I made an oops...
10-26-10, 01:40 PM
#1
I made an oops...
So today I was working on my 7, trying to get some parts that I picked up at Parts Galore yesterday installed (BTW, if anyone in the Detroit area wants a solid (and I mean SOLID) Solar Gold 80, go to the Parts Galore on 8 mile. The interior is shot, but there is NO chassis rust), and apparently I goofed. Here is what happened:
My dash dimmer switch is shot. The wheel is broken, and i don't have dash lights. They didn't have a S3 for me, so I picked up a S2 dimmer. The plugs are the same, however when I plugged it in and tested it, my dash lights didn't light up, my clock backlight died, and now my headlights won't retract and my marker lights stopped working. I think that it's the 10A fuse in the fuse block under the dash, but here is my question:
Are the dimmer switches interchangeable? The plugs fit perfectly, but I'm not sure if the wiring is the same. If they are, then I'm going to just tuck the dimmer switch up under my dash with the dash lights on full blast and use my broken switch as a placeholder until I can locate a working replacement.
My dash dimmer switch is shot. The wheel is broken, and i don't have dash lights. They didn't have a S3 for me, so I picked up a S2 dimmer. The plugs are the same, however when I plugged it in and tested it, my dash lights didn't light up, my clock backlight died, and now my headlights won't retract and my marker lights stopped working. I think that it's the 10A fuse in the fuse block under the dash, but here is my question:
Are the dimmer switches interchangeable? The plugs fit perfectly, but I'm not sure if the wiring is the same. If they are, then I'm going to just tuck the dimmer switch up under my dash with the dash lights on full blast and use my broken switch as a placeholder until I can locate a working replacement.
10-26-10, 04:48 PM
#2
Ugh. I fried a S2 dimmer for no reason. Thanks to the old sage Peejay for giving me this answer:
The dimmer switch blows to protect the fuse. 
If you have a manual transmission, under the shifter boot there will be two bullet connectors, one male one female, and I think they are both red with green striping, or maybe red with blue striping. People like to find them, think "oh, something some moron left unplugged", then plug them in together.
Problem is, those connectors are for the PRNDL light in automatics. One wiring harness for all cars. The light is part of the instrument panel circuit and will dim with the dimmer switch. Connecting them causes a short to ground, and you waste your dimmer switch.
That is SO incredibly common that it should be the first thing you check.
Once you disconnect them, take out the dimmer switch, cut the wires off at the switch (there is a conenctor further down so you can fix properly later), connect the red/blue wire to the red/green wire. Replace your fuse and you should have dashboard lights.
If you have a manual transmission, under the shifter boot there will be two bullet connectors, one male one female, and I think they are both red with green striping, or maybe red with blue striping. People like to find them, think "oh, something some moron left unplugged", then plug them in together.
Problem is, those connectors are for the PRNDL light in automatics. One wiring harness for all cars. The light is part of the instrument panel circuit and will dim with the dimmer switch. Connecting them causes a short to ground, and you waste your dimmer switch.
That is SO incredibly common that it should be the first thing you check.
Once you disconnect them, take out the dimmer switch, cut the wires off at the switch (there is a conenctor further down so you can fix properly later), connect the red/blue wire to the red/green wire. Replace your fuse and you should have dashboard lights.
10-26-10, 06:48 PM
#3
Lives on the Forum
Ah, you found those wires did you? By the way, I've been keeping my eye out for a replacement dimmer switch for a couple of years now, just in case you run across an extra one. lol.
.
By the way, I've been keeping my eye out for a replacement dimmer switch for a couple of years now, just in case you run across an extra one. lol..
11-03-10, 02:45 PM
#6
Lives on the Forum
lol, thought of that, but always forget when I see you.
You coming to the race on Saturday? There's a slim chance that my car might be back in action by then.
You coming to the race on Saturday? There's a slim chance that my car might be back in action by then.
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11-04-10, 03:20 AM
#9
The thing with the dimmer switches, at least on the S3s is people tend to try and over rotate the **** past the wimpy built in stops. When this happens it shears the fine wires in the switch, toasting the dimmer. If you have a dimmer wheel that keeps rotating and doesn't stop, it's toast.
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