How do I briten up my Lamp Monitors

[genechaz]

My 91 Seville has the lamp monitors on the front fendors to indicate the the lights are working properly. They do work, I can not see them at all during the day and they are extremely dim at night. In the dark, the headlight monitor on the right side is brighter than the left side. I can not see a way to replace a bulb, so I am thinking that they might be fiber optics? Anyone know how I can get these monitors to put out a little more light?

 

[Joeychgo]

is the lens clean?

No, not fiber optics, there should be a bulb ---maybe one was replaced before with a bulb of lower wattage --

 

[codewize]

Wrong. They are absolutely fiber optic and always have been. Usually when you see a case like this it's because the car was hit and the body shop didn't take the time to make sure the fiber inside the headlight assembly was still aligned correctly.

If you look on that back of the headlight basket you'll see a mysterious black cable coming in from an angle. That's the fiber. It may have gotten knocked out of whack OR if dirt is getting into the headlight and getting on the tip of the fiber that will do it to. Most of the fiber is only a few microns thick so it doesn't take much.

BTW the rear are also fiber

 

[genechaz]

Thanks for the help. There is a lot of dirt behind my headlights. This was one of the many things I was going to do in the spring. May have to get to it a little sooner.

 

[hottweelz]

Really fiber? Mine are really dim too

 

[rlysmthn]

yes this is a fairly common problem,

Just make sure the ends are clean, the one at the headlamp plugs in in the middle of the wiring connector on the back of the headlamp. there is a little tit onthe back of theheadlamp that the light comes through use something to clean the end of the fiber optic, maybe some spray soap and a Q- tip same pretty much at the other end, I guess that there are three, you can reach the connector at the headlamp without taking it out, just reach in from the top I think, and unplug the connector, its been years since I di d ths I am sure they did not change the system.

Thanks for the help. There is a lot of dirt behind my headlights. This was one of the many things I was going to do in the spring. May have to get to it a little sooner.

 

[rlysmthn]

Yes the end of one of the fiber optics is in the middle of the headlamp wiring plug,

just pull it off from under the hood, (one on the hgh beam and one on the low beam the other is to the parking lamp) just use some household spray cleaner and maybe a Q-tip to clean the end. (sometimes I have had to scrape some paint off or just scrape it clean with razor blade, you can even cut the end off a little, pull it out of the fitting first)
the factory supplied a little grommet to keep the dirt out between the connector and the headlamp tit (on the back of the headlamp, you will see it, a little piece of hose would do to keep it clean)n the parking lamp one is similar. its been years since I have done this operation, thanks for the memory.

 

[Joeychgo]

well - fooled me. I gotta go buy a caddy so I dont look too stupid LOL

 

[rlysmthn]

Help with my 2003 Town Car,

I need help with my 03 Town Car, I asked the dealer to see if they could reprogram (reflash) my car for I wanted to see if I could get the mileage a little bit better ( I thought it could use some more advance,) ( the car was in for its first service) they did, I lost four mpg across the board and it feels like I am pulling a little trailer, I changed dealers, (I had other problems with them and they changed hands) the second dealer, Laughed me off and really did not do the full :V service, and spilled oil on the frame. the car is now at 15,000 mi, and due for the third free service (I had the selling dealer do a oil and filter change with my oil, at 1,800mi)(I always provide a full synthethic oil of my choosing even though they provide oil free) I have not been able to get them to reflash the car right, I have considered getting a unit to reflash it myself but do not know what to get. now getting 11-12 in town, driving easy and only about 21 on the road, my 88 does 14 in town and 24 on the road, I get 19 on the road if I do 75-80 grrrr. it used to do 14 or better in town, and at least 23 on the road, (same route to
sacrament and back)everything else is pretty good, I think that it makes them mad that I have a full ASE cert+ I owned a shop for 20 years, I am going to try to play dumb and try a third dealer. I don't know what else to do. (The elapsed mileage is so low because I was out of town for a year, and the car was stored.)

 

[Joeychgo]

LincolnMotorsport can program chips --

 

[codewize]

This may sound obvious but the other thing that happens is wax or compound gets in the little lenses on the fender. Take a close look at that.

I have never seen the fiber integrated into the wiring plug but my cars are older. They certainly sound like they've done this before.

 

[genechaz]

Cleaning the lenses on the fender was one of the first things I did when I got this car. I was looking for the easy way out I guess. Didn't work. Now I need to wait on mother nature to cooperate with me so I can clean off the other end. Seems like it's got to rain when we get a little warmer weather.

Not sure about the 03 Town Car but I took my Seville to the dealer today to check the timing and to see if they could check the programing on the ECM and BCM to make sure they were at the factory setting. The mechanic left before I got there to pick it up, so all I know is that they did need to adjust the timing. They also said that you can not change the settings on the ECM or BCM. I noticed on the way home that the RPM's are now going down to 575 to 600 at the stop lights. Sure hope the timing adjustment helps my gas millage. I've got it up to 10.5 mps in town now, but I'm still looking to get the estimated 16 mpg, or at least close to it.

I think this car had not been driven in a while before I got it. Maybe I need to keep it away from the shops and just take it out on the highway and run it for a while. Sounds like fun anyway.