1995 cheyenne 1500 V6 4.3L Automatic (Base model)..I am having an issue with my transmission when my shift indicator light is NOT on..Sometimes the light is faint and sometimes it doesn't glow at all... When the light is off or faint the tranny only works in reverse, but when the light is on it seems to work fine... Also the Check Gauge (Not Check Engine) light turns on when the indicator light is off or faint. Can someone please offer a solution to this problem?

 

I'm not too familiar with 1995 anything but you seem to be having some sort of an electrical brown-out, based on the faint shift indicator lights and Check Gauges warning. The transmission is electrically controlled and thus it may be showing a symptom of incorrect voltage as well. In those days a lot of current had to flow through the ignition switch and thus I'd suspect the switch. Do other lights dim as well? Does jiggling the key in the ignition make any difference?

 

Thanks for the reply... The only light that was dimming that I noticed was the indicator one... As far as jiggling the key goes, Jiggling the key when in the ignition made a difference with the light dimming in and out. After I saw that I wondered if the ignition switch had anything to do with my problem... I don't know enough about how cars work to know if the ignition switch could affect my transmission or not. It was refreshing to read that you possibly thought it was the ign. switch... It has been very hard for me to try to find an answer to my problem w/out actually going to a mechanic ($$$), so I thank you EinST and anyone else that would like to give me a possible solution..

 

well, in that case, I'd say it is the ignition switch. It looks like the 40A Maxi fuse 6 in the underhood fuse block supplies the battery voltage to the ignition switch which then feeds the transmission, shift indicator included, though the 10A Trans fuse 20 in the I/P fuse block. So, you can measure the voltages at each of the two fuses against known chassis ground. Any difference is the loss across the ignition switch (strictly speaking, there's a small chance that it could be wiring to and from the switch).

 

Common problem replace the ignition switch you should be good to go.

 

Yea, sounds like contact problem in the Ig. Switch. I m with MD, replace.