Have a problem with my gauges

[Bootz]

I have an 04 6 Sport. The driver side head light burnt out. I replaced the H1 bulb with one from silverstar. Now when ever the headlights are off the gauges for the speedo and such are very bright, which is normal. When I turn the dial thats on the turn signal to turn on the headlights, the gauges go really dim. Even the lights on the HVAC and radio get dimmer.

I disconnected the wire going to the H1 bulb and it still dims when I turn the head lights on. Anyone have any ideas what it could be. I think it might not be ground properly. I want to take out the whole headlight to check the cables, but I can't figure out how to take the sucker out for the life of me.

 

[tunersteve]

This might seem like the obvious, but play with the dimmer when you have the headlights turned on. You might have inadvertently bumped it somewhere.

Taking the headlights off requires removal of the front bumper.

 

[Bootz]

That was the first thing I tried, it makes the gauges dimmer but won't make them brighter.

 

[tunersteve]

Fuses possibly? I'm not really sure what it could be. Maybe just coincidental?

 

[Bootz]

Checked the fuses and they are all fine. I'm really not sure what it could be or what was reset when I disconnected the batttery. Any other ideas out there?

 

[MontegoRx]

when you adjust the internal lights the whole way to "bright", it will feel like it's maxed. Push just a little bit more, and it will kind of "click" over to full brightness. Basically, it seems to me like they always dim unless you turn OFF the feature by clicking it into the top-most position.

 

[Bootz]

So I tried to make the dimmer slider click but it wouldn't. I was pushing it up as hard as I could and it wouldn't click. It's weird that it happens even when the head light was disconnected so I'm not sure what is causing this. Any other ideas?

 

[MontegoRx]

It sounds like it's working properly, with the exception of not being able to "override" the dimmer switch like I posted before. However I'm basing this from my 2 weeks of owning my 06 MS6, which might be different.

If the dimmer switch isn't working, then it could be a few things. First question would be if the system has been modified. I did what you guys refer to as the "fog light mod" to my last Rx7 so I could use the fogs with parking lights and no headlights. It definitely changed the draw on the system and I didn't get as much output from the parking/fog lights. If anything has been changed with your car (gauges, fog mod, etc), that could be draining it enough that the dash won't be really bright.

The only other idea I have is that your dimmer switch is somehow screwed up. I wouldn't put many coins in the bucket for this option, though.