Dim display at gear selector and information center

seems to me the lamps are dim in the cluster, as in bad lamps.
the dimmer works, but can be tested, if 12vdc out on high.
the dimmer is good.
car drives perfectly,day and night, heater blower on high works.
all things on car seem to work, but just dash dimmer?
why do you need lamps in the day, not told..??? I don't
my cars never glow dash lamps (background) lamps in day
the other IP c luster lamps are ERROR lamps.
like ,(lots) CEL, charger fail,
all my error lamps are out, driving, as they must be.
so only background lamps are dim?
are outside of car PARK lamps all working?

. The illumination is controlled by the BCM - body control module .
Interior Lamps Dimming
This group includes lamps which may dim. This group may use a combination of vacuum fluorescent (VF) illumination and incandescent lamps.
• HVAC control module, head assembly
• Rear HVAC control module, head assembly
• Radio
• Rear seat Audio
• The instrument panel cluster (IPC)
• The PRNDL lamp, with the exception of the current gear select position
• Power window switches
• Various switches
When the ignition switch is turned to the ON position, the VF display, radio, turns ON at maximum brightness. When the park lamps are ON, all incandescent back lighting turn ON at the dimming level indicated by the instrument panel (I/P) dimmer switch. At the same time all VF displays dim to match the indicated dimming level. When the headlamp switch is placed in the PARK position, the park lamp supply voltage circuit provides an input to the body control module (BCM). The BCM then supplies voltage to the I/P dimmer switch through the I/P dimming lamps control circuit. The setting of the I/P dimmer switch determines the amount of voltage that the I/P dimmer switch supplies to the BCM through the I/P dimming lamps low reference circuit. The BCM then sends a pulse width modulation (PWM) voltage to all the interior lamps. All the VF and incandescent back lighting lamps are provided a specific voltage and are then grounded. When the headlight switch is turned to the park lamp or headlamp position, all incandescent back lighting turn ON at the dimming level indicated by the I/P dimmer switch. When the I/P dimmer switch is moved from MIN to MAX, all VF displays, as well as all incandescent back lighting respond from minimum intensity to maximum brightness in response to the I/P dimmer switch.


Do you know what DTC'S - diagnostic trouble codes are ? Codes set in the BCM
DTC B2610 00: Passenger Compartment Dimming 1 Circuit
DTC B2615 00: Passenger Compartment Dimming 2 Circuit
DTC B2652 00: Passenger Compartment Dimming 3
Circuit/System Description
The instrument panel (I/P) lamp dimmer switch is used to increase and decrease the brightness of the interior backlighting components. The I/P dimmer switch provides a voltage signal that will increase as the brightness of the lights are increased and decrease as the brightness of the lights are decreased. The body control module (BCM) provides a low reference signal and a B+ voltage reference to the I/P dimmer switch. When the I/P dimmer switch is placed in the desired position, the dimmed voltage setting is applied from the I/P dimmer switch through the I/P dimmer switch signal circuit to the BCM. The BCM interprets the signal and applies the dimmed voltage to the I/P lamps supply voltage circuit and the interior backlighting components dim to the requested level. Ground for the I/P dimmer switch is provided at G201.

sunroof fuse 1 20amp / power windows - circuit breaker 25 amp
both of these are located in the instrument panel fuse box .

fuses blow because of dead shorts or excess current draw
to blow a 15 amp fuse indicates a dead short
by disconnecting the rear lights , the problem is in something else you have replaced
could be a problem in the head light wiring

Daytime headlight issue ? No , no sensor behind the front bumper . No Daytime time head lamp issue , doesn't turn on the instrument panel light's . This is more then likely a remote dimmer module problem .
Interior Lights Dimming Circuit Description (Pontiac)
When the park lights are on, battery positive voltage (B+) is applied via CKT 32 (YEL) to the remote dimmer module. The interior dimming switch in the lamp dimmer switch is a variable resistor which applies the dimming input via CKT 44 (DK GRN) to the remote dimmer module. The potentiometer in the lamp dimmer switch cannot provide enough current in order to operate the incandescent lights. The remote dimmer module amplifies the current, applying a variable voltage to the incandescent lights. As the amount of current increases, the lamps become brighter. As the amount of current decreases, the lamps become dimmer.
The radio, heater and A/C control assembly, instrument cluster, and passenger climate control each has a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display. When each module receives an input that the ignition switch is turned to the RUN position, each module activates the VF display at the full intensity. When the park lights are on, the radio receives the dimming level from an input on CKT 8 (GRY). The radio then relays this information to any other modules with VF displays. All modules with VF displays then adjust the dimming level of their VF display in order to match the level of the incandescent lamps.

DIMMER SWITCH IN THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH.

You should have a dimmer switch somewhere on the dash that brightens the dash display panel. There may be tiny bulbs behind the display casing and one may have burnt out too. That is what I would try if the dimmer switch doesn't make any difference. I hope this helps, The Raz

