Speedometer light won't come on

[jsn.ckn]

Hey guys, I'm a first time poster on this forum, but I intend to stay because I recently just inherited my family's 96 Camry Vienta - something like this http://images.automotive.com/reviews/images/96camry.jpg. Anyway, I've only just had time to do a couple of small things to it; first of which was clean it up. I got a head-unit for the car and about a day ago I installed it, and it seemed like it was fine. All parts in the car were functioning and it seemed alright. Then when it hit night time, when I went to turn on my lights, the light that illuminates the entire dashboard (so fuel gauge, speedometer etc etc) wouldn't light up. So I used a torch instead to light it up and got home.

I thought it may have been the fuses, so I checked them and they looked fine. Then I checked the wiring on my headunit, because it was playing up a little as well, and consulted the manual, which to my horror, I found that I had connected the battery wire and ignition wire incorrectly. So I switched them around and tried it again. The head unit worked fine, but the lights of the dashboard still didn't come on.

And this is where I'm stuck. I have no idea what might be wrong. The fuses MAY be alright because they looked intact, they were all blade fuses and the middle bit looked like either a V or a rotated S. I'm not sure if that's ok, but it all looked intact. So yeah, can anyone help me out? Is it the bulb? the fuse? or something else? Also, if it is the bulb, can someone tell me how to fix it?

Cheers

[Mr Kluger]

it doesnt sound right...

check the fuses again...

thats what they are there for to prevent any silly mistakes from happening... everything should still work...

good luck

[leasaunce]

did you check the fusebox inside the car (under the dash) or the one located inside the engine bay?

[jsn.ckn]

it doesnt sound right...

check the fuses again...

thats what they are there for to prevent any silly mistakes from happening... everything should still work...

good luck

What exactly should the fuses look like? Some of mine were two flat bins wit ha v-like shape. And others were the two pins and a rotated-s like shape

did you check the fusebox inside the car (under the dash) or the one located inside the engine bay?

The one in the car, under the dash. Should I check the ones in the engine bay? And whereabouts are they? :P

[94CamryCSI]

The fuses in the engine bay are right next to the air filter. (left hand side of the car).

Are you sure it is only your interior lights that are dead? I'd have another look to see if the "park" lights work still...., if they don't.... DONT TURN ON UR LIGHTS:

You have wired up the power source for the ilumination in the factory stereo where ur earth is supposed to be.... When the lights are off, it acts as an earth, when u switch the lights on, it acts as power..... How do i know? I was stupid enough to do the same thing, I blew every bulb in my Dash, That was an EXPENSIVE exercise (4 of the bulbs are $10 a pop, 6 others are $4 each, and another 5 are impossible to get at and also $4 a pop) ... since then, my AC button is also sticky.... I didn't realise what the problem was till i went to an auto electrician and forked out $35 for them to tell me i'm an idiot.

People will correct me if i am wrong, but the only effect connecting the ignition wire and the power wire around the wrong way would have is that you wouldn't have a memory on ur clock, or u could still use the stereo when the car is off.... but it is possible u have blown a fuse by doing that... just unlikely.

[jsn.ckn]

The fuses in the engine bay are right next to the air filter. (left hand side of the car).

Are you sure it is only your interior lights that are dead? I'd have another look to see if the "park" lights work still...., if they don't.... DONT TURN ON UR LIGHTS:

You have wired up the power source for the ilumination in the factory stereo where ur earth is supposed to be.... When the lights are off, it acts as an earth, when u switch the lights on, it acts as power..... How do i know? I was stupid enough to do the same thing, I blew every bulb in my Dash, That was an EXPENSIVE exercise (4 of the bulbs are $10 a pop, 6 others are $4 each, and another 5 are impossible to get at and also $4 a pop) ... since then, my AC button is also sticky.... I didn't realise what the problem was till i went to an auto electrician and forked out $35 for them to tell me i'm an idiot.

People will correct me if i am wrong, but the only effect connecting the ignition wire and the power wire around the wrong way would have is that you wouldn't have a memory on ur clock, or u could still use the stereo when the car is off.... but it is possible u have blown a fuse by doing that... just unlikely.

Yeah the memory thing happened. And I think my park lights are still working, they better be lol my dads out atm in the car haha. I'll check when he gets back. The only thin that's not lighting up that i know of is the dash. So I can;t see my speed fuel etc, everything still works to the best of my knowledge. I'll check when the old man gets back

Also, since youve done it already, can you tell me which one of the 'power' wires is which? Like the ones coming from the car? I have a red a dark green and a blue wire with a red stripe.

Ok I've just checked, the brake lights work, that is what you were referring to when you meant park lights isnt it?

Edited November 28, 2007 by jsn.ckn

[94CamryCSI]

The fuses in the engine bay are right next to the air filter. (left hand side of the car).

Are you sure it is only your interior lights that are dead? I'd have another look to see if the "park" lights work still...., if they don't.... DONT TURN ON UR LIGHTS:

You have wired up the power source for the ilumination in the factory stereo where ur earth is supposed to be.... When the lights are off, it acts as an earth, when u switch the lights on, it acts as power..... How do i know? I was stupid enough to do the same thing, I blew every bulb in my Dash, That was an EXPENSIVE exercise (4 of the bulbs are $10 a pop, 6 others are $4 each, and another 5 are impossible to get at and also $4 a pop) ... since then, my AC button is also sticky.... I didn't realise what the problem was till i went to an auto electrician and forked out $35 for them to tell me i'm an idiot.

