Hi peeps please can someone help I have a 1992 4 door Civic Vti UK model,someone has mucked about with the wiring I think on this car because only half the heater fascia display works and the lights are on the minute you start the car which is definately wrong,then when you turn on the lights the whole dashboard is extremely dim it is almost like someone has hacked the main supply of the feed and it is splitting the supply because I think the feed is also supporting the alarm/immobiliser.
Please someone help as i cannot see how to take the heater plastic covers off so far I have removed the radio and the glove box I cannot see how to get the heater fascia off and check this.

 

Here's a DIY that will show you how to get it out. It's on a left hand drive USDM Civic, so things might be a little backwards, but it is still basically the same.
https://www.hondacivicforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=58988

I don't think that's where the problem lies though. First, try doing the test as mentioned in this thread by RonJ: https://www.hondacivicforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=71512

 

Pull the brightness controller and make sure that the black wire is securely grounded (near zero volts to ground under all conditions). It sounds like you may have lost a ground behind the dash.

Only half lighting up means one of the two bulbs is burned out, you will need to pull the panel to replace the bulbs.

 

Hi peeps,
Ok as my car does not have AC which will save the skin on my fingers LOL!,also I cannot see how to remove the actual heater display as I said before the top half where you have the buttons to change the heat direction with all the buttons well this lights up as soon as I start the car which I know is wrong this should only come on when the light switch (the indicator stem) has been turned on.

The display near the levers that adjust heat and fan speed do not light up these I cannot see how to get to I have already taken out the plastic surround that has the cigarette holder and my aftermarket stereo is also removed but I cannot see where the screws are to remove the heater display.

 

Hi Peeps

Ok well thank you all for the pictures and explaining how to open the heater fascia,I have replaced the heater bulbs and they all come on when the ignition is turned on!Well I think there must be a wire that has been cut into because the whole dashboard display is very dim and just to point out the UK Vti does not have a small switch that controls the dimmer on the dash it is on US/Canadian specs only!

I am looking at the wires near the light stem as their seems to be too many wires there for the alarm and plus I think this is where the problem maybe,please advise if this is not correct or if anyone has a better way of working out the problem.

Thanks

 

Do the tail lights on the back of the car come on immediately with the key on or not? If they don't it is probably a bad ground for the dash lights. Especially if the dash lights get dimmer or go out when you turn the running lights on; this means the lights are being back-fed through the ground circuit.

If the tail lights come on at the wrong time, likely the power wires are crossed up. The lighting circuit goes to the radio too so if someone has put in an aftermarket radio, the wires could be crossed there.

 

Hi Mk378

Ok I have checked the lights and they come on as per normal,but as soon as you turn the switch stem for lights on everything goes substantially dimmer and the external lights are not a healthy white more a yellow glow,also the button controls light up as soon as the car
is started on the heater fascia,where do I look for the ground feedback ?because the aftermarket radio has got a nice block connection that you buy from the car radio shops that just plug into the original wire connection without cutting into the wires.

Thanks for help and patience as you have guessed I am not quite the best technically yet but I will get there in the end.

 

The ground point should be behind the instrument panel. You have to take the instrument panel (cluster) out of the car to see it. That is not too complicated.

 

Hi mate sorry to be a pain but would there be any pictures or places I can see step by step in opening up the dashboard and cluster to find the ground earth?