Dash Lights/HVAC lights problem help!!!

[pspryu101]

First of all, glad to be part of the Forum I own a 97 toyota corolla LE.

Please hear me out. I know and I apologize that I made a new thread for this because I know people had made one before already with the same kind of problem but I had read all those post and tried everything said and I have not gotten success. I just did not want to wake up old threads.

The problem started when I installed a aftermarket stereo (a Pioneer DEH-2600) if that helps at all, replacing the factory cassette stereo. Stupid of me I forgot to disconnect the negative terminal on my battery while installing the stereo. FYI I did not cut the OEM harness to hook up the new stereo but instead I bought those Turbo harness from Fry's. After installing the new stereo with the Turbo harness I noticed that my dash lights stopped working as well as my HVAC lights (temp, fan control, etc) I checked the fuses and none of them were blown, I also had a fuse tester to check if any of them were bad even if they didn't look blown and everything checked out. Now from this point I decided to check the dimmer switch and I bypassed it according to the threads that I read hoping that that will work but negative. I am out of ideas and now I even tried to return my factory stereo to replace the aftermarket stereo and see if that will return everything to normal but unfortunately it didn't . I forgot to mention that I had connected the orange/black wire and orange/white wire together from the turbo harness in the beginning but I learned that they should not be connected at all. Most of the threads I read stated the problem of the dimmer wire orange/black had to be capped off and not connected together with the orange/white wire and I did that but still no luck. Is there anything I am missing? Maybe theres another fuse somewhere or relay that's bad that will cause the problem but i am not sure so please help me out I would appreciate everything and any info. Thanks

[gold94corolla]

So do the outside lights all still work? If so, the only thing I can think of is the dimmer switch. It is possible you didn't bypass it correctly (and I don't remember off the top of my head) but those things break so easily.

[kennydang91]

Turn on your lights and look to see if your tail lights are on.

[pspryu101]

Im sorry i forgot to mention that. Yes they are on both tailights and headlights. As far as the bypass of the dimmer switch i connected the green and green and white wire together and capped the black and white wire for ground correct? To be honest i just guessed which wire goes to which because i dont have any skills on using a multimeter whatsoever and assumed that black and white was the ground because black being a default color for grounds.

[pspryu101]

Anybody has a solution for this? I really need help please

[gold94corolla]

Not other than getting a new switch....

[pspryu101]

Originally Posted by gold94corolla

Not other than getting a new switch....

getting a new dimmer switch is the same as bypassing the switch? how will that fix the problem? Even just a wiring diagram or a guide on how to properly bypass the switch would be a big help. I am just checking if there is anything I else I can check before i go that route.

[Sgt_Lyna]

What do you mean with bypass the dimmer switch and capping the ground? I only have two wires...
In the cars without a dimmer switch, there's a loop wire, see image...



I might have a wiring diagram somewhere I suppose... unless you indeed have three wires going to the switch, in which case we have different cars

[vwmike]

Have you gotten anywhere yet with your problem? I ask as my daughters 97 has the exact same problem. Hooked up a new stereo and thats when the fun started. I tried to bypass the switch as well but to no avail. I can't figure out how the lights work at all. Theres 2 hot wires and 1 ground at the switch and both wires to the lights themselves are hot. How in the world does that work.