No interior lights work when headlights are on..

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danman132x
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:45 am

So this problem is pretty recent. My friend recently got the car back from some body repair, but that was the back left and should be unrelated. When the headlights are off, all the interior lights work. Door buttons, radio lights etc. As soon you turn on the headlights, all the interior lights quit working. Only the gauges light up. Radio is totally dark, but still plays. Door lights are all off. Asked the dealership and they said it's the radio causing this...

Does this sound familiar to anyone else on here? Going to check all fuses tonight. Just why do they work with the lights on, then suddenly nothing works..
ipaqxman
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Adjust the light intensity by the little stick on the dash display
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BxKizashiS
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if its an aftermarket radio check the illumination wire (orange) make sure its either connected or capped off and not touching anything
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Woodie
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BxKizashiS is on to something there. If it's an aftermarket radio that almost sure to be your problem. Not sure about the Kizashi, but on a Swift the illumination for the radio is backwards from convention. There's a switched 12V for lighting, and the dimmer is a potentiometer adjusted path to ground. If hooked up one way, it just blows fuses. If hooked up another way, the radio lights up when the rest of the dash is dark, and vice versa.
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danman132x
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Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:45 am

Hate to bring this back from the past, but this issue is still unresolved.

The car has no interior dimming switch at all. No knob to dim the gauges, etc. Nothing on the stalk either. The radio is factory, nothing has ever been messed with. If I pull the factory radio out, what's the best to check? Again nothing has changed, and all fuses checked out good.

Radio lights work normal when the headlights are off, but when you turn the headlights on, the radio display goes black and the door lights where the power windows are dont light up either. Crazy problem. Nothing in the factory service manual shows anything like this. Something is wrong, just dont know what. Any other ideas?
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LPSISRL
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Page 2-79 of the Owner's Manual shows where and how to adjust the dash light dimmer if that's that problem.
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KuroNekko
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There is a stalk sticking out of the gauge window in the dash. It's the only one there and is located next to the speedometer. After you turn on the headlights, twist that stalk and you should see that it allows for backlight brightness adjustment.

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danman132x
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:45 am

KuroNekko wrote:There is a stalk sticking out of the gauge window in the dash. It's the only one there and is located next to the speedometer. After you turn on the headlights, twist that stalk and you should see that it allows for backlight brightness adjustment.
Just tried that, and it dims the gauge cluster as it should and shows the wireless bars of brightness. Radio lights still a no go, only when lights are on. Next step would be to pull the radio out and check wires. Still, no reason it should do that, but will have to check. Radio was never touched, all factory stuff.
danman132x
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:45 am

Still have this issue. Here's a video to clarify it some more. Maybe it'll help out some. Would rather not have to buy a new radio

Fritz2
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Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2015 3:53 am

Maybe a used radio off ebay for 30-40 bucks just to see if that's the problem? Don't know your $ pain threshold, but that's what I would try.
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