i installed the stereo and i just grounded it through the harness... cause isnt there already a ground for the stock stereo?

 

Good question. After disconnecting the controller from its connector, insert a jumper wire into the terminal of the connector for the red wire (see diagram in my previous post) and ground the other end of the wire to the body frame under the dash. With the combination switch on the steering column turned one click, the dash lights now should turn ON with full brightness. If this happens and the fuse does not blow, then replacing the controller should fix the problem.

 

is there any way to rewire it so that the controller sits in there functionless but the dash lights still come on... cause i dont have a tester and it would be monday before i could get to one

 

You don't need a tester to do the test I described. You only need a piece of wire, maybe a foot long, with a short section of bare wire exposed at each end. If this test does not lead to a blown fuse, then this same setup can be used to get your dash lights back, but without the controller function.

 

ok... i tried it and the fuse didnt blow but the lights also did not come on .... next step?

 

Obvious possible problems:

1) Do you have a good fuse #30 inserted?

2) Is the combination switched ON?

Most likely problem:

3) The wire you insert into the red wire terminal must simultaneously have good metallic contact with both the connector terminal and the metallic frame under the dash.

 

yes i made sure of all three of those things

 

Insert a new fuse into the fuse 30 slot. The current fuse 30 may be blown. If the fuse is fine, you need an inexpensive test light or multimeter to localize the problem. When you have an electrical tester, I can walk you through the process. This circuit diagram will help with the troubleshooting:

 

idk if this helps at all but one thing i noticed is that when i turn on the light, the in dash display that shows me what gear im in comes on... its just the light that lights up the speedometer and the light that comes on the automatic shifter that dont come on... does this mean anything

 

another step you could do is pull the dash lights out and test them or just look at them to see if they look good/the filement inside the bulb not broken.

it could have just been a flook and they both blew if your dimmer switch still works....
my 96civic heater back lights both stoped working one day. i just replaced them and they still work. ya never know it could be the most simplest thing like the bulb just blew they dont last forever...