My the climate buttons aren't illuminating. I've also noticed that the factory Temp/Power/Volume ***** don't illuminate, and the navigation on my after-market stereo won't go into "night" mode when the headlights are on. Furthermore, the climate LCD won't dim with the cluster (it's always on "full bright).

I have a Lextech full cluster and climate unit (white needles, blue cluster, blue climate LCD, white buttons). I put probably 2,000 miles on the car after the cluster and climate unit were installed (only drove the car for a couple of months), and then pulled the car off to do some significant work. When I started driving the car again, I noticed the illumination issue.

I've checked all my fuses - all seem ok. The stereo is wired properly as well, as the nav used to go into "night mode" when the lights were on but doesn't any more.

Any ideas?

I contacted Lextech and this whas the response I got:

"The illumination system itself seems to not be working properly. I know the hazard lights control this, it they are not plugged up. That might be a lead. If the speedo is not dimming and the buttons are not illuminating then the ILL circuit is not working at all. The things you mention are lit by default. It's likely a hazard switch or whatnot. Just check the connections well around there at the ****/switch."

I looked around the hazard switch and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The dimmer switch will also dim the dash cluster fine...it just won't dim the climate unit (which I believe is how the dimmer switch normally works when the headlights aren't on).

 

i forgot where i read this but its a possiblity that if you disconnected your battery that sometimes the cluster lights go inop.. try reseting everything as like disconnect the battery for 35 min ish for a complete drain it takes alot less but be safe.. and hook it back up and theres a chance it will come back on.. like i said theres a thread floating around thats pretty recent that the same issue happened after a huge repair..

 

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...t-working.html

 

Thanks for the reply, but a battery reset hadn't fixed it. I actually have had this problem for a few years and I'm just getting around to tackling it now. The battery has been out of the car several times over the past few years.

I guess what I'm really wondering is what singular item could cause the whole "illumination" circuit to open. Fuse (though they all look OK)? A relay somewhere? I'm guessing it's not a bulb as I doubt that Lexus would wire all of the bulbs in series...

 

Your interior lights are lit by the parking light circuit. If you don't have lights inside you probably don't have them outside either. Be careful!

Check the parking light fuse.

 

Parking lights worked fine. Went through the wiring diagrams, checked all the relays, etc. All were OK. Finally checked the "Panel" fuse and found it was blown. Replaced the fuse and all bis fine now...

I swear I checked the fuse before and it was fine...

Oh well, finally have my HVAC lights back after not having them for a few years.