Mercury Villager Light Bar

Hope this is the right NG for this question. I've got a '93 Villager, and recently went over the electrical system looking for something else, and found there's only one light still working on the "light bar". It's no big deal, as it's not a safety issue or anything, but I'd like to get them working. I removed one (burned out) light, but can't figure out how to replace it. Is it possible to replace individual lights, or do you have to replace the entire light bar?

Reply to
<slatin
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Reply to
Thomas Moats

Thomas --

The bulb comes out using the twist and pull approach. It's hard to reach, though, and the wiring is subsequently attached to a wiring pack that threads down and is difficult to follow. Also, what remains of the bulb I pulled out lacks a glass bulb -- it's the base and the damaged filament supports.

If it isn't meant to be replaced at all, then there's no point my driving myself crazy trying to go through the complete process of removal. Maybe it's not a replaceable part. That's what I'm hoping to find out.

Regards -- S Slatin

Reply to
<slatin

Posted 12/23/06 "If you removed it, why cant you replace it? Yes you should be able to replace the individual bulbs, you most likely have to remove the light bar to get to them though. That is if the light bar you are talking about is in the front between the headlamps?"

Which is why I said you may need to remove the light bar.

To get the correct number for the bulbs, ask your friendly neighbor hood dealership, call NAPA, or any other reputable parts store.

Why would it not be meant to be replaced? You have already removed one bulb/socket. If the socket is damaged, replace it as well. Both can be replaced.

Reply to
Thomas Moats

Thomas --

I appreciate your thoughts and suggestions, but neither dealer nor NAPA store have been able to give me anything except a price quote for the entire bar.

I was just hoping that someone might have dealt with this problem before and been in a position to answer with certainty either that you can or you cannot replace a single bulb in the assembly. So far it seems no one knows -- perhaps it just isn't worth the effort to get into.

Best wishes for the new year.

Reply to
<slatin

"Why would it not be meant to be replaced? You have already removed one bulb/socket. If the socket is damaged, replace it as well. Both can be replaced."

As I said both can be replaced.

Reply to
Thomas Moats

Good question. Perhaps you could ask a dealer, or a NAPA technician. I am just an owner of a vehicle, and I cannot speak for corporate America (or Japan). In any event, neither seem able to sell a replacement bulb, at least using the identification I have been able to provide.

If they can be purchased! But not if you cannot buy one! (Perhaps only the entire light bar is for sale.)

If they are available for sale! But not if they are not available for sale!

Reply to
<slatin

I've worked most of my adult years at Ford Lincoln, Mercury dealerships. The bulbs are replaceable as the sockets.

NAPA parts people are not "technicians", I know that will upset some people, but the truth sometime hurts.

Have you taken the actual bulb and socket to a parts counter? There may not be an actual "parts" listing for the bulb, but I'll bet you my next pay check it is an industry standard bulb. The socket even though part of the harness is also industry standard. The problem is really you, in that you are not "thinking out of the box". Think about this, why would a manufacturer make a "special" bulb and socket for a single vehicle in a small market? They would not! It's been a long time but I'll bet the bulb is in the order of a 194 bulb and a socket with four square tabs.

They are . Take out the bulb, remove the socket from the harness ( leaving enough wire to re-splice to the harness ). Take them with you.

Reply to
Thomas Moats

this is gettng to be a can of worms..... hey: just dont say anyting about the light bar... take one bulb out and go to any parts store and dont say a word about light bars or anything.. show them the bulb and tell them you want(how many are either missing or burned out of the light bar)... replace the new ones where the burned out ones are located and you have it fixed... and if you ask them about the light bar then you gonna get them confused and they gonna get you confused and then you gonna be back asking the same question all over again.... hope this helps.\

Reply to
jim

If so, I'm sure you can provide me with the relevant part number. Would you be so kind as to do this so I can take the part number to the dealership and get a replacement?

Reply to
<slatin

Without looking at it, it is possible the bulbs/sockets might NOT be available at the dealer or an auto parts store. BUT, you can bet your butt that they will be able to get one or however many you need at an electronics store.(a real store, not radio shack) How much $ is the bar? How many lights are burned out? It seams it would be price affective to get just the bulbs. Your best bet is probably to remove the bar so you can see what you are doing when you remove the bulb(s). You might even get to do some soldering too. :)GL

Reply to
Scott M

No I'm not sure of the part number as I've already said. I am betting it is a

Reply to
Thomas Moats

Head over to

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; click on Change Vehicle in the upper left, and enter the info for your Villager. Then under replacement parts for Vision & Safety, keep working down to headlights and bulbs. I found a listing for the Center Grille Light. Hope you are sitting down, they are not cheap! I have two of those bulbs in my old '88 Mercury Sable in it's light bar, and I've changed them over the years. As I recall, I did have to obtain replacement sockets at one time; I think they came from the dealer.

