So here's the deal, I have a 2000 EX 5MT 2.3 ULEV. I bought another Accord for parts but it's an '02, I was swapping some body parts over, and I just decided to switch the clock/hazard light button assembly just because I liked the look of the one from the '02 lol. so it plugged in fine but when I hit the hazard light button, it was like I turned the key on! dash lit up, fans came on and everything (what the heck???) so I switched them back but last night I realized I had no gauge lights or radio lights with the headlights on. I checked resistance on the dimmer switch in the cluster and it seemed way out of wack. I assumed that was the problem and put the cluster from the '02 in, same thing though, no lights. I then ran a wire from the red wire going into the clock to ground so I have gauge and stereo lights, but the odometer light still won't work! I also did the check for the multiplex (jumping the two pins on the left cluster plug) but that did nothing. Then I switched the drivers side fuse panel (multiplex and all) which worked fine when it was in the '02 but when I hooked it up, NOTHING no headlights, dash lights, NOTHING car was basically dead except for dome lights. I then switched them back and I'm left with the wire going from the clock to ground so I have all my lights just not the odometer light!! anyone have any ideas??? this has me stumped!
BTW, I have been working with my dad (a mechanic for 35 years) for years so I do know my way around a car, especially Honda's, and fairly experienced with wiring.
oh and I had the ground wire from the clock hooked up with both clusters, gauges light up on both but not odometer.
oh and one more thing I forgot to mention was that I was working on the airbag system as well, (replacing computer and airbags) before this happened

 

Are you getting voltage to the dimmer?

 

Well.....I feel pretty dumb. the odometer bulb was just burned out *facepalm* lol.
So now I have all my lights working with that ground wire hooked up. I never checked if there was voltage at the dimmer, it seems unlikely that two clusters would both have bad dimmers, but I'll go check that right now. thanks

 

Just checked and there is no voltage at the dimmer. And yes I unhooked the wire from the red clock wire to ground before I checked.

 

anyone have any ideas??

 

Sorry, I read the first quote the wrong way and thought all of the issues were resolved.......

So if you have had to add a "jumper" to get the dash lights to work....not sure of this "jump" but I will guess that you blew the drivers multiplex and the jumper is by-passing it.