Mirror/Map and Under Hood Light Issue
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 98
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From: Knoxville TN
Mirror/Map and Under Hood Light Issue
Howdy,
I bought a '01 C5 about a month ago. The previous owner had been ill and passed away so the car sat for a bit. There are a few minor issues I've been working through. I have one I'd like to see if you all could help me with as they could be related.
When I open the door or unlock the car, the map lights flash. They will not turn on/off from the buttons. Fuses are good, vanity mirror lights in the visors work too. All other interior lights operate as they should.
Under the hood, the light doesn't work. As I understand, this is on the same circuit as the map and vanity lights. Under the hood, I'm getting 12V at the disconnect from the car and the bulb looks fine. Upon further inspection I have found that one of the two male prongs at the disconnect (from the car side, not the light side) is broken.
So, three questions:
1) Are these issues related? My gut is that they aren't but I wanted to ask.
2) If not, where should I go next on the mirror/map lights?
3) Is there a simple way to replace the male plug mentioned above?
Thanks all.
I bought a '01 C5 about a month ago. The previous owner had been ill and passed away so the car sat for a bit. There are a few minor issues I've been working through. I have one I'd like to see if you all could help me with as they could be related.
When I open the door or unlock the car, the map lights flash. They will not turn on/off from the buttons. Fuses are good, vanity mirror lights in the visors work too. All other interior lights operate as they should.
Under the hood, the light doesn't work. As I understand, this is on the same circuit as the map and vanity lights. Under the hood, I'm getting 12V at the disconnect from the car and the bulb looks fine. Upon further inspection I have found that one of the two male prongs at the disconnect (from the car side, not the light side) is broken.
So, three questions:
1) Are these issues related? My gut is that they aren't but I wanted to ask.
2) If not, where should I go next on the mirror/map lights?
3) Is there a simple way to replace the male plug mentioned above?
Thanks all.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 98
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From: Knoxville TN
8Vette7 - thank you for the thoughtful and thorough reply - very helpful.
I'll run out to the parts store later today to see if I can find the plug, good suggestion.
RE: mirror - I pulled the plug as you suggested and was not getting voltage. I suspect I am doing something incorrectly as when I touch the plugs to the contacts on the mirror I get the flashing I described earlier - so power is getting there. As the auto dimming function didn't seem to work the other morning, I am beginning to suspect I have a faulty mirror. I went ahead and chased the wiring across the top of the windshield and down the A pillar and saw nothing out of the ordinary. So the mirror itself seems like the next most likely culprit at this point unless you can think of anything else.
Thx again.
I'll run out to the parts store later today to see if I can find the plug, good suggestion.
RE: mirror - I pulled the plug as you suggested and was not getting voltage. I suspect I am doing something incorrectly as when I touch the plugs to the contacts on the mirror I get the flashing I described earlier - so power is getting there. As the auto dimming function didn't seem to work the other morning, I am beginning to suspect I have a faulty mirror. I went ahead and chased the wiring across the top of the windshield and down the A pillar and saw nothing out of the ordinary. So the mirror itself seems like the next most likely culprit at this point unless you can think of anything else.
Thx again.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 98
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From: Knoxville TN
Thanks again for your help.
I have power from the orange to the black - 12 volts- after I realized I shouldn't be sticking my meter in the pin holes but directly on the pins on the underside of the plug. I am also finding 12 volts between the brown and back with the key in the on position. Fuse #21 is good. Lastly, I did note that the green light on the mirror is on and I can turn that on and off.
So does that point the finger at the lights themselves - or the switches?
I have power from the orange to the black - 12 volts- after I realized I shouldn't be sticking my meter in the pin holes but directly on the pins on the underside of the plug. I am also finding 12 volts between the brown and back with the key in the on position. Fuse #21 is good. Lastly, I did note that the green light on the mirror is on and I can turn that on and off.
So does that point the finger at the lights themselves - or the switches?
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 235
From: North Carolina
Do you know if any of the visor mirror, rearview mirror, and underhood lights have been replaced with LED's or are they all still halogen? I've had all these lights stay lit (mirror lights will go dim but not off) when they have been upgraded to LED's.
They stayed lit because the 10 minute time out circuit isn't seeing the proper load resistance and cutting the lamps off. I had to wire in a very small halogen bulb into the underhood light circuit to get all three (4 including the glove box) to function properly.
They stayed lit because the 10 minute time out circuit isn't seeing the proper load resistance and cutting the lamps off. I had to wire in a very small halogen bulb into the underhood light circuit to get all three (4 including the glove box) to function properly.
Last edited by MAC5; Jun 24, 2017 at 04:36 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 98
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From: Knoxville TN
Thanks MAC5 - they are all still halogen as far as I can tell. I did replace the visors the other week but this was an issue before then and having removed the lenses on the new visor/vanity lights, those are still halogen.
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 98
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From: Knoxville TN
Thanks 8VETTE7. Mine seems to be operating the same as yours less the map lights, which continue to flicker. I do have have any LEDs as I mentioned to MAC5. So, it sounds like we've narrowed it to the electronics in the mirror as you have suggested. Looks like I'm on the hunt for a new mirror now.
Greatly appreciate your help!
Greatly appreciate your help!
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 98
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From: Knoxville TN
Howdy all,
Just as a follow up, I did locate a new mirror - used but same type and even from the same year. I plugged it up before mounting it and sure enough, everything worked. It's on the car now, so I'm whole again.
Thanks again for the assist. Cheers!
Just as a follow up, I did locate a new mirror - used but same type and even from the same year. I plugged it up before mounting it and sure enough, everything worked. It's on the car now, so I'm whole again.
Thanks again for the assist. Cheers!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,294
Likes: 482
From: Brea CA
Bad LEDs in original mirror
99% sure the LEDs in the map lights are bad in your original mirror.
FYI, all auto dimming mirrors have 12 LEDs in them 6 on each side. It is a combination of Green and Orange LEDs from the factory. These can easily be replaced with just about any color LED you want.
Gary
FYI, all auto dimming mirrors have 12 LEDs in them 6 on each side. It is a combination of Green and Orange LEDs from the factory. These can easily be replaced with just about any color LED you want.
Gary
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