When I got my 86 Trans Am the lights on the instrument panel were out. I checked the fuses and they all seem ok but the lettering on the fuse box is nearly gone and I couldn't find out if the socket for the instrument panels had a fuse in it at all. Does anyone happen to know where I can find a diagram of the fuse box?

Also thinking that it may just be a bulb i took the instrument panel apart. When I took the panel out I saw that one hole didn't have a bulb or the little cap that the bulb fits in. Would this "break the circuit" causing all of the lights to go out kinda like old Christmas tree lights?

Thanks,

-SteveM

I would check the owner's manual, if you haven't already. Mine has the fuse diagram in it.

That would be the thing to do if I had the owner's manual. This is a 16 year old car. I'm not the original owner and I don't have an owner's manual. I have a Hayes manual but it has nothing in it about the fuse box as far as I can tell.

The chiltons manual has a diagram of the fuse block. Are you sure the bulbs aren't blown? That bulb holder thing missing wouldn't break the circuit. The conducting material goes all around the socket. Atleast it does on Camaros, I'm not sure about firebirds, i'd assume the cluster was similar though.

Removing a bulb or having a burned out bulb won't break the circut. If the fuse is ok and there is power to the fuse, then the problem is probably your bulbs, the wiring connector at the rear of the instrument panel, a damaged circut board, or a cut/damaged wire leading from the fusebox to the dash panel.

For future reference.....feel free to save it
<center><img src="http://www.hioutput.com/stuff/86birdfuseblock.gif"></center>

Pete

Thanks. That's very helpful. Saved for future reference.