I posted a similar note in the electronics forum with no results. I did not think this was specific to Trans Am convertibles but maybe it is. I have a 1991 and bought it new in this condition.

My problem is that the heater panel and radio face are not illuminated at night. When I turn on the car lights, there are some internal radio lamps that come on but nothing illuminates the radio control ***** or the heater control slides and blower ****.

If you have a converitble, do you have light for these controls or is your panel also dark at night? I removed my rearview mirror the other day to replace one of the map light bulbs and noticed there is another lamp in there that provides a narrow slit of downward light. Is this bulb meant to illuminate this panel? (In mine, the bulb tested good but was not getting any power to it through the harness in any operating mode.)

Any help would be appreciated before I tear into the harness to see if it is part or all of the problem. My car was built in Sept of 1990 so it is an early 91 convertible and there is other evidence in it to tell me ASC did not yet have a solid conversion process in place.

Thanks.

 

There are 3 bulbs mounting inside the ac controls. Pop them out and see if the harness is plugged. Then check to see if the bulbs are any good.

ASC never had a solid conversion process for these cars. They were all hand built so no two are built indentically

-jason

 

My accessories are lighted from behind or within.
Funny you mention that narrow slit of light, I just noticed that a month ago, I haven't completely figured out what makes it go on and off, but I am sure it is not meant to light the dash. I noticed it on my hand when reaching towards the shifter, later it was off, have not had time to investigate its function.

 

Thanks. Pulling the heater control panel puts me in the right place. I was not looking forward to tracing the mirror harness. My old 85 bird had a flush mounted light on the bottom lip of the panel with the hatch release & fog light switches. If I can't figure it out, I'll just add a light and lens under there. I helps me a lot to know yours is backlit from inside the box.
Thanks again.
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I am going to try to figure out the small "slit" lamp in the next week or so. If I discover something, I'll let you know. Thanks for telling me your heater panel is backlit. It will save me some diagnostic time.

 

This should help. I took this picture to show after I installed the stereo from my Grand Prix into the TA. Everything should light up as shown. Also that little light still works on my TA. Pretty cool actually. I think they call it a map light. My 92 had the same thing, but I couldn't figure out how to change the bulb once it went out.

 

You hit the mark with the pic's. My heater panel is just dark. Since it has been that way since new, I suspect that the ASC folks did not plug in the power connector as the other guy that replied suggested.

As for the "slit light", it comes out with the right lamp socket. This socket is held in by a clip on the outer side. Push in with a small blade screw driver and the assembly drops out. The slit lamp is in a twist socket next to the main bulb socket and easily replaced - mine just doesn't get power to it.

Thanks for the help.

 

My 91 has had that light under the foglamp switch pulled. Kinda bugged me at first until I realized the "slit lamp" in the mirror. It turns on whenever you turn on the parking lights and mine lights up, albeit dimly, the entire shifter/radio/heater controls. I think it's cool, nice warm ambient lightinng while you drive. But then women can tell when I'm going to try and cop a feel. Ha!

On the subject of lights, I've wondered why my bird never came with footwell lights. My 87 hardtop car had the little lights that illuminate the footwells when the doors open but my 91 vert doesn't. I've just been way too lazy to get them mounted up in there.

 

I installed the light under the fog lamp switch after the dealer I bought the car from said everything was "OK" back in '92. My '85 had one, so I just ordered the '85 parts and cut a hole for the lens cap in the bottom of the panel. That has been fine, but now I am doing some other interior work and want to get it right. Looks like there are several configurations out there.

If I come up with any solid answers, I'll post them. As for your footwell lights, my '85 didn't have them and my '91 doesn't either. If you want to install them in the kick panel area, the harness for the rear seat courtesy lights runs right behind the panel so you could easily tap in with very little effort.

Thank for your info on your dash lights.

 

Really? Nothing illuminating the floorboards? That's weird. I wonder if it was part of the "deluxe" interior option my formula had.

 

Your pic's convinced me the problem was internal to the heater and radio panels. I had some time today and pulled both. Go figure, all of the 3 heater panel bulbs were out as well as 2 of the 4 radio face plate bulbs. Thanks for the help. I had myself convinced that the panels were lit up by the slit light in the mirror housing. What a difference now that the bulbs are lighting as they should have been for all these years!

 

Glad I was able to help

The interior dash lights have always been a favorite part of Pontiacs in general for me, with the 86-92 Firebirds being my favorite with their big guages and console layout. I couldn't imagine any of it dark all those years!!