As others have suggested, you probably want to remove the light bar to gain access to the wiring and the sockets. That's what I've done in the past with my Sable when I've changed it's lights.

One other thing - those light bar lamps are halogen type bulbs; if you do replace them, be sure NOT to touch the glass with your fingers. The oil from your hands will cause the bulb to fail. Read the notices on the replacement bulb package on how to handle the bulb.

Hope this helps. Bob.

Reply to
Bob

Hey Bob, good post. I was sure they were 194 bulbs, they will work in a 2040 socket which is what is called for. The 194 will not be as bright but will out last the 2040 by a large factor and is much easer on the sockets.

Reply to
Thomas Moats

Bob --

Many thanks. I'd not looked at the NAPA site; I thought my local guys would have know how to get info from it. I have halogen bulbs all over my house, and have no problem working with them.

I'm fully prepared to pull the light bar; I just didn't want to do it not knowing whether I could subsequently get a replacement for the bulb. (The burnt out bulb was damaged & had no markings on it; I couldn't get a replacement in advance of starting disassembly without knowing what to ask for, etc. etc.)

Any yes, they are more expensive than they "ought" to be, but at least if I can buy a few I can get the bar lit up again. Don't know why the Mercury dealer couldn't sell me the part; it may be that FoMoCo is only selling the entire light bar assembly to reduce on-hand inventory and jack up profits.

In general I've got nothing but praise for the car -- it's 11 yrs old, has

98,000 mi on the clock, and the most expensive work put into it has been a new exhaust system, new tires, and a water pump/timing belt that was just a scheduled maintenance item. If the new Mercury van is close to as reliable, I'll consider it when replacement time comes.

Thanks again for your help. -- Steve S.

Reply to
<slatin

Jim, Scott --

Thanks for your helpful replies. I've got a lead on the part number now, so as soon as there's a warm afternoon I can start to disassemble the van ... Steve S.

Reply to
<slatin

Thomas --

I'm sorry for the tone of my last post. I didn't want to start disassembling my vehicle with no certainty that a replacement part is available. The fact that you believe one is available is of little comfort -- if you, a professional parts man, can't find out what the part # is, what chance do I, a casual weekend fixer-upper have? Almost none. And the fact that you, a professional parts man, could rig up some way of making a (maybe non-standard) replacement part work doesn't mean that I could do it right the first time. And when people who aren't 100% sure do things, some times they make mistakes -- and then something comes loose, and with modern wiring and hot halogen bulbs and plastic light bars you can have an unexpected fire.

That being the case, I don't want to start disassembling the light bar from the vehicle, "on speculation" that the right part will be available. I want to do it only if I can be sure.

And as far as why I don't look on the bulb to get the part number ... look back in our exchange a few messages, and you'll see that what remains of the bulb I pulled out lacks a glass bulb -- it's the base and the damaged filament supports. Hence no glass to have a product mumber/part number on.

Like quite a few people who work casually on the 'lightweight' parts of their vehicles, I have only a Haynes manual for the car. I do not have a shop manual. I live in a rural area, and the local library doesn't have one either. When my Ford/Mercury dealership can't get a part for me, and the NAPA store doesn't know what to look for, UseNet is my last hope.

Sincerely -- Steve S.

Reply to
<slatin

I never said I was a parts person. I don't know the parts numbers because I fix the cars.

If you go about how you did this, your correct.

No, just melted plastic. No need to be dramatic. Your not as inept as your trying to make your self sound are you?

Which is why you take off the light bar. As you found out, the parts people may not be able to help you in all cases when you say I need a part from a X manufacture B model. When you have the complete part on the parts counter, there is no question as to what you are asking for. It's done all the time. Many times it is the only way to get a correct part.

Again that is why I said to take off the light bar, I knew you only got to one and it was broken. The first post I sent I said "you most likely have to remove the light bar to get to them though." I know how difficult it is to get at the bulbs. With extra long needle nose pliers you can get them out, but I also know you most likely do not have that tool. The easiest and most logical path? Remove the light bar. A few fasteners and it's off, no more than a few minutes. Quite less than the time you spent saying "there is a lion in the street!" so I can't.

That's rather short sighted.

Reply to
Thomas Moats

Reply to
Thomas Moats

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