Bought my first Civic about a week ago and the dash lights weren't working. I figured maybe it's a fuse- no such luck, so then I snooped around on here awhile and read that it could be the dimmer switch, again, no luck. So I pulled the dash and there's about 5 bulbs missing from the dash, I figured maybe they're killing the circuit so I pulled some check engine lights and so forth, got all the dash lights in place and tried again... Again, nothing. BUT- for some reason out of the blue I decided to see if the turn signals were still working so I flipped the switch for my left signal and all the sudden my dash lights and all interior lights are BLINKING! SO I'm thinking, "Well, at least it's progress" I take off the steering column cover to get to the turn signal switch and see that the 3 pronged connector that controls the turn signals is loose, and from what I could determine, it was the connector BELOW it that should be controlling the dash lights, I noticed that this connector had slots for 7 (i think) wires, but only 5 wires were installed, so I think, "maybe one of the missing wires is my dash light power". SO I run a resistance check on the switch and sure enough, the bottom left hand blade coming from the switch is off without headlights and comes on with them. I guess my questions are: does anyone have a decent wire diagram for this circuit? Am I really missing wires or was I way off? How the HECK did my turn signal circuit and my dash light circuit get crossed? Does anyone happen to know which pins on the dash end are for ground and 12V supply for the lights?

 

What year Civic?

More than likely, the problem is a loose or broken ground wire.

 

Like Ron said, "crossed circuits" are almost always due to losing the ground connection that is common to them. I think all that stuff grounds to a lug that's right behind (technically, in front of) the cluster. Easily seen after removing the cluster.

 

Oh sorry, it's a '92 civic vx. I'll check behind the cluster and update later.

 

Check the G201 and G401 ground wire connections. One is likely disconnected, broken, or corroded.

 

It could be any of the lights on the outside of the car too. Check that they all light up dim with the light switch on, and flash between bright and dim with the blinker and the light switch on. If you have one that flashes between off and dim under this situation, that bulb is not grounded.

 

ok I checked the ground behind the dash and it's good, still need to check the two grounds that you suggested RonJ, I'm not getting 12V at either the red or the red and black wire at the dimmer switch though... Should I be? Also I do have a blown light on the outside of the car, would that kill the whole circuit?

 

I would get all the lights on the outside working first before worrying about the ones on the inside. Another thing that can happen is someone put the wrong bulb in (single filament instead of double) and crosses the circuits that way.

 

As the G201 and G401 are common grounds for both the dash lights and turn signals, focus on them first.

Unplug the connector to the dimmer switch. With the parking lights turned ON, you should measure battery voltage to body ground at either the Red/Blk wire or Red wire in the wire harness connector. If not, check whether fuse 19 is blown.

What outside light is blown?

 

Alright I got all my outside lights working and checked the G201 and G401 grounds, the G401 looks good but I can't find the G201 at all. I figured out how the turn signal and dash light circuit got crossed though- my front driver side turn signal light wasn't working so I pulled it out and took a look at it and there was a wire cut, so I butt connected it and that seemed to solve the problem, but it turns out the wires I connected were from some kind of aftermarket neon or something the guy before me had on it. Anyway I took that off and now everything works fine EXCEPT- the dash lights don't work. I've got 12V at both the blk/red and red wires at the dimmer switch, and when I turn parking lights on the A/C lights and clock lights dim like they should, so what's next?