# Swapped an aftermarket HU into a 2005 Nissan Sentra,Guage lights do not work..HELP!!



## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

Anyone have any answers to a problem with a late model Nissan when swapping OEM deck to aftermarket? I swapped out a radio for a friend. His OEM deck had just stopped working, I acquired a JVC deck and installed it for him.. Problem is, the Guage lights do not work with headlights on.. 

After the install, there is a wire left over but all other wires are accounted for (Ignition,ground,constant,all speakers) I think the remaining wire is illumination/dimmer for the OEM deck, traces back to dimmer switch.. 

Deck works fine, again the problem is, instrument panel lights do not come on with headlights.. 

(This may be of help) When I first connected the deck, I tied its ground to the wrong factory wire, turns out I connected it to the wire that traces back to the dimmer switch... 

Among all the OEM wires, there are two near identical YLW/RED wires, one has silver dots and I think that is ground (going from memory, one of those two wires is definitely the ground).. One is ground the other illumination/dimmer.. 

The first wire I used to ground the JVC traces back to the dimmer switch/knob.. Could I have shorted that out? (the dimmer?)

Any pointers? I am well embarrassed, I know this situation falls into "installs 101 anynoobshouldknow" but I have never had this problem before and I didn't have enough time to troubleshoot it, nor do I have time to sit there and trouble shoot it later this week.. (friends car, was was running late for work, will be back this weekend, not getting paid to do this so I would like to get right in and be right out) 

I would appreciate any info that would allow me to just get in there and done.. The less time I have to spend on it, the happier we will both be.. 

Please Help a brother out!! 

Summary:
2005 Nissan Sentra, swapped OEM deck for aftermarket, there is a YLW/RED wire left over and the instrument lights do not come on with headlights..

Another thing, that extra wire? (the YLW/RED which was originally connected to the OEM HU) if I touch that to Ign or Acc, the Guage lights do work.. .


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## Greg S (Oct 21, 2009)

Sounds like you just blew the dimmer fuse when you grounded the radio to the dimmer wire. When he come back check your fuses and you'll probably find one blown. Seen it plenty of times and done it more times than I care to admit, meaning more than once.


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## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

Greg S said:


> Sounds like you just blew the dimmer fuse when you grounded the radio to the dimmer wire. When he come back check your fuses and you'll probably find one blown. Seen it plenty of times and done it more times than I care to admit, meaning more than once.


Thank you for the 411, indeed there was a blown fuse, fuses were the first thing I checked, changed the blown fuse, still nothing.


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## Greg S (Oct 21, 2009)

Damn. I'd check for another fuse under the hood if there is one. If not then it time to start looking at the dimmer switch itself. Hopefully nothing got burned out in the switch. Pretty rare but I've seen that happen before as well. It is also possible that the wire in the harness needs to be hooked up to the illumination wire as the circuit may have run through the radio. Not likely but possible.


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## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

Greg S said:


> Damn. I'd check for another fuse under the hood if there is one. If not then it time to start looking at the dimmer switch itself. Hopefully nothing got burned out in the switch. Pretty rare but I've seen that happen before as well. It is also possible that the wire in the harness needs to be hooked up to the illumination wire as the circuit may have run through the radio. Not likely but possible.


OK, it now gets worse.. There was a blown fuse under the hood in addition to the blown fuse on the interior.. Now we come to find out that none of the running lights are working either. Could a relay have gone bad? At some point during the testing for ground, my friend was fiddling with wires, he shorted the fuses twice..

Another thing I want to point out, before the factory HU was even removed, it suddenly went dead. Just as I was messing with the remote wire someone had rigged.. Someone had installed an amp and used the positive out of the factory HU speaker lead for a remote wire.. This is what prompted us to replace the OEM HU.. Aftermarket HU is working, but perhaps I installed wrong? Maybe I installed it inline with the running light/instrument cluster circuit and somehow it is bypassing that now?? I can't see how that could be but at this point I am grasping for straws..

I'm not sure if this problem was there before I even got involved, I can't see how swapping a HU could lead to such problems.. I just found out that the car was totaled at some point, purchased with a rebuilt title.. I have no way of telling him I am not responsible either.. Try to help someone and this is what you get.. 

Any clues?


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## Greg S (Oct 21, 2009)

All I can say is your screwed. It sounds like there are some serious problems with the electrical system in that car. You can either run new lines for the parking lights and dimmer or spend a lot of time trying to sort out what has happened to the stock wiring and try fixing it.


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## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

Greg S said:


> All I can say is your screwed. It sounds like there are some serious problems with the electrical system in that car. You can either run new lines for the parking lights and dimmer or spend a lot of time trying to sort out what has happened to the stock wiring and try fixing it.


Did some research, seems it's a common problem with these cars, faulty dimmer switch, will try to bypass it tomorrow. Thanks for the optimism.


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## ptannjr (Jun 18, 2008)

what part of FL are you in? IF you come by i will spend a little time going through things with you.


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## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

ptannjr said:


> what part of FL are you in? IF you come by i will spend a little time going through things with you.


Thanks for the offer. I live way out in Boca Raton. I'm pretty sure it's the dimmer, will try to fix it this week... But I'm always down to meet fellow audio enthusiasts regardless. 

If it's not the dimmer then I will have no choice but to jump some wires..

BTW, Mark aka Here-I-Come called me personally to give me the instructions needed. That's a good dude for you..


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## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

Problem solved.. It was as simple as switching the HUs ground to the wire coming from the dimmer.. This somehow completed the circuit, don't ask cuz I don't know. I do know that it all works now and we are both very much relieved!!

Anyone swapping a HU into a Nissan Sentra? Make sure you ground the HU to the Red and Yellow wire coming from the dimmer. The red yellow with silver dotted wire should not be used, just cap it off..


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## remington1617 (10 d ago)

Absolutely awesome I was having identical issue to u. ****ed up the same wire and caused just about the same issue. Thank you


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