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HElp lost power to radio and int lights

34K views 30 replies 14 participants last post by  Turbango360 
#1 ·
As the title says i lost my radio and interior lights when i pulled out the radio with the car on to try and fix an audio issue. Anyways i had the interior lights on and the radio playing when i did this (i know dumb) and right when i got it out of the din the lights and radio just shutoff. Checked the fuses for lights and radio on the side of the dash and they all look good. i must have pulled something out along with the radio but what would it be to make the lights and radio shutoff like that
 
#2 ·
I think there is a fuse under the hood for the interior lights or something i thought..check there too
 
#3 · (Edited)
You missed the blown fuse. Don't eyeball them, test them. I cant remember what fuse it is off the top of my head and I don't have my my manuals on this computer but I'm pretty sure it's a 15A (blue) fuse, maybe on the second row one or two to the right of the black clip. Just look at the map on the inside of the cover.

Edit: It IS the one under the black clip. The one a couple down is for the lighter plug.
 
#4 ·
did you find out the problem? I just did the same thing! I checked the fuses and they are good! What else could it have done? Mine was the yellow wire disconnected from my radio and touched metal....Hopefully I didn't just fry my new stereo!!!! ahhhh help please....
 
#5 ·
What did I say in the post directly above yours? DO NOT EYEBALL FUSES. If you had TESTED them, you'd have found the one that is blown. It's the one under the black clip.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Sorry for being harsh but honestly if you had the same problem as the OP (lost radio and interior lights), why wouldn't you test that one - considering it is the one labeled "INT LAMPS" on the diagram that is stuck to the inside of the cover? I realize the diagrams aren't usually concise, and the one marked RADIO could've thrown you off if you already didn't have interior lights for whatever reason (since there are TWO feeds to the radio), but this one was right in your face.. :huh:

 
#10 ·
How do you think I feel? I answered the OP's question, and then 6 hours later you completely ignore my answer and ask the exact same question.. I'm not trying to be a dick, but you have to see my perspective also. I'm sorry.

Thanks guys that damn black clip is what was holding me back from checking that one when I wrote this. I forgot that the cover has that fuse puller attached to it. That fuse has power from rear wiper radio and interior lights. Why so many things, in thinking I should throw the 20 amp fuse on it
DO NOT EVER PUT A LARGER FUSE THAN SPECIFIED INTO A FUSE BOX. That is a fantastic way to burn your truck down because the wires are not sized to handle the extra current. The circuits are designed in a way that the fuses will not blow under normal operation. If it is blowing, you have a short somewhere or you have tapped into it somewhere and added more than it can handle. Fuses don't blow for no reason.

The reason for those fuses that have clips over them is so that they can be partially pulled out to disconnect the circuits without losing the fuse. The black one is called the IOD (Ignition-Off Draw), and it supplies memory backup to the radio, CTM (which controls the lights), PCM, and a few other things. You are supposed to pull it out to prevent killing the battery if the truck is stored for an extended period of time. The yellow ones are for the airbag control module (you pull them out if you are working in the vicinity of the airbags to prevent them from firing accidentally).
 
#9 ·
Thanks guys that damn black clip is what was holding me back from checking that one when I wrote this. I forgot that the cover has that fuse puller attached to it. That fuse has power from rear wiper radio and interior lights. Why so many things, in thinking I should throw the 20 amp fuse on it
 
#12 ·
My radio/clock lights just went out on my 2000 Dakota. I checked fuse 12 and it was fine. all my other interior lights work. Even the dimmable lights on the volume knob and on either side of the cd work. Also the dot lights on the Bass, Mid and Trebel knobs also work.

Radio works fine. Presets work, etc. I just can't tell what station is playing or what time it is. This sounds less like a fuse issue and more like an internal radio issue(like a light burned out in the radio). Any thoughts?
 
#13 ·
If everything else is lighting up, then most likely the VFD (vacuum-fluorescent display) has burned out. It's part of the radio and not an easy fix unless you have one laying around and are good with a soldering iron. VFDs do not use a separate backlight like LCDs do - if the VFD burns out or loses its vacuum, it's dead. You'd be best off swapping the radio.
 
#15 ·
Depends on your budget, needs, and likes. I'm partial to Pioneer myself, but if I were to buy something current I'd also consider Alpine because they have some pretty sick graphic displays.

