I installed an aftermarket radio a few weeks ago. Everything worked good until the rca cables got snapped in the amp. Everything still worked even after i fixed it. But the next day, the lights on my dash cluster didn't work. The leds in the cluster weren't blown nor was the fuses under the hood .I didn't check the secondary fuse box, though. The gauges still worked, they just didn't light up, as well as the a/c ***** and the taillights. I checked different forums as well as videos, but to no avail. My radio seems to be okay. The orange wire was isolated and well taped up. There was another orange wire that was connected to a blue connector, but that didn't seem like it was a problem. I took out the cluster, and it doesn't have any burn marks or smell burnt. All my lights work except the taillight, a/c *****, and the cluster. I just don't know what to try next.

try putting the stock stuff back in, see if that makes it work?
you may have fried your cluster, i'm guessing you connected the orange illumination wire?

Read the post again please. I added more information. Thank you.

"small lights" fuse opened.

Isolate any wires tied into illumination.

Yeah i replaced the small lights fuse even though it wasn't blown. it didn't change anything, and i isolated the orange wire, but i'm no where near a mechanic so i don't know what wires illuminate and such .

this is the fuse.

this is the cluster. No burns or smells of burnt .

Why not?


Disconnect the new radio. There are usually two (orange?) wires labeled illumination + or - on the afternarket and EZ adapter harnesses, make sure BOTH are disconnected from the cars harness.

Time for a good wiring diagram and a voltmeter.
If tail lights don't work, then the front parking lights should not work either....and if those are dead then the dash lights should also be out.

I'd start testing by checking any of the lights that don't work.....is power missing? Is ground missing? That answer determines the next steps.

If power is missing, I'd then move to testing at either the headlight switch or the taillight relay.
The wiring diagram is important here when it comes to figuring out what you test for, because the headlight switch does not control power to the lights...

UPDATE:

So someone had put a 30 fuse in the acc radio fuse(a 7.5 fuse) under the steering wheel backup fuse box . So I replaced it with a 7.5 and now half of my dash works as well as my tail lights and my a/c *****. What could be the problem from there? I'll upload a picture.

This is where we are now .

Now make sure you have 15A fuse in Fuse #2 and a 10A in Fuse #9 in the Under-Hood Fuse/Relay Box.

Both are correct fuses .

NOW you're probably down to a few blown out bulbs in the cluster. Replace bulbs as necessary (assuming they are not LEDs).

^^^^ Agree, Did you whack a mole it a time or two when they stopped.

Even taking the cluster out and in may have knocked them loose.