Optional warning lamps - 71-76 Chevy wagons

I learned awhile back that the 1971-74 (and maybe even the 75-76) Chevy full-size wagons had optional warning lights, such as "door ajar" and "low fuel". I think this was also the case on the late 60s-70 full-size Chevy.

Well they may all have the same panel whether they have the option or not, but I was down at my '72 Kingswood Estate wagon today recovering it and the sun was shining on the instrument cluster and noticed of course the BIG "FASTEN SEAT BELT" light which does not come on in my car because I dont think this was activated on cars until they were made in January of 1972 (my car was made in December 1971). I also noticed a "door ajar" light on the panel, which also does not work, so I am wondering if my car actually had the light or if that was a panel they used in all of the cars?

Does anyone here with a 71-76 Chevy (full-size) have a "door ajar" or "low fuel" light that operates?

 

I had a '72 Buick Electra and I dont recall it having a "door ajar" light and I know that my old '72 Cadillac DeVille didnt, but it did have a "trunk open" light. AFAIK, Chevrolet was the only one that offered a "door ajar" light in the GM line, which seems strange. I am not sure about Oldsmobiles though, they may have offered it.

Our 1976 Continental Town Car had a "door ajar" light, as well as our 1971 Continental.

 

It's possible that the panel is the same used in all cars...and only if the option was ordered, would the light/wiring be installed.

My '87 Cadillac Brougham has the same warning light panel used since about 1980...possibly even 1977, when the downsizing began. Directly above the speedometer are two dots...one green, the other orange. In prior years, the gasoline engine models could have been ordered with a fuel economy sentinel, which worked off of engine vacuum levels...lighting the green whilst driving "economically" and orange with anything more than light throttle. In the diesel models (through 1985), the orange light was equivalent to the "wait" light (during glow-plug warm up) and the green light equivalent to the "start" light after the glow-plugs have warmed up. I've had the dash off and noticed that there isn't any wiring to those lights. That option had already been discontinued from the full-size Cadillacs by 1987.

An '84 Cutlass Supreme I once had (basic car...no optional lights/warnings) had the light panel used in all Cutlasses (including the diesel "wait" and "start" lights (for diesel models) and the "low fuel" light...perhaps others, as well, that were included with the warning light option package). There just weren't any wires routed to those lights in my car, since the option wasn't ordered.

I also had a '94 Sable sedan that had the light for the "tailgate ajar" warning that came with the wagon models...but again, no light bulb or wiring, since mine was a sedan.

So, it is very possible that the panel in yours is the standard panel used in all full-size Chevy's and only if your car has the option will you have the light bulb and wiring.

I tried to find the RPO code for that option on the '72 full-size Chevy's. I found what I think is a listing of codes but I didn't see a listing specific to "door ajar" or "fasten seat belt" warning lights...the closest I saw was U14 (instrumentation package)...but I am guessing that is more like a full-set-of-gauges package...here's the link to that listing of codes.

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/234562/

I'm thinking the only way to know for sure whether your car has the option is to get in there and see if perhaps, you have a burned out bulb in there. If there is wiring going to the light, it might be a (relatively) easy add-on project.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks.

Yeah, I am thinking too its probably a panel they used in all to save time/money for making special ones for ones with the light options. I have had several other cars in the past like this as well like you mentioned. One I have now is my '95 Lincoln Town Car. In '95 only the top level Cartier model had the digital compass in the instrument cluster between the temp/fuel gauge, but on my Signature you can see the compass in the cluster if the light is hitting it right, but of course it dont illuminate since it didnt have that feature.

 

I've go a 1969 Kingswood estate that my mom and dad ordered loaded san the third row seat. No warning lights for low fuel or door is a jar.

 

Yeah, it was only available as an option on those as well. My old '69 Caprice 4dr hardtop was very high optioned, but it didnt have those options either. I imagine that it is quite rare.