Interior lights & gauges not working

Here's the problem I just bought a 95 riv supercharged the car was from the auction. The drivers panel doesn't work to control the windows for the drivers side and the passenger side. The heated seat doesn't work either. But the passenger side panel window works fine. The power locks don't work. The odometer doesn't light up the rpms and read the mileage and gas usage, and how fast your going. I know a mechanic he looked at it for me and he said to just replace the old parts. So I did that. I bought a drivers side panel, a odometer and a AC unit. But it still didn't work. I checked all fuses, under the back seat under the hood and under the steering wheel. Their all good so do you think you know what the problem is. Thanks for helping.

It sounds like you need a new window switch box for the driver side. contact ed morad (moradpartscompany)for good prices on used riv parts.
i know you said you checked the fuses, but that is really what it sounds like. how did you check them? run an ohm meter across ALL fuses to make sure none are blown. it may be a random fuse whos label has nothing to do with dash clusters.

Also, when you say power locks dont work, do you mean the key fob doesnt lock/unlock or that the button on the door doesnt work?
you may want to pull the driver door panel off to make sure everything is connected. sounds like the auction/previous owner may have had the door apart and didnt bother hooking it back up before selling it.

Please list your problems in this way; (the way you have it is a very confusing.
1.Drivers side power window switch not working
2. Driver's side heated seat not working.
3. Power locks don't work. (do they not work when using the door switch or keyfob remote or both)
4.Odometer doesn't light up RPM's (Do not understand at all what you mean)
5. odometer doesn't read mileage.
6. Gas usage. ??? what do you mean, gas gauge doesnt work at all.?
7.How fast you are going. (Do you mean speedometer doesn't work at all?
You mention you bought an Odometer. Do you mean speedometer / gauge cluster?
You also mention you bought an AC unit, but don't say why. Do you have an inoperative AC control head or does it just not light up. Do any of the functions in the unit work.
Please break down these multiple problems one by one and explain each problem a little better, it will be easier for us to help you.
You also didn't mention if you checked the fuse panel in the left side of the instrument panel. You can only acces that panel when the drivers door is open.

Thanks for all the replies, yes my mechanic did use the ohm to test the fuses under the back seat next to the battery. I checked the fuses on the drivers side and under the hood those are ok. But when I try to unlock the doors by pressing the button it doenst work at all. And the odometer doesn't light up to show the mileage, gas, rpms,temperature. All the other icons light up. And the ac doesn't come on. The radio works and the controls on the steering wheel work fine.

you should try to resync the remote. drop in a new battery, clean the contacts with alcohol and then hold down the lock and unlock button for 10 seconds while near the car. the horn should beep when it is resynchronized with the car.
if it is a remote not programed for that car then you can fix that too. use the search feature to find the instructions.

when you press the window switch, do you hear a click (like a relay) or does it just not do anything?

our gauge cluster doesnt show gas mpg, sorry. as for the other light up problems, maybe someone else can chime in who has messed with that. i have a spare cluster if you need one, but you said you tried replacing it already?

Well when I bought the car it didn't come with a remote, I only have 2 keys, one to open the doors,trunk and the other for starting the car up.
When I press the window switch its does nothing at all.

Yes I tried replacing the gauge cluster but nothing happens, everything lights up, the hazard lite, door ajar, etc but I can't read the mileage on the dash or know how fast I'm going cause it doesn't work. These are the only problems I have with the car.

At this point I would have to refer to the wiring diagram for your car and see if there is a common point for some of your problems.
Especially all issues related to drivers door switch's not working and the instrument cluster and HVAC control unit not working.
Unfortunately i do not have a wiring diagram for the 95.
Does anybody who has the 95 FSM want to look into these problems and see if there is a common thread or specific fuses to check again.????

This is not a guarantee -BUT - often on the '95s the wire bundle to the drivers door gets scraped near the door hinge - you can pull the door panel and/or poke around, the scraped place is often obvious because the insulation wrap is scuffed off. when that happens the sires short against the door. Windows are on thermal breakers, which if they have been shorted for a while are just sitting "open" when car is on.

