Instrument cluster lights not working

Tiny
ACURSI16
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 TOYOTA ECHO
  • 1.5L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 119,000 MILES
Two back lights in the instrument cluster. One of the lights would flicker if I hit a bump or something. I swapped the lights, meaning I put the bad light in the good light's place and vice versa, to help determine if it was an issue with the bulb or something else. The problem persisted with the bad light. So, I swapped them back because I preferred the other side to be more illuminated. After swapping them back, both lights went out and would not come back on. I checked the bulbs and both bulbs were burnt out. That's when I realized, when I swapped the lights back to their original locations, the car was still on. I'm worried I messed something up. So, I replaced both bulbs and they still didn't come back on. I checked the dimmer switch for continuity - that's good. I checked the voltage to the dimmer switch and was not able to get any reading. I tested it with a multimeter by touching the negative probe to the chassis and the positive to both probes on the dimmer switch and both wires going to the dimmer switch. I did not get any voltage reading on any of those. I tried using a jumper between the two wires to force the lights to be always on - that did not work. I checked every 7.5, 10, and 15 amp fuse I have, and they all look good. Everything else seems to work fine. Any ideas? Did I mess the circuit board up when I put those lights back with the car on?
Tuesday, March 29th, 2022 AT 8:18 PM

12 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,579 POSTS
The dash dimmer adjusts a resistance to ground that goes to the instrument panel and adjusts the PWM that makes the lights dim. You won't find a voltage on it, only a path to the ground. Are the dash lights the only ones out? How about the shift display, clock, door switches, heater controls, radio and taillights? Which of those work? If those all work and dim, then the issue is in the instrument panel itself. Attached is the wiring diagram in two parts.
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 2:35 AM
Tiny
ACURSI16
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Thanks for the reply. The shift display and heater controls are out, however those were out prior to this happening. The radio and taillights work. I don't have the clock or door switches. What do you recommend as my next step?
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 5:11 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Forgot to ask if the LCD for mileage is out as well? You said the lights in the radio do work and dim correctly? If the radio lights do work correctly (stock radio as well?) Trying to determine if the illumination circuit is working at all without needing to take a lot of things apart. However, as you know how to pull the cluster to change the bulbs, remove it and then look at the connector that comes from the car, unplug it, and plug it back in a couple times, check for the lights, if they are still out then the next thing will be to use a test light to check the light pads on the instrument cluster. You said you jumpered the rheostat before? In that case jump it again. Now take the test light and connect it to battery positive and with the dimmer/rheostat jumped check the two light contact pads for each lamp in the dash. One of the pads in each should make the lamp light if the ground path is good. If you get no light, then check the ground in the left side kick panel. If you do get a good light, then the ground is okay. Next connect the test light to a good ground, now touch the other pads in the bulb sockets with the lights on, if the power feed into the dash lights is good the light should light. Either the power or ground shouldn't work as the lights are out, testing should show which.
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 7:15 AM
Tiny
ACURSI16
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Before I try that, I have an update. I turned the car on today and one of the lights is now working. The other is not still. I didn't do anything to it, it just started working again on its own. Also, I have an after-market radio, so that may not be of any help. I confirmed that the shifter light is indeed burnt out, however the heater control lights are not burnt out. Just not illuminating. The light that does work, the one that came back on, does not dim. It stays the same brightness until I turn the dimmer all the way down, then it turns off. Does that change things?
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 7:31 AM
Tiny
ACURSI16
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And yes, the LCD does work. Just the back lights are the issue.
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 7:33 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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I was afraid you had a non-stock radio. No big thing. From what I have seen that is somewhat common with the dimmer, it's more an on/off switch than an actual dimmer.
With the one bulb now working I suspect there is a problem on the circuit board itself if swapping them still means only the single light works. I would still try pulling and reseating the connectors as well.
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 7:43 AM
Tiny
ACURSI16
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I switched the bulbs and the one that is good works in both spots but the one that doesn't work continued to not work. The bulb is good. There must be something wrong with the bulb housing.
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 7:58 AM
Tiny
ACURSI16
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I got the other one working. Very strange issue. The filaments that come out the bottom of the bulb were bent in the wrong direction, so they weren't making contact with the brass. I bent the filaments in the other direction, and it works. So, both of those are working now. The heater lights still don't work but I'm not really concerned about that. That being said, if the lights happen to go out again, since they came back on their own, what do you think is the reason?
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 8:08 AM
Tiny
ACURSI16
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Also, I checked the voltage at the instrument cluster, and it shows 12 volts no matter what position the dimmer switch is in. Is that normal?
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 8:17 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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Normal on the voltage, the dimmer adjusts the ground side of the circuit. It should have 12 volts constant. If they stop again then I would start at the connectors to the instrument panel, it wouldn't take much to have a loose pin that causes an intermittent problem.
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 9:34 AM
Tiny
ACURSI16
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Great. Thanks a lot for your help.
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 9:35 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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You're welcome.
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Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 AT 4:48 PM

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