Fog Light and Rear Suspension Problem?

[ErikS]

Hi guys I just got my 2nd Grand AM the first one was a 86 that (good car) got plowed by some idiot but I purchased a used 96 GT Coup with 60K on it, it's an awesome car, has some balls but I got a few problems I can get them damn fog lights to turn on it's driving me nuts and the car didn’t come with a manual I thought they would turn on when you turn on the head lights? I also have a squeak sound coming from my rear right sounds like a shock or strut problem? Some times it happens when I apply the breaks but the dealer said the break pads have been done all around. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks!

[Mike Jung]

Originally posted by ErikS
...I can['t] get them damn fog lights to turn on it's driving me nuts and the car didn’t come with a manual I thought they would turn on when you turn on the head lights?...
There should be a separate switch also (besides having to turn on your headlights) to turn on/off the fog lights.

On mine: it is to the left of the steering wheel, on the dash & by the dimmer switch for the interior lights.

[71Z28RS]

Mike is right. My wife's is the same car, 96 GT coupe. The fog light switch is to the left of the steering column. If it doesn't turn on, you might have a blown fuse.

As for the squeak, I'm guessing it's one of the exhaust hangers. There is a rubber grommet that holds the mufflers to the car. With the engine off, grab the tailpipes one at a time and give it a shake side to side and up and down. If there's a squeak, that's your problem. You can replace the rubber part to fix it. I'm figuring it's not the brakes because you have drums on the back, and brake squeal is usually reserved for rotor pads. I've never heard drum shoes squeak. They always grind when they go bad.

Weird side note. We had the same car situation as you....we had an 86 that was a real trouper until someone clipped us on the expressway. The car wound up on it's side slid halfway up a grass embankment not 5 feet from a concrete overpass. Needless to say, the unibody twisted and the car was totalled. Then we got the 96 GT coupe. Neat coincidence.... Anyway, that was 4 years ago and we still love our 96, so hopefully you have good mechanical luck with your new one too.