gmrulz4u Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why the fuck 2 interior lights in my car have NEVER worked. I am referring to the two that are used to illuminate the gear shifter(PRND321) console in my 89 Supreme. One bulb is VERY small, and one is about the same as the # 24 bulbs. Here's how everything looks to be connected: Under the area that has the power lumbar controls, there's a white plastic connector that has a black, gray, orange and white wire going into it. Out the other side comes the black and gray wire which both lead to ANOTHER small plastic connector(black) that seems pretty much useless because the two exact same wires just come out the other side and are, at that point, both spliced into 2. So now there's 2 black wires, and 2 gray wires. One of each of the these wires now connects to the small bulb, and the bigger bulb. I believe the gray wire is the power wire and the black is the ground. I know this is a LOT to grasp, so I appologize:) Anyways, there APPEARS to be NOTHING wrong at all!!?? I can only go as far with the two wires(black and gray) as to the white plastic block that they both plug into, from there everything seems to disappear under carpeting and stuff... For a second I though, maybe the really small bulb is burnt out, and makes it so both bulbs won't work?? Cuz the small bulb is the only one I haven't had a chance to replace yet because I don't have any on-hand, it appears to be very rare. It looks like this little peice of shit bulb is just used to illimuniate the orange plastic peice that moves beside the gear that you selected from the PRND321 range. The bigger bulb is used to illuminate the white PRND321 letters. What I also need to know, is how the hell I can use my Digital MultiMeter to possibly diagnose what is wrong. I don't have a test light, so I figured I would just use my DMM. I don't know HOW to check the wiring though? Do I set it to volts, ohms, amps??? Should I just check to see that there's 12 volts at the wiring ends and connectors etc...?? Also, does anyone know where the wires lead to once they go past the center arm rest console? I am thinking, if I can find the ground, the problem may be there... ANYONE HELP PLEASE!! THANKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redfox340 Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 Can't you just let it be... :? Cars at this age are supposed to have character... 8) Sorry. It seems like you're more particular than even me. - Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted August 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Nope, I actually have let it be for about 3 years now...I just figured, whatever, who cares... BUT, now that my whole interior is all out, and I decided to take a look, it's bugging the hell out of me! Especially because it just looks like there IS nothing wrong...everything looks a-ok... Besides, it's good to be a little determined sometimes! People these days give up all the fuckin' time...because society is ruled by the "ah, who cares" attitude... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Pull the bulb out, or backprobe the connector. Set your dvom on whatever scale 12V will fit on, usually 20V. See if you have 12V or something close to it there. There should be 2 wires, just put one probe on each connection/wire. If you don't have 12V, get out the wiring diagram and start tracing the wires back to the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
god910 Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 First of all, get a wiring diagram. It'll be worth it's weight in gold IF you know how to read it. There is more than one connector on your car that does stupid shit like, red on this side of connector, black on the other side for the same wire. I would set it to volts and check at the bulb, see if there's voltage there, if not then start tracing the wire (diagram needed) It's also a good idea to check for continuity, if you find the wire @ "X" and "Y" and between those points you can't see the wire check for continuity, my $15 DMM from Sears has a buzzer when con. is good. Also, it's a good way to verify connectors. If you have cont. thru the connector then you know the wire didn't switch colors or the connector is good. Res. is a good way to check for corroded wires. A wire might be good on the outside and not even be connected in the sleeve. If your wires are corroded from even a pinhole it can deteriorate quickly. That's why it is very BAD to go poking holes in a wire to check for voltage. If that wasn't the problem it will be in the future, because you just poked a damn hole in it. HTH, let us know what you find out. Also, ground as very important, alot of people seem to forget that, and a ground is the easiest thing to misplace, or not connect after bodywork/upgrades/repairs. And something like that won't get noticed for awhile and then the "Oh well..." comes into play that plagues our lives and country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gearhead43 Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 All you need is a 12 V test light. Prode the gray wires for power. then reverse the leads and check for GROUND... If you have BOTH.. then its the BULBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted August 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 OK thanks guys, those are some awsome tips! I actually already have a wiring diagram, both my Haynes and Chilton manual have one, but it's VERY confusing...I'll talk more about that later... Isn't there a way to use a 9 Volt battery to check bulbs or whatever? Because I was thinking of using one to check at certain points of the wires where they splice off, and where they plug into plastic connectors etc... THANKS AGAIN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Get a new car. Right off the lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Get a new car. Right off the lot Sometimes I honestly wonder if they are any better... :? