It's a relay. Which one it depends... I would start from testing headlights relay.
If you turn up your interior dashboard light settings, then the radio display will be brighter too. The radio dims to the setting for the dashboard when the lights are turned on.
Probably because the dimmer switch is turned off. Turn the dimmer switch up and see if the dashlights and radio illumination lamps come on.
Try pressing the "override button" to the left of the steering wheel, you may have hit it by accident. This will turn the radio off when the key is turned off and the interior lights won't come on.
A mis-wiring or short circuit somewhere between the controls, fusebox and lights.
Check for a loose fuse, check your wiring, check the connections, sounds like something is loose. Also make note as to when it turn off, are pressing the brake? using the turn signal? I had a firebird that every time I press the brake the signal lights would turn on and the radio would turned off, that turned out to be I used the wrong bulb in my brake lights
the radio is wired to the headlight power supply wire, that's why it will only come on when you turn on the headlights. my buddy did this to his truck in the best buy parking lot when it was getting dark out.
The parking lights are turned on when the headlights are on and you pull out on the light switch. The parking lights cannot be turned on by themselves.
Did you check the fuses in the power distribution box under the hood?
The fog light switch is in the center stack of your dash , just to the right of the radio , near the bottom of the radio . Just push the button to turn on the fog lights and push it again to turn off the fog lights
Your emergency lights are on.
the brown and grey wires come from the dash and were hooked up to the old radio does anyone know what i can do with them so my dash lights will turn on again
Sounds like your dimmer switch isn't working or it is turned all the way down for night driving.. It has a setting that allows you to turn off the lights on your dash and radio for driving at night. Locate your dimmer switch and see if it is turned down all the way. If not it may have gone bad and needs to be replaced.