GMC aftermarket deck/dash lights problem

[Lungstrass]

Afternoon all,

I'm hoping that one of you can assist me again with a problem I'm having
after installing a new radio CD player. After following all the directions
properly and double checking everything twice, I still have no dash lights.
It's only the lights in the instrument cluster themselves. The indicator
lights in the door switches etc are fine.

The dash lights actually worked for a minute or two after the installation,
but then quit. Using the diagnostics in the shop manual, I have determined I
need a new H/L switch because the dimmer seems to be fried.

The new radio I have installed is a Panasonic 5310U and it works
wonderfully. The display in radio is fine. It has no wiring for anything to
do with the dimmer, which is dofferent from the stock deck. The stock radio
uses two wires, orange & orange/white stripe that interface with the dimmer
on the truck. With the new radio, these two wires are left open, not
connected to anything. I tried installing the stock deck again, and sure
enough, still no cluster lights.

I contacted Panasonic who's somewhat terse reply was to take it to a
professional installer.

Anyone have a thought on this?

I don't want to install a new H/L switch and have it fail again, if it's
related to the new deck.

Thanks,

Chris

[Eddie Runner]

there is a dimmer wire that went to your old Chevy Stereo.
Your new panasonic radio may not have used this wire, but
never the less the dimmer wire is in the factory radio plug.!!

Most of the GM dimmer wires are GRAY and in the radio
harness, if I were you I would check that the GRAY wire
in the car IS NOT HOOKEDUP to anything!!!

Even if you didnt hook that wire up, it is still possible that you
crunched the gray wire with the Panasonic radio chassis when
you jammed everything in your dash, or there are any number of
ways the gray wire could have touched metal which would have
caused your dashlight fuse to blow... (very common)

First make sure this wire is OK, than then try replacing the fuse.

If it still blows the fuse, like Panasonic recomended, take it to
a pro installer...!!! A decent installer would know exactly what
to do to find and fix your problem in just a few minutes...

Good luck
Eddie Runner
http://www.installer.com/tech/

Lungstrass wrote:

> Afternoon all,
>
> I'm hoping that one of you can assist me again with a problem I'm having
> after installing a new radio CD player. After following all the directions
> properly and double checking everything twice, I still have no dash lights.
> It's only the lights in the instrument cluster themselves. The indicator
> lights in the door switches etc are fine.
>
> The dash lights actually worked for a minute or two after the installation,
> but then quit. Using the diagnostics in the shop manual, I have determined I
> need a new H/L switch because the dimmer seems to be fried.
>
> The new radio I have installed is a Panasonic 5310U and it works
> wonderfully. The display in radio is fine. It has no wiring for anything to
> do with the dimmer, which is dofferent from the stock deck. The stock radio
> uses two wires, orange & orange/white stripe that interface with the dimmer
> on the truck. With the new radio, these two wires are left open, not
> connected to anything. I tried installing the stock deck again, and sure
> enough, still no cluster lights.
>
> I contacted Panasonic who's somewhat terse reply was to take it to a
> professional installer.
>
> Anyone have a thought on this?
>
> I don't want to install a new H/L switch and have it fail again, if it's
> related to the new deck.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chris