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AC panel lights out, Hazard lights button light in-op... HELP!

Discussion in 'Technical Chat' started by RacerAV, Nov 3, 2012.

  1. Nov 3, 2012 at 8:41 PM
    #1
    RacerAV

    RacerAV [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I installed a couple things last night:
    a dual usb outlet into the AUX input spot (that aux input is now permanently behind the dash, with a permanent cable running to the top of my HU that plugs into my iPhone/pad/pod)
    and a different power outlet in the stock cig. lighter (i hated the silver old one, and the lack of a plug for the open hole)

    well, after it was all back together, no fuses blown, the bulb filaments look fine, the AC panel has no lighting, and my hazard button light is off.
    the AC button and the recirculate button do light up when engaged, (only the marker light, not the icon)

    No idea what to do now...

    Last night the two left dials did work, but the right one did not, NOW, all three are off.
     
  2. Nov 4, 2012 at 1:22 AM
    #2
    RacerAV

    RacerAV [OP] Well-Known Member

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    any tips or thoughts?
     
  3. Nov 4, 2012 at 8:14 PM
    #3
    RacerAV

    RacerAV [OP] Well-Known Member

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    anyone?
     
  4. Nov 4, 2012 at 8:15 PM
    #4
    BulletToothTony

    BulletToothTony You’ll have that on these big jobs.

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    u sure no fuses are blown?
     
  5. Nov 5, 2012 at 8:32 AM
    #5
    RogueFab

    RogueFab Innovative Fabrication Tools

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    2" Spacer lift, K&N filter kit, Throttle body spacer, Flowmaster exhaust, Kenwood stereo. My other yota is on 42s!
    My AC panel lights aren't working well either. The zone control works, the temp works about 10% of the time, and the fan never does.

    I'm only sharing because I don't think your problem is related that much to the work you recently did.

    Check your grounds. You may not have hooked one up perfectly clean after the work was done. Usually inconsistent lighting is a bad ground.
     
  6. Nov 5, 2012 at 2:45 PM
    #6
    RacerAV

    RacerAV [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Man, was REALLY hoping to go out and see my battery terminal loose or something, but nope. I disassembled the AC knobs, the left bulb was working, so i swapped them, then neither worked, returned them to original spots, and now nothing! neither work. no blown fuses under the coin tray, or under the hood.

    the accessories i hard wired into the power outlets are good, and working correctly. the outlets work as they should when something is plugged in.

    just my ac knobs and my hazard button light are non-op. :(

    what to do...
     
  7. Nov 5, 2012 at 5:39 PM
    #7
    RacerAV

    RacerAV [OP] Well-Known Member

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    hmm, i haven't hooked them up to another power source, how would i do that?

    but also, the bulb/light in my hazard button isnt working, leading me to think its a bigger problem than 3 bulbs randomly burning out... you know?
     
  8. Nov 5, 2012 at 5:41 PM
    #8
    RacerAV

    RacerAV [OP] Well-Known Member

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    ive pulled every fuse behind the little tray, and every one in the box behind the battery, any others im not aware of?

    not trying to sound like a smart ass either, im going nuts trying to figure out what it is, ive pulled all fuses a couple times at least!
     
  9. Nov 6, 2012 at 7:58 AM
    #9
    RogueFab

    RogueFab Innovative Fabrication Tools

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    2" Spacer lift, K&N filter kit, Throttle body spacer, Flowmaster exhaust, Kenwood stereo. My other yota is on 42s!
    So you went from a working socket and bulb on the left and a non working socket or bulb or both on the right, and after switching bulbs neither worked. That makes sense if you had a bad bulb and socket on the right. After you switch back neither worked, so now you have at least 2 bad sockets, and possibly one bad bulb but not likely. The socket on the left was turned bad by you messing with things.

    I am telling you, this is a ground issue until you prove otherwise. Your time is best spent checking grounds at this point. I bet you can pull your dash around or move wires behind your A/C controls and get the lights to flicker. Just get an ohm meter and check all your grounds to that area while you move the wires around. One probably has a break inside the insulation. Or someone used the same chassis ground lug for an alarm or stereo install and screwed up the contact.
     
