Stupid electronics question for Pontiacs...
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Teching In
Joined: Nov 2005
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Stupid electronics question for Pontiacs... This is gonna be a really dumb question....
I recently aquired a 1996 Grand Am for DIRT CHEAP to use as my winter beater. One thing that bugs me about it is the climate control area doesn't light up at night. Is this normal, or is something wrong, such as bulbs burnt out or bad connection?
The rest of the interior lighting seems to be working just fine.
Last silly question (which isn't electronics related) is sometimes the driver's side door lock sticks when unlocking (both using the key and the interior automatic unlock). Any way to loosen it up?
I recently aquired a 1996 Grand Am for DIRT CHEAP to use as my winter beater. One thing that bugs me about it is the climate control area doesn't light up at night. Is this normal, or is something wrong, such as bulbs burnt out or bad connection?
The rest of the interior lighting seems to be working just fine.
Last silly question (which isn't electronics related) is sometimes the driver's side door lock sticks when unlocking (both using the key and the interior automatic unlock). Any way to loosen it up?
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Champaign/Chicagoland
As far as climate control...it's a beater, so I wouldn't worry about it. USUALLY it's not just a bulb you can replace, etc.... especially when it's a whole section like "climate control" that is out... you can take a look at it, but they can be tricky to diagnose sometimes...
And as far as the door? Not really any magic way to loosen doors - I would rip off the door panel and take a look... make you'll find a bend in a rod you can play with to make it perform better......or just try PB/silicone spray whatever all of the mechanisms inside the door...
Sorry these are pretty vague responses...
And as far as the door? Not really any magic way to loosen doors - I would rip off the door panel and take a look... make you'll find a bend in a rod you can play with to make it perform better......or just try PB/silicone spray whatever all of the mechanisms inside the door...
Sorry these are pretty vague responses...
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2005
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Thanks for the reply.
Only reason I want the climate control lighting to work is because when I drive to work, its pitch dark outside. Yeah, I can just turn on the overhead light, but its so much easier to just see the climate control area illuminated. I'll take a look at things and see whats going on. It has an aftermarket CD player in it, so maybe the installer messed something up...
The door reply at least gives me something to work with... thanks!
Only reason I want the climate control lighting to work is because when I drive to work, its pitch dark outside. Yeah, I can just turn on the overhead light, but its so much easier to just see the climate control area illuminated. I'll take a look at things and see whats going on. It has an aftermarket CD player in it, so maybe the installer messed something up...
The door reply at least gives me something to work with... thanks!
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Champaign/Chicagoland
yea sorry...without seeing it, those dash things can be tricky.... best you can do usually is look for loose connections or anything that has been pulled off...
like I said, some ARE simple bulbs and can actually be pulled from circuit boards, etc...usually when the whole section is off though, unless it's some loose connection...the can be hard to track down.. I have had success simply re-soldering all connections before however, then it magically works!
like I said, some ARE simple bulbs and can actually be pulled from circuit boards, etc...usually when the whole section is off though, unless it's some loose connection...the can be hard to track down.. I have had success simply re-soldering all connections before however, then it magically works!
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From: Showing Italians the power of LS1
I would pull the climate controls off to see if the power wire that supplys the lighting isn't pulled off. Or, possibly there may be a fuse blown- but usually there is one fuse for all dash lighting.
