Since no one responded the first time I posted this but like 25 people read it, I decided that I'm going to keep posting it until I get help cuz I know people on this group know how to fix my problems; no one is just responding for some reason. Anyway, here are my problems.

1.) The dome light don't work. The wires are cut and the plug is missing. I got a whole assembly and wiring off a Firebird at the local junkyard that has perfect wiring and everything, including the plug. Now I have NO IDEA where to plug the thing in cuz I can't find where it plugs into under the dash.

2.) My rear defogger don't work AT ALL; I replaced the circuit breaker and nothing yet.

3.) Why in the heck is there a plastic thing with a plastic rod on the inside of the little button on the drivers side door that turns onor off the lights when the door is opened or closed? How can I get power there?

4.) Where can I wire in the passenger side kick panel light? I have the socket and wires but have no idea where they wire in.


BTW, I have a 1988 Sport Coupe that the previous owner dropped a 305 Tuned Port into and I had aor conditioning from the factory but when the new engine was put in, the compressor n stuff wasn't put back.

Any help that can be given on this is greatly appreciated. I am desperate for help, and unless any of you would like to see a beautiful, like-new 1988 Sport Coupe go to the junkyard cuz of these issues, then please please please help me.

Kev

 

I believe, but could be wrong that the plug for the dome light is behind the driver's side kick panel. The wiring on my car was white and orange.

JamesC

 

Iv'e never seen a plastic thing with a plastic rod on the light switch. I have no idea what your talking about.

 

I hope you are just kidding when you say you'd junk your car because you can't get some interior lights to work.

1) If you took a perfect unit out of another car, how was it wired there?

2) Make sure the two clips are attached back by the struts. Examine the defroster lines very carefully. If any of them are broken you won't get juice through them. You can buy a repair kit from GM to fix the breaks and complete the circuit.

3) I have no idea about a plastic thing, etc. You can get a new switch pretty cheap through the dealer, just replace it.

4) The light mounts up above in the plastic piece that curves down under the dash. There should be a hole there for the light/plug to fit into.

Hope this helped somewhat,
Steve

 

1) If you know the wires are cut I assume you can see them, why don't you just splice the new plug and wires into the cut wires.

2) Use a volt meter and see if there is power to the grid lines at all. Let us or me know either way.

3) The thin cylinder shaped push button switch in the front lower door jamb area is grounded directly to the frame of the car by being screwed into the door jamb it self. There is one ground wire that attaches to a connector on the back of the actual pushbutton (the center moving part, NOT the part that screws into the frame. To see this you are going to have to remove your kick panels. No other way. However, to see how the switch works, open your hatch, take a look at the extreme rear of your driver's quarter panel, under the hatch lid (metal part). There is a push button style switch (same as the doors). It may just be easier to see. When the door is open and the internal spring "pops" the button out, the connector with wire attached, contacts the part screwed into the door jamb and completes the ground circuit, lighting the courtesy lights. When you push in the button (as in when the door is closed) the connector with wire attached separates from the part screwed into the door jamb and breaks the circuit, the lights go off. The power is wired to the lights themselves. Power is usually orange wires for all courtesy lights. If you only see plastic, it maybe that the switch is broken as the back of the moving push button HAS to have a metal part to contact the part screwed into the door jamb. Replacements are like $3.

4) There are 2 big rectangular plastic panels under the dash. One under the passenger side dash and one under the driver's side dash. They completely hide everything from the radio pod to the door from the front of the dash to the firewall. Try to make a mental picture. The lights are mounted under the dash, near where a persons feet would be and aim straight down to the floor. As Scauffiel said, there are mounting locations for your light sockets. They may be missing. Look on www.ebay for replacements.

Be patient, I have had my car 12 years and most of the courtesy lights didn't work, I finally bought the Factory service manual from www.helms.com and set out to make every single light work. It took an entire weekend and now every light works, including the light for my rear cargo well which has a dual switch (goes on when you open the hatch, but can be manually switched off). It is pretty cool and well worth the effort. Try to take one thing at a time. When it is fixed moved to the next problem. Before you know it everything will work. And courtesy lights are NO reason to junk the car!!!!!!