Instrument panel cigar lighter. Gear selector indicator

Instrument panel cigar lighter

DESCRIPTION

A cigar lighter is standard equipment on this model. The cigar lighter is installed in the instrument panel lower bezel, which is located near the center of the instrument panel, below the radio. The cigar lighter base is secured by a snap fit within the instrument panel lower bezel.

The cigar lighter knob and heating element unit, and the cigar lighter receptacle unit are available for service. These components cannot be repaired and, if faulty or damaged, they must be replaced.

OPERATION

The cigar lighter consists of two major components: a knob and heating element unit, and the cigar lighter base or receptacle shell. The receptacle shell is connected to ground, and an insulated contact in the bottom of the shell is connected to battery current.

The cigar lighter receives battery voltage from a fuse in the junction block only when the ignition switch is in the Accessory or On positions.

The knob and heating element are encased within a spring-loaded housing, which also features a sliding protective heat shield. When the knob and heating element are inserted in the receptacle shell, the heating element resistor coil is grounded through its housing to the receptacle shell. If the cigar lighter knob is pushed inward, the heat shield slides up toward the knob exposing the heating element, and the heating element extends from the housing toward the insulated contact in the bottom of the receptacle shell.

Two small spring-clip retainers are located on either side of the insulated contact inside the bottom of the receptacle shell. These clips engage and hold the heating element against the insulated contact long enough for the resistor coil to heat up. When the heating element is engaged with the contact, battery current can flow through the resistor coil to ground, causing the resistor coil to heat.

When the resistor coil becomes sufficiently heated, excess heat radiates from the heating element causing the spring-clips to expand. Once the spring-clips expand far enough to release the heating element, the spring-loaded housing forces the knob and heating element to pop back outward to their relaxed position. When the cigar lighter knob and element are pulled out of the receptacle shell, the protective heat shield slides downward on the housing so that the heating element is recessed and shielded around its circumference for safety.

Gear selector indicator

DESCRIPTION

An automatic transmission gear selector indicator is standard factory-installed equipment in this model, when it is also equipped with an optional automatic transmission. Two types of gear selector indicators are used, mechanical or electronic. Either gear selector indicator gives an indication of the transmission gear that has been selected with the automatic transmission gear selector lever. If the vehicle is equipped with the optional 45RFE automatic transmission, the instrument cluster contains an integral electronic gear selector indicator. All other automatic transmission types use the mechanical gear selector indicator.

Diagnosis of the electronic gear selector indicator should be performed using a DRBIIIt scan tool and the proper Diagnostic Procedures manual. The electronic gear selector indicator cannot be adjusted or repaired. If faulty or damaged, the instrument cluster unit must be replaced.

The mechanical gear selector indicator housing is mounted to the rear of the instrument cluster housing.

The mechanical gear selector indicator pointer is easily visible through an opening provided in the front of the instrument cluster mask, and is also lighted by the cluster illumination lamps for visibility at night. This group covers only the removal and installation of the mechanical gear selector indicator from the instrument cluster. Refer to Steering Column in the Removal and Installation section of Group 19 - Steering for the mechanical gear selector indicator cable adjustment procedures.

OPERATION

The electronic gear selector indicator uses a digital Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) to indicate the gear selector position. The electronic gear selector indicator is controlled by messages received by the instrument cluster circuitry from the electronic Transmission Control Module (TCM) over the CCD data bus network.

The mechanical gear selector indicator has a spring-loaded pointer that is mechanically actuated by a cable connected to the gear selector indicator driver lever of the gear selector lever mechanism on the steering column. When the gear selector lever is moved the indicator driver lever moves, which actuates the spring-loaded pointer through the mechanical actuator cable. An adjuster mounted on the steering column housing provides a mechanical means of calibrating the gear selector indicator mechanism.