Radio backlight doesnt light up - B5 S4

[rubbndubbn]

I recently purchased a B5 S4 and one issue that it has is the backlight on the radio doesn't light up when I turn the headlights on. The climatronic and dash lights all work normal and the radio buttons light up if you push for a certain station just nothing else does.

The previous owner mentioned that he had been blowing a fuse in the car and took it in to be looked at and they said the cluster was causing the blown fuse. They then replaced the cluster and when that was done the backlighting on the radio stopped working. He said that he didn't want to keep paying for repairs due to the expense he had already paid for a new cluster etc. I called the shop to just get an idea of why the radio backlight not working would occur after the cluster install and they said that they didn't know but to bring it in and it would take about 1-2 hours ($210) of diagnostics to see and then they would go from there.

I attached a picture to get an idea of what I am talking about. Any help would be great... If I have to take it in then so be it but I would like to see if I can figure it out on my own time as its not a dire mechanical situation that needs to be attended too.

thanks in advance!




I also posted this in Car Audio & OEM Integration Forum*

[vavJETTAw36]

If it's an issue with the radio, just pay the $50 for a refurb from ecs. That's what I did. It came looking brand new.


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[zillarob]

I have the same prob, but have been too afraid to find out what it was
The lights for my vents dont work either so guessing a fuse.

This seemed to have started when I added this jaws-of-death tablet mount contraption that slides into the cd player.
For now, I like being able to log with the tablet more than I like the lights. Will prob check it out someday.

[rubbndubbn]

If it's an issue with the radio, just pay the $50 for a refurb from ecs. That's what I did. It came looking brand new.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't think it has to do solely with the radio as my ESP, front and rear fogs also don't light up as well as my seat heater lights don't work either (all the functions work such as fogs and heated seats they just dont light up at night). I am assuming its all along one system but wanted to see if anyone else has dealt with this issue before.

[rubbndubbn]

Final Bump in hopes of someone to chime in and give some advice!

[blakemorgs]

I wouldn't know how to fix it but if it were me I'd say it's time for an aftermarket head unit

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[zillarob]

Find the wiring diags, start at one end of the squiggly line, work your way to the other end.

If still blowing fuses, pop components on the circuit out individually and see if one quits popping them.