91 Lumina 3.1 Euro Panel Light Issues...

[PorkNBeans]

I have a 1991 Chevy Lumina 3.1 Euro Sedan, upon receiving it the panel lights were not working so today I decided to see if it was a fuse issue & low & behold the ATC 5 was not there for the Panel Lights, I put the fuse in & it solved that issue but now when I shut the car the dash lights stay on, the panel lights for the windows, locks, automatic shifter lights stay on.

Could someone please tell me what could be wrong here?

[Gill YM]

Sounds like a wiring problem.

Unfortuately, when the vehicle was in Europe (as I pressume it was) all the lighting would've been changed to the Euro spec, which is different to the USA spec.

I suspect that whoever rewired the lights, ran out of wiring, and "doubled up" on a few things! Internal lighing is not considered "essential", so that probably was what was sacrificed on the behalf of the lighting which IS essential!

This happened on my Ol'girl. I ended up with no central locking, no courtesy lights noe panel lights, and why? because I wanted a radio/cassette player!

Sorry, not familiar with the electrcis for a Lumina Sedan. But someone else here probably is

[richtazz]

I would suspect a bad mulitfunction/headlight switch. Unless you can see that the wiring was tampered with, these cars are known for bad multifunction/ headlight switches.

[comptech_69]

Originally Posted by Gill YM

Sounds like a wiring problem.

Unfortuately, when the vehicle was in Europe (as I pressume it was) all the lighting would've been changed to the Euro spec, which is different to the USA spec.

I suspect that whoever rewired the lights, ran out of wiring, and "doubled up" on a few things! Internal lighing is not considered "essential", so that probably was what was sacrificed on the behalf of the lighting which IS essential!

This happened on my Ol'girl. I ended up with no central locking, no courtesy lights noe panel lights, and why? because I wanted a radio/cassette player!

Sorry, not familiar with the electrcis for a Lumina Sedan. But someone else here probably is

What the hell are you talking about? Don't listen to this guy he hasn't a clue about what he's saying....

When you shut your door, do your interior lights shut off? Also, try turning on the interior light manually with the dimmer switch, and than slide the switch all the way down to the bottom and see if your dashboard/door lights dim. Go try that and get back to me.

[PorkNBeans]

Originally Posted by comptech_69

What the hell are you talking about? Don't listen to this guy he hasn't a clue about what he's saying....

When you shut your door, do your interior lights shut off? Also, try turning on the interior light manually with the dimmer switch, and than slide the switch all the way down to the bottom and see if your dashboard/door lights dim. Go try that and get back to me.

I haven't paid attention to the dimming on the door but I do know that the dimmer switch when lowered will dim the radio lights & if I pop the dimmer switch all the way up the interior light does go on. When I shut the door the interior lights do go off. The door panel lights (window up/down light), the panel lights, shifter lights will not dim by the dim switch when I have the fuse in but the radio will dim as mentioned. As it is right now what I have been doing is removing the fuse int he day and putting it in when I drive at night but this bothers me doing that.

Forgot to say the dimmer only turns on the interior light and dims the radio but nothing else dims, the interior light either goes on or off no dimming, the dimmer seems to only work on the radio light.

[comptech_69]

The dimmer should only dim the dashboard lights and the radio, not the dome light. From what you have said it does seem that the dimmer is working correctly, but I think you *might* have a bad headlight switch assembly. If you know someone that does have a headlight switch see if you can borrow it, plug it in and see if you have the same problem. If you do have the same problem there is a short lingering somewhere in your electrical system, and that.. is not fun

[PorkNBeans]

Originally Posted by comptech_69

The dimmer should only dim the dashboard lights and the radio, not the dome light. From what you have said it does seem that the dimmer is working correctly, but I think you *might* have a bad headlight switch assembly. If you know someone that does have a headlight switch see if you can borrow it, plug it in and see if you have the same problem. If you do have the same problem there is a short lingering somewhere in your electrical system, and that.. is not fun

Thank you, hopefully it's not a short. Do you know of any online sites that will sell the switch and/or even a hood release handle?

[comptech_69]

Your best bet is to just go to a junkyard, or check eBay.

[Jonn]

Originally Posted by PorkNBeans

I have a 1991 Chevy Lumina 3.1 Euro Sedan, upon receiving it the panel lights were not working so today I decided to see if it was a fuse issue & low & behold the ATC 5 was not there for the Panel Lights, I put the fuse in & it solved that issue but now when I shut the car the dash lights stay on, the panel lights for the windows, locks, automatic shifter lights stay on.

Could someone please tell me what could be wrong here?

I also have a 91 Lumina, and not saying its your problem, i dont even know if YOU know it or not, but some or all, i dunno, the dash lights stay on for around 30 secomds after you open/shut the door IF you dont start the car.
if you start it, they go off instantly. Its like newer cars that have the dome light on for a bit after shutting door, then soon goes off.

[PorkNBeans]

Originally Posted by Jonn

I also have a 91 Lumina, and not saying its your problem, i dont even know if YOU know it or not, but some or all, i dunno, the dash lights stay on for around 30 secomds after you open/shut the door IF you dont start the car.
if you start it, they go off instantly. Its like newer cars that have the dome light on for a bit after shutting door, then soon goes off.

I didn't know that but when I shut the car and saw that happen the first time I said maybe it has an auto shutoff so I went into autozone & searched around for 5-10 minutes, bought what I was looking for then came out & was hoping the dash lights were out but they were still on.

[Jonn]

Originally Posted by PorkNBeans

I didn't know that but when I shut the car and saw that happen the first time I said maybe it has an auto shutoff so I went into autozone & searched around for 5-10 minutes, bought what I was looking for then came out & was hoping the dash lights were out but they were still on.

So possibly it has the delay so the lights remain on for a bit, but is malfunctioning and not shutting off?

[PorkNBeans]

Originally Posted by Jonn

So possibly it has the delay so the lights remain on for a bit, but is malfunctioning and not shutting off?

It's possible but unsure because I just got the car last week, I bought the car for $1 from a family friend who didn't want to keep it garaged any longer as it was sitting for 6 months. It's in absolute mint condition and although has just over 100,000 miles the engine runs like a champ & everything else is great except this & the seat belt light stays on when the passenger and driver has the belts on but not sure if it does this cause the back ones are not on but I never knew a car to do that for back belts. Anyhow my biggest concern is this panel light issue.

[comptech_69]

I agree with john, but I am not too sure where that module would be located. My lumina also did the same with the seatbet light, I just took the lightbulb out of the dash... lol

[PorkNBeans]

Originally Posted by comptech_69

I agree with john, but I am not too sure where that module would be located. My lumina also did the same with the seatbet light, I just took the lightbulb out of the dash... lol

What module? I'm a car retard in part names & would hate to ask someone for the module thingy for the panel lights. lol One thing that has amazed me about this car so far is the stock speakers are amazing, I just popped a new stereo in it last night (Kenwood KDC-MP828) & it is sounding excellent with justt he stock speakers.

[richtazz]

The delay module is part of your headlamp switch. The Delco part number is d1575c and runs about $150 through me (I work at a Delco distributor in Flint, MI). Dealer retail is $286.84, and dealer wholesale is $200.79. In Gill's defense, he lives in Europe, so his comment is not a clueless rambling.