The wire to nowhere
 

Please help ID this wire. it originates at the steering column on the gear shifter indicator (red thing) and ran back under dash with the turn signal switch wires and has a clip socket with a bulb attached????? I found that it is not really going to anything powered when replacing the switch the other day. Any help is appreciated!

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

the bulb end goes into one of your light sockets behind the dash cluster..if I am not mistaken

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

if its gray ,it probably goes into the back of the heater controls to illuminate.Does it come on if you turn on your lights?



jeff:smoke:

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

That's not a wire, it's a fiber optic cable. The bulb/clip goes into your dash. When the lights are on, the dash illuminates and the fiber optic (Fibre if you prefer) cable radiates the light to the gearshift indicator to illuminate it.

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

CPNE nailed it on the head, and it works, too! Thanks.

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Here is what it looks like outside the column...

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Mel,
Do the tilt-wheels have a similar fiber-optic light? My tilt shift-indicator does not light-up.

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

no, they are wired electrically. I "think" its an extra gray wire coming out of the column

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

No, the tilts used an actual bulb/socket under the indicator/gear selector lens for illumination, should be a single grey wire (not stuck together with turn sig. wires) running out wire harness cover on bottom side of column tube.

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

The grey shift indicator wire plugs in the cluster feed on the fuse panel.

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

so looking at that pic (correct me if i am wrong) that illuminates the red gear selector tab thing???

I have a 3 on the tree column and an auto/tilt column so I have never seen that.

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

i was slow....

the first pic w/ the wire sitting on the package.

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

And here is a factory truck tilt with the GREY wire coming out of the harness cover on the bottom side of the column tube. :chevy:

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Found my grey wire plugged in above the cluster fuse. Where is the bulb and what needs disassembled to change it?

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Dan, the bulb/socket is attached to the top of the turn signal switch. To get at the bulb just: remove the two screws holding the shift indicator housing to top of column, now lift indicator housing/indicator lens from top of column. Now you should see a small green cap (sometimes faded) over the top of a metal cap, this metal cap basically directs the bulbs light right at the shift indicator lens, remove the plastic cap and then the metal one and you should now see the bulb. Mel

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

I removed mine to replace the bulb, and did not see another cover or cap...is something missing? I traced the grey wire, and it looks like PO did not know where to connect it as it is spliced into another wire, and the space on the fuse block is not being used.

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Scott, there should be a small metal cylinder with a rounded end on it that covers the bulb and allows a tiny bit of light out of a rectangular port near the end of the rounded end. On top of the metal cover is a green half-sphere cover that gives the light the right color. The PO probably had trouble fitting the metal cover back over the bulb/receptacle and just put the PRNDL cover back on.

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Some more pics for id'ing the missing parts... I agree with dan about the parts being left out by someone who had it apart, I come across this often. Mel

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Great info. and photos Mel!!!!

Dan

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Thanks for the pics Mel...it is missing those 2 pieces...do you know where I can get them? Thanks!

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

I have the same problem my wire is not plugged in anywhere ! This info is great !!!

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Maybe this should go to the FAQ in a few days? This info is hard to find when you need it most. Plugging into the cluster fuse would never have occurred to me. :uhmk:

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

To all,

Does anyone know where to get the fiber optic tube for a 72 non-tilt auto column? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Monty

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Here's a silly question. How far in does the indicator pointer with tilt slide in? I don't know if i'm missing pieces or what. For some reason it doesn't look right to me. Thanks

Re: The wire to nowhere
 

Look at post #6 for a part number.