My radio only can be controlled when the lights are on....

A few months ago, I had my radio replaced at the dealership because a cd was stuck. When I got it back I noticed that the left top side wasn't flush with the dash, but I just left it cause I don't have time to drop it back off at the dealership for just that.
Well yesterday, it was 95+ degrees outside and I parked out in the sun. When I got back in the car, I noticed that the other side of the radio was now not flush (it's about a 1/4" above the dash). I pushed both sides back down and the radio went 'off'. All the lights on it went off and so did the clock. But the radio kept playing music, even though I couldn't change the volume/channel/off&on.
Then I went somewhere tonight and had to turn the lights on. Well the radio came on when I did this (as in the lights and buttons work). When I turn the lights off, the radio lights and function go back off. But the music will still play.
I have an HID kit and also jrox drl bypass.

Any ideas on what's going on?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHNXb...eature=related

Anyone at the dealership look like these guys?

 

Lolllll^

 

Bring it back to the dealership and ask them to order you a new faceplate/control panel

 

Funny video, no super glue found.

And do you think the face plate is bad, not just a loose connection in the back?

I was trying to avoid the dealership if possible...

 

what about the connector to the faceplate? ... can you remove everything and double check?
that seems like a power issue with the faceplate... (pure guess)

 

It sounds exactly like one of the few I've had to replace for similar issues. There is really only one connection and if it was bad, you'd have no display whatsoever with lights on or off. The fact that the backlighting affects the entire display/control sounds like something shorted or open in the faceplate and you sending the auxillary power signal for the lighting is sending power that allows the controls to work again. I'd be willing to bet it's a faceplate

 

In this pic, 1 is the face plate, correct?

Hopefully I will be able to check out a few things this week, behind the faceplate and behind the radio.

Also, I've noticed that when I turn the lights on and the radio comes on, the clock will reset back to 1:00, but my radio stations are still programmed.

 

Correct

 

Finally got around to taking the faceplate off. The first two connectors were light grey, and the rest eight or ten of them were silver. I sanded a little where they touched the base radio, and put everything back together.
Now the radio works as normal.
I would have probably pulled the radio out too, so saved me some time and effort!
Thanks!!!

 

Hit the brakes on the previous post....
The radio was sticking up still (1/4" above the dash), so I pushed it down and it lost power. Nothing now (even with the lights on).
Next stop, dealership.

 

Certainly sounds like the face plate. And a shot in it or the wire harness that attaches to it. The single harness that connects to it is the one you mentioned sanding I think. The Hazard cluster that it attaches too has a ribbon cable that attaches up to the radio/clock/display.

As for the alignment of the faceplate, it just takes patience when you put it on. It’s real easy to put on without everything lining up perfectly. Just gotta pop it back off and try again. And in this case, just let them know when they deliver it back to you that you expect it to look like it has never been removed. Use another Lancer on the the lot to let them know what you expect.

Keep us updated as to how this all goes. Good luck.

 

I looked at it again, apparently I didn't know what I was talking about. Haha. I was referring to the back of something else (maybe some welds at the top of the face place).
So coming from the face plate is the white ribbon group of wires, one of the wires was fried and there was a burnt spot on the connector at the hazard light piece.
To the dealership for sure now.

 

sounds to me like a sh*tty re-install at the dealership.

What was the outcome?

 

Just to update and ask about another problem....
Went to the dealership, they said the face plate was warped. So they ordered another one. I took it in for the install. It was taking way longer than normal, so I walked out to the service area and watched the tech try to get the old face plate flush with the dash. I said are you using the old face plate, he said, IDK. So I went to the other side of my car and showed him the new on in the box. I said I thought the old one was warped, he said nah it's not warped. I then said well there's a wire burnt out, he said oh really? I showed him the burnt wire and showed him the new face plate to compare. So he started with the new faceplate. Couldn't really get a flush fit with this one either and he said he may have to switch out the dash. I'm thinking that it's kinda flush, and if I switch the dash, then what else is gonna go wrong. So he got the face plate on the best he could, and the radio was working. Then I made him turn the lights on to see if any of the radio lights would come on. Well, nothing happenned with any backlighting. So now my a/c lights won't come on with the headlights, neither will the sst toggle light, or the radio lights. He checked the fuses, but all seemed fine. Apparently, they are gonna order a new a/c control to see if that helps, I doubt it will. It sounds like a fuse or a cut wire or something.
So my theory after talking to a friend, is maybe the ground wire or power wire to the lights got messed with. Maybe the back lights for the a/c and sst toggle are controlled by the power to the back lights in the radio?
Can anyone confirm this? And do you know where it's located so I can check for myself?
Thanks!