my car and lighting problem -HELP

[oklahomajewel]

Okay... I have a 2001 Honda Accord LX and have a lighting problem.

My instrument panel isn't lighting, neither are my parking lights or tail lights.
Brake lights , head lights, turn signals ...those are all fine.

Fuses and bulbs are fine.

Does anyone have a repair manual or an idea if there is a relay or a different fuse other than the fuse box .... ...

Thanks y'all !!!!

[Sonetpro]

Most newer cars have a fuse box under the hood too. I don;t know about a Honda but my truck was doing the same thing. I found the ttailer tail light fuse under the hood.

[depatty]

AutoZone has wiring diagrams available on their site which has saved me several times. Take a look at http://www.autozone.com/addVehicleId,2630801/initialAction,repairGuide/shopping/repairGuide.htm?pageId=0900c15280021ded and see if that is for your vehicle. If not go through the select vehicle/year/motor and such, then select the wiring diagrams and it should give you a place to start looking.

HTH
Dave

[Mighty Mouse]

As Sonnetpro said look under the hood or in your owners manual for a second fuse block. I had the same problem first time I hooked up the trailer to check out my wiring. I have a block on my console and one under the hood on my HHR. Wierd thing was after checking everything out with a meter and finding nothing wrong the problem hasn't repeated it's self the two times I have pulled it. Hope this helps as it had me perplexed and still don't really know what went wrong but it seems to work now.

Bud

[oklahomajewel]

Thanks y'all.... what quick responses....

I put this in off topic, because it's a car problem not a trailer light problem.
I towed the jewel box this last weekend and all was fine.

The car problem started about Tuesday... I first noticed the dash lights at night were dark, and then the brake lamp dummy light would come on..
Okay so my most helpful friend Phil came over .... he found the left tail light bulb was out, okay so we got a new bulb... but that didn't fix the problem

He did go ahead and take off the trailer light kit or whatever, that was wired in... thinking that might be the cause of the problem but no.

and believe me, Phil knows about cars , motors, everything...
and thinks it's got to be a relay or fuseable line or something that is the cause.

[WarPony]

Jules, I'm confused by your post. What works and what doesn't? It sounds like a bad ground on the dash circuit but could also be corroded (SP) battery connections or a weak battery.

Look at the battery connections first, I've seen alot of problems associated with rotten battery terminals. They may look okay to the eye but if you loosen them and see what's underneath............ .

Computer controlled cars/trucks are VERY touchy, as far as battery voltage is concerned. A "fuzzy" battery post can cause alot of goofy driveability problems.

Jeff

[SmokeyBob]

Had a similar problem on our Buick. Turned out to be the light switch.

[Mini Renegade]

check your trailer lighting socket doesn`t have corroded terminals in the back. Also check your bulbs are the correct ones ( have seen single filament bulbs in a double socket which when the brake pedal was pressed caused the headlights to come on!)
As has prev been mentioned try a different light switch. it may just be thatt

[Sonetpro]

Yep it looks like it is probally fuse 42 in the under the hood fuse panel or fuse 10 in the under the dash fuse panel. I would check that first. It also supplies power the the dash lights.
depatty what a great link.

[oklahomajewel]

YOU GUYS ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST !!!!!

I'm reaching thru with big hugs for all of you ... (some will get theirs in person in a couple of weeks)

depatty!!!! What a great link!!!! thank you!

I will call my friend Phil this morning and let him know... he'll obviously knows WAY more about cars and elect. stuff more than me and we'll check things further today.

I/we did check the under the hood fuse box, every fuse in there is fine.
Checked the drivers side panel and ALL those fuses are fine, which includes #9 for the instrument panel & #10 for turn signals. There's another panel on the passenger side mostly for power windows,seats, etc.

[oklahomajewel]

Jules, I'm confused by your post. What works and what doesn't? It sounds like a bad ground on the dash circuit but could also be corroded (SP) battery connections or a weak battery.

Look at the battery connections first, I've seen alot of problems associated with rotten battery terminals. They may look okay to the eye but if you loosen them and see what's underneath............ .

Computer controlled cars/trucks are VERY touchy, as far as battery voltage is concerned. A "fuzzy" battery post can cause alot of goofy driveability problems.

Jeff

by the way Jeff, I had an odd dream last night that while camping last weekend at Crawford, we woke up and found that a tree had fallen on my car , smashed into it right across the front driver/passenger seats and the whole roof was caved in ... then had to figure out how to get the jewel box home.....
if that had happened, I wouldn't be messing with this measly light problem!! haha

We'll check the battery today too . !! Thanks sweetie!!!

[Nitetimes]

My instrument panel isn't lighting, neither are my parking lights or tail lights.
Brake lights , head lights, turn signals ...those are all fine.

Fuses and bulbs are fine.


Thanks y'all !!!!

Even if they look good change the fuse for them. They are almost always on the same fuse and the fuse is nearly always the culprit.

[starleen2]

Sometimes, those things are controlled by a breaker circut in the vehicals computer - i had this happen with my jeep
First, I have a four-pin connector and 2006 Jeep wrangler unlimited
It seems that if there is a significant ground problem in the trailer wiring, the turn signal indicators will stop working along with the brake lights. Before a trip, I always inspect and test the lights to make sure that they are in working condition. , The night before all was well, however I placed the trailer tongue on a jack stand for the night not noticing that it had pierced the wiring. When I connected the trailer the next day – surprise! No lights on the trailer and to make things worse – no lights on the jeep either! No problem I thought – just a blown fuse. And sure enough a blown fuse in the stoplights and turn signals along with another for the turn signal relay module. I replaced the fuses and still no turn signals on the Jeep. After about an hour of head scratching and searching, I determined that the turn signal module was the problem – I called every parts store in town and no one had the part. I called every Jeep dealership in the area and none of them had the part either. Every service parts rep seemed to think that the problem was in the relay module and to make matters worse it was an electronic module mounted in the steering column and cost about $45.00. Looked like the trip was going to be cancelled until I got the new part. However, while speaking to a service person inquiring if this was covered under warranty, he mentioned that the module could be checked by running a diagnostics on the computer and perhaps reset. I got an Idea – what if I disconnected the battery and reconnected it? Sure enough the module reset itself and the turn signals worked again. I did find the ground problem and fixed the trailer wiring and off we went. I hope this helps somebody.

[asianflava]

Even if they look good change the fuse for them. They are almost always on the same fuse and the fuse is nearly always the culprit.

I must have been called away from the computer then fallen asleep while posting to this thread. I woke up this morning and found the computer on the reply screen.

I was going to say what Rich already said. Check the fuses with a meter, sometimes they look good but they are actually bad electrically. It's a bit of a pain, but it will totally rule out the fuse.

[oklahomajewel]

Okay guys you all are my bestest best guys ( but mostly Phil my handi neighbor friend )


We got the car lights working again !!!!

Now we're just sort of rewiring the trailer light connection... thinking that *might* have caused the short.

DONE DEAL !!!! now it's time for a Braum's Banana Fudge Sundae!!!! haha