2001 nissan sentra gxe dashboard lights not working

Nissans like most all cars and light trucks made for sale in north America the taillights dont work either if the dash lights are out. Tailights work go to next step, or fix tailights (parking lights) The fuse blown for the parking lights can happen at the radio and is common problem with aftermarket radios hooked up wrong. If The car has an after market radio and the fuse for dash or tail is blown I check the radio first unplug and look for loose bare or untaped wires see if a new fuse holds with the radio hang and then unplugged. Always use the right fuse as the headlight switch can't take a bigger load and you may not find the problem till you have a fire. The tailights are next if their out I just unplug the wire from the light fixtures and try a new fuse if the dash works now with it on plug the tailights in one at a time and watch operation If the bright light (brake bulb comes on the bulb is in backwards ( see it all the time ) or doesnt light at all or dash goes back out fuse blows again You found your bad light and the bulb the socket are suspect. with it apart You can see the problem. Lets say the tailights work just right. and the dash lights still don't work. Theres a dimmer for the dash lights that can fail. its' a thumb knob deal that pops right out of the dash with a light pry and will hang by its wire ( 3 ) with the lights on two wires will be on if only two wires both will be hot cold with the lights off. if it has aground wire its because it lights up too. the grong wire is black. Connect the other two wires together or if two wires connect them and the dash lights up you have a bad switch. You can plug in a bebt paper clip tape over and reinstall or order up a new one from Nissan as the parts stores mostly don't have these. Call with your VIN and the parts guys are more friendly. Still no good. The headlight switch can fail but you'll say the tails don't work and the fuses are good and they were good when you checked them. With the covers removed from the steering colum the turn signal head light switch can be removed. Most of the time they fail after big fuses were added or lots of miles and tailight or radio problems. Most always created by a wrongly directed repair. Find the wire thats the same color as the wire you saw on the back of the dimmer switch for the panel and with a test light see if it comes on ( switch removed but hanging by the wire and the wire plugged in ) With the switch turned off two or three wires will be hot turn the parking lights on only and one more will come hot ( check with test light ) turn the lights on bright another wre comes hot switch to dim another wire comes hot and the one that was hot on bright goes dead the other two wires are the turn signals they need to work before your done as long as the lights work OK don't go diging into sonething thats not broke. Key off two wire hot one more with the key on (turn signal) if not good here your back to checking fuses The front lights can also short out as the car may have hit something. all the marker lights ( edge of the headlight ) Sides of the front and rear fenders and all the lights in both tailights are suspect. Last the wires that go to the lights are damaged somewhere. Theres lots of bulbs in the dash, glove box, ash tray, Speedometer, heater control and console gearshift. The likely hood of all being blown is unlikely. Power put on the panel dimmer switch will find out.