Newbie and some questions - naturally...
 

Just joined, 50 plus year old Mustang guy. Bought a 2002 GT and had a few questions.

1. When I added an interior bulb below the headliner, it glows constant and gets very hot. Is this common? I removed it, but would like to have light when I enter at night.

2. Headlights are pointing down too much, I presume this is a simple adjustment to level them. I pushed forward and got no bright, so I presume either a bad blinker/dimmer switch or no bright light bulb working within the headlights. When I pulled back to flash the brights, the lights went OFF, odd.

I realize these are very simple questions to some of you experts, but any help is appreciated!
Richard

1. The interior headlamp bulb on these cars stay lit for a minute or so after the door is shut then it automatically turns off.
2. Head light adjustment is fairly easy...if you open your hood on the top of the headlight assembly you will see a plastic phillips adjustment screw; turning this will adjust the lights up or down.
3. On this model car you have to push your multifunction switch forward for high beams and pulling it back turns them off or you can pull it back to just flash your high beams

probably need new headlight bulbs... sounds like someone blew the high beam filament on one of them.

Make sure you turn the headlight knob counter clockwise. It's a switch for the dome light too.

The dome light bulb gets quite warm. I pulled my central bulb out and now I just use the map light on one side or the other if I need interior light.

Like red said make sure your dimmer switch which is what also turns the parking lights and headlights on is not turned all the way to the left which will make the interior lights stay on. If you turn it right it will dim all the inside lights and turn off the lights inside. You can feel when its all the way to the right as it kinda click into the constant on position.

Wow, thanks for the quick replies!

The interior light stayed ON after I replaced the bulb from Ford, it never went off, door opened or not, and the headlight switch turned to click to on. It is just staying ON. So, I removed it for now. One of the posts I searched on mentioned a PIN in the door hinge that might short the wiring, related to the overhead light. Was not sure what that pin is.

I tried the blinker switch going forward, no brights. Either the bright light filament is out or the blinker switch is bad. It was just inspected before I bought it, so was surprised it passed with no bright lights. Then, when I go back to do a flash of brights, the entire headlights go out temporarily.

Yeah, thats strange.. I would start with the cheaper fixes first i.e. replacement bulbs and checking the pin in the door jamb. But it sounds like electrical issues; possibly in the multifunction switch an/or dimmer switch

I only have rearview mirror lights cause it's a vert, but my lights stayed on and from what I know Ford programmed the lights to automatically shut off after a decent period of time, no matter what.

... these cars have maplights?....

lol... guess i never looked up.

mine does; not sure if they all do?

After all is figured out try getting the HID kit to make your lights brighter. Mustangs are cursed with crappy lighting. The HID kit will greatly improve your visibility at night.

Thanks 02 Silver, yes, the lights are really bad!
Richard

Got answers to all my ailments.

1. Blinker switch is bad, need to replace. Tried a bulb, no help. Blinker switch lever easy to replace???

2. Put the interior bulb back in and it worked!

Thanks