Info Display Goes Blank When The Headlights Are Turned On?!

[rhack1]

I have a 1999 RX with 185k miles - runs great...however, today this problem started...

When the light stalk is set to off and the car is started the information display works as it should...however, when i twist the light stalk to any of the other positions (low, headlights, auto) the center console lights come on - as they should (radio button lights, ac lights, transmission shifter lights, etc) - but the information display goes blank...the buttons all work fine for the radio and the ac - it's just blank...

When the light stalk is in the on or auto position, and i start the car, the information display shows the clock and the radio buttons for a brief second and then goes blank...

any ideas what this could be?...where to start to diagnose?...

thanks...R

[jgr7]

Has the dimmer switch been turned down?

[stcist2]

Have you checked ALL the fuses?

[rhack1]

Has the dimmer switch been turned down?

nope...just checked it...

more info: my son was driving it...he said that he was using the radio tuner/seek button to find a station - holding it down as he scrolled up - and then the screen went blank...he went to a thing we have called "lights on the lake" a christmas light thing where he had to turn the lights on the car off as he went thru the display route...while the car was running, he turned the lights off - the display came back on...but only for a minute - and then went blank...all while the car was running...

now - when i start the car and the lights are off the display works...i didn't run the car for a long time to know if it would turn off after a minute like it did with my son...but once again, now whenever i turn the light stalk from off to on (any position of on) the display goes off...

R-

[rhack1]

Have you checked ALL the fuses?

not yet as it's late here...just wanted to see if someone had an idea where to look...and which fuse, etc?...the radio, clock and climate control work fine - the display just goes blank...and like i said, when i start the car with the light stalk in the on or auto position, the clock and the radio buttons show for a brief second - and then go off...when the stalk is off, the display works...

thanks...R

[rhack1]

problem solved!...

thanks jgr7--> first i thought you meant the light dimmer switch -- but then saw that the console has a "dimmer" switch...and yes - my son must have screwed up when trying to seek stations...and turned the console light all the way down...

argh!...

thanks...R