Rheostat Question...

So I F*ed up while putting in a new head unit and now the gauge lights instrument panel lights don't work. From the research that I've done it seems to be the rheostat (dimmer switch) that has burnt out. Is it hard to replace this thing? Is it just the switch that I have to replace or is there something else that goes with it? Will everything work if I just replace it? It sucks not being able to see my speedometer at night

 

I would check the fuses first. you may have just blown one during install.
have never heard of a rheostat going bad.
you could probably jumper over the rheostat to verify if the problem or not.

 

I've checked all the fuses and they're all okay, not sure how to bypass the rheostat but I'll try and do some research

 

i believe its just two wires going to the rheostat

the rheostat should just limit the amount of power going to the lights,

could just take off the two wires and connect them together

thus bypassing the rheostat.

if more than two wires would need a wire schmatic

 

okay thanks, I'll try to figure this thing out

 

Don't want to state the obvious but double check the dimmer dial, could be bumped during install. Secondly, how did you hook up the striped orange wires from the harness? The orange/black wire I think is grounded.

 

I checked the dimmer switch about 86 times, I have the pac wiring harness and when I hooked them up there was one orange wire coming from the haness and two from the deck. After this happened I unplugged em

 

Are both your taillights working? If not, then probably a fuse since I believe it's on the same circuit. But if tailights are good then I would trace the 2 striped orange wires from the factory harness. Those should be to the dimmer control wires. Make sure both are not hooked up together or you may have shorted the rheostat. Orange/black is ground. Orange/white is +12v when headlights are on.

 

I think I shorted the rhostat. What does that mean exactly? Do I have to replace the thing? Is it just the dimmer switch itself or is there some kind of supporting box? Should everything just work if I change the rheostat out?

 

Try grounding the orange/black wire to see if it resolves. The dimmer switch aka rheostat is one unit. Pricey but is needed to get your dash lights working again. Never changed one personally but it should just pop out..

 

Cool, thanks for the info wattapunk.

 

When you say to ground it out would I be able to hook it up to the black wire? I have a pac harness for the jbl system and I don't think there's an orange with black stripe, just a orange with white wire

 

As long as that black wire is ground.

 

So I bought a rheostat from the dealership that ran about 130 bucks and replaced it and everything now works. There are two clips on the rheostat, one on the top and bottom, I drilled them out so I wouldn't have to take apart the dash because I didnt have anything to slip in there. After that I unclipped it from the back, popped the new one in and everything was good.

 

Had the same problem! Disconnected the switch.....everything except the climate control works if you do that. Im running it like that until I feel the absolute need for climate control lights. Guess it kinda matches the non-lighted 4x4 switch right

 

Dont mean to jack your thread but I'm looking to run the lighting wires for my aftermarket gauges to the dimmer switch so I can control the brightness of them. What fuse is used for the dimmer switch? Im looking to use an add a circuit. Any help would be appriciated.