car: 92 firebird L03

I'm in a little situation here...none of my gauge or a/c control lights seem to be working...

All of my gauges are working fine, all of the idiot lights are working fine, all of the fuses are good, dome light works, cig lighter works, radio dimmer works.

First problem I can find is that there seems to be no power going to the inst lps fuse 5A fuse. I've even replaced it and tested the fuses installed there. With the fuse out, I can not seem to get a voltage off of either of the terminals.

What would prevent just that fuse recepticle from not functioning???

Thanks.

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Carl
CarAudio Resources

 

hmm, clarify a bit.... your cluster panel lights don't light (the ones behind the speedo and all that, right?), what about your blinker indicator lights?

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91 camaro rs w/t-tops, 5sp, open element K&N 14X3, K&N filter top, dual flows, mallory ign, AR 89-92 camaro big block hood w/functional hood scoop and cowl induction, new dark red glittery paint, z-28 grill, z-28 rims, funky circular corvette tail light fiberglass piece and taillights (came with car, ugh), 4th gen front seats, bottom potion of my backseat (not bolted in, just laying there), pioneer 1.5din cd player, blaupunkt 6x9s and 4x6s, some other various mods as well.
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future mods include either a 383 or a big block w/blower, 12 bolt rear, posi, 3.73 gears, trac bars, new rims and tires, even newer 4th gen seats (all of them), all windows tinted, 6sp, 2 12" subs and a good amp (already have a nice custom camaro box), paint the funky circular fiberglass piece!
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previous car was an '82 camaro berlinetta w/sunroof and w/355, 3sp, shift kit, msd ignition, edlebrock performer carb/manifold, dual flows, 14x3 k&n open element, headers, new dark midnight blue paint, 14" grand prix rims and tires, 3.73 gears, posi rear

 

Absolutely everythin works fine except for the gauge lights, a/c panel lights and center console light.

All signals, idiot lights, buzzers, etc...work fine.

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Carl
CarAudio Resources

 

ok, check the gray wire that runs the i/p fuse panel (inst lps fuse 5A), it controls power to instrument cluster, fog light switch, map lights, radio receiver, shift indicator light, heater a/c control head light, and the ashtray light. maybe this helps? also, to troubleshoot where the problem is at look where the problem occurs down the line, the power travels as follows....

from i/p fuse panel, to ashtray light, through heater a/c control head light, through shift indicator light, through radio receiver, through defogger control, through map lights, through fog light switch, to your cluster panel lights. now, to find where the problem is look what lights are working in that order and also where the lights stop working when they are suppose to be on, now, look at the connection between those two points (the gray wire), most likely there is an open and you just need to reattach or crimp the wires together or something. hope this helps!

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91 camaro rs w/t-tops, 5sp, open element K&N 14X3, K&N filter top, dual flows, mallory ign, AR 89-92 camaro big block hood w/functional hood scoop and cowl induction, new dark red glittery paint, z-28 grill, z-28 rims, funky circular corvette tail light fiberglass piece and taillights (came with car, ugh), 4th gen front seats, bottom potion of my backseat (not bolted in, just laying there), pioneer 1.5din cd player, blaupunkt 6x9s and 4x6s, some other various mods as well.
-
future mods include either a 383 or a big block w/blower, 12 bolt rear, posi, 3.73 gears, trac bars, new rims and tires, even newer 4th gen seats (all of them), all windows tinted, 6sp, 2 12" subs and a good amp (already have a nice custom camaro box), paint the funky circular fiberglass piece!
-
previous car was an '82 camaro berlinetta w/sunroof and w/355, 3sp, shift kit, msd ignition, edlebrock performer carb/manifold, dual flows, 14x3 k&n open element, headers, new dark midnight blue paint, 14" grand prix rims and tires, 3.73 gears, posi rear

 

Ok, here's where I stand after crawling around under the dash in the heat...

All of the lights work if I apply direct voltage to the light grey wire at the fuse block (output side)

The dimmer switch seems to be working fine...top pin has power with headlights, bottom pin dims with dimmer, middle two appear to be ground...

