airkewld4life

So, I was changing my dash lights and replacing them with LED's when I fried the circuit board on the gauges. Now, I need some major help. Could this fried instrument cluster cause my ash tray, cig lighter, a/c control and tranny indicator lights not to work? I checked the gauge fuse to see if it had continuity and it checked good. Are there any other fuses to check? When I turn the headlight switch on none of the dash lights work, when the turn signals are turned on they do work. The headlights work too. Anybody have any ideas?

Please help. I'm seriously desperate.

Ron Helmuth

tell us which vehicle please are we trying to fix?

year and model engine and tranny-give us a bit more to go on. We'll help a brotha out

airkewld4life

Oh sorry, it's a 92 4Runner with an automatic 3.0

airkewld4life

BUMP! Please. I really need help on this. I am completely stumped.

Ron Helmuth

Headlight switch on the stalk? What happens when you just go to parking lights?

Did you fail to disconnect the battery cable before messing with the instrument cluster?

It sounds like it must still be functional-since it will work when the turn signals engage.

You have a wiring diagram of any type? If not get one. There may be one on this forum or T4R.org

Haynes manual will show you one to get some idea of where to begin looking. I am taking a wild guess you fried a relay or have a loose/floating ground wire making intermittent contact.

airkewld4life

Yes, the headlight switch on the stalk. The combo switch. When I go to parking lights, the parking lights come on but none of the interior lights do.

I won't lie. I didn't even think to disconnect the battery.

The only diagram I have is in the Chilton's but it is pretty vague. I just placed an order for an FSM but it won't be here for a week.

I'm with you on the fried relay and I'm hoping that is all it is. What relay(s) can I check? I've not seen a relay for dash lights but did find one behind the left kick panel next to the fuses inside the 4Runner. When I turned the switch the relay clicked like it was supposed.

Ron Helmuth

okay good was there a connector to the cluster? You had to undo it? any chance you turned it upside down/got it backwards?-any loose wiring unaccounted for? any odor of burned wiring or such?

pics will get others to chime in likely.... let's keep this bumping to the top constantly...

you got a post going over in 2nd gen Runner section of t4r? if not let's get some more opinions going here....

airkewld4life

There were 4 connectors going into the back of the cluster and it's impossible to mix them up or flip them over or anything of the sort. The only odor was from the fried circuit board.




I'll register at T4R and post something there too.

Ron Helmuth

well I am not positive what I am looking at but it appears the actual circuitry has popped loose off the board and is crossing other circuit paths.

I do think you will need a new instrument cluster. I can't quite understand how it can ever work but some of these electrical things kind of defy conventional wisdom.

Ask around in 89-95 truck section and lead folks to this thread and see what some others have to say. Please do not make judgements just off my opinion.

milehigheric

I don't mean to be rude, but what ever happened to common sense? Let me explain...

Lights worked before you burnt out the instrument cluster, lights dont work after you burnt out the instrument cluster. I have a feeling I know what the problem is...

Now I'm not a mean guy so I will give you some advice...All the lights you mentioned are in one circuit - the lights should all turn on with the tail light relay so check for a voltage there first. My guess is however a new cluster will solve your problems.

Ron...the post count does not make you epic, stop raising it with wild guesses.

airkewld4life

LOL. I understand, man. No worries.

See, I wasn't sure if the lights were all on the same circuit so I was at a loss. Not only because I didn't know they were on one but I didn't know which one they were on. So, I thank you for the help despite the rudeness

I actually just got the new cluster in the mail about 30 mins ago so I will throw it in and see what happens. Thanks for the help.

Ron Helmuth

hey if wild guesses are what it takes to get someone else to comment milehigheric-

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

Please do not create another thread when you do not get an immeadiete answer.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f131.../#post51386611

You fried your cluster, its clear as day. Get a new cluster, end of story.

airkewld4life

Sorry. I needed answers and wasn't getting any so I figured I'd try again.

I know it's clear as day that my cluster was fried but that doesn't mean it led to the other problem. I got a new cluster and low and behold, it didn't fix the problem.

So, I got the new cluster and installed it and it did not fix the problem at hand. Anybody have any other ideas? I leave in a week for Tennessee and have become desperate. I'm thinking the combo switch.

airkewld4life

So, I was going through the forums searching for threads related to my issue and came across this https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f131...orking-190260/
I read the post before but it didn't hit me. I read the whole thing again today and the second post on the page was the golden ticket. While I was reading what the dimmer switch actually did, it hit me. This whole time I have not had the dimmer switch plugged in. What a dumb@$$ I am. I plugged it in, connected my battery, turned the switch on, voila, the lights worked. I feel like an idiot.