Toyota radio dimmer woes.

[sheldonxp]

Hey everyone - first post here.

I have a 2000 Echo who's factory CD player died. I have replaced it a factory CD player from a 2006 matrix.

Everything works as it should except the dimmer, which is odd because they use the same wiring and harness.

The Echo has a dimmer knob that makes the instrument panel brighter and dimmer when the headlights are on. It is also supposed to increase the brightness of the radio lights. However, with this "new" radio, it's doing the inverse of what it should! When I turn the brightness knob up on the car, the radio lights turn DOWN, and vice versa. Very odd!

Why would this be happening? I had a different Echo before, and also replaced the radio in that one, and this weirdness never happened.
If I tried swapping the + and - ILLUMINATION wires (green and green/white) could this cause any potential damage? I can't really think of anything else....

Thanks in advance!

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[1aespinoza Premium Member]

If I tried swapping the + and - ILLUMINATION wires (green and green/white) could this cause any potential damage? I can't really think of anything else....

I am curious to the outcome of this theory. Being that it is only lights being powered by this circuit, I think the probability of damaging the entire unit is low.

 

[sheldonxp]

I am curious to the outcome of this theory. Being that it is only lights being powered by this circuit, I think the probability of damaging the entire unit is low.

I am more worried about damaging the vehicle than the radio. The radio didn't cost me anything!

 

[1aespinoza Premium Member]

I am more worried about damaging the vehicle than the radio. The radio didn't cost me anything!

Yes. No other way I can think of. Maybe if you use an in line fuse, 5 amps or smaller.

 

[sheldonxp]

Couldn't figure it out. Put a newer Scion/Pioneer stereo in the Echo instead. Works perfectly and sounds much better than the old Matsushita.

 

[1aespinoza Premium Member]

Couldn't figure it out. Put a newer Scion/Pioneer stereo in the Echo instead. Works perfectly and sounds much better than the old Matsushita.

That was an odd issue. I wonder if that radio was defective. The more power it was fed, the dimmer it would get. Seems as if the dimmer switch was controlling another dimmer. Just odd. Glad you got it straightened out. Hard to go without tunes in your car.

 

[sheldonxp]

That was an odd issue. I wonder if that radio was defective. The more power it was fed, the dimmer it would get. Seems as if the dimmer switch was controlling another dimmer. Just odd. Glad you got it straightened out. Hard to go without tunes in your car.

Don't think it was defective as I tried two of the same model and same issue on both!