Dash "D" Dimming ???
 

I'm not sure if anyone has experienced this, but I'm scratching my head on this one. I recently upgraded my dash lights to LED. Everything works and looks great. The issue I have is this. The green "D" on my gear selector on the gauge cluster and my stereo go dim when I shift it into drive. All of the other gear selector lights on the cluster are normal and bright when selected. I don't think it's anything to do with the LED replacement since it does this with the dash lights off. It maybe just coincidence. I took the cluster back out to see if something was loose, not pluged in or not grounded etc., but could find anything. I even have a second (spare) cluster I tried and it did the same thing so I know it's not the bulb or cluster. I did remove the bulb that lights up the green "D" on the cluster and the stereo didn't go dim when shifting into "drive". It's almost like there is something not grounding or maybe touching ground. Any thoughts on what maybe causing this??

Thanks,

Paul

:bang::bang::bang:

My "D" is dimmer than the other gear indicators. I assumed it was to keep the light from distracting when driving at night. Since your stereo is dimming, that could be a grounding issue like you said. Stock stereo?

Maybe the "D" always dimmed and I didn't notice it. The stereo is Pioneer and I know that it didn't dim when putting into drive. Just something weird...but I can live with...:soap:

My wife has a 99 SR5 and I have a 99 base, both with similar mileage and with stock lighting in the dash. Her green 'D' light is completely dark when it's selected (on the dash). Mine is bright as the other gear indicators. I don't know why. The other day, my 'D' seemed dimmer than usual, but it's back to being regular brightness.

The D should be bright with your headlights turned off. When you turn your headlights on, the D dims for night driving.

It dims with the headlights off. It just started doing this....

Has anyone figured out this issue yet? This issue just started for me this morning on the way to work. My pioneer stereo and climate control lights never dimmed before with headlights off and in Drive. I got a 99 Limited

I'm having the same problem. When I shift into drive, the D is dim. On top of that, my pillar mounted gauge faces light up, dimmer than with the headlights on. Additionally, my front parking lights come on, dim as well. I think there has to be a short somewhere along the way. I also have LED cluster bulbs but I don't think that could be causing this problem. I think it has something to do with the signal sent to the cluster to turn the bulb on shorting with another circuit. I pulled my "gauge" fuse under the dash and my parking lights and aftermarket gauges didn't light up anymore when in drive. Very weird little problem.

How big of a job it to change the bulb for the "D". Mine is burned out, all other gear positions light up fine. Does anyone know what bulb number to use (incandescent, not LED)?

Light output of bulbs can change. Especially LED bulbs. Then don't just burn out, unless something goes really wrong and they severely overheat. Normal heat over time lowers light output.

And since D is the bulb that is "on" 99.9% of the time, other bulbs might just be fresher and brighter.

You need to drop the panel at your knees under the steering wheel, remove the trim around the gauge cluster and then finally remove the gauge cluster itself. It's really easy, just be careful when pulling the plugs out of the cluster, they don't give you much room to work with. Bulb is a #74 mini bulb.

Agreed, but the D, as well as all other gear indicators are still incandescent meaning this effect would be subtle and it would probably burn out. The dead give away that this is an electrical problem is that my parking lights and pillar gauge faces light up when in drive. There has to be a short somewhere. Finding it is the problem.

Thanks for the reply Rmlamp. I'll give it a shot over the long weekend.

Double post. Sorry.