Now, where I'm having trouble is at the input side of the inst ligt fuse (dark green or dark grey, can't tell exactly) This wire should have power when the headlights are on, it does not...so where does this dark green or grey wire get it's power source from? If I can find that, I think I'll have found my problem.

Wire goes off into a flex loom bundle, so not sure where it goes.

The Chiltons manual sux for this car...it shows me everything going out of the fuse panel in the body wiring diagrams, but not where all of the input wires originate. Just stops all power references at the fuse which doesn't help.

Thanks so far

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Carl
CarAudio Resources

[This message has been edited by GndPrx (edited July 12, 2001).]

 

Ok, after hours of searching, it appears to possibly have something to do with this piece?



This is mounted on a metal brace in front of the fuse box and has the black/purple wire from the dimmer, dark green wire for the fuse panel and a thicker wire that appears to be a +12v

What is this piece and are they expensive to replace?

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Carl
CarAudio Resources

 

Got two options
1) Replace the part. Quite a price
2) Spend a couple of dollars at Radio Shack.

Let me expound
1) Is just a simple R&R
2) If you disassemble that component (Done forgot what its called) you will see that it is basically a Transistor (I think) connected to the heatsink w/ a connector. Its either a NPN or a PNP transistor. They are only a $1.xx at Radio shack. Buy one of each. Replace the part on the component, and viola. If you put in a NPN when you should have put a PNP, it will not work. Just test and see which one works.

As you can tell, its been a while, but I have done what I am trying to describe to you. Worked fine for 1+ year (My car got totalled)
Just take that Trapezoidal shaped transistor to Radio Shack, they should be able to point you in the right direction.

Also, put some dielectric grease on it, so as to facilitate the heat transfer to the heatsink.

Clayton

PS if this was too confusing, email me and I'll try again.

 

That little gizmo in your picture is known as the Remote Dimmer. I just went through exactly the same thing. It only cost about $28 with tax. If you cant find it, E-mail me and I will send you the part number.

 

Thanks to everyone...

I am going to try Radio Shack first to see if I can just find a replacement for the transistor, otherwise I've got a GM parts counter that's open on Saturday that I'll have to hit.

Be nice to have dash lights again

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Carl
CarAudio Resources

 

Well, I really dislike dealership parts counters. But that seemed to be the only place around that I could track down this part or anything equivelant.

$42 and 1 ACDelco Part# 199-5263 Dimmer Switch later, I have dash lights again. I'm curious why this is considered the Dimmer Switch when the control in the dash actually does the dimming. This just combines the dimmed voltage with a +12 to feed the rest of the system.

OH well, at least it's fixed even though I feel I got raped by the local dealership.

Thanks for the help all. I followed the lead to Radio Shack and came up at a dead end, but thanks anyway.

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Carl
CarAudio Resources

[This message has been edited by GndPrx (edited July 13, 2001).]

 

Its called the remote dimmer because it dims the clock in your radio as soon as you turn on the IP / Parking Lights or Headlights. That part is only $28.00 out here in California with tax. Auto Zone, Pep Boys, Everybody had it. I had no trouble finding several places with it in stock. I never go to the Dealer first. By the way. As it happens even the AC Delco part in the box was made by the same people every other place I saw it. It was just packaged in a different box, but it was the exact same part.I wasted at least a day in the Wrecking Yard pulling parts, and a week waiting for the "Dimmer" "Switch", from one of the local parts houses, because I like you had tried everything else.I actually found it in a picture in the Helms Manual and decided to change it. I hope this helps.

 

it may boil down to your headlamp switch. my switch was bad and getting interior lamps was close to impossable. a switch only cost about 13 bucks at your local auto parts store. But it is kinda is a b@#$H to change, but it will be worth it.

 

Yeah, I know I'm diggin' this thread out of the cobwebs (7/2001), but I'm having the same problem with my '84 Berlinetta. My digital dash also goes dark along with all the interior lights. Thing is, I don't think I have this part on my car. Where exactly is it supposed to be, and if I don't have one is there another electrical component that replaces it?

Thanks,