XPost: alt.home.repair   
   From: NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com   
      
   In alt.home.repair, on Fri, 21 May 2021 22:19:52 -0400, micky   
    wrote:   
      
   >   
   >> This is ASSUMING it is not STILL just an issue of not having the   
   >>instrument panel dimmer adjusted properly which was my FIRST   
   >>suggestion months ago.   
   >   
   >I don't remember ignoring that line but I've been busy lately and   
   >haven't caught readers here up on a lot of projects in progresss.  I   
   >hope to do that soon.   
   >   
   >Anyhow, the dimmer didn't solve my problem (even though it seemed to   
   >solve the opposite problem for people asking questions on the web.   
   >   
   >And there is no detent on this dimmer.   
   >   
   >BUT WHAT IS REALLY INTERESTING I LEARNED LAST NIGHT.  I went out at 2AM   
   >to check the car, even though I was sleepy and didn't really want to,   
   >because if I didn't, I'd have to have waited until the next night.   
   >   
   >So... in the dark, when the taillight relay is bypassed so that the dash   
   >lights** are on even in the daytime, and the Clock lights are on   
   >(because it's dark) the dimmer controls the brightness of all the   
   >lights, every one***   
   >   
   >BUT, AND GET THIS BUT, when I remove the jumper wire**** so that the the   
   >dash lights** are not lit, then the dimmer control has NO EFFECT on the   
   >Clock lights.  The lights are at full brightness.   
   >   
   >   
   >So in a way the Clock lights are independant of the Dash lights, but   
   >otoh, they're simultaneously controlled by the same dimmer.   That took   
   >some work on Toyota's part.   
   >   
   >   
   >The dimmer wiring isn't shown in the wiring manual -- I don't think the   
   >dimmer is shown at all and certainly not individual wires  -- but now   
   >that the speedometer is out and its back off, I can see a little box   
   >1/2" cube, on the surface of the circuit board, directly behind the   
   >dimmer knob. It has a short connector, 1" wires, to the ciruit board   
   >with yellow, red, blue, and black wires.  I think it might only need 3   
   >wires if Toyota had wired all the lights the same and the fourth might   
   >be related to the Clock.   
   >   
   >But I don't know which wire is the fourth, and if I did I wouldn't know   
   >whether to cut it or to ground it, or what.  The circuitry is too   
   >confusing to me, since sometimes the dimmer has an effect and sometimes   
   >it doesn't.  And it's too close to other wiring it could affect.  OTOH,   
   >if nothing else works I might come back and fool around here.   
   >   
   >   
   >It is so complicated, and Toyota went to a lot of trouble to make it   
   >work this way, when if they'd done nothing and wired the Clock lights   
   >the same as the other panel lights, it would have made more sense IMO,   
   >not just for me but for anyone.   And it would have enabled me to easily   
   >hotwire them.   
   >   
   >I don't miss not having lights on the other dash lights during the day   
   >time, because everything is visible anyhow.  The instruments are moving   
   >needles, or there are buttons that can't be missed. As to the shift   
   >indicator, I rarely look at that. I know where I put the shifter.  As to   
   >the glove box light, I think it should be illuminated in the day time   
   >too, but it's been 30 years since I hunted for something in the glove   
   >box. It's only the clock and the mpg/etc. that I want to see, and   
   >because they are the only LCD indicators in the car, these are the ones   
   >I can't read.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >**Speedo, radio, AC, and seat heater buttons, console gear indicator   
   >light, and glovebox light.   
      
   Still working on this but a temporary report.   
      
   Took out the speedometer, but even though there are 64 wires spread over   
   2 connectors (40 and 24) none of the wires were the right color W-G.   
      
   So I had to take out the Clock cluster again.   
      
   This time it was a little easier because with the speedometer out, I   
   could get my hand in and behind the clock.  Couldn't push more than a   
   bit, but enough to stick a screwdriver in from the top.   
      
   Took the clock out, again, because can't see the wiring otherwise.   
      
   20 wires and one is the right one, ILL-, W-G, and I will cut it today   
   and see what happens, and try grounding the clock end, maybe through a   
   resistor, and see what happens.   Except it will be 93 degrees so may   
   wait until tomorrow.   
      
      
   Last night I came home at dark with no speedometer and no clock and was   
   quite surprised that NONE OF THE DASH/PANEL LIGHTS WERE ON!!!   The   
   outside lights worked, inclduing the turn signals, but the 12v that is   
   supposed to be on whenever the engine is running must not have been.   
      
      
      
   I almost know the wiring diagram by heart now and I find that another   
   curiosity.  Taking out the speedo and the clock shoudbn't have caused   
   this but it did.   I should have checked the wipers, washer, seat   
   heaters, etc. which are on the same relay.  A relay that should have   
   been closed when the ignition is on (even if the car isn't running.)   
   I'll do that tonight.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)