Hvac, radio, shifter and radio trim lights stopped working

So went for a drive and noticed the hvac, shifter, radio buttons and accessory buttons(diff lock, Atrac, etc.) lights did not come on with the headlights as they should. Dash lights and everything else function normally. I plan to check the fuses in the morning but am almost willing to bet that I've been sabotaged by mice. So my question is, where should I start looking to locate the wire that controls all of this stuff to search for damage?

 

When mine acted similar to yours, it was the IG1 fuse (10 amp) under dash. It controls a lot of stuff. Never did find out what was blowing the fuses. Havent done any mods at the time. Replaced fuse and it would be fine for a day or two then blow again. No real pattern. After going thru 10 of the ten amp fuses it just never blew another one. It been fine for approx 3 years. I would start with that IG1 fuse. Hope this helps.

 

Will do and that's strange. Thanks for the info.

 

Fuse looks fine, swapped in a new one in as well to test and still no lights.

 

Anybody know the location/color of the wire I should be looking for? A quick once over of the engine bay and dash fuse area revealed nothing unusual.

 

I would get a test light or a multimeter and check all of the fuses. Multimeter would be preferable.

 

Ok I'll see about renting one. As an electrical noob, what should I be looking for when I pick up the multimeter? Also, still wondering where the wire is on both ends and what color it is so I can confirm it's intact. The mice already gnawed through a speed sensor wire on my wife's 4runner so that's my first instinct.

 

When you turn your headlights on, do your tail lights work? Reason I'm asking is, I hooked up to a trailer that had a short in the running lights and when I lost my tail lights, I lost the lights on the controls like you're describing. The fuse I replaced was for the tail lights and it was in the under-hood fuse box.

 

Yep, that was the first thing I checked. Tail lights, blinkers, reverse and hazards all work. The backlighting on said items worked the night before I posted this thread. Haven't hooked up my trailer or anything done anything different. Truck just sat.

 

which wire location you want to start at?? Tell me the location and I'll try to look it up in a database .

 

Thanks I would certainly appreciate it! Any location you can find will work for me, just need a starting point lol.

 

ok, Simple things first. Did you happen to turn these off by rotating your dimmer switch knob to off??

 

Did you check IGN2 fuse?

 

Been there done that, not the issue this time.

Checked every fuse that said IGN.

 

Ok, the common item in all of these is the dash light dimmer control. This dims the lights, I think, to all the items that are out. I'm looking for the 12v wire to the dimmer switch now .... I'll spend an hour or so while I'm watching "bad Judge" and other TV. If I get it I'll post later tonight, If not I'll post in the AM after I check again as time permits. Advice if you agree that the Dimmer is common with this problem ...

also - you can PM me w/ your Email and we can take the chit chat offline and post relevant stuff to the Blog.

 

IT looks like 12v goes to these lights and the "resistance to ground" is done to vary the light dim. Currently I'm at the Combination meter board (inst cluster) and checking for input signal to dim the lights. Still working.

 

Note I'm using 2012 schematics - but should be same for you ....

OK from battery it goes to a fuse - 10A IG1 #2 fuse. There is a lime green wire from the fuse that goes to the inst dimmer pin1. pin 6 of the dimmer is the common variable ground to all the lamps - green and white wire. This goes to all the lamps on one side of the lamps. The other side of the lamps go to 12v+ from what I see.

 

IIRC the dimmer does control the lights that are out as well however it is still functioning. I can still dim the cluster gauges.

 

Excellent thank you sir. I'll get out and investigate in the morning.

 

Ok. +12v going the lamps and inst. cluster lamps are shown with a separate connection, This could explain why. There is a junction connector J2 that has the 12V power for the lights in question. This is a common connection point for the 12 to these lights. All the GREEN wires on this connection are tied together on the following pins (again green wire) 13, 6, 8, 1, 10, 7, 11, 2 and 5. You should have 12v on all these wires. Also, in this circuit is fuse "10A tail" that is probably OK but should also have 12v on both sides of the fuse. No I need to find out where J2 is. Still looking.