Tachometer dimmed light and steering wheel making noise

I have two problems with my 2001 Pontiac Grand Am SE.

The first problem is my tachometer. When I run the car at night, the tachometer only lights up to 3 RPM. It is dimmed light for any higher than 3 RPM so about half of the tachometer is bright and half is kind of dark. Why?

The second problem is when I turn the steering wheel all the way to the left or right to the end, it makes some kind of knocking/thumping noise. So I hear it when I turn the steering wheel all the way to the left end or right end. I don’t think I hear it much if I am just driving and doing some normal turns. Is something hitting against each other? or something not tight? or something worn out?

First problem… some of the lights in the tach no longer function.

2nd problem… When you turn full lock you stress the power steering pump more than any other time. You might have a broken bracket holding the pump or some other issue not able to be diagnosed over the internet. So don’t turn the wheel full lock and hold it there.

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There’s a burned out light bulb.

On a 24 year old car there are probably many things worn out. It’s impossible to say what over the internet without being able to hear the noise.

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The steering wheel problem could be the power steer pump’s high pressure hose is knocking into something. Good idea to have this looked at asap as the solution could be getting more and more expensive in a hurray. The tach problem will probably require the dashboard’s electronic control panel be removed and bench-inspected. If there’s a way you can accommodate this problem, i.e. just live with it, you’d likely save considerable money. Neither of my two cars have tach gauges, and I somehow live without that benefit.

That is an indication you have turned the steering to its mechanical limit. There is a limit to how far a drive axle joint can be articulated without failing. There are “stops” on the steering knuckles to limit the steering angles and prevent damage to the steering, suspension and drive axles.