Missing Instrument Cluster Bulbs??

[darklotus42]

So I was sick of my dim bulbs on my dashboard and I decided to replace them with some stock bulbs I got from the yard and when I went to take off the back panel off the cluster I noticed several bulbs were already missing for some reason. I'm pretty sure all my lights would come on when I start the car so I'm wondering why these slots are empty? What happens if I put a bulb in there anyways?

 

And on a side note I noticed that most of my bulbs were just dirty so cleaning them off helped as well.

[Black92GS]

Shine a light in the empty holes and see what, if any indicators light up. They're slots for warning indicator bulbs...likely for something your vehicle isn't equipped with.  (ie. Traction off indicator on a vehicle without traction control). If you put in a bulb, they should light up for the bulb check,  but might also light up permanently. 

 

[White93z34]

It could be any number of things. GM used to be good at leaving places for stuff we never used.

could be anything from a glow plug indicator an up-shift indicator or a security light or even duplicates of lights already present.

[Black92GS]

1 hour ago, White93z34 said:

It could be any number of things. GM used to be good at leaving places for stuff we never used.

could be anything from a glow plug indicator an up-shift indicator or a security light or even duplicates of lights already present.

Tell me about it.  My 88 Regal had unused "Gate Ajar" light in the cluster. My 89 had the same cluster, and that space was completely blank.   

[55trucker]

4 hours ago, White93z34 said:

It could be any number of things. GM used to be good at leaving places for stuff we never used.

could be anything from a glow plug indicator an up-shift indicator or a security light or even duplicates of lights already present.

Well........Yeah........the third party contractor who manufactured the clusters didn't design & build more than a single item for a *given application*, *one board fits all*, where no indicator is required the socket is left unused.