The other question - does it look like the car might have been wrecked then repaired (colors on panels just a little different panel to panel? Look at it in bright sun, when it is clean. If the panels don't match your car's been painted. Anyway - if the car's been wrecked then repaired, you might be looking for a wiring problem in the bundle that goes into the steering column.

Point is if that's the case we're needing to use old fashioned troubleshooting, yes you need a wiring diagram from the factory service manual, and some time (all Saturday) to investigate.

SO -- --

do you know how to use a voltmeter to check for continuity and voltage levels in wiring? Please say yes or no...

Albertj

Welcome! Good luck with your troubles, I'm sure we can talk you through most of them.

On the gauge cluster issues - we don't understand what you mean that the odomoter doesn't light up RPMs - do you mean the tachometer (engine speed) is dead?
The gas gauge is dead?
The speedometer is dead?
Does the odometer (mile numbers) increment as you are driving, or doesn't it light up at all. How many miles are on the car?

If I'm interpreting what you said correctly, all 4 gauges in the gauge cluster don't work, is that correct? (tachometer - engine speed/RPMs, gas gauge - fuel usage?, speedometer, temperature - engine temp)

Sounds to me like a blown fuse.

Does the car have a check engine light on?

Did you replace the whole gauge cluster, and those things still don't work? Who replaced the gauge cluster? Did you pull the dashboard off yourself? That's no easy task!

No I don't know how to check the voltage level for wiring.
Yes that is correct all 4 gauges in the gauge cluster are dead, but the check engine light comes on as well as the door ajar, check oil,abs, seatbelt,. Its just those 4 gauges don't come on for some reason. And the odometer doesn't come on at all some I don't know the mileage. If this is a blown fuse were is it located? Please reply

The tachometer is dead
The speedometer is dead
The gas gauge is dead
The temp gauge is dead
The odometer is dead
All other icons light up, the ac unit is dead.

No I don't know how to check the voltage level for wiring.
Yes that is correct all 4 gauges in the gauge cluster are dead, but the check engine light comes on as well as the door ajar, check oil,abs, seatbelt,. Its just those 4 gauges don't come on for some reason. And the odometer doesn't come on at all some I don't know the mileage. If this is a blown fuse were is it located? Please reply

First, let's cover checking voltage levels and such.

You need to go to Walmart or radioshack and get a voltmeter.

In walmart they are usually in hte automotive section near the light bulbs. They should be less than $20.

In radioshack, just ask the store clerk for a good voltmeter for working on cars, for less than 20. It does not really matter if it is digital or analog. It is nice to have a diode tester or (beeping) continuity tester feature.

When you have the meter basically what you do is probe the switches in the door, from the back - the ones in drivers door that don't work. You are checking if they function at all and if the wires are shorted. A wiring diagram will help if only to tell you which color wires are supposed to be ground. THe meter will come with one set of probe wires, one end of these plug into the meter and the other end looks like they have little pins. THere are 2 things you do with the pins - touch the metal contacts on the wiring to check for current and stuff, and the other is that they are sharp (or at least they should be sharp like straight pins) so if you have to you can poke them through the wire insulation for testing purposes. You may also want ot buy a "probe kit" from radioshack that has different kinds of connectors (alligator clips, IC hooks, etc.) that can be attached to the voltmeter (it will be obvious when you get the kit - some kits have instructions and some do not but you probably won't need 'em, it's so obvious).

Before you get the meter, you can look at the bundle of wires that go from the door jamb into the drivers door. Look at the wire bundle and see if the insulation is scraped off any wires. If so, a short between those wires and some part of the car is most likely the problem. You can wrap electrical tape around the wires to fix that, or splice in new pieces of wire with a soldering iron if they are corroded (copper oxide green instead of the metallic orange copper-color).