People will correct me if i am wrong, but the only effect connecting the ignition wire and the power wire around the wrong way would have is that you wouldn't have a memory on ur clock, or u could still use the stereo when the car is off.... but it is possible u have blown a fuse by doing that... just unlikely.

Yeah the memory thing happened. And I think my park lights are still working, they better be lol my dads out atm in the car haha. I'll check when he gets back. The only thin that's not lighting up that i know of is the dash. So I can;t see my speed fuel etc, everything still works to the best of my knowledge. I'll check when the old man gets back

Also, since youve done it already, can you tell me which one of the 'power' wires is which? Like the ones coming from the car? I have a red a dark green and a blue wire with a red stripe.

Ok I've just checked, the brake lights work, that is what you were referring to when you meant park lights isnt it?

No Brake lights are not park lights..... Try turing the headlights to half on.... ie park lights..... and u walk to the front of the car.... from memory thats what went bad anyways.

Wiring Colours .... sorry mate, that was 2.5 years ago..... i have NO CLUE which wire is which anymore..... ESP since i ended up paying a professional in the end.

Do you have a multi meter? Simlest way to eliminate my concern is this: Get a multimeter (if u don't have one, u shouldn't really be doing any wiring), put it onto the volt meter, put the black wire onto an earthed part of the car .... something metal.... put the other end on what u believe to be power wire... should throw a reading. Now put the red end on what u have wired into the stereo as earth, and slowly turn on the lights... then either call me an annoying ***** for having wasted about 10 mins of ur time, or thank *** that your car hasn't set on fire.... yet.

If you get REALLY stuck with wiring, lemme know, i'll pull out my dash and give u the colours.... no point in forking out the 80 bucks a professional charges to do a crap job... (mine didn't even put back all my screws .... pricks)

[jsn.ckn]

The fuses in the engine bay are right next to the air filter. (left hand side of the car).

Are you sure it is only your interior lights that are dead? I'd have another look to see if the "park" lights work still...., if they don't.... DONT TURN ON UR LIGHTS:

You have wired up the power source for the ilumination in the factory stereo where ur earth is supposed to be.... When the lights are off, it acts as an earth, when u switch the lights on, it acts as power..... How do i know? I was stupid enough to do the same thing, I blew every bulb in my Dash, That was an EXPENSIVE exercise (4 of the bulbs are $10 a pop, 6 others are $4 each, and another 5 are impossible to get at and also $4 a pop) ... since then, my AC button is also sticky.... I didn't realise what the problem was till i went to an auto electrician and forked out $35 for them to tell me i'm an idiot.

People will correct me if i am wrong, but the only effect connecting the ignition wire and the power wire around the wrong way would have is that you wouldn't have a memory on ur clock, or u could still use the stereo when the car is off.... but it is possible u have blown a fuse by doing that... just unlikely.

Yeah the memory thing happened. And I think my park lights are still working, they better be lol my dads out atm in the car haha. I'll check when he gets back. The only thin that's not lighting up that i know of is the dash. So I can;t see my speed fuel etc, everything still works to the best of my knowledge. I'll check when the old man gets back

Also, since youve done it already, can you tell me which one of the 'power' wires is which? Like the ones coming from the car? I have a red a dark green and a blue wire with a red stripe.

Ok I've just checked, the brake lights work, that is what you were referring to when you meant park lights isnt it?

No Brake lights are not park lights..... Try turing the headlights to half on.... ie park lights..... and u walk to the front of the car.... from memory thats what went bad anyways.

Wiring Colours .... sorry mate, that was 2.5 years ago..... i have NO CLUE which wire is which anymore..... ESP since i ended up paying a professional in the end.

Do you have a multi meter? Simlest way to eliminate my concern is this: Get a multimeter (if u don't have one, u shouldn't really be doing any wiring), put it onto the volt meter, put the black wire onto an earthed part of the car .... something metal.... put the other end on what u believe to be power wire... should throw a reading. Now put the red end on what u have wired into the stereo as earth, and slowly turn on the lights... then either call me an annoying ***** for having wasted about 10 mins of ur time, or thank *** that your car hasn't set on fire.... yet.

If you get REALLY stuck with wiring, lemme know, i'll pull out my dash and give u the colours.... no point in forking out the 80 bucks a professional charges to do a crap job... (mine didn't even put back all my screws .... pricks)

Yep ok I'll try that tomorrow. I totally forgot about my multi meter lol! But just to make it clear, in the first step, I'm attaching the negative end of the multimeter to any metal part of the car, and the red end onto the power wire (would that be the battery wire)? And could you explain the second step just quickly? thanks heaps

Thanks for all your help so far

[94CamryCSI]

Rightio.....

Yes power wire is the battery wire (or the signal wire when u have the ignition turned on)

2. Turn the lights on, put the earth end on an earth, (ie metal part of the car) and second part on the wire you have plugged into the stereo as an earth. Shouldn't throw a reading. If it does, it means that when u turn on the lights, the wire is Positive.