Dash Panel lights - 89 Riviera

[Guest luvmy89riv]

I have an electrical issue here. What (unit ?) makes the panel lights turn on the buttons for the headlights and wipers? I mean they are dimly lit even when the key is NOT in the ignition?

Please help. I am going CrAzY.

Thanks,

Ray

[DAVES89]

There is a photocell under the middle of the dash under the windshield. It reads the outside light and communicates that value to the BCM which then determines if the backlight should come on. But also needed to work is the inverter because your button backlight is 110 volts. If the electrical strip in your Headlight/Wiper switches are wearing out you may only get 30% to 70% light value causing your backlight to be "dim"

But the way I read your post you are saying that the backlight is on all the time. I am not sure what that would cause that [maybe your slider switch all the to the "on" position?]

You might want to head over to the Reatta forum. There are some pretty sharp guys over there. You also may want to check out Reatta Owners Journal - Home there are some tutorials over there that could help. The Reatta and Riv share many parts.

[Guest luvmy89riv]

Thank you Dave for your reply.

The slider switch is not all the way 'on' and the panel backlights are not on all the time.

Well, I did figure out another piece of the puzzle to my issue. The panel backlights will come on when the headlights turn on as they should. Now what I discovered is that with the 'delay' the headlights will stay on however long you have the slide set to the time, BUT when I am in the car and the delay time has expired before I shut the car door, the panel backlights will go out. BUT...when I get out of the car and shut the car door BEFORE the 'delay' for the headlights is timed out, the headlights will turn off, But the panel backlights inside will stay on. Tadaaaaa.... Now the BIG question here is 'what causes the backlights to stay on even though the headlights go out??' I did have the drivers side door switch replaced about a year ago. That is what one of the electrical repair shops thought that was the problem. So, the switch should be good. Now when I look through my car door window and see that my panel lights are still on, I open the car door and when the door switch turns the interior lights on, the panel backlights will then turn off. So, at this point, I am thinking that it could be something in the BCM that is messing up and not turning the panel lights off automatically along with the headlights after I get out of the car. Also about 1 year ago, I did replace the button panel that the headlights are on. So, other than the door switch, light button panel or the BCM, is there anything else that could be the issue?

Thanks again,

Ray

[DAVES89]

Like I said in my first response to you. Head over to the Reatta forum and maybe guys like kdirk, Mc_Reatta, or Padgett will have an answer for you.

[sosuzguy]

I have a similar issue with my 89 Reatta except my dash lights do not come on at night or with the headlights. I'm running on dash lights bright for daytime use at night!

[DAVES89]

Jayson if that is the case [no backlights on the Headlight/wiper pods] you could have a number of issues, mostly either a bad photocell, bad inverter, or what just happened to me either a bad headlight or wiper switch. My case from what I was told was not previously documented [i had a good wiper switch, just the el strip was bad and wouldn't send info over to the headlight switch].

If you two want your issues resolved I would suggest heading over to the Reatta forum, where we know your cars.

[Rivieraman]

I say the photo cell is bad the car thinks it is day time all the time

[sosuzguy]

OK Nathaniel can you drop me one in the mail?

When the dash and ECC are doing their "show" the selection buttons and their labels light up but not at night with the headlights on or in the dark. That just might be it!

Edited August 11, 2012 by sosuzguy
spelling (see edit history)

[DAVES89]

You can go to Home Depot and buy them in the Lawn and Garden section. It is the same photocell used in low voltage lighting. The value is a little dofferent but they work.

There is more information on Ronnies site Reatta Owners Journal - Home

You will need to make a dash puller or run the risk of damaging the dash. He also lists what photocell to buy.