Also before you get the meter you can remove the panel under the steering column (you'll need to look under there to see what kind of screwdriver or nutdriver you will need, as sometimes on an older car people lose teh original fasteners and use something else. So lay on the floor and look up to see). What you are doing is getting the panel off, then checking to see if maybe for some reason one or anohter wire that connects the instrument cluster to the car's wiring has come loose. Sometimes this just happens, and people don't fix it. The plugs will be almost impossible to reach. Key word here is almost. If you work at it you should be able to reach up in there to push on them and make sure they are seated. Alternatively you could take the dash panel off and pull the cluster, check the plugs that way (at least you are vertical but it really is not that much easier)

The other thing is that from time to time in wires that flex a lot one will break inside the insulation. Each wire will have a unique color, and also maybe a stripe of a different color or pattern, like maybe black with white dashes printed on it. What you need to do is look at the wires that go to the window controls and seat heater, and see what colors they are, then use the voltmeter (range set to 100 ohms or some such) and see if you have continuity (a reading of zero ohms) between the backs of the switches and the other end of the wire (measured from some point inside the car after the wire passes thru the door frame and door jamb).

I am thinking that your car has a bunch of little problems that the previous owner allowed to accumulate over time - or that it was a donor car for someone elses repairs? not sure.

What are you going to do next?

Albertj

I had the same exact problem happen to me one time. Turns out it was just a fuse , though i can't remember which one unfortunately.

dnyce200 wrote:

No I don't know how to check the voltage level for wiring.
If this is a blown fuse were is it located? Please reply

Greetings!
If you have the owners manual it has a diagram that shows the fuse panel locations and shows you how to determine which fuse you need to check.
If you dont have the owners manual perhaps someone could make a copy of the pertinent info and scan/email or fax it to you.

Be sure and look closely where albertj suggested to see if you can spot a problem with the wiring harness going to the door.


Bert

I cant remember if you said you checked the fuses unser the back seat, if you didnt ill bet there is a ign1 or ign2 fuse blown, could be another fuse also.
let us know if fuses under back seat are all good

Yes I checked those fuses under the seat, and from what my mechanic said they were fine. He used the voltometer to check them.

There is a difference between you checking the fuses and the mechanic checking the fuses and then telling you about it.

You would be well served, especially since this is an older car, to check them/learn to check them yourself. SOmetimes mechanics make honest errors checking fuses.

Albertj

I meant I checked the fuses with my mechanic

So do u kno were is the ign1 and ign2 fuses are located?

Bert,
Wasn't it you that put a link up on here some time ago that gave access to all Owner's Manuals.
If so, do you remember what / where that site is. I believe it was a Library or something like that.

http://gmprotectionplanwarranty.com/owners-manual/buick/1995-Buick-Riviera.pdf
Here is the link for a 1995 Riv owners Manual
Fuses start at page 6-53

Rickw wrote:

Bert,
Wasn't it you that put a link up on here some time ago that gave access to all Owner's Manuals.
If so, do you remember what / where that site is. I believe it was a Library or something like that.

Here is the thread:
https://rivperformance.editboard.com/care-maintenance-f8/repair-manuals-and-technical-bulletins-online-t4753.htm

But that link is dead.
Sorry about that.
Some of these guys may have saved all the info. I will look and see if I can find a new link to all that info. Was that great or what!?

Bert

dnyce200 wrote:

So do u kno were is the ign1 and ign2 fuses are located?

[flame on]

And that's the point. If you checked yourself and you got a wiring diagram then you would not be asking *anyone* where the fuses are.

[flame off]

I have a '98 Riv. In my car the IGN1 fuse, for instance, is the center fuse in the 4th row of the instrument panel fuse block.

Through IGN1 are wired the lamp controls, instrument cluster, memory seats, mirrors, the remote receiver, IP compartment lamps, and self-dimming feature of the mirrors.

if IGN1, PCM and CRANK fuses are OK, I'd suspect a loose wire/bad connection behind the cluster.

Are you sure your car was not wrecked or stripped at one time or another?

Albertj