
Date Posted: December 31, 2009 at 10:30 AM

this is my first post.

recently installed a new kenwood HU in my 2000 4runner. i used the appropriate wiring harness but still had to splice wires from harness to harness. *everything works great except the dash lights go off when i turn the headlights on. the dash light is on when i run the daytime head lights.

ALL other lights work.

NO fuses are blown.

YES the dimmer knob is turned on for the dash dimmers.

i connected the illumination to ignition power and the dimmer wire from the 4runner is terminated. am i wrong with these connections? or is it a possibility that the dash light is blown? i assume its a different light and connection when switching the headlights on. possibly a blown dimmer relay?

i cannot find any answers for this on any previous forums.

thanks fellas!

Replies:

Posted By: j.reed
Date Posted: December 31, 2009 at 1:05 PM

Constant 12V+     Blue / YELLOW or Blue/Black
Switched 12V+     Gray
Ground     Brown
Illumination     Purple
Dimmer     n/a
Antenna Trigger     BLACK/ White
Antenna     Right Front
Front Speakers     6 1/2" Doors
Left Front (+)     Pink
Left Front (-)     Purple
Right Front (+)     Light Green
Right Front (-)     Blue
Rear Speakers     5 1/4" Rear Doors
Left Rear (+)     Black
Left Rear (-)     Yellow
Right Rear (+)     Red
Right Rear (-)     White

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posted_image

Posted By: splaudio
Date Posted: December 31, 2009 at 1:12 PM

dont tie the dimmer for the headunit to the ignition wire. you dont even have to hook that wire up i never do when doing installing them customers 9 out of 10 want the dash dim and headunit brite....

Posted By: josephbland
Date Posted: December 31, 2009 at 3:20 PM

thanks.

im thinking at this point something is switched. the dash lights should not come on when the daytime running lights are on and then go off when the headlights for nighttime come on.

could this be a ground issue?

Posted By: josephbland
Date Posted: January 05, 2010 at 7:50 AM

anyone else have any input before i give in and take it to a mechanic?

Posted By: t&t tech
Date Posted: January 05, 2010 at 6:09 PM

Mechanic? Oh dear! You should not do that! posted_image

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COMMIT YOUR WAY TO JEHOVAH AND HE WILL ACT IN YOUR BEHALF. PSALMS 37:5

Posted By: josephbland
Date Posted: January 10, 2010 at 9:00 AM

anyone?

Posted By: josephbland
Date Posted: January 20, 2010 at 1:17 PM

problem solved.

dimmer needed to be hooked to the ground rather than the ignition power. similar posts suggest to terminate the dimmer wire which is incorrect for this situation.

Posted By: incognyto
Date Posted: January 24, 2010 at 1:37 AM

ground out the dimmer wire?? damn! never woulda though of that... how'd you find the solution?? deck manual?

Posted By: josephbland
Date Posted: January 24, 2010 at 11:01 AM

i went to advance auto parts to get a few other things and i just asked the guy if he knew what my problem could be. i took him out to the truck and we took the HU out and he showed be that what i thought was the "illumination wire" was labeled as the "dimmer ground". this wire was color coded on the package as "illuminaiton"; inscribed on the wire was "dimmer ground". he hooked it to the black ground wire and boom, it worked.

i like that store.