cluster lights (along with any other green interior lighting) refuses to turn on.

[black_97_GT]

Hey all, I recently installed a stereo in my 97 Mustang. All was well until today, I decided I wanted to change the old incandescent bulbs in the Climate Control box with LED's, after this, everything started going wrong. I had some fuses for the stereo pop, which I got replaced. Prior to this, the cluster lights worked just fine. Now, they refuse to turn on and any fuse I use blows anyways. I have checked every wire in the stereo, not the issue, and every fuse that has to do with radio/cluster has been replaced more than once. Any help would be appreciated, I'm thinking maybe the dimmer switch itself, but I have no clue. For added info, the Cluster itself works perfectly fine, any warning lights it had before still come on and the gauges work just fine, but no cluster lighting, along with the lighting in the PRNDL, and Climate control box.

 

[ttocs]

first question, you realize leds are polarized meaning that there is a - and a + side that needs to be matched up. First for any lights not coming on remove them, flip them 180 degrees and try again.

But these should not be popping fuses even if they are in backwards. I would first check the harness connection to the gauge panel as it is not uncommon for the copper trace to lift and move and make contact with the one next to it. Otherwise I would start by inspecting all the wiring and connections I could see.

 

[black_97_GT]

first question, you realize leds are polarized meaning that there is a - and a + side that needs to be matched up. First for any lights not coming on remove them, flip them 180 degrees and try again.

But these should not be popping fuses even if they are in backwards. I would first check the harness connection to the gauge panel as it is not uncommon for the copper trace to lift and move and make contact with the one next to it. Otherwise I would start by inspecting all the wiring and connections I could see.

The LED lights are NOT the problem, I know this because the lights in the actual cluster have been LED for almost 7 months with no issue. The lights I was changing today were in the climate control, and prior to the radio fuses popping, worked just fine. Perhaps I should've stated that in my post. I will take a look at the harness connection, but I don't think it has anything to do with the cluster, considering it hasn't been out of the car since December. I'm more worried about it being wiring that I can't get to easily or something completely different. Now, next response you leave, don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. It would be appreciated.

 

[ttocs]

trust me you are reading the idiot part into what I wrote as I wasn't meaning to talk to you like an idiot. But I know how to fix that, good luck with the search for your problem.

 

[shurur]

The LED lights are NOT the problem, I know this because the lights in the actual cluster have been LED for almost 7 months with no issue. The lights I was changing today were in the climate control, and prior to the radio fuses popping, worked just fine. Perhaps I should've stated that in my post. I will take a look at the harness connection, but I don't think it has anything to do with the cluster, considering it hasn't been out of the car since December. I'm more worried about it being wiring that I can't get to easily or something completely different. Now, next response you leave, don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. It would be appreciated.

I can't totally remember what I used to get blue climate light...but I believe that they were super whites...not really the point for you...but they were also some LED with heat-sinks.

What did you use for the climate control lights?
And did you remove those just to see whether it gets you back to square one?

I have the complete wiring diagrams, but only in paper form...unfortunately..