Glove Box Light Help

hammer008 · July 16, 2004

First off...great site...saved me hundreds of dollars already. :D

To make my 1996 Lexus ES300 perfect, I need to get the glove box light to work.

I changed the light bulb to no avail. In fact the original light buld did not seem rusty or gone out.

Could it be the switch when you open the glove box? Don't think it is the fuse since other lights controlled by that fuse work.\

Any help appreciated.

PS. Are the headlights on lexus supposed to be frosted?? Or is it dirty from condensatio?

ham

amf1932 · July 16, 2004

It could be the switch due to oxidation of the internal contacts. Make sure that you're getting 12V to the switch using a voltmeter. Also check the bulb contacts. Finally, check the bulb(s) with an ohmmeter to make sure the filaments show continuity.

gbhrps · July 17, 2004

amf1934 is right on the money with the solution to your glove box light problem. As far as the headlights are concerned, you need to determine if the haze is on the outside of the headlight lens (crazed plastic) or on the inside in the form of water droplets (moisture). If its on the outside, you can polish the lenses by hand or with a buffing wheel and a rubbing compound/polish from an auto parts store. Just tell them what you want to use it on and they can get you what is needed. Barring that, use Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and you can't get into trouble, but it will take longer to bring the lens up since its abrasive isn't as agressive as most rubbing compounds. I don't know for certain, but if there is moisture on the inside of the lens, by removing the headlight bulbs from the socket, you may be able to fish inside the headlight with some sort of absorbant material on the end of a pencil, to get the most of it, and then use a hair dryer to evaporate the rest. Good luck.

hammer008 · July 17, 2004

It could be the switch due to oxidation of the internal contacts. Make sure that you're getting 12V to the switch using a voltmeter. Also check the bulb contacts. Finally, check the bulb(s) with an ohmmeter to make sure the filaments show continuity.

Thanks for the input guys,

Seems I am getting zero current so it looks like the switch is rusted/gone out. How does one access the switch...I will search for opening the glove box...

SKperformance · July 17, 2004

umm hammer do you know the headlights have to be on before the glove lights up ?

amf1932 · July 17, 2004

SK has a good point.......I forgot that the lights have to be on before the glove compartment light will work. :rolleyes:

hammer008 · July 17, 2004

umm hammer do you know the headlights have to be on before the glove lights up ?

Opps, very stupid of me. Here I am at 2am running out to the parking lot and testing the glove box...headlights + glove box light=hurray! :P

I never thought that the headlights had to be on since my glove box is dark even during the day.

Thanks guys for the heads up.

P.S. I was slimed today fixing my fog lamp. A stone put a hole in the lamp and the water buildup over time totally dissolved all metal things in the lamp making a brownish red slime. When I was taking it out some fell on my face...yuk! Put some silicon sealer paste and a new light bulb and viola!...good as new.