1994 cutlass convertible

[dkas]

Hi There, the headlights on my car suck. I cannot see at night with them, so I decided to buy some nighthawks to see if that would improve them. I get home go to put them in and it appears they are a sealed beam headlight? So why do they have replacement bulbs available and how to heck to you get your lights so you can see at night. Honestly they are so awful I can met cars with my high beams on and offend no one. I have had them professional aimed twice and they still suck. My high beams are more light low beams

[rich_e777]

You can replace just the bulbs in the mini-quads(what we call them here) You've got to !CARFULLY! take a flat head screwdriver and pry with a twisting of the wrist between the black plastic cap and the FRAGILE glass housing. When you here it starting to crack move to another spot until you've gone all the way around and then with your hand or a pair of vice grips with some kind of a cushion, grip and twist the end of the bulb out. All you have to do is break the seal between the bulb and glass housing. Then when putting in the new bulb get some plumbers tape, or universal O-ring gaskets (only sticks to itself and its cheap) and go around the bulb a few times, enough so you can press it in the housing and its enough to hold the bulb with connection stable. Also you can replace those tiny little foglights with some after market ones that a few here have done.

[Schurkey]

Lenses brown from UV rays degrading the plastic?

 

WHAT IS THE VOLTAGE AT THE HEADLIGHT CONNECTOR when the lights are LIT? (NOT the voltage with the bulb unplugged.)

 

Degraded plastic lenses and piss-poor voltage due to defective wiring/connections is the likely cause of your problems. Next up would be to have them aimed properly. If the springs front or rear sag (common as dirt) the light won't be pointed where it needs to be.

 

ALL of that should be taken care of BEFORE you install some Communist Chinese Super-Ultra-Bright aftermarket junk headlight bulbs.

Edited July 1, 2013 by Schurkey

[mchill07]

I bought an HID kit on ebay and specially fit them. there is a youtube vid showing how.

[Darrenz]

Lenses brown from UV rays degrading the plastic?

 

WHAT IS THE VOLTAGE AT THE HEADLIGHT CONNECTOR when the lights are LIT? (NOT the voltage with the bulb unplugged.)

 

Degraded plastic lenses and piss-poor voltage due to defective wiring/connections is the likely cause of your problems. Next up would be to have them aimed properly. If the springs front or rear sag (common as dirt) the light won't be pointed where it needs to be.

 

ALL of that should be taken care of BEFORE you install some Communist Chinese Super-Ultra-Bright aftermarket junk headlight bulbs.

 

Good comment on Bulbs, I had a Trans Am with cheap bulbs, I thought the wiring was shot. I replaced all of them ,about 25 buck from the dealer. They worked after that. I have 1994 Cutlass Suprme Convertible with eveything working. proper bulbs?

[dkas]

Good point about the wiring. I will check that. The lights are aimed fine, I had the garage do them a couple times just to make sure and when placed beside another car they aim in the same. I think we have compensated for any sag or age issues. The lights that are in it are factory sealed beams and they are glass, so there is no fogging of any kind. I think the problem is likely more me than anything. Back in 1994 these lights were likely really good, but by today's standards they are awful. I would just like them to light up like my 2006 Malibu lights...those are really good!

[rich_e777]

You don't need a shop to align headlights, 10 minutes , a torx bit(t25 or t30 iirc) and a wall. All mini-quad equipped CS(and GP`s I think) have built in level gauges. Use Goof Off on the glass and for the plastic stuff I just wet sanded with a few different grits and then finished with rubbing compound and clearcoat. As for the springs there is only one per light and are brittle as hell when they get old and there are also little clips on the inside of the metal bezel that holds the light in place and if those are bent or missing will also throw your alignment off.

[19Cutlass94]

Ive tried everything except HID bulbs, and I no longer drive the car at night. Then again I havent driven the car in over a yr

 

These are hands down the worst headlight design ever made ( in terms of light output ) IMHO

[Schurkey]

Ive tried everything except HID bulbs, and I no longer drive the car at night. Then again I havent driven the car in over a yr

 

These are hands down the worst headlight design ever made ( in terms of light output ) IMHO

There is something seriously wrong with your vehicle.

 

You have no idea how wonderful those headlights are when working PROPERLY.

[19Cutlass94]

The lights have always been horrible in my car, and Ive always hated driving it at night. The high beams in my car are worse than the low beams in my truck. If its raining at night, I can turn the lights on and off, and dont notice a difference.

[GnatGoSplat]

Miniquads have always been shit for lighting, even when they came out. Most are made of glass (mine all were) so yellowing plastic is not the problem. They are just way too small for reflector housings.

 

I put cheap-ass Chinese HIDs in mine. Big improvement, and the lights are too small to blind anybody.