You can absolutely do it yourself, it's pretty easy. Get yourself a plug-in harness adapter rather than hacking up the truck harness. The dash plate is self-explanatory.

Do you have an Infinity system? It would have the two extra small speakers toward the top of the door. If you do, you must be sure to hook up the amp remote wire or you will have no sound. Many people when upgrading the head unit will bypass the factory amp and install better speakers (I have Alpine Type-R components and they sound amazing) - since the stock amp and speakers are pretty crappy to begin with, less powerful than most aftermarket heads, and are probably on their last leg anyway.

If you have steering wheel controls and would like to keep them, you need to look for a head unit that features a WIRED remote jack and buy an interface module (about $20).
 
#17 ·
When you get the new head unit and the adapter harness, make sure you hook up the blue wire with the white stripe (NOT solid blue!) from the head unit to the blue wire in the adapter harness.. It's a common oversight because the blue wire in the adapter is usually labeled Power Antenna.. ;)
 
#20 ·
I have the same problem, no interior lights, or stereo. I checked all the fuses with a voltmeter, the only blown one was for the cigar lighter. I checked all the fuses under the hood as well, none blown. I also have no reverse lights, but I assume it's the neutral switch in the transmission. Some jackwagon installed a stereo in this truck before I bought it and I am also under the assumption that they screwed it up somewhere along the line. Any tips?
 
#21 ·
Pull the stereo out and make sure the wires are properly insulated. If the fuse keeps blowing, it means there's a short.
 
#22 ·
No blown fuses at all, hence why I'm a tad mystified. o_O I want a new stereo anyways and going to have it installed by the best place in town. There's a sub woofer installed in there with a few 'other' wires, that are for the remote control for the stereo. I'm hoping that might get the problem squared away while they are in there. But, as for the interior lights, I'm stumped. Bulbs are all good, have fuse/fuse box continuity, yet no lights. I do get a weird "click" sound whenever I use the dimmer switch and turn it to the dome light setting though. Possible bad ground wire somewhere? Anyone heard of that with these trucks?
 
#23 ·
If fuse #12 (15A blue, in the dash box) is good, then pull down your console and connect a test lead to the black wire going to the bulb sockets. Touch the other end to a known good ground. If the lights turn on, then your CTM is shot.
 
#25 ·
So I tried that thing. Pulled down the upper console, attached a test lead to the black wire, contacted a known ground through a voltmeter, had continuity, lights did not come on. o_O
I'm stumped. I assume the CTM works because when I turn on the dome light switch there's an audible click inside the CTM and all the door alarms, and everything else works but the radio and interior lights. I dunno.
 
#27 ·
Hi! My 1997 dodge dakota 2wd ext cab has some issues....
When my uncle parked the truck the radio worked, sat for almost 2 years. Then he gave it to me and I can't get my radio to work and my gauges will not work unless I have the pink and red wires in the radio connected. I've been battling this issue for a year now. My mothers boyfriend who was a mechanic can't figure out why and my uncle can't either. I'm a women so I don't know much about wiring just small things in motor, paint and body work. Since my boyfriend is a Car painter lol..... My door doesn't do the open door noises, the horn works fine. I replaced ALL fuses in the truck twice since they blew after we tried to get aftermarket radio to work, even the IOD was replaced which was a bitch to get out with the black cover. I have no other way to find out the problem, local part stores are a joke to ask and I don't want to go to a Chrysler dealership. ALSO truck has been wrecked twice before me, rebuilt salvaged title don't know if that be any problem being wrecked prior..

PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#28 ·
Nice info here!

I was messing with my HU after my amp blew out, looking for ways to wire the front and rear speakers to the HU directly. I couldn't get things to work for whatever reason but everything was fine when I put things back to where they were.

Once I got back into my truck I noticed I had no upper interior lights/ power to my HU/ power to my amps.

I found this article, popped the side panel and found the blue fuse that's secured in the black clip. For me, the black clip swung open to the left. I attacked it ( once I pulled it out as far as it will go) with a pair of smaller scissors (probably not the best tool to use, but it was close by for me.) I got underneath the little c shaped plastic clamp on the clip and pried it up and it eventually popped loose. This allowed me access to the little 15A fuse that was in fact blown.

I replaced the fuse and as soon as I plugged it back in, the lights came back on and I gained power to my devices.
 
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