I have a few issues with my Bonnie that I need a little help with, and I hoped the collective wisdom of the forum would be able to help..

I had to replace the roof console (the kind with the cubby hole, the aux 12v power port, and the sunglass holder) in my 96 SE., due to the AUX 12v power port breaking right off. However, I CANNOT get this thing to go back in correctly. I can't get my hands in there to snap all the tabs, and the two plastic fasteners that go through the console to the roof won't fasten at all. Anyone replace this, and knows how to get it in right?

All of my vanity mirror lights, and my rear grab-handle lights do not work. This all happened at about the same time. Where is the fuse for these lights?

My driver'* rear door window doesn't go up or down, at all. None of the switches work, either on the same door or the driver'* door. I do not hear any clicks, grinding, or other noise - it just sits there. Is it the motor, or the regulator? How is this replaced/repaired? I am concerned about going into the door, and ruining the water shield. Any way to preserve the water shield so it can be reused?

I am having a problem with the ignition in my SE. I get intermittent "security" light coming on/off at random times, and once in a great while the car won't start - it'* like the battery is missing (no low, missing!). I had the Pontiac dealer look at it (big mistake - they wanted TONS of money) and they said the ignition cylinder needed replacing, due to the chip in the key, it is an anti-theft feature that is shorting out. Anyone had this problem? What exactly needed to be replaced? How much did you pay to have it done? Did you manage to do it yourself? I doubt I'd try this one myself, as I'd rather not mess with the airbag systems and all the sensors and tiny parts...

I know this is a lot of questions, but I have extremely limited funds every month, and I need to get the most out of every dollar I spend on the car. (read: cheapest fix!) I just want to be able to use everything on the car, and be safe, too. Thanks!

Try holding the window button down and hitting the door around the armrest at the same time.

As for the ignition - Try using a different key and see if you get the same results. If the ignition lock is bad, then it should happen with both keys.

You can always override the pellet detector by soldering in a resistor in its place, but then you will not have that security feature.

Check your fuse diagram in the owners manual for the fuse location.

I checked every fuse in the block, and they were all fine. I also checked the block under the hood, and they were fine, too. Hmm... I'll replace the bulbs and see. If that doesn't fix 'em, then I'll have a major problem there.

No success with the banging on the armrest with the button down. What was that supposed to do?

Yes, I get the same behaviour with all three keys for the ignition (and the key I use is brand new). I don't mind replacing the ignition, but the shop tells me there are two different prts to replace: the whole assembly, and the ignition insert, whatever that is. Just the insert is $80-$100, the whole assembly is $150-$300 (parts only, labour extra).

I'd really like to hear from anyone who had to replace the ignition (and had this same problem), and I'd also like to hear from anyone who replaced the left rear window motor. I'd really like to know how to replace the window motor or whatever it needs without ruining the inside of the door, especially the water shield.

thanks

Hopefully you did the window thing with the car on right?

I don't have the service manual here... I'll have to check on the correct fuse later.

Picking and choosing the questions I can answer...

I'd start by looking under the dash, but first, do you still have working courtesy lights under the dash and in the doors? I'm wondering if the work you were doing on your overhead console has got some power wires or ground wires disconnected up there. If your underdash and door lights are still working, I don't think you are going to find a blown fuse anywhere.

Note that the power leads go directly to the lights; it is their ground wires that are switched on or off to get the lights to go on, but if you can't get the grab-handle lights to go on even when you slide the switch that'* right next to each light, then I'd say you have broken the power feed somewhere up there.

Do a little surgery on one of the dead lights and see if it'* actually got 12 volts coming in. Make sure your test meter is grounded to a known-good ground like the rim of the cigar lighter, because the ground lead at the overhead light probably is not actually grounded at the moment.

That'd be the motor, probably gunked-up or dead from lack of use.

You go into the door, punch out the center of each pop-rivet holding the motor in, drill out the rivets, disconnect the motor drive connection to the regulator, unplug it and lift it out. However, I think you may be able to thump it into life, or in some cases you can just drive around with your finger on the Down button and it may suddenly start working again. (I had to do this with the driver'*-door window on my '82 Cutlass Supreme every now and then.) In either case, if you can get it to move, run it up and down about 20 times and it should keep on working after that. These motors do die from lack of use, but can be brought around again if that'* the only problem.

Don't worry; it'* pretty heavy-gauge plastic and you can carefully peel it back from the edges. Just be sure it'* tucked in at the bottom wherever it'* originally installed that way, to keep water draining into the bottom of the door and out the bottom, rather than soaking into the bottom edge of the interior panel.

It'* probably not shorting out; it'* more likely that the contacts are worn or dirty and not making proper contact with the resistor pellet in your key. See if one key works better than another in avoiding this problem; if so, the problem is more with the key pellet than the ignition switch, and you can just avoid using the dirtier key.

If using a different key doesn't alleviate the symptoms, you'll need to replace the contacts for the VATS circuit in the lock cylinder, which I think is basically done by replacing the lock cylinder as a whole.

There aren't any sensors or tiny parts in that area, at least none requiring brain surgery, although you'll need a repair manual and a couple of special tools to remove the steering wheel and lock plate underneath. The air bag you unplug under the dash (there'* an in-line connector near the steering column for this) and remove from the steering wheel; it'* not a big deal.

As others said, you could conceivably solder in a bypass resistor in the lock cylinder wiring where it emerges from the steering column under the dash, although (1) you're basically defeating your anti-theft system by doing so, (2) you first need to determine which of the 15 resistor values is used by your car, and get the right resistor for that, and (3) if you're going to all that effort to install such a workaround, you're probably the sort of person who'* competent enough to do the _correct_ repair in the first place.