12 replies to this topic

[jasonhughes]

Hi I have a 97 legacy wagon. about a year ago my dash lights started intermittedly going out. then one day they went out completely. Now if the lights are turned to the off position the radio light is on, but once you turn the lights on the radio light goes off. For a while the automatic shifter light would come on and dim up and down. Now that light is out too. WTF. Does anyone have any answers out there. all the bulb are good I've checked them. Also all the outside lights work fine.


Any help would be great. I've become acustomed to driving in the dark but dash lights would be nice.

Thanks

[daehttub2000]

Welcome to the club. Here's a great link in the message board (in the "sticky's" for the new gen. Everything you need to know about replacing the climate control and switch lights.

http://www.ultimates...ntrol backlight

P.S. Read carefully and all posts. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble. Disconnect the temperature control cable from the BOTTOM. Just unhook from the post. DON'T REMOVE ANY CLIPS!

[daehttub2000]

Here's probably the most impressive link, with color pics!

http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/sho...hp?threadid=91

P.S. Disconnect the battery and wait for a few minutes before messing with the dash (air bag).

[jasonhughes]

I wish it were that simple but none of the bulbs are burned out. Thanks for the link.

Jason

[nipper]

sounds like the dimmer switch is bad. i dont know if its the switch, or an amplifier hidden someplace. Most stalk controlled items are not directly wired to the circuits as the load is too high.

nipper

[jasonhughes]

how do i test the dimmer switch?

[nipper]

ill let you know after i read the wiring diagram, unless somone else wants to answer

nipper

[jasonhughes]

ill let you know after i read the wiring diagram, unless somone else wants to answer

nipper

Thanks. I have another question that you might be able to answer. I just replaced my seats with some nice leathers out of a 98 outback limited. The seats have seat heaters. Do you know how I can hook those up? Is it as easy as going back to the car I took them from and ripping out the seat heater specific wiring. Thanks again for your help.

[nipper]

Thanks. I have another question that you might be able to answer. I just replaced my seats with some nice leathers out of a 98 outback limited. The seats have seat heaters. Do you know how I can hook those up? Is it as easy as going back to the car I took them from and ripping out the seat heater specific wiring. Thanks again for your help.

you dont know untill you try, but i would say at the very least get the under seat wiring, the switches, and the console wiring. Also CHECK to make sure the seat heaters arent electrically open, then its not worth the work.

nipper

[nipper]

Hi I have a 97 legacy wagon. about a year ago my dash lights started intermittedly going out. then one day they went out completely. Now if the lights are turned to the off position the radio light is on, but once you turn the lights on the radio light goes off. For a while the automatic shifter light would come on and dim up and down. Now that light is out too. WTF. Does anyone have any answers out there. all the bulb are good I've checked them. Also all the outside lights work fine.


Any help would be great. I've become acustomed to driving in the dark but dash lights would be nice.

Thanks

Here we go...
There is an illumination control module that is the amplifier i was talking about.
I would test the stalk by removing the trim on the steering column, dsiconnecting the harness that leads to it (do NOT touch anything if in doubt..as the air bag wiring is stuffed in there too). Airbag wiring is wrapped in colored tape so leave that alone.
You have blue/red blk/red brwn/red coming from that rehostate. Using an analog meter, there shold be no opens and values should change as the dimmer is rotated. If that all works out its the illumination control module.

nipper

[jasonhughes]

Here we go...
There is an illumination control module that is the amplifier i was talking about.
I would test the stalk by removing the trim on the steering column, dsiconnecting the harness that leads to it (do NOT touch anything if in doubt..as the air bag wiring is stuffed in there too). Airbag wiring is wrapped in colored tape so leave that alone.
You have blue/red blk/red brwn/red coming from that rehostate. Using an analog meter, there shold be no opens and values should change as the dimmer is rotated. If that all works out its the illumination control module.

nipper

Ok I went out to test the dimmer. I unplugged the illumination mod and tested the wires there. Between the blue/red and blk/red I metered values changing from 1. when the dimmer was in the lowest setting to .04 when the dimmer was in the highest setting. So I'm assuming that the dimmer is still good. I changed out the illumination control mod and the problem persists. So I'm thinking that it's not the illumination mod. Something thats always puzzled me is how the clock radio light is "on" if the lights are turned to the off possition and then it goes out one you switch on the lights.
Also no matter where I touched the red brown wire to I always got a value of 1.0 . Any ideas?

[jasonhughes]

OK I found the problem. It was a loose conection to the illumination relay. Yay!! I wish I'd found this 2 years ago. thanks to everyone for their help.

[nipper]

OK I found the problem. It was a loose conection to the illumination relay. Yay!! I wish I'd found this 2 years ago. thanks to everyone for their help.

ok i dont feel as bad then. as long as you found the source. My diagram didnt show the relay.

nipper