Electrical problems in 03 alero 2.2l
 

So I recently got an alero and replaced the stock radio. At first I tried to save the 40$ and just hack off the gm connecter. I now know that was a very big mistake as now the dash lights, the prnd321 lights, the ac/heater lights, and the ashtray lights will not come on. I checked all the fuses and put a stock connector back on and bought the adapter and now the radio is working properly. but unfortunately the dash lights as well as other interior lights are not functioning. I think it may just be a yanked/shorted wire behind the radio but if it is I have no idea how to even start looking for it. :banghead:

did you verify the dimmer switch thats located on the dash to the left of the ipc didnt get accidentally turned down/off? check the fuses in the fuse block located to in the dash (not sure wich one though) for your ipc lights. if you blew the fuse it would be located there.

Yes I verified that the dimmer switch wasn't turned down, and I have checked all of the fuses

if you send me your vin so i can find out if you have y70/1/2 i can get you appropriate schematics. but in case you want to recheck, i determined which fuse your looking for. its in the right i/p fuse block and its labeled "int lmps", fuse G. also verify fuse A "inst lps".

what you describing really sounds like a blown fuse. if you check them with a test light you will also make sure that fuse is getting power.

Alright I'll check with the test light and give you the vin within the hour

1g3nl52f33c171680 is the vin and both of those fuses showed a current at both sides of the fuses

so i would start with everything you have touched and verifeid its all wired back up properly. then check the fuses listed. if somethings shorted, you would probably find a fuse blown. you didnt touch any of the grounds removing the radio so i probably (but could be) wont be the grounds. heres all the wiring digrames relating to interior lights.

The dimmer light lead on the car's radio harness (not the actual harness that's on the radio) is either shorted or grounded. I've had this issue before on my Cutlass, no fuse blown but it would act weird sometimes. Basically the "orange" wire is touching the metal chassis of the aftermarket head unit or you wired it wrong when you hacked off the stock clip. Regardless, your issue may lie around there. On the Alero side, it should be a gray wire that's placed bad.

Here's also the color codes for the Alero's radio harness, if you want to verify that you put back the clip on right.



Graham may have posted the same info that I did in his pics, but I find those diagrams hard to read. I probably should learn how to read those schematics but anyways...

TLDR, check your dimmer wire on both the radio and Alero harness.

@nas escobar:
I don't think that is the problem, If the orange wire was hitting the chassis at all wouldnt it lose voltage? because it still powers the radio and has a voltage reading. It is just the gray wire going into the back of the instrument cluster, and the green wire that goes to the dimmer wheel. and according to my haynes manual and now @a.graham52's diagrams, since the orange wire still has a voltage reading of 12.xx then teh culprit could be the "I/P dimming module" reffered to in the dimming controls section of the schematic since it takes power from the yellow+ wire and then splits it into a green and then a gray wire that go to the dimmer wheel and dash backlights respectively.

And @a.graham52 THANK YOU these diagrams were much easier for me to understand compared to the haynes manual for some reason, you are a lifesaver

Not the orange wire on the Alero, but the orange wire on the radio. If the power wire hits ground, you pop your fuse. If your dimmer light hits ground, it turns off your interior lights but may not pop a fuse.

You get what I'm saying but got the wrong orange wire. I meant the radio side, not on the Alero harness. Sorry for any confusion.

Have you fixed it yet btw?

Oh I see and that wire is definitely not touching a ground, it has a crimped connection and there is not any raw wire showing at all. And I am currently waiting for the dimmer module as of right now and will update whether or not this works.