Dashboard Illumination
 

I'm having a dashboard illumination problem on my 97 Grand Prix GT. So, from what I can tell the dash cluster won't illuminate. It seems that whatever relay switches it from day time to night time (DIC and stereo get dimmer, AC controls and dash light up) doesn't work. Headlights still work, everything functions normally, dimmer switch still changes the brightness/dimmness of the stereo. Is there a relay for this, and if so, where is it? I don't think it's a fuse problem, from what I could tell.

Also, my headlights seem to ALWAYS be on. It thinks that it's always dark, or something. They shut off with the car, but for some reason they always seem to think it's dark when I'm driving in daylight.

Any insight?

well there is a light sensor that is in the dash for the auto headlights...this would mean that if the car thinks that its always light out, and not turning on the interlir lights

have you tried manually turning on the headlights, to see if the dash lights come on via the switch?

are you fog lights parking lights and rear lights are also on??

you have daytime running lights which mean the headlights are always on at a dimmer brightness

I'm having a similar problem with my 94 SSEi, but the dimmer switch doesn't actually affect any othe stuff that stays lit. When it's dark but the dash doesn't light up, do the other things work at daytime or nighttime brightness?

The dimmer affects everything that's lit, it just doesn't go into night time mode when the lights are on. Everything works except the night-time illumination. (AC controls function, dash functions). I'm thinking it might be a bad ground, I'm not sure. It's not the bulb, since the stereo doesn't dim like it should, and neither does the DIC The electrical system on my car was made by a 5 year old drawing with crayons.

Wow, that's almost exactly what's happening to my car! Perhaps I'll just tear my car apart and see if I can solve this problem for both of us. It really does sound like a grounding problem.

I'm correcting myself, the car does go into night time mode properly. So it's just the dashboard crap that isn't working.

Perhaps I could still find out what's wrong and let you know, and we could still figure out something. I definitely agree with you that there really is poor wiring.

I double checked all the wire fittings and fuses, they all checked out. It may be a relay or poor ground, but I can't find it with what I have (and my time). I'm going to scrap some money together and take it to the dealer. :cry: