91 TransSport Rear Light Cluster. Which one is the indicator bulb?

[martin clark]

My 91 TransSport is wired so that both lower bulbs in the rear light clusters are used as running / brake lights (both sides) and the indicators are transferred to the reversing lights fitted with red bulbs. No lights come on when I'm in reverse. I presume this is a modification dreamt up by a previous owner. Can you please tell me which bulbs in the cluster should be used for brake and turn indication, the route the loom takes through the body and also your best guess as to where the wiring modification might have been done. Nothing is immediately obvious in the cluster or reverse light location.
Thank you.

[96tsport]

My 96 uses the 2 lower bulbs for running/brake & indication.

The 3 uppers (per side) are small running light bulbs that burn out easy, are a bit of a pain to fix, so disconnected them all; I prefer how it looks that way too.

EDIT - Make that 2 uppers. Had a look today & turned out I also saw a Lumina that was setup the same way.

[Jeffrv]

This raises a question for me thet hopefully some European TS owners can answer. At first I thought thatTS were sold only in North America, but through this site it has been apparent GM sold some Europan spec'd TS, presumably through Opel dealers. I also understand North America is the only jurisdiction that allows the combination red brake/signal lights, Euro and Asian cars require a separate dedicated yellow signal light, not sure if this applies here.
In any event, the wiring harness i should be routed forward from the left rear light. The harness for the reversing lights breaks out about 6 inches for so forward of the light assmebly, so I would suspect that is where they may have altered the wiring. The left rear inside trim will have to be removed.Most of it is held on my clips and a few obvious screws, and the rear outboard seat belt anchor will have to be removed.
Good luck
Jeff

[LMP]

I also remember having seen TS in Europe with additional brake lights at "normal" height down on the rear hatch...mmm..take a look at this



borrowed from dpon117 at
http://www.forum-auto.com/marques/Au...es/sujet78.htm
notice the amber turn signal too. Some models of TS used the Oldsmobile SIlhouette front end. ..and they were even sold with the 4cylinder 2.3, something unheard of in America.

[brcidd]

Yeah, and I saw one in Tarrytowne, NY (when they assembled them) with a clutch and a five speed manual transmission...heading to Europe..

[martin clark]

Thanks for all your help, and picture. It's now clear where the change was made and it'll be easy enough to fix. My TS is USA spec with all the rear lights red, just the cluster of 4 on each side and 2 x reverse lights either side of the number plate. UK / Europe specify amber for rear turning lights so maybe that's why the change was done in the first place. I must check before changing back.

[zenswede]

If you'll write, they'll come. Someone mentioned European Pontiac TS's, and here you have the owner of one. I'm located in Sweden with a -95 Pontiac TS 16v 4cyl 2.3l model that I've had for a year now. Apparently the TS was the last model of Pontiac to be imported in Europe on a big scale. I've never seen any bigger than the 4 cylinder Transport model either.
Anyway, due to regulations cars in Sweden are obligated to have the lights on at all times, which created some strange (non-GM) wiring of the lights before the cars were sent to the dealers.

My problem now is that the rear indicator-lights (the small upper ones) are dead, and I'm not sure how to fix it. I disconnected the light switch-box (on the left of the steeringwheel) an cleaned the external connectors which actually made the fog-lights work again (the small square rear lights). But I was unable to crank open the box itself. It's a regual snap-on, but the levers (switches) seems to be assembled in such a way that the box can't be fully opened. Does anyone know how to pry it open without breaking it?
I've checked the fuses, rear lights and the sockets. All of it work, so it seems like the fault lies within that switch-unit next to the steering.

