Aftermarket stereo install, but how do you make the HVAC dim properly?

From what I understand, the factory stereo is a link between the HVAC and the rest of the dash, so if you install an aftermarket deck, the HVAC just stays on full brightness. Is there a diagram that shows how to fix this issue?

If it's not in the FSM, good luck.  AlbertJ was the last of the knowledgeable people still on this board.  I'm not at that level.

Update: I'm not sure if it's because I have a 95 which is a bit different than the 96-99s, but the HVAC buttons dim with the rest of the dash, even with an aftermarket stereo installed.

Update: The actual LCD display DOES NOT dim, I haven't figured out how to solve that.

The dimming is tied in with the ambient light sensor in the middle of the dash between the defroster grills. When the sensor goes bad, it is dim all the time because the car thinks it is night, all the time. Pretty sure the sensor is not available.

No, it's bright all the time. I turn on the lights and all the buttons and the LCDs on the whole interior adjust with brightness. The exception is hte LCD on the HVAC module, it stays 100% bright the whole time.

My experience with my 98 was that the wiring occasionally goes bad. The wire actually corrodes from inside, and you can't see it from the outside. I had that happen to me a number of times during my ownership. The cam sensor trouble code, the power mirrors, and the anti lock brake harness. The HVAC module is also a well known problem with these cars. I had mine redone by a guy on Ebay. Very difficult to say what your problem is. Might be a connection problem, might be the HVAC module.

ADDvanced wrote:

From what I understand, the factory stereo is a link between the HVAC and the rest of the dash, so if you install an aftermarket deck, the HVAC just stays on full brightness.   Is there a diagram that shows how to fix this issue?

get the FSM and check the pinouts for the connectors so you can fix this if indeed it is an issue.

ADDvanced wrote:

No, it's bright all the time.  I turn on the lights and all the buttons and the LCDs on the whole interior adjust with brightness.  The exception is hte LCD on the HVAC module, it stays 100% bright the whole time.

The LED indicators in the HVAC buttons do stay bright all the time.

Not the indicators, the LCD panel. The part that displays the numbers.

ADDvanced wrote:

Not the indicators, the LCD panel.  The part that displays the numbers.

That's a vacuum fluorescent display.

This isn't a problem i've seen.  I'd start with what Larry stated, since he's seen this problem before.

Albertj

PS - did you get a FSM set?

Yeah I have a full FSM, was using it to diagnose the random gremlins a month ago