Anyone know if the wiring to the stock radio has anything to do with the dash instrumentation lights? I installed a new radio and now my dash lights don't work. It is not the dimmer switch, I checked that already. I have been through every fuse and they all look fine but still no lights for speedo, tach, gauges etc. The interior dome light works fine and blinkers and what not work fine. It is just the instrumentation cluster.

Suggestions?

Im not for sure on 02 models but on my 04.5 duramax everything is in one big circuit. Leave one piece unconnected or connected incorrectly and your gauges and lights wont work right.I ran a jumper straight from my ignition wire to the power wire on the radio. everything works fine and i got it to even cut off the annoying dinger through the speakers some how. Thats the way you have to wire it if you dont want to keep your factory radio plugged into the wiring harness underneath the back seat. I was talking to the guys at best buy in sugarland tx about it. it took me 3 wiring harnesses and 2 trips to houston to get my panasonic indash screen wired in.

The wiring harness should have nothing to do with the dash lights. I have a 2002 Chev Avalanche and changed out the OEM radio to a Pioneer Nav. No problems at all with any of the lights, dash or otherwise.

Im not for sure on 02 models but on my 04.5 duramax everything is in one big circuit. Leave one piece unconnected or connected incorrectly and your gauges and lights wont work right.I ran a jumper straight from my ignition wire to the power wire on the radio. everything works fine and i got it to even cut off the annoying dinger through the speakers some how. Thats the way you have to wire it if you dont want to keep your factory radio plugged into the wiring harness underneath the back seat. I was talking to the guys at best buy in sugarland tx about it. it took me 3 wiring harnesses and 2 trips to houston to get my panasonic indash screen wired in.
Actually there are several wiring harnesses that work fine now..
I used one, simple plug in and go.. Reason your chimes are out is because the stock radio made the chimes. New wiring harness comes with a box that keeps the retained accessory power and other things, also has a little dinger speaker that you can tear the wires off of if you want, which I did. However his 02 is totally different since the 03-up trucks use the data bus system...

As I said in the other spot where you asked this, when it happened to mine it was the ground wire, and it killed the part in the switch for the dash lights, everything else worked. So somehow they have to be related. Try unhooking the deck and plugging in a light switch from a buddy's truck or get one from the dealer and see if the dash lights work then..

You nailed it Nar, it was the light switch. For some reason it quit sending power to the dash lights. Replaced it and the dash lit right up.

Woooo!
Glad to help.