electrical....I can use dash lights OR radio, not both

Tried to figure out whats going on with my electrical problem in my 1997 today. When I put the illumination fuse in, the gauge lights and other inside lights work- but the radio goes off.
As soon as I turn the lights off, the radio comes back on.
Also, even when the fuse is pulled for illumination, when I turn the headlights on, there is a very brief flicker of light on the gauges, like they are going to light up. Its just a split second, but its definitely light.

All fuses are checked and are fine.
Thoughts?

Check the wiring going to your gauge cluster and to the radio. It sounds like you have a short that pops the fuse as soon as you put a draw on it.

Check the wiring going to your gauge cluster and to the radio. It sounds like you have a short that pops the fuse as soon as you put a draw on it.


No fuses are blowing when I turn the lights on or off. When I turn them off, the radio will come back on, if I turn them on, it goes off.

New thing.
My "check gauges" light on the gauge cluster turns on when I make a hard right. Only stays on for a few seconds, though.

Given the new thing with the check gauges light coming on after a hard right turn, it seems to me that something is loose.
Any ideas on what I should be looking for?

Any thoughts?

Any ideas?

Well, if your SES came on at anytime, the code will be stored. Stop at autozone of advanced autoparts and you can get it scanned for free. That may lead you to the cross problem.

Is your radio factory or aftermarket? Have you ever had it out? I would look at the wiring harness in back of the radio and even disconnect the radio's illumination wire to see if it fixes it. If so, then it could very well be your dimmer switch (this can cause all sorts of probs)

Well, if your SES came on at anytime, the code will be stored. Stop at autozone of advanced autoparts and you can get it scanned for free. That may lead you to the cross problem.

Is your radio factory or aftermarket? Have you ever had it out? I would look at the wiring harness in back of the radio and even disconnect the radio's illumination wire to see if it fixes it. If so, then it could very well be your dimmer switch (this can cause all sorts of probs)


I will get the codes checked.
I have an aftermarket deck, I looked at the harness, everything looks fine. Tried disconnecting the illumination wire, no change.

My gauge light has stopped coming on after right turns, though. Just quit by itself.
The other problems are still going on.

I will get the codes checked.
I have an aftermarket deck, I looked at the harness, everything looks fine. Tried disconnecting the illumination wire, no change.

My gauge light has stopped coming on after right turns, though. Just quit by itself.
The other problems are still going on.

Are you talking about the radio lite going out or the radio it self going out? If it is the lite I would check where you or whoever hooked the wire up to the system to get power to the lite. If it is the radio I would check this or try hooking it to another power source.

Are you talking about the radio lite going out or the radio it self going out? If it is the lite I would check where you or whoever hooked the wire up to the system to get power to the lite. If it is the radio I would check this or try hooking it to another power source.


Its the radio itself. Goes out and does not come back on when the illumination fuse is in, and I turn the gauge lights on.
Cycles on and off when the illumination fuse is in, even if the lights are not turned on.

I would try hooking it to another power source and be sure to check your ground. That how trailer lights use to do if they was not grounded right or grounded back through something else they would blink on and off, look like a Christmas tree going down the road.

I would try hooking it to another power source and be sure to check your ground. That how trailer lights use to do if they was not grounded right or grounded back through something else they would blink on and off, look like a Christmas tree going down the road.

One of the first things I did was pull the radio and reinstall it.
I only have problems when the illumination fuse is in, and the problem varies depending on if I have the dash lights on or off.

Im thinking something must be loose, because the check gauges light was coming on briefly when I made a right turn, but that has stopped. I just dont know where to look, and Id like to have some idea before I start taking my dash apart.
Does it sound like something is loose? Or a bad component somewhere?

where did you hook the wire for the radio to get power for illumination?

where did you hook the wire for the radio to get power for illumination?


Its hooked up properly.
The radio has been installed for quite a while, the problem is somewhat recent. Because of that, I dont think thats the issue, unless something happened.

I was messing around with it more today. I tried a new headlight switch, and a new interior light switch. Neither one solved the problem. I noticed that the switch itself gets very hot, and so do the wires on the back of the switch.

There was also a clicking sound coming from my glove box area. Any thoughts?

Someone?

I was messing around with it more today. I tried a new headlight switch, and a new interior light switch. Neither one solved the problem. I noticed that the switch itself gets very hot, and so do the wires on the back of the switch.

There was also a clicking sound coming from my glove box area. Any thoughts?
If it's a dimmer switch it will naturally get hot, some of that may transfer to the wires. Clicking from the glovebox sounds like a flasher.

If you hook up a voltmeter to the radio power wires and play with the switches what happens?

If it's a dimmer switch it will naturally get hot, some of that may transfer to the wires. Clicking from the glovebox sounds like a flasher.

If you hook up a voltmeter to the radio power wires and play with the switches what happens?


Just tried it, the voltage doesnt change.