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Nissan Primera 1998 Dash lights went out when I fitted a new Stereo

Hi, I fitted a new stereo to my wife's 1998 Primera (a recent Japanese import into NZ) and mistakenly connected the orange wire which connected to ground with the ign off to the stereo's gnd wire. The orange wire was however not gnd and when I tried to switch the headlamps on the dash lights wouldn't light. I have now disconnected the orange wire from the stereo but the lights are still out (also the illumination for the auto gear lever). I checked all the fuses and they are OK. Does anyone know what I have damaged? Does the fact that the headlights still work mean that the headlamp switch is OK or are there seperate contacts for the dash lights? Is there perhaps something else in the circuit between the dash lights and the headlamp switch that may have failed? Thanks, Alan

Reply to
alan-ayres
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Hi If your Primera has a panel light dimmer switch then there is a possibility the you have probably fried the rheostat by shorting it to earth. Trevor Smith

Reply to
Trevor Smith

Hi Trevor,

This was my first thought but the car doesn't appear to have a dimmer control anywhere on the dash - atleast not that I have found anyway.

Alan

Reply to
alan-ayres

Hi Trevor,

I was being a muppet, I took it to the experts and they changed a fuse under the bonnet (near the battery I think) so all is well now. It cost me NZ$75 for a fuse but what the hell at least I'm out of the dog house! I hope this helps someone else who has the same problem.

Thanks for the help, Alan

Reply to
alan-ayres

Double-check the taillight fuse. On most Nissans they share a fuse with the dash lights. The headlights each have their own fuse and relay and would not be involved with this.

Reply to
E Meyer

into NZ) and mistakenly connected the orange wire which connected

with the ign off to the stereo's gnd wire. The orange wire was

and when I tried to switch the headlamps on the dash

have now disconnected the orange wire from the

out (also the illumination for the auto

and they are OK.

the headlights

seperate

the circuit between the dash lights

failed? Hi Alan

I have just encountered exactly the same problem having connected up a new stereo in my Nissan Primera!

Did you ever find out the solution?

Regards

David

Reply to
ownpace

There should be a dimmer between the dash lights and the switch. Check the fuses again & see if there is one specifically for the dimmer circuit. If that's good, then look to the dimmer itself. When I had this experience on an older Nissan ('91 240sx), it actually blew the fuse to the tail lights.

Another possibility (from my '97 Maxima) is that there were two dash light circuits on some of the cars of that vintage. One that went through the dimmer and another that didn't (the one that controlled the light on the clock). The after-market radios only had a place for one of these wires. Make sure you have the correct one wired into your radio.

Reply to
E. Meyer

Assuming your Primera has the same wiring as a UK one, yes there's a separate switch in the headlamp switch that turns on the dash lights. It also has its own fuse, a 10A one in the 'Fusible Link Box' wherever that is.

If you have a Haynes 90-99 Primera manual, it's at the top left of the circuit numbered no.54 on page 12B.20, note that item 57 is the switch (NB the rest of switch 57 is on the headlight circuit, page 12B.18). The feed to the instrument cluster is arrow B at the bottom of the 12B.20 circuit and comes via the switch and fuse mentioned above. So, yes there's a fuse and yes there's a separate switch.

Reply to
Steve

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