Well, I'm fed up with the digital dash in mt GTA. The G*ddamned message center won't light up, and I've had it. I have a gauge cluster and trim ring out of my 89 Formula parts car and I'd like to know if anyone can tell me if the 2 dashes were wired the same. I have a factory shop manual for my 87, but not for the 89. Another good question here would be, was the 89 Formula gauges and the analog 87 GTA (or Trans Am) gauges the same? If so I can use my manual to rewire the car. I don'tt want to have to butcher the cars harness if possible, but if need be I will. Please help me out with this since I need to do this soon. I've done the search and can't find a definitive answer to these questions. I've also looked at a bunch of web sites for a wiring diagram for the 89, but to no avail.

 

What is your message center doing? Mine is lighting up, but just flashes 888888888888888888888 over and over, like it has a short.


I can't trace the damn short though. If you see the message center working, but just not lighting up, there is a small light bulb behind it that lights it up.. may just need replacing..

 

I actually forgot about this thread. My message center was just dark, it worked but was dark. I took my instrument cluster out to inspect it and fount that I had 2 problems. First, that little bulb was bad and second the socket in the plastic housing was broke to the point where it wouldn't retain the bulb carrier. All I did was cut around an un-used socket on the back of the housing and epoxied it over the broken one and presto a working digital dash. I have decided not to convert to the analog guages yet, because of the wiring nightmare that it would involve. Now that everything works, I'm happy.