[Berdman]

Been searching the site and I couldn't find anything except threads on replacing bulbs.

I have a 95 SAAB 900SE, Automatic, 5 door, ...uh its green.

My center console between the seats has no lights. This includes no lights for the gear identifier (PNRD321), for the winter snowflake button on the side of the shifter, for the window controls, etc. No lights on the center console work. In addition the cigarette lighter and the ashtray (I have not even found the bulbs for the ashtray) are not lighting either. All console lights above that work fine.

I have taken the center console apart and the lights that I have looked at do not look burned out. Because of this and because of the proximity of the lights, I am wondering if there might be an issue upstream somewhere to the current for these lights. Where might this be? Would it be a ground?? Rheostat??

Electrical is not my forte. Any help to point me in the right direction would be great! Thanks! Robert

 

[earthworm]

Think of electricity as being the same as a water plumbing system - which, in a sense, it is.... and its cleaner.., but not neater...electrical can be a sloppy mess.
You will need your multimeter and the schematics..
Some one, some PO(previous owner), in the distant past may have pulled the console and forgot to re-connect harnesses correctly..
The use of a test light should assist in finding the "open"...

 

[Berdman]

anyone have the electrical schematics for this center console area?

 

[Berdman]

Update:
I think they were all bulb issues except the center window control unit. That bulb is still not lighting and it looks good. I haven't got a new one yet ( I think it will be a bit spendy). I am going to try to run a few tests first.

I also noticed that the Glove compartment light is not working. The bulb on this one definitely looks good. It is a larger bulb so it is easier to see the filament. Need to trace it back to what triggers it.

On a different note, I don't smoke, so I am replacing my ashtray with a custom storage compartment. I think I will just use the insert that the ashtray slides into, but give the insert a softer shelf bottom. My iphone will not fit in there, but parking pass cards will etc. and it will be lit by the light for the cig lighter.

 

[Twitchie]

I also noticed that the Glove compartment light is not working. The bulb on this one definitely looks good. It is a larger bulb so it is easier to see the filament. Need to trace it back to what triggers it.

The bulb can still be bad even if the filament appears to be ok.

 

[Berdman]

The bulb can still be bad even if the filament appears to be ok.

point taken!
I'm just gonna have to slap down some more dough for a new bulb. Better THAT than a whole new window regulating unit.

 

[sankuspr]

Been searching the site and I couldn't find anything except threads on replacing bulbs.

I have a 95 SAAB 900SE, Automatic, 5 door, ...uh its green.

My center console between the seats has no lights. This includes no lights for the gear identifier (PNRD321), for the winter snowflake button on the side of the shifter, for the window controls, etc. No lights on the center console work. In addition the cigarette lighter and the ashtray (I have not even found the bulbs for the ashtray) are not lighting either. All console lights above that work fine.

I have taken the center console apart and the lights that I have looked at do not look burned out. Because of this and because of the proximity of the lights, I am wondering if there might be an issue upstream somewhere to the current for these lights. Where might this be? Would it be a ground?? Rheostat??

Electrical is not my forte. Any help to point me in the right direction would be great! Thanks! Robert

it sounds like it could be just a fuse - provided there is one that just handles lights in the center console. It would make sense seeing as i do not have any lights in the center consol because i have a manual and all of the fuse boxes are the same. So i guess they would have had to make a fuse just for this.