ElectronicsNeed help wiring something up? Thinking of adding an electrical component to your car? Need help troubleshooting that wiring glitch?
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I have a problem with my dash lights I have replaced both the switches on th dash and I have checked the fuses and I also have replaced the chime assembly and checked all the bulbs. I am at my wits end please help.
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Last edited by Gtatransam1987; 08-08-2004 at 11:57 AM.
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standard dash I had the car checked by a mechanic friend and the only way he got the lights to work was to jump the dimmer unit. I just replaced the old one and thought that would end the problem but i was wrong.
If you have checked all the fuses and replaced the dimmer and light switch. The only thing left to check is the ground wire for the instrument panel. It is located under the dash just to the left of the steering column. Another question is, when you changed the dimmer switch, did you change the headlight dimmer switch or the remote dimmer switch?
remote dimmer switch. ok i checked the ground wire and there are two of them is that right? they both have a good contact and the lights still don't work.
Is there anything else like another relay to check or any other type of control module that could fail?
Last edited by Gtatransam1987; 08-08-2004 at 06:59 PM.
There is no relay, but as Trickster alluded, there is the remote dimmer module (switching transistor).
You'll have to dive head-first into the driver's footwell, remove the lower dash trim panels, swing down the "Convenience Center", and peer backward toward the radio pod to see the module. The telltale will be the top of the TO-3 transistor case. It's silver and about the size of a nickel. Follow the brown wire from the light switch to the module, and you'll have the right item. This is only found on Firebirds, not Camaros.
Make sure the transistor isn't open E/C from an overload or shorted lamp. If it is, you can replace it with a standard AF/switching NPN transistor like an ECG98 (now NTE98).
The Convenience Center:
A peek at the dimmer module location:
Once you're under there, it will all start to look familiar.
Last edited by Vader; 10-09-2009 at 11:32 PM.
Reason: Redirected Image File Links
I have a 1991 firebird, with no dash lights either. I've checked the bulbs and fuses. I located what seems to be a 3 prong transistor. It was mounted under the dash on the left side of the steering column in some sort of heat sink. One of the wires is brown, and when I turned on the parking lights, I got a 12 volt signal from the brown wire.
Vader, could this be the transister I need to replace to get my dash lights up and running. The base for the connector is DELCO-REMY with the number 263 under it. The nickle mounted is a Motorola 1986902-2 Mexico 1E07.
I was just about to start a thread about thsi same problem. and my problem was intermittant. The lights were on , then they went out. Then came bakc on one time when i hit 4th gear, then when i shut the car off they havent come back on since. So im guessing its the ground wire that came loose. that a fair guess?
Well, after I posted a PM to Vader and to this message, I found this post. http://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/show...mer+transistor (Dash wont light up help!)
I jumpered my brown wire to the center wire, and my dash lights came on for the first time. The only thing I can think on why it went out is because someone had ripped the stereo out of the car at one time and shorted this thing out. I'm going to try to goto autozone to see if they sell this transistor. But I believe this is going to fix my problem...thanks Vader. You fixed it before you even got a chance to post to my message
ok i just thought of something. MY guage lights them selves dont work, but my chekc engine light still work and so does the seat belt, etc. and so does my radio (aftermarket) but also the lights on the HVAC and the trunk reliease etc dont work, and i also get no audible alert that my lights are on when i open the door. any idea what coudl cause this, i dont think its the ground.
The trunk release and the interior lights run off the same fuse. If the trunk release fails suddenly it's a dead give away. Replace the blown fuse and it should work like a charm. This happened to me last month, I immediately checked the fuses.
The warning chime unit requires some level of input from the dash liught circuit. If the dash lights are completely dead, the light warning chime will not operate.
For those of you with working lights, try it at home. Turn on the parking lamps with the ignition off and door open. You should hear that nasty little chime pinging away. Dim the dash lights fully, and it should stop. The only way the chime knows the lights are on is through the dash illumination circuit.
yeah i have no audible alarm when i open the door, SO the guage lights dont work, but the ses light etc work, and my interior like like my dome light work. SO any clue whats wrong. Its not the fuse. and if it was the ground wouldnt the SES not work either.
yeah i have no audible alarm when i open the door, SO the guage lights dont work, but the ses light etc work, and my interior like like my dome light work. SO any clue whats wrong. Its not the fuse. and if it was the ground wouldnt the SES not work either.
YES same problem here, no illumination, all the indication lights work, none of the illuminating lights.
My dash lights went out too last week-end. I still have a stock AM/FM radio that has been acting up (cutting in/out). Is it possible the radio could be causing my problem since it's LED is controlled by the dimmer too?
I've checked all the fuses and they are all fine. The interior lights work too - it's only the dash gauges/led on radio & A/C controls that don't light up.
ok ive goen back to try to fix this problem again. IM hopin someone can steer me in the right direction on this. so i can get them working.
I have no gaue lights, and no audible tone when i open the door, ive replaced the dimer switch and it still dint work. The fuse is good. is the only thing left that could cause this the transistor in the convience center?
The weather was nice today so I decided to tackle the no dash problem I posted about a few week ago. Once I found the transitor mounted on the heat sink, I took it apart and cleaned the terminals and put it back in and it WORKS!
For those hanging similiar problems with your 'Birds, feel free to email me. I took some pictures and would be glad to email them to you.
I lost my dash lights about 5 months ago.I just started my car one day and they didnt work.I was told that i needed to check the cig. lighter for anything and as soon as i did i found a penny in it.I can only figure that that was the problem.the blinker lights and headlight icon still light up.i used a test light to check the wires and i found that the power stops behind the resistor switch.there is power behind it leading into the wire but there is no power going to the fuse box for that fuse from that switch.what can i do to fix it.IF YOU CAN HELP PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT BMDEAS101@HOTMAIL.COM....THANKS
I just encountered the same problem with the '91 trans am GTA that I just purchased, with your guys help I changed out the remote dimmer module and problem resolved. Thank you so much!!!
I know this is an ancient thread, but I'm having the same problem. I've attempted to locate the remote dimmer module spoken of in this thread but to no avail, I've searched everywhere and cannot find it. Does anyone still have any pictures of the transistor they could post?
Also, since I can't even get my head far enough up the dash to locate the sucker, how am I going to get at it to change it? Thanks.
:hail: :lala: 
