Dashboard lights all out

Tiny
LWHIELDON
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA
The evening after my two year old was climbing in the car, all interior lights/dashboard lights were out. I would have assumed a fuse had gone out if he was not in there earlier. I later learned that he had turned the "trip odometer" which doubles as a dimmer. So, the solution to no lights inside the vehicle was to turn the trip odometer. Always Google your car model and problem before going to the dealer.
Saturday, July 5th, 2008 AT 11:56 AM

9 Replies

Tiny
NDPOTATO
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Wow, this was so very helpful. Thank you so much for posting this! I did "Google" it first, and I am so glad I did. Same situation, my kids were messing around in the car and then the dash lights weren't working. Amazing. I just knew it had to be something they did, but, of course, I could not undo the curiosity of my children. What they do intuitively, I have to figure out with laborious thought.
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Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 AT 4:32 AM
Tiny
JACQELLE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
You are a lifesaver! I got a car wash and they must have touched that dial and turned off the lights. That was during the day so I did not notice it until the next night when I was driving in a totally dark car. I thought I would have to bring my car to the dealer to take care of my fried dashboard, then I did a Google search on it and found your post. Thank you so much!
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+9
Wednesday, February 26th, 2014 AT 7:05 PM
Tiny
SYED H SHAHID
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Hey guys, I joined this forum just to post a big thanks. Your post was such a big help!
I cleaned my interior and dash with a wipe cloth and that night my instrument cluster lights went out. I was googling ways to change the bulbs and fuses and then came across your post. Turns out I had rotated the trip knob(which I did not know functioned as a dimmer lol) while cleaning the IC screen. I turned it all the up and the lights came back on!
God bless you guys. :)
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Sunday, May 20th, 2018 AT 4:32 PM
Tiny
CHIME PAUL
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Woooow ur post has save me a lot from mechinic, thank u so much. Just happy
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Monday, July 29th, 2019 AT 2:02 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,883 POSTS
Good to hear, please use 2CarPros anytime we are here to help.

Cheers, Ken
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Tuesday, July 30th, 2019 AT 10:37 AM
Tiny
SOWERSBY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 102,000 MILES
When driving on cruise control, the dash board lights all come on, the speedometer flips between 30 and 70 mph, the radio cuts off and the only way to "reset" it is to put it in neutral for a short period of time (10-20 sec). This happens once in a while and when on the highway. It has been into the dealer 4 times with no luck and $3000 in costs. Any ideas.
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Tuesday, July 30th, 2019 AT 10:38 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MATHIASO
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,209 POSTS
Hello sowersby

Have the combination meter removed and tested.
A lose or shorted connection could cause an intermittent problem (I'm sending this diagram to your email for better viewing


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/46384_0900c152800a73a5_4.jpg

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Tuesday, July 30th, 2019 AT 10:38 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SAMSAM184
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA
  • 3.6L
  • 3 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 35,000 MILES
Where is the bulb located under the dash board that lights up the heat and gear lever control in the night
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Tuesday, July 30th, 2019 AT 10:38 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
For the gear lever, it is under the gear shift cover and requires the console to be removed. For the heater panel, it is within the panel which has to be removed to access.
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Tuesday, July 30th, 2019 AT 10:38 AM (Merged)

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