Hello everyone...I'm new to the board. I just purchased a 1997 30th Anniversary Z28 last Thursday, and I noticed a slight problem with it once I got it home. When I turn the lights on, all gauges on the dash light up like they should with the exception of the HVAC controls (three "dials" below the radio). My first thought was that the problem would be either 1) a blown fuse, or 2) bad bulbs in that portion of the dash. So I pulled the fuses that I thought were "tied" to that portion of the dash lighting, but they appeared to be fine. I then took a portion of the dash apart and visually checked the two little bulbs that light the HVAC section...and they looked fine as well.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what the problem could be? I pulled a number of different fuses...but perhaps I was looking at the wrong ones?? Does anyone know which fuse in particular is the one I should be looking at? And by the way, the heat/AC/etc all work fine...it's just that the dials are not lighting up. Thanks.

 

The int. lite fuse should cover all the dash lights. Have you check the electrical connector to the HVAC unit yet. Some times these get left off after dash work. This car also has an overly complicated lighting system with body light modules and relays all over. I'll check the diagrams tonight and see if I can spot anything specific.

 

I appreciate you looking into this for me. I was thinking that I probably should have checked the connectors a little more closely...but at first glance they looked to be plugged in. I should probably check again. Anything you can find related to wiring diagrams/relays/etc would be great. Thanks again.

 

Yeah, one fuse for all the lights for the instrument panel and whatnot..it's a 5 amp fuse on my '86 Z28 and is labeled Insrt lmps.

Sounds like a bad bulb or connection like the other person says.

 

Alright, I think I figured it out. Looks like the bulb on the left is bad...and it appears that the wiring to the bulb on the right actually connects through the one on the left. So I'm guessing that because the left bulb is bad, the one on the right is not getting juice.

Now I just have to figure out how to get that tiny bulb out of it's housing...I'm thinking that maybe the bulb is permanently attached to the housing and the entire thing will need to be replaced. Has anyone on the board replaced one of these bulbs before?? If so, can the bulb be removed, or do I need to take the little plastic connector that the bulb is attached to out as well and replace it all? Thanks everyone for your help.

 

Oh, it's hooked up in series? Thought it would be parallel..are you sure the bulbs are sharing the same path of electricity? If you have a volt-ohmmeter, disconnect the battery and check for continuity at each bulb, should read 1ohm and then with the battery hooked back up and ignition switch "on" check for voltage drop..

 

I'm pretty sure that they're hooked up in series. The power wires running into the right bulb come from the left bulb.

There are two wires coming out of a large cluster of wires that run into the bulb on the left...then two identical wires come back out of the left bulb housing and run over to the bulb on the right. These are the only wires running to the bulb on the right...and again, they're coming from the bulb on the left. I guess I just assumed that the left one would need to be working in order for the right one to work based on the way that they're sort of wired together. Unfortunately I do not have a volt-ohmeter, so I cannot check it as you've recommended...better add that to the already long list of tools that I need to buy!

 

volt-ohmmeters run from $20 to $1000, I use an $80 one..
Anyway, it sounds like the bulbs are hooked up in series. If you can, try and replace the right bulb with the left one, and then see if the original "right bulb" lights up. That would be the best way to test without a voltmeter. If that doesn't work, you need two new bulbs. Hope this helps

 

Good call...I'll switch them around and do a test. In theory, if the right bulb is still good, it should light up when in the left-hand slot. Thanks for your help.

 

Yeah exactly. No prob.

 

Looks like you have this figured out already. On the instrument Panel (I/P) Fuse Block; fuse 16 labelled I/P DIMMER, 5 amp fuse. From the main wire (which feeds all the I/P lights) goes to a juction then splits off to a very simple two wire system + & - with two lights wired in parallel on the HVAC. It has it's own two prong connector and the lights are hard wired (no "PC" board).
So it looks like the connector is not making contact, or the wire is broken, or both lights are burnt out.

 

Did you find what was wrong and how did you fix it?? i just noticed that mine are out too

 

They're probably just burnt out, they usually go together. The bulb pops out, its just not easy since its so small, i used pliers to get mine out. The bulbs are 37s, and the shifter console bulb is a 73 and in a similar holster

 

thanks for the info.