I’ve seen a lot of posts on here about no gauge lights. I have an 85 trans am, nothing fancy. Just bought it 2 weeks ago and noticed it doesn’t have any dash lights. No back lights no brake light check engine no turn signal lights nothing. The gauges work like fuel, temp, speed tach all of that. I’ve checked my fuses, replaced almost all of them. Still no lights. Not even in ACC before start up. Checked the bulbs they’re all good. I have running lights. The dimmer was dimming the radio light but when I got it it was on all the way and no dash lights, but now it doesn’t even dim the clock on the radio it’s just always at full brightness.

also weird, the courtesy lamp doesn’t want to shut off when I shut the door now but I’m pretty sure it did when I bought it. I literally just drove it home changed to new fuses and that’s it. Since I noticed it I replaced the door jamb switch, didn’t fix it.

I did get the brake light to flash just once when I went into acc and then turned off like normal when I started it and never came back.

I’m very new to these cars, never owned anything of the variety or age. Any help is appreciated. Electrical isn’t my jam.

 

Tiny update, previous owner stripped out an alternator bolt and I fixed it today started it and for kicks tried the turn signal and all of a sudden the left one shows up on the dash now and the brake light consistently comes on when I crank it and goes off once started. I was curious about the radio thing I’ve been seeing and low and behold my radio has either been replaced or tampered with. Antenna is broken off into the port. Almost every wire is cut and spliced or cut and attached with electrical tape 🙄 so also for fun I replaced every single fuse I hadn’t done yet and now the courtesy lamps shut off with the door again.

weird extra issue, right turn signal works but only when the headlight switch is off. If it’s on the light just stays solid no flash, but the left works as normal.