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gimp19 Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Get a new car. Right off the lot Sometimes I honestly wonder if they are any better... :? Same here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pabz Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Are all instrument lights out in your car, like radio and hvac and does the dimmer have no fuction either? Well me car was like this for 7 years, and it pissed me off, the 5 amp INST fuse was always blowing, till i bought 10 of them and tried to recreate the movement that was causing it to blow, i checked wires like mad and almost went insane, till one dday when i was waiting for the GF to come outa class i poped in a fuse, then it was working, then for some reason i opend my door then it went out, ahh ha so its at the door, i went home riped everything from the door to the interior and found that were all the wiring goes from inside of the car to the door, there was the illumination wire that was rubbing against the metal for ages, it was a ground short, so i fixed it up, and it works sweet. Hope this helps you out a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted August 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Actually, I just noticed that my dimmer is not working??!! It will still turn on the interior lights if I move it all the way to the top though?? Also, my stock radio's clock has always worked, but I'm not sure if there's supposed to be any other illuminated parts of the face/deck, such as the play, reverse, eject etc...they have never lit-up. I also noticed that you're dash(from your sig pic) has the "E/M", "RESET" and "TRIP" buttons illuminated, mine have never lit-up at all, and I just assumed they were never supposed to?? I have the Electronic Climate Controls, unlike you, and all the lights on that work fine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted August 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Now my fuckin' Cigar Lighter Socket doesn't work!!!??? I'm trying to solve this damn thing, went out and bought a test light etc...I was using my Cigar Lighter Socket to make sure I found a good ground with my test light...everything was working fine and then next thing I know, I realize my Cigar Lighter Socket isn't working anymore!!!??? I use it for my Digital VoltMeter so I want to find what's wrong now ASAP... This is really starting to piss me off! :x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted August 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Here's the wiring diagrams for this particular problem circuit... I checked the fuse with my test light, and it is working when the headlight switch is turned ON...so I don't think the fuse is my problem at all... Could it be the dimmer itself causing certain lights not to work?? Who here's the electrical expert!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
god910 Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 I'm not too shabby at electrical. Alot of times on older cars (and some not so old) the lights in the dash (radio, heater, etc.) need a rap (hit, knock) to make them work. The lights in the radio, or the heater are internal, and don't have anything to do w/ your problem. The dimmer only controls the res. (lower voltage) of the circuit that all the power is running through. I don't think the dimmer is suspect in this case. But it's really hard to say w/o the whole story and actually being there. Did you check for voltage at the bulb? You'll notice that after splice 203 the PRNDL light has it's own circuit, unless you have lumbar seats. If you don't I would trace that wire back to S203 and see if there's a problem there. If you DO have lumbar seats do they work? If so, then it's most likely S371 or S372 that's giving you troubles, or the wire is damaged between those splices. What it comes down to is your most likely going to have to just start at the wire, do a cont. and res. check w/ your DMM on the ground side first. (Easier) Then trace that wire. Armed w/ the diag. and a test light you should be able to get this thing. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted August 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 OK, and I made a mistake earlier when I said my Dimmer doesn't work, it didn't work at the moment because I didn't know you had to have the Headlight switch turned ON...so yeah, the Dimmer actually works fine. And yes, I DO have Lumbar Controls, and they actuallly work perfectly, so I guess I'll look at Splices 371 and 372. However, these diagrams don't make sense because they do NOT show the plastic plug connections etc...for example, the wires that connect to the two PRNDL lights are only about 12" long, and are connected to a white plastic plug/connector, after that connector, I can't even see where the hell they go... I have checked for voltage at the bulb using my DMM and Test Light and there is no power there at all...I also get none to my ash tray light, radio face lights, and the buttons on my gauge cluster do not illuminate... I don't know what else to do?? THANKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted August 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Wait a second, when you ask if my lumbar seat controls work, are you asking if they actually move the seats, or is there supposed to be some type of illumination for the lumbar controls, and your asking if they illuminate?? Because my lumbar controls have never illuminated, so I just never thought they were supposed to... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 I have checked for voltage at the bulb using my DMM and Test Light and there is no power there at all...I also get none to my ash tray light, radio face lights, and the buttons on my gauge cluster do not illuminate... I don't know what else to do?? THANKS! check your 'Radio' fuse, and your fuse for your instrument cluster... I think it's labeled 'Inst' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted August 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Yeah, all my Fuses are perfectly fine...I even replaced them all because some were mis-matched in terms of rating...I verified them all with a test light as well... Man, I'm starting to think that there's a WHOLE shit load of illumination that I have never had in my Cutty... In fact, I'm gonna start a new post asking exactly about that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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