And: Have anyone here ever changed the chain-drive/chain timing belt? I need to order it somehow and have found none so far (only for 6 cyl). If you guys could point me in some direction I'll be thankful! Cheers from the land of snow, blondes and smorgasboards. /Daniel

[96tsport]

Originally Posted by zenswede

My problem now is that the rear indicator-lights (the small upper ones) are dead, and I'm not sure how to fix it. I disconnected the light switch-box (on the left of the steeringwheel) an cleaned the external connectors which actually made the fog-lights work again (the small square rear lights). But I was unable to crank open the box itself. It's a regual snap-on, but the levers (switches) seems to be assembled in such a way that the box can't be fully opened. Does anyone know how to pry it open without breaking it?
I've checked the fuses, rear lights and the sockets. All of it work, so it seems like the fault lies within that switch-unit next to the steering.

Not sure about your setup but from the pix in the prior post, looks to me like the upper 2 lights aren't functional on the euro models..

If there are actually lights up there, I assume the lower 2 red lights are a dual combo park (indicator)/brake light setup.

Just run some power wires from the lower (or any other) indicator lights that work, to the upper ones.

[LMP]

Originally Posted by zenswede

1 ...cars in Sweden are obligated to have the lights on at all times, which created some strange (non-GM) wiring of the lights before the cars were sent to the dealers.
2 ...the fog-lights work again (the small square rear lights). .
3 ...Have anyone here ever changed the chain-drive/chain timing belt? ..

1 Cars in Canada also have the daylight running lights....but this applies to front headbeams only at reduced power during daytine. Rear come only at night.
2 the "small square rear lights" ...the clear ones....or the red ones ?
3 the 2.3 was not used in America with the TS..but you can find parts by going for that engine with the Pontiac GrandAm of same year models... check www.rockauto.com .

Other european forum members have mentioned suppliers in previouis threads, in germany I think...if I cna find, I'll post links..or you'll have replies from members in Sweden...nicke99 plus 2 or 3, and others in neighbouring countries....

[zenswede]

Thank's for all your help guys! I've got that box opened and cleaned the junk out, but those small lights are still dead. I'll follow the wires and jack them in to some spot where the igition-power works... later. Those small light up top are actually 'daylights', second level's brakes, then signal-lights. The king's men (the cops) are not to happy with me running the low dim-lights as indicators, as they are much brighter than normal.

And that hint about the Pontiac GrandAm chain's great! Trouble here's that workshops here in Sweden don't want to grab an old Pontiac, and if they do they want 2,400 USD just to change the chain. Sad, as the van runs great and loads like a donkey. Keep on posting links to retailers that ship to europe if you can. Again, great work. BR/Daniel

[LMP]

Originally Posted by zenswede

Thank's ...(the cops) are not to happy with me running the low dim-lights as indicators, as they are much brighter than normal.

..not too sure of "indicators" up here but just in case,
front daytime running lamps (DRL) are fed through a voltage dropping diode pack and that component is known to fail occasionally. Here is the diagram:
www.avigex.ca/xport/drl.jpg
I will post diagram for position and brake lightrs if needed...or browse through www.avigex.ca/xport ...
NOtice that the rear lamp cluster setup in America uses FOUR lights from top to bottom, all RED...the top is likely inexistant and blackened in european setup shown in above photo

[Jeffrv]

Daniel:
Wow, $2,400 to change a timing chain! Are you planning to do that yourself then? The 2.3 engine was an optional one for a Chev Cavalier here in North America, althogh mine has the base 2.2 liter engine, I do have a Haynes service manual, perhaps you might want to invest in one of those, or can try to help from here if you need.
Jeff

[zenswede]

You guys are great! I thank you deeply for the help given, as the support's raining down in here. And yeah, 2.500 USD when I converted it from Swedish kronor in xe.com...that's more than I gave for the car, actually! Anyway, We finally had a sunny day, so I wrenched the kickplate open in my hunt for that mysterious DRL-box. Instead of that I found an inner plastic plate, and beneath that ANOTHER plate (below the steering column). Behind that I bumped into the car-alarm system (3:rd party), and behind the thick cable-stem I could glimpse a fuse box (original?) under a layer of old electrical tejp. I found two burnt 5 Amps that I switched and voilá, two rows of red lights went on in the tail!
For the sake of this forum I took a photo (see below), and now that problem's solved. Thankyou, and good night from Europe. /D