  10. Nov 6, 2012 at 8:00 AM
    #10
    RogueFab

    RogueFab Innovative Fabrication Tools

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    Your fuse will do ALL the lights in that area, likely every accessory light all at once. You can't have a fuse take out 2 lights on the AC panel and leave a third. Your hazard light is separate, but not the rest.

    One side note, when checking fuses after the first time, pretend you can't see through them. Check them all with a resistance meter. Every now and then I come across a blown fuse that doesn't look blown.
     
  11. Nov 6, 2012 at 10:08 AM
    #11
    RacerAV

    RacerAV [OP] Well-Known Member

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    yeah thats what i thought, why would two bulbs in the same section be on different fuses.

    ive checked each fuse with a flash light, so unless the fuse can blow without the metal becoming disconnected, they're all good.

    this is driving me nuts. im thinking of asking to borrow someones AC panel, swap, see if it works, to eliminate the possibilities...
     
  12. Nov 7, 2012 at 7:56 AM
    #12
    RogueFab

    RogueFab Innovative Fabrication Tools

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    A flashlight doesn't check for resistance. Ohm meter is the only way to be 100% sure.

    I guess you skimmed my other posts and missed the point. I'll be brief. CHECK YOUR GROUNDS.
     
  13. Nov 7, 2012 at 9:27 AM
    #13
    RacerAV

    RacerAV [OP] Well-Known Member

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    i meant i used a flashlight to see through the plastic to see the connection. ive never seen a fuse blow with out actually blowing. but i guess i cant find another problem, couldnt hurt to check again with a multimeter. (same as an ohm meter?)

    i haven't skimmed anything, im trying like hell to figure out the problem.

    i got to the bulb behind the hazard button, and it's definitely blown, but the two behind the ac panel are good, (look good) but arent working. gonna get all three replacements, then go from there. would autozone have these? dealer only? cost?

    my grounds for the truck are fine, (battery to fender, etc.) the grounds used to hook up my new accessories are the factory ground wires paired with the factory hot wires. think the ground should have their own home? or is tapping into the power outlet for both pos and neg okay?
     
  14. Nov 8, 2012 at 7:51 AM
    #14
    RogueFab

    RogueFab Innovative Fabrication Tools

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    I knew what you meant with the light... I have heard of them blowing without showing, and I have had one in my life that I couldn't see was bad that was. It is VERY uncommon.

    Your Hazard lights and AC panel lights don't ground to your fender. Get a wiring diagram and check thier actual ground, or just use your multi meter to check the resistance to ground at the connectors. And you can't just say your grounds are good. Unless you test them, all you know is that they appear to be there and not rusted.

    If your hazard bulb was blown it is probably a good idea to replace all the bulbs : )

    Nice work.
     
  15. Nov 8, 2012 at 7:53 AM
    #15
    Jerez

    Jerez SoCal LED Dash Swap

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    what dashes did you take apart exactly?? did you remove the one over the cluster as well??
     
  16. Nov 8, 2012 at 11:11 AM
    #16
    RacerAV

    RacerAV [OP] Well-Known Member

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    to get to the panel of blanks/poweroutlets/AUX plug in, you have to remove the center console, the radio, the ac panel, glove box, under the steering wheel, ac vents, and guage cluster cover trim. such a pain.

    i understand what you mean about the grounds, and thats what ill be doing next. i have a date with a multimeter...
     
  17. Nov 8, 2012 at 11:14 AM
    #17
    Jerez

    Jerez SoCal LED Dash Swap

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    Did you plug the dimmer switch back in? Or it's low? I've had occurrences in some trucks that its plugged in and on high and needed to be replugged in for the rest of the truck to start to work
     
  18. Nov 8, 2012 at 2:00 PM
    #18
    RacerAV

    RacerAV [OP] Well-Known Member

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    its plugged in, and seems to work as it should... dimming the dash and radio lights
     

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