So I have a 2013 Lexus gs350 and at first when I would turn my wheel the radio lights / clock lights would flicker and dim but no they just don't come on at night, and I mean like the temperature and the backlighting for the clock and mouse so it's super dark at night, the numbers do show up during day time ( numbers of the temp to the heat ) so I'm not sure what could have failed. For reference I replaced the MPX Body so that's not the issue.

it dosent even flicker anymore it just dosent work. Thanks everybody ..

I do have a grom vl2

 

Any insight is greatly appreciated, I was thinking maybe it's the clockspring but haven't been able to confirm thanks guys a little lost here.

 

Did this happen after the Grom vl2 was installed. If so how long after? Turning the wheel would make you think the clock spring comes into play to affect, but other than the Radio volume and selections, I can't think of anything related to the wheel that would change the radio and clock lights related? The problem with that still, is that the wheel was affecting it.

I would check the fuses, to see if it was shorting and then eventually blew due to the short. Another thought would be to have your battery tested, the battery going on these cars can do some strange things with effects on the electronics sometimes. Last would be if the Grom is affecting this is some kind of way? Perhaps go back and check connections of the Grom installed.

 

I definitely appreciate your insight
For more context, the gram was installed basically when I first bought the car in late 2022 so it's been there for a while.

issue kind of started randomly I wasn't really doing any modifications or anything to the car when it started. I just noticed that the lights were on and off and then left. The steering wheel is making it flicker.

I replaced the MPX body because it controls the lighting circuit, but it didn't change anything so that didn't have anything to do with the issue.

 

Ok so knowing about the Grom, may eliminate that. I would go back to the other things I said. If was my car is what I would do.

Test the battery.
Check the Fuses.
Could be the Clock Spring itself. Does the Horn still work all times?
Also do a Scan for any codes with a Scanner.

You are going to have to do some trouble shooting yourself. Or take it to a Dealer for them to trouble shoot for you.

 

From the video it looks like the rest of your internal illumination is working (for example, the steering pad buttons and the cooling seat buttons are illuminated).

Is the sonar button by your center console door illuminating? It's the button that looks like P)))^

 

yea I plan to use a test light to test all the mpx / main body fuses although everything else functions as intended.

I'd have to check at night although I'm 90% sure park assist does light up at night. Just the radio clock and than the top buttons in the mouse controller. But yea like you said all the other limitation in the car works just fine it's just those few items aren't cooperating..

The car has a few mods but nothing that were added right when this happend.

 

While you're at it, also check the rear sunshade button.

So most everything illumination related is "connected" via various junction points. But some things are "closer" electrically than others.

So the illumination for the HVAC is on the same branch as the parking sonar button illumination.

And the illumination for the remote control lights is on the same branch as the rear shade button illumination, shifter illumination, and the mode selector switch (ECO, normal, Sport, etc).

​​​​​​Depending on your outcome, if you want to start probing stuff, can you take apart the center console to be able the view the bottom of it? If yes, you can prove the mode selection switch connector (marked in blue). It's an 8 pin connector. Pin 1 is a solid green wire and is the positive for illumination. Pin 6 is a solid white wire, and is the ground for the illumination.

For the remote (circled in red), it's a 16 pin connector. It should be pins 9 and 16 for the green and the white wires. It should have the same reading/behavior as the combination switch.

I don't have it circled, but should should also be able to probe the rear sunshade button. It's a 6 pin connector. Pins 2 and 5 are your green and white wires, respectively.

I know your main issue is with the HVAC unit but figured center console was easier to take apart and probe.

 

I think replacing the steering wheel clock spring will take care of it. I personally wouldn't waste time checking anything else.

 

I said the simple test things above because they are very simple to do and if they all are ok then that would point to the Clock springs as I mentioned also. But.... changing the Clock spring is really a 50/50 fix, will or won't. At this point not checking anything else. A bad or intermittent fuse could do the same thing if they are all on the same fuse, but idk. That's the thing about simple things to check to eliminate before a clock spring. It likely is the CS.

I just hope the op finds out what it is and post back the finding and fix. So this does not become another ask for help, then no post back Ghost, what happen threads?

 

I have an aftermarket steering wheel to throw on but I haven't put it on yet because of the electrical issue. I'll definitely keep you guys updated. Clock spring is on the list to check and I appericate everybody's input. Like I said that's how the issue originally started it was flickering when I'd turn the wheel. I know Lexus clockspring normally show an ! When they're bad.

 

will def keep everybody updated. I was thinking clockspring as well just wasn't sure how or if that effected illumination but it does make sense being part of that circuit.

 

So I took the wheel off to visually inspect the clock spring and basically what I found was that part of the spiral cable appears to be visable. So. I believe this is the issue... ordering a new spiral cable and will update everybody.

 

You're supposed to be able to see the spiral cable when the wheel is centered. I think that's why the window is there. You should also see two little triangles align (one is visible by the cut in your finger).

 

New clock spring did not fix or change the problem..
onto the next steps I suppose. So far I've put a new mpx body and a new clock spring...