Celica Forums Install Guides and Technical Articles Electrical, Audio, and Security Guides Stereo Install, Now My Gauges Dont Work - Are They Fried?

I had done an ipod install on my 2000 Celica GTS (w/ premium sound), and everything was fine. I opened it all up again today to tidy up the mess and with a quick flash, my stereo shut off.

It's the stock head unit, which now won't turn on. My clock won't either and the dials for my A/C won't turn on either. However, the A/C light and rear window heating light do turn on.

I checked the fuses, and they all looked fine to me, so what else can I check?

EDIT1: I double checked on the fuses and I feel like a jackass now. I found the culprit fuse. However, nobody around has that fuse. Is Toyota the only option? (It's the 6 prong fuse, 7.5).

EDIT2: Ok, I found the spare and that's running fine now. However, the LCD light on my stereo and the lights for the clock and A/C controls are out. Is there a fuse for this? If so, which fuse? Or is there something else that I need to check?

There are a few spare fuses in your engine bay's fuse box (under the hood of your car) Open the fuse box and look at the section that says "spare" on the bottom of the lid

That particular fuse sells for about $4 to $12 EACH, directly from Toyota.

Toyota "Type B" 7.5 AMP Multi-Fuse:




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Before continuing, review this thread first...
https://celicahobby.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/428818/HELP-No-power-Radio-and-Clock.html
If you've replaced the fuse and are still having problems, continue reading:



You may have fried a connection, located within the gauge cluster.

I experienced the same results a few years ago and took the Celica to Toyota for diagnostics. They found exactly what the problem was.

NOTE: Toyota mentioned that because I had an aftermarket radio, this electrical diagnostic was not covered under warranty.

After paying for diagnostics, Toyota told me that the problem could be corrected by replacing the gauge cluster for $475 (the cost of the gauge cluster). The exact problem was that the dimmer circuit inside the gauge cluster had been fried. I'm not sure why the fuse didn't protect this, but evidently, it did not.

Rather than replacing the entire gauge cluster, the Toyota technician provided another solution. An unauthorized by Toyota, non-standard solution. Splice the center console's dimmer-switch accessory control wires together, bypassing the gauge cluster. The problem was solved!

The center console & gauge cluster are controlled by the same dimmer switch, this hack separates them and causes the dimmer knob to only control the gauge cluster, and not the accessory panel. This is exactly how I believe the dimmer should work in the first place; when headlights are ON, full brightness to center console (AC/radio/clock) and adjustable brightness to gauge cluster (speedometer/tachometer/fuel...etc)

That solution was what the Toyota technician said would work, but he also stated that although it fixed the problem, it was NOT a solution that was authorized by Toyota. He demonstrated the working solution, let me take a few pictures, and then told me exactly what needed to be done (as pictured below).

Fuse block diagrams:
https://celicahobby.com/forums/ubbt...e-Room-and-Center-Junction-Diagrams.html

For the Gauge Cluster / Combination Meter, begin reading through BE-41
https://celicahobby.com/gallery/picture.php?/15066/category/be

Can anyone tell me what pin slots (#) these are?

Connector "A" looks like 20 (speed sensor SI terminal)

Connector "B" looks like 12 (Automatic light control sensor)

Please advise.

Ty!

really would love to know which pins these are as well, I cannot tell from the blurr-maggedon on these pictures. Someone please help !!!!

“ Rather than replacing the entire gauge cluster, the Toyota technician provided another solution. An unauthorized by Toyota, non-standard solution. Splice the center console's dimmer-switch accessory control wires together, bypassing the gauge cluster. The problem was solved!“

So by connecting thos 2 together everything worked? Or did you have to pull those wires so they don’t connect to the cluster

Can you tell us which wires it was? because all of what matches up doesnt seem right. connector a doesnt make sense to be the airbag sensor.

IIRC, the technician jumped the wires that dimmed the stock radio display. Everything else could be dimmed -- the cluster, the clock, the climate control. But the stereo buttons and display could no longer be dimmed using the controller knob. The automatic dimmer located within the clock was bypassed. (Edit 2: see the following post) What was installed was a short patch-cable which tied-together the electric path in and out of the gauge cluster for that feature.

edit: The first two attached photos are the original photos previously posted above. but untouched. They are of the "proof of concept" showing which lines should be jumped together. The third attached photo shows one single "round" line as the "installed" wire. The final product.

I dont think I have any better photos of the job, since it was done about 15 years ago. And the average consumer digital camera tech was all basic point-and-shoot tech at that time.

The automatic dimmer located within the clock was was grounded, so that it would always remain at its max current.

WHITE: A19 <-- to --> BLUE: B12


edit: its been a long time, so I dont recall specifically if the Celica actually had auto-on headlights vs auto-dimming center console lighting. To the best of my knowledge, if I wanted my headlights on, I had to manually turn them on. Nothing was ever automatic about the headlights for my 2001.

My clock and radio still don’t work. And i just did everything in the above post.

replace your fuse again.