97 Seville, No dashboard lights, sometimes on, mostly not

[Andy Seville93]

Hi Guys,

on my 97 Seville the integral lights of the dashboard are mostly off even during nighttime .. inadvertently they are on on a ride .. next ride they are OFF ... so hard to read the speed 🙂

while tying to check dashboard fuses I couldn't locate the trunk fuse panel :-((  ... on my 93 seville ist on the left hand side fender . but here nothing. The owner manual says there is a fuse panel in the trunk.

thanks in advance for inputs!

[rockfangd]

Are your domelights working properly? They are controlled by the sunload sensor as well. 

I am leaning toward the sunload sensor either failed or came unplugged. It is located in the center of the windshield defroster grille.

I have the same car and mine did the same thing. The sensor is the one with the flat blue top iirc.

The stupid thing is even if you turn on the headlight switch the dash lights will not come on. I leave early in the morning and many times there is just enough light to make the system think its daylight. I cannot get dash lights unless  I cover the sensor with something

[Andy Seville93]

Hi rockfangd,

first I covered the sensor you mentioned: No improvement, dash stays dark

then I checked my domelights (interior lights), they come ON only by turning the light switch to fully clockwise position, means manually switched ON, they do not come ON when I am opening any doors 😞

out of 50 rides everything functions normal during one ride ....

any idea about the location of the fuse panel in the trunk .. want to check all those fuses coz had some moisture in the trunk.

thanks for advices

[rockfangd]

Take a step back. Reread my first response. You likely have a failed sunload sensor. No domelamps and no dash lights usually means the system does not know it is dark, therefore not turning on the lights.

Sometimes simply unplugging the sensor and cleaning it, then reinstalling it restores operation, but not always. I am trying to find the part # for reference. I believe it was the one with the green and black wire. (2 wire)

If you want to check the fuse box behind the back seat, open the trunk. Just under the deck is 4 black nuts. Unscrew the nuts and the carpet trim drops and exposes the behind the seat. Fuses are at the driver side, about halfway down

[Andy Seville93]

Hi rockfangd, I was abroad last week .. now will attack the sensor, I come back with updates in some days, Thanks!

[rockfangd]

Ok. The grille just pops up out of the dash. If your dash is warped like most every one of these it already is popped up. 

[Andy Seville93]

Update: removed grille ... cleaned sensor ... wiring looks good as far it is visible, with grille removed function improved but not stable ... maybe out of 2 times 1 times it works (dash lights, dome lights and also head lights are on automatically if dark outside), installed sensor on grille .. again back to how it was before ... I will try to get a sensor and replace it ... I will splice it in or where is the connector? is it easily accessible?

the blue sensor must be the troublemaker

update will follow

[rockfangd]

Good. 

The sensor is like a light bulb. The blue part unplugs from the black base. If you are familiar with 904 and 921 bulbs, it has the same base. 

[Andy Seville93]

I removed it .. that was easy and with removed sensor or lets say open circuit the system thinks: night ! .. and all the light work properly

I try to clean the sensor surface .. the part below that mask and look what it helps .. otherwise will change it. For the moment  can drive with it removed coz its wintertime.

@ Rockband: very appreciate your inputs! well done

@ all: final update next week

[rockfangd]

Good to hear. Nice and easy job. Hardest part is finding one

I finally found the part # for the sensor. 25673037. 

If you happen to use Ebay I found one there. Seems to be the cheapest one that is available that I saw.

Ebay listing 313432793754