Digital dash acting up.

So I installed new tunes in the Tank this week and everything was great until I was coming home tonight. When ever I turn on my headlights my dash goes black. And when I turn them off only the speedo comes on. Is it possible I did something when I had the dash apart for the new deck? Any help is appreciated.

John

I take it your "tunes" mean you put in a new radio?

On atleast the RMW, when you install an aftermarket radio, it affects the dimming function of the dash. I assume it is probably the same for the Chevy Wagon.

Those speedometer / gauges are notorious for having problems and blacking out. I'm guessing something has been effected. They are very sensitive to voltage, maybe it could be something as simple as a week battery.

Tom

Disconnect all of the dimmer wires (the signal and the voltage) from the radio and see if the problem goes away.

BTW John sorry I haven't called you yet, just haven't had a free moment!

Sooooooo, I took the dash apart to check the wiring for the new radio and remembered that the dimmer wires from the factory harness had nowhere to hook up to the radio harness. I then tested the theory that if the radio was disconnected would the same thing happen, it did. So I am now understanding that its a dash/headlight switch issue and nothing I did by installing the stereo. Anyone have a spare dash laying around?

John, those dash units are always for sale. Maybe one of the NY guys has one. I think you should be able to pick one up for $40 to $50.

Tom

big john and the TANK wrote:

Sooooooo, I took the dash apart to check the wiring for the new radio and remembered that the dimmer wires from the factory harness had nowhere to hook up to the radio harness. I then tested the theory that if the radio was disconnected would the same thing happen, it did. So I am now understanding that its a dash/headlight switch issue and nothing I did by installing the stereo. Anyone have a spare dash laying around?

John, did you reconnect the old radio and dimming wires? Doing that may be necessary to complete the circuit and make the dashboard work.

Tom C.

Sounds like a problem in the dimmer circuit. Have you put a voltmeter on that circuit to see what it's reading?

BTW last time I was in the U-pull junkyard (a month or two ago) there was a '94 Caprice sedan in there that had the instrument cluster still in it.