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Hi

I have had this intermittent cluster backlight issue for some months now and recently have been trying to get down to what's causing it. The backlight goes out and pushing in/out the dimmer **** returns the backlight but only for a second or two, eventually, it will stay on while driving.

I Thought this issue was directly related to the dimmer **** as it was by pushing this in and out that brought back the backlight or as its called the cluster instrument panel. I had purchased another second-hand dash and put this in and the fault still exists, was this second one faulty?

Here are a few more details to help someone that has more know-how about these things.

4 months ago it started to play up. lights would go out on dash and stay that way for days then come on at will. At the time I had other issues with car ABS VSA light showing so my focus was more on that, that fault was a speed wheel sensor.
Once the wheel sensor issue was sorted the dash lights seems to slightly change behavior, they stayed on longer before going out. The dash backlights stayed on for much longer before going out, and when they did a quick push of the dimmer a few times got it back.

I noticed that once I was driving the dash would stay on, but when starting from cold thats where it played up the worse. Last week I noticed while the backlight was not working there was a faint glow of it flickering.

I changed the dash few days ago and it seemed to behave initially for one day. I drove around the block and was fine. The next day its back to its own game. Turned key, no backlight, turned the engine on no backlight but only a faint flicker of the cruse light flickered in green.

So the order of events are as follows.

Cluster backlight went out
The dimmer **** could bring it back or turn it off
When starting car from cold it plays up the most
A slight flicker of cluster cruse light.
Cluster backlights stay on once Im driving for a while but can go off still.

What I I'm not seeing is traits of Alternator issues.. Im not seeing headlights brighten when revving car, Im not seeing internal lights go dim, I have a dashcam plugged in or out and this dont make any difference either.
To test the alternator Iv got a multimeter and from what I understand is with the car not running battery should be just over 12v, with it running it should be over 14v, and with fans headlights all on can go as low as 13v.

Here is a video showing issue: Here is another video Note: When the lights go dim in the second video I think this was due to the dimmer not set for when headlights are on, they are set up different between both modes.

I got the alternator today and connected it. It read 12v.2v after leaving lights on for 2min before turning them off. The engine on the alternator kick in at 14.6v with a CCA at 7.2v, and running all electrics it don't drop any lower than 14.2v/ The only thing I can see thats not good is the CCA which should be higher at around 9.25v or 10v. See the videos below on this test.


I dont know what else it can be, I dont know where the fuse is to the Cluster, Iv tried internal lights fuse both inside and outside fuse box, neither turn off the cluster lights.

Thanks,
Dan

 
Rep Power: 0

.....same issue here.....would love to know how to fix this?

 
Rep Power: 366

wiring issues, pull it out and check them

 
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Will check the wiring tomorrow.....thanks!

 
Rep Power: 366

the wiring goes from dash all the way to the ECU