interior illumination problem

I have a 94 toyota corolla.  the interior lights do not work.  I think that it is causing the audio unit to not work too.  It may have a short in the wire but I do know for a fact  that the fuse is fine because the fuse that runs the illumination for nighttime also runs the lisence plate lights and they are fine.  Please help me if you can because I am driving at night because me and my family are moving and the drive is very long.  I need radio and I need lights on the speedometer or i'm liable to get a ticket for speeding.  Just to let you know (all) the dome light works fine.  It's just the led's that light up the speedometer and air controls at night. I believve that if the lights will start working that the head unit also will work.  Please help me.  All information will be much appreciated.

Check your fuzes.  In most vehicles, the lights are fused with the radio.  Also, make sure you didn't connect your illumination wires (+) and (-) together behind the radio.

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Do it right the first time

I have checked every fuse in the car inside and out.  also the new system worked for a while but it just quit.  And I have changed the fuse just to be sure.  And the new system didn't have an illumination wire which this site said shouldn't be a problem.  Like I said the system has worked for a while but it just quit along with the illumination.  I don't know what could be wrong.  Thanks anyway

Have you checked your bulbs? 

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Do it right the first time

Are you using a DMM or a Test light to check the fuzes?  I have experienced instances where fuzes blow and they are not always detectable by site. 

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Do it right the first time

replace all the fuses even clearly not burnt ones...then ull find ur prob : )

i have a feeling that the deck's ground may have been connected to the illumination wire. on your toyota, the illumination wire is green. check to see if there's anything connected to this wire.

good luck!

check that wire and also use a dmm to test your accessory, power, and ground wires.  could be that one of the power wires is grounding out or your grounding point is insufficient.  if it was working then all of a sudden stopped working id bet my money on either a grounded out wire or, heres another possibility, one of the wires came loose.  if thats the case, then id make sure to solder the connection and use shrink tubing when you rehook it up.

can a  fuse partially work?  The fuse that powers the illumination also poweres the lisence plate.  Can a fuse partially work?

i'd say check your bulbs, they do burn out

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what!?!?! you want some??

vicfuzzy wrote:

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can a  fuse partially work?  The fuse that powers the illumination also poweres the lisence plate.  Can a fuse partially work?

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No. Its either blown or not.

ok.  But as for the bulbs.  All of them blew at the same time? Farfetched but are they like christmas lights?  One is out so they all go too?  And that can cause the head unit to not work also?  Like I said, the fuse that runs the interior lighting (excluding the dome) also runs the lisence plate lights and they both are running fine.

I also do not have much money so I couldn't afford to take the car to a shop or anything.  I  need a simple solution.

O.K.  I have changed the bulbs.  They are all good now.  There was one that was out.  Anyway I may have something t hat may help someone to help me solve this.  There is a white wire with a green stripe (all I know is that it was on the original stereo and did something), and yesterday I accidentally connected that to the grey wire and the illumination lit up just for the air controls.  Can this help me to narrow the search field of possible problems?