Is the Illumination Control module located behind the glove box or underneath the steering wheel in a '98 outback wagon?

 

 

My instrument lights are all out (along with the glove box light) and it makes night driving a little problematic.  I think that the ICM may be the cause....

 

I checked fuses and they all seem to be intact...

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

--Damien

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grab a multi-meter and chase it.

Also, on top of simply physically verifying that fuses aren't blown, check them for voltage with the ignition "ON"

That'll start the "chase" then go from there.

 

Find out what fuse the ICM is on, trace it from there. (I realize, it's a pain)

I don't know for certain regarding it's location, sorry.

 

There could also potentially be a bad ground somewhere.

Did you install a radio recently?  I had a friend that had a 97 Impreza and they saw power on one of the radio wires so they thought it was hot.  It was really the downstream voltage for all of the dash lights looking for a ground.  Radio and cig, lighter.

Well...one of my rear tail lights flooded with water shorting one of the bulbs out... I think that may have contributed. :-/

Did you accidentally roll the dimmer wheel on the headlight stalk all the way to the off position?

 

And yes, if someone installed an aftermarket stereo and tried to hook up the dimmer wire, they cooked the Illumination module.

 

Illumination control module is under the drivers side dash near the steering column. Has a 6 pin black connector.

 

Edit again, I was looking at the wrong wire diagram.

Your rear lights should be supplied power by fuse 5 in the under-dash fuse panel.

Edited November 4, 201312 yr by Fairtax4me

Hey thanks...that's helpful.

 

No I thought of the obvious...but even with the wheel all the way down it would still be a little lit...right?  :-)

 

Another thing that doesn't work is when I pull the windshield wiper stalk it engages the wiper motor but not the spray...(it did work sometimes...but only very intermittently).

 

This makes me think that there could be a corroded contact somewhere in there or something.... :-/

I'm not sure on the newer ones, both my 95 and 96 have a separate button on the end of the stalk for the spray. Pulling the stalk does a single wipe.

 

Also on both of those, turning the dimmer wheel all the way down turns the dash lights completely off.

Well I examined the fuses more closely and, sure enough, the one for 'illumi' was blown.  So, after replacing the fuse, it works again.

 

 

As for the glove box light, I don't know...I know the bulb is fine. 

Glove box light only works when the lights are on.

Actually a short in the glove box was blowing that very fuse.  When I would open the glove box the fuse would blow.  I think I must have re-inserted the bulb in the socket incorrectly when I took it out to inspect it. 

 

When I took the bulb out and tried it again...the fuse didn't blow.

Wow good timing, somehow my glove box light did the same thing to me one morning as well! I went to work, turned on the lights and I heard a crackle sound and then next thing I know my dash lights went out.. it sucks because I drive to work at 3:30 AM.. and it seems the glove box light has no part number? I looked at it and still can't figure out how it went wrong but it seems a piece of metal might of bridged between the two connections.

The wires for the glove box light run through a very sharp edged hole drilled through the metal part of the dash structure. Not a very good place for them IMO.

mine was internal in the switch where the bulb base plugs in, a guess a piece broke off and I saw it touching

Yeah...it was that very switch...it was shorting that circuit out.  I solved it by cutting one of the leads to it.  Now it doesn't blow the fuse anymore.

 

 

Cheers!

 

--Damien

I just left mine disconnected until I can find a replacement.

Well I played with it for a while but to me it seemed that the switch was the problem...in any case...one snip...problem solved.

 

It was easier than brain surgery! 

 

 

Over and out,

--Damien

Holy crap I just heard back from the dealer how much that switch costs...

 

$40...

Thats cheap actually 

For seeing how small it is I thought it was a bit much, oh well I guess I will have him place the order.

The illuminator control itself is over 100 bucks.

This is not that, this is the switch in the glove compartment box, the switch for the light.

EEEK go to a scrap yard.

lol, I'm guessing it's because they don't move hardly any of them

 

I have to check a yard when my car is back up and running.

Edited November 30, 201312 yr by 1-3-2-4