C5 underhood light inop.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: North Las Vegas NV
C5 underhood light inop.
The bulb is OK, it lights when connected across the batt. which indicated 12.6 V on my digital voltmeter. With my digital voltmeter I read 10.3 V at the bulb socket in the hood but it seems to be not enough to light the bulb. Where might this lower voltage be comming from? Is there a fuse in this circuit? Is there a hood open switch somewhere? Everything else electrical in the car works fine. Thanks.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
From: Round Rock Texas
Cruise-In IX Veteran
The bulb is OK, it lights when connected across the batt. which indicated 12.6 V on my digital voltmeter. With my digital voltmeter I read 10.3 V at the bulb socket in the hood but it seems to be not enough to light the bulb. Where might this lower voltage be comming from? Is there a fuse in this circuit? Is there a hood open switch somewhere? Everything else electrical in the car works fine. Thanks.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,421
Likes: 1,146
From: Dyer, IN
That's half the equation...........what about resistance to ground?
Last edited by lucky131969; Apr 5, 2011 at 07:46 PM.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 545
Likes: 4
From: Calgary Alberta
Look behind the right hand headlight assembly you should see ground point G102 with a splice pack, SP100. There should be about 10 wires in the ground splice connector. Remove the bolt, clean and resecure tightening it properly. Check and see if the voltage to your lamp improves. Also check the connector for the lamp lower right front of the hood. Check the voltages here if they are significantly higher then the lamp socket you may need a new fixture.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 541
Likes: 38
From: Temecula CA
Another possibility is the connector where the light wiring plugs into the harness. My light quit working for a couple of years. When I put in my Vararam, I had to unplug the connector and when I put it back, my light began working again.Might be worth a try.
Phil
Phil
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 545
Likes: 4
From: Calgary Alberta
What can I say, I'm a technician and I always assume when people call upon me they really have a problem. I expect they have checked the obvious things. You have no idea how often that bites me in the ***. The ON/OFF switch is a real challenge for some!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
I wouldn't worry about it...I've got a better one. My underhood light has not worked even once since Oct. '98 when I bought the '99 brand new. Its plugged in and the fuse is good. I've never taken the time to find the cause in all these years. Guess I need to get off the posterior end of my anatomy and do something about it!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,649
Likes: 50
From: Goldsboro NC
I wouldn't worry about it...I've got a better one. My underhood light has not worked even once since Oct. '98 when I bought the '99 brand new. Its plugged in and the fuse is good. I've never taken the time to find the cause in all these years. Guess I need to get off the posterior end of my anatomy and do something about it!
same boat. Had mine 3 years and havent taken the time....or really much cared. Any work done under the hood is in a garage or bright daylight anyway.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Sierra Vista AZ
The connector was simply located in a terrible place (next to the right headlight). It sits upright, so fills with water easily. The upward-pointing contacts inside of mine were corroded away completely.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,085
Likes: 3
From: Ottawa Ontario, Canada
^ Same here, but with mine the connector was not pushed together completely. I don't know if this was tinkered with at a dealership before I bought the car or if it came that way from the factory. Mine's an '02 and I've owned it since '04, the light has never worked.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Houston TX
Repair
One of the 2 wire prongs in the connector coming from the underhood light was corroded away. I took two 1/2" paperclip pieces and inserted them into the male connector. I vacuumed the corrosion material out of the connector. Fixed and has not worked for years.