Soldering the new bulbs in may have done something to the LH DIMMER MODULE ! The 10amp INT LPS fuse located in the I/P fuse box is good ? Is the dimmer switch at full bright ?
When the park lamps are on, battery positive voltage (B+) is supplied through the instrument panel (IP) fuse block INT LPS fuse via CKT 32 (YEL) to the dimming switch. The dimming switch supplies a variably controlled voltage to the dimmer module(s). The potentiometer in the panel dimming control cannot provide enough current in order to operate the panel lamps. The dimmer module(s) amplifies the current, supplying the variable voltage to the panel lights. As the amount of the current increases, the lamps become brighter. As the amount of the current decreases, the lamps become dimmer.
Buick
There is only 1 dimmer module that supplies current to the panel lights. The left dimmer module supplies current via CKT 8 (GRY) to the following components:
• The headlamp switch
• The door switch flood lamps
• The heater and A/C control
• The door handle flood lamps
• The passenger temperature control
• The ashtray lamp
• The shift select switch lamp
• The instrument cluster
• The steering wheel controls
• The reset switch
• The trip odometer
• The radio
Parade Dimming
The parade dimming feature prevents the dimming of the VF displays when daylight is sensed by the lamp control module (LCM) and the park lamps are turned on manually. If the LCM senses night time conditions and the park lamps are on, the LCM allows the VF displays to be dimmed.
All of the modules with the VF displays receive the dimming level from an input on CKT 8 (GRY) or CKT 1244 (BRN). When the LCM determines that the above conditions are met, the LCM sends a signal to the instrument cluster and the radio via CKT 390 (YEL). For Buick, the radio then relays this information to the heater and A/C programmer and passenger temperature control via CKT 724 (PPL/WHT). The modules with the VF displays then adjust the dimming level of their VF displays to match the level of the incandescent lights.
LH Dimmer Module
Under the left side of the IP, on the left side of the steering column brace

they should dim unless they are unreadable check the dimmer control at the headlight switch

On most vehicles you have a dimmer switch ( not talking about headlights) which you can adjust how bright or how dim the dashboard lights are because some people want them bright and others prefer dim either check your owners manual or check all around for it from drivers seat ( within drivers reach) when you find it if you can't adjust it then you want to consider replacing dash lights or switch.

Are all of these not working ?
• Air temperature switch
• Cigar lighter lamp
• Door switches
• Driver information center (DIC) switch
• Headlamp switch
• Head-up display (HUD) switch
• Heated seat switches
• HVAC control assembly
• Instrument panel cluster (IPC)
• Memory function switch
• Radio
• Steering wheel controls
• Window switches

Interior Lamps Dimming
This group of interior lighting includes lamps which may be dimmed. This group uses a combination of class 2 controlled illumination and incandescent lamps:
• Air temperature switch
• Cigar lighter lamp
• Door switches
• Driver information center (DIC) switch
• Headlamp switch
• Head-up display (HUD) switch
• Heated seat switches
• HVAC control assembly
• Instrument panel cluster (IPC)
• Memory function switch
• Radio
• Steering wheel controls
• Window switches
For the interior lighting to be dimmed the following conditions must be met:

Here is a discription of how they work ,factory service info.
• A low light level has been detected by the dash integration module (DIM)
• Headlamp switch is placed in to the PARK or HEAD position
• Ignition switch is placed in the ON position
Then all class 2 displays and all incandescent back lighting will be illuminated to the level set by the instrument panel (I/P) dimmer switch. When the I/P dimmer switch is moved from MIN to MAX, all class 2 displays and all incandescent back lighting respond from minimum intensity to maximum brightness.
The DIM supplies battery positive voltage to the coil side of the PRK LP relay in the rear fuse block.
When the I/P dimmer switch is moved from MIN to MAX, then the instrument panel module (IPM), W/CJ2, or climate control panel (CCP), W/C67, applies a message to the class 2 communication circuit to the DIM. The DIM then applies a ground to the park lamp relay control circuit. This energizes the PRK LAMP relay and allows battery positive voltage to be applied through the DIMR fuse to the DIM. The DIM then illuminates the following incandescent lamps through the incandescent dimming output circuit:
• Cigar lighter lamp
• DIC Switch
• Headlamp switch
• HUD switch
• HVAC control assembly
• IPC
• Radio
• Steering wheel controls
The DIM also applies a message to the following class 2 controlled illumination components:
• Drivers door module (DDM)
• HVAC control assembly
• IPC
• Radio
The DDM will then send a message through the simple bus interface (SBI) to the RH front door module (RFDM). The door modules will then illuminate the following components through the incandescent dimming output circuit:
• Air temperature switch
• Heated seat switches (W/KA1)
• Memory function switch (W/A45)
• Power door lock switches
• Power window switches
The ground for these components are provided from the DDM and RFDM.
The following components are grounded at G200:
• Headlamp switch
• HVAC control assembly
• Radio
• Steering wheel controls
The following components are grounded at G201:
• Cigar lighter lamp
• DIC Switch
• HUD switch

Having the vehicle checked for DTC'S - diagnostic trouble code's would probably be your best course of action .
DTC B2556 (1)
The I/P dimmer switch is a potentiometer. The instrument panel module (IPM) determines the control setting based on the voltage from the I/P dimmer switch. The IPM sends out a class 2 message to the dash integration module (DIM). The intensity of the interior backlighting shall be adjustable when ever the park lamps are on. The intensity of the vacuum florescent displays shall only be adjustable when it is night and the park lamps are active.
DTC B2627
DTC B2628
Circuit Description
The I/P dimmer switch is a potentiometer. It is powered by the HVAC control module. The HVAC control module determines the level of dimming desired based on the voltage from the I/P dimmer switch. The HVAC control module converts the I/P dimmer switch feed back voltage to a digital signal and puts it on the Class II communication bus.

Dash Integration Module (DIM)
The DIM is wired to the class 2 serial data line. The various DIM input and output circuits are described in the corresponding functional areas as indicated on the DIM electrical schematics.
The DIM functions include the following:
• Control of headlights and exterior lamps
• Horn relay control
• Interior lamps incandescent dimming
• Lamps On signal with wiper/washer
• Power moding control over Class 2 serial data line
• Steering wheel controls
• Storage of the clock settings and, sending a message out on the class 2 serial data circuit in response to requests from other modules

Your best bet ,take your vehicle to a qualified repair shop.