Interior lights dimming in Drive?

JWaldz

JWaldz

Moderator
Call me crazy, but I've never noticed this before and I don't know if it's a recent change or something that's always happened. I was coming up on a stop light the other day and it turned yellow. I didn't want to run it so I got on my brakes and lowered it to 2nd to slow me down a little quicker. As I was putting it back into Drive I noticed the gear selection in the gauge cluster and my digital climate control dimmed their lights. BTW, this is during the day with the parking lights and headlights off. No DRL's either. I've never noticed this before. So I tested it at my next stop and sure enough, the gear selector in the gauge cluster and the digital climate control lights (and probably other lights I can't see during the day time) all lit up brighter in every other gear selection and dimmed in drive. I keep meaning to try it at night to see if other lights do it but I usually forget after I've been home for a while. Not to mention I have a few lights out on my center dash. What's with this? Not that it's a huge problem or bugging me, just never noticed it before.
 
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My Tacoma did the same ALL my lights would go dim and flicker. It was a voltage regulator on my alternator.
 
Have you replaced climate control bulbs with LED's?

And/or

Do you have LED Tails, and 3rd Brake LED?

I believe it is all related. I have similar issues since swapping to LED's. During the day with lights off, pressing the brake pedal will turn off the climate control backlight, dim the stereo, etc, etc. I only noticed it when I was in the garage. Otherwise, during the day, you can't tell the backlight goes on/off, dims etc. The numbers/readout stays on, it's just the backlighting (I changed mine to blue LED's).
With the lights on, nothing dims or changes with brakes on/off. Everything operates normally.

Alternator is fine, scangauge shows full volts, etc etc.

I assume it has to do with the LED's and a resistance issue. I added a resistor to the 3rd brake light, otherwise it stayed on all the time. Quick resolution to that issue. I may add a resistor to the tail's and see if it changes anything. Not too worried about it though, since it took me about a year to notice it, and it doesn't affect anything. I put it on my list of "things to do, when I get really bored", which never happens.
Glad you posted it though. Let me know if you figure anything out.
 
None in my gauge cluster are leds but I do have leds in my climate control, ect button and rear back Window button. However all of them are out except for the digital read out for the climate control lol.
 
As mentioned before, probably the ALT. If you have the means to monitor voltage while running, check it.

My mom's Camry's voltage regulator died in hers. I think her radio and gauge cluster lights were the first to dim.

But considering your swim the other month, check all grounds and the wires that run on the passenger side of the engine bay.
 
I'm not doubting yalls diagnosis. It could possibly be the alt. It could be a ground some where. It could have something to do with the wad of wires I have for all my switches on the left switch panel.

Can anybody confirm that there 4runner doesn't do the same thing?
 
has anyone confirmed a repair for this

I have a 99 Limited and this morning I noticed this same issue. My Climate control (reman with lifetime warranty and fully working) along with my pioneer stereo are dimming ONLY in drive while parking lights and headlights are off. I did change the front bumper turn signals to LED and the front corner running lights to LED so I'll troubleshoot that by replacing those bulbs with the regular incandescent bulbs to see if this goes away. It is NOT an issue with the charging system in mine because I'm getting 14.4 volts at 2,000RPM and 14.2 volts at Idle
 
408junglist said:
I have a 99 Limited and this morning I noticed this same issue. My Climate control (reman with lifetime warranty and fully working) along with my pioneer stereo are dimming ONLY in drive while parking lights and headlights are off. I did change the front bumper turn signals to LED and the front corner running lights to LED so I'll troubleshoot that by replacing those bulbs with the regular incandescent bulbs to see if this goes away. It is NOT an issue with the charging system in mine because I'm getting 14.4 volts at 2,000RPM and 14.2 volts at Idle
Click to expand...


After 2 years now and it still does it.. Same alternator. I've learned to live it. I figured it's something to do with changing bulbs to LED's. Let me know what ya find out when changing your bulbs back.
 
Is Torque's reading on voltages accurate enough to determine if the alternator is good? Anything above 14v is good?

Had this issue for a while, not causing any headaches on top of my finicky starter (need to replace, but it has not stranded me after learning it will start after a few additional bumps of the key)
 
MSRP. said:
Is Torque's reading on voltages accurate enough to determine if the alternator is good? Anything above 14v is good?

Had this issue for a while, not causing any headaches on top of my finicky starter (need to replace, but it has not stranded me after learning it will start after a few additional bumps of the key)
Click to expand...

Yes, it is accurate. But it's voltage in the cab, not straight from the alternator so it reads low. When my alternator quit, it was reading in the 11's at idle and about 12.3-12.5 driving. Now with the newer, bigger alt it reads 12.7 at idle and 13.0 driving around. Battery voltage will show closer to 14+.
 
I've almost posted about this same issue so many times before, I just never had the time or remembered when I did.

I've got LED tails (all three), tag bulbs and front corner lights. I didn't notice the issue until more recently. I think that is because I had the tails and corner lights in for 2 years but only just replaced the tag bulbs. The most annoying thing was not being able to see my radio during the day because it would dim (its an after-market pioneer single din). I ended up just setting the dimmer on a time clock, but I definitely do want to take care of it sometime.
 
I've been living with it for 5 years lol.. Apparently I've gotten used to it cus I don't notice it anymore.
 
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