99 Sunfire Dash Light & Radio Lights turn off when you turn on head lights

[fathershrubb]

Hope someone has a fix for this. 1999 Pontiac Sunfire 2.4L. When you turn on the head lights the dash lights (speedometer lights) and radio lights go out. The odometer light and all the warning lights still work (ie. radiator warning, oil warning, etc). Does anyone have a fix?
thanks

[midrange]

it was designed to do that.. When have you owned a vehicle that doesn't do this? If there is no aftermarket head unit in your car, then your car is doing exactly whats its suppose to.

[fathershrubb]

So I am supposed to drive at night and not able to see the speedometer or know what station is on the radio? That doesn't make sense.

[midrange]

oh sorry, from your title to your thread, turn on, turn off has been said a fair bit. Thought you meant when you turn off your headlights, your interior lights go off.

Have you checked fuses? The thing is, your interior illumination shouldn't be on when your headlights are off.

[J-Ri]

So then would it be more accurate to say the dash lights don't ever come on? They shouldn't be on when the headlights are off. Check fuses and bulbs there.

The radio is designed to dim when the headlights are turned on. There is a wire that goes from the parking light power to the radio to tell it when to dim. The dimming function is internal to the radio, so most likely the radio is bad. Cutting the dimming wire would keep it on full brightness all the time, if you don't mind the increased brightness

[motorzonesuzuki]

I have a 2005 Sunfire that has the same problem. If you start the car and put it into drive and then try to turn on the headlights, the headlights come on, but the dash lights do not. I just replaced the BCM with a used one from a salvage yard, and no difference. If you turn on the headlights before puting into gear they all work. Did you ever find out the problem?
motorzonesuzuki