Light under hood 97 Lesabre (schematic needed)

[LeSabre97mint]

Hello

Anyone out there with a wire schematic for a 97 Lesabre? I need to find out what powers the light under the hood. I traced the wires and they go in to a harness by the fire wall on the drives side.

Thank you

Dan

[kok328]

If your wondering why the light under the hood doesn't work when you open the hood, GM changed this awhile back to where you have to have your parking lights at a minimum (works on headlight setting too) on in order for the under hood light to come on.

[LeSabre97mint]

Originally Posted by kok328

If your wondering why the light under the hood doesn't work when you open the hood, GM changed this awhile back to where you have to have your parking lights at a minimum (works on headlight setting too) on in order for the under hood light to come on.

Kok328

Thank you for your reply! Yes I was wondering why my light wasn't working. I think I'll be doing a bit of rewiring! I want my light to come on when I open the hood.

Dan

[kok328]

"I want my light to come on when I open the hood."

I couldn't agree more. This is ranks among some of the more stupid things that GM does. Does anyone have a sound reason why GM did this?

My logic is that if I'm in a situation (broke down) where I don't have any other means of getting useful lighting into the engine compartment, the last thing I need is a dead battery.

[HotZ28]

You could get an old under hood light assembly that has the mercury switch built in and wire it to the fuse panel, or you could wire the existing unit into a switch activated when the hood is popped up similar to the ones used for the alarm systems. Either way, be sure it is fused.

[imidazol97]

Originally Posted by kok328

[b]
My logic is that if I'm in a situation (broke down) where I don't have any other means of getting useful lighting into the engine compartment, the last thing I need is a dead battery.

If your battery is dead the mercury switch light will not work. If your battery is dead the regular light that's wired with the parking lights won't work.

?????

If your battery is good, your mercury switch light works.
If your battery is good, the parking light wired underhood light works.


If you have a mercury switch problem, your underhood light can drain your battery (unless it's wired through the automatic power control and turns off after ten minutes).

The regular light cannot drain your battery.

I have had mercury switched items stay on due to parking car at an angle, either on hills or on steeply crowned residential parking.

[kok328]

imidazol97,

What I'm saying is that if I break down and have to run my parking lights to get the under the hood light to come on, I run the chance of killing my battery.

Imagine this, your broke down, you have to run your parking lights to get lighting under the hood. If you manage to find and fix the problem, when you go to start the vehicle, the battery may not have enough charge to start the vehicle due to having to run the parking lights versus just one under the hood light.

[imidazol97]

[quote=kok328]imidazol97,

What I'm saying is that if I break down and have to run my parking lights to get the under the hood light to come on, I run the chance of killing my battery.
QUOTE]

I _see_ your point.

Seriously you might check into a light that would be brighter and on a cord so you can get it to where you need light. A separate light.

[effenfish]

Originally Posted by kok328

If your wondering why the light under the hood doesn't work when you open the hood, GM changed this awhile back to where you have to have your parking lights at a minimum (works on headlight setting too) on in order for the under hood light to come on.

Thanks! I was wondering why it wouldn't light too. Good thing I'm too lazy to try to fix it, now I don't have to!

[LeSabre97mint]

Originally Posted by kok328

If your wondering why the light under the hood doesn't work when you open the hood, GM changed this awhile back to where you have to have your parking lights at a minimum (works on headlight setting too) on in order for the under hood light to come on.

Last night I noticed that the trunk light comes on when the the lid is opened! Go figure!

Dan