So the other day I'm cleaning my engine bay and it's quite dark under my hood in the garage. I'm wondering why.

Then I go to my old '91 GT and notice the engine bay is much easier to see... hmm... ah that's it... a light under the hood!

They have cut quite a few corners on the new Mustang to obviously save money, we all know this and I think for the most part, at least for me, I don't mind THAT much. I would have liked a little thicker carpet in the car and maybe a couple other minor things, but not too much of a big deal.

But no light under the hood! I mean to me this REALLY is not something they should have cut corners on. God forbid you're broken down on the side of a highway at 2 am or so and don't have a flashlight or four hands to hold one and work on the car with your other two.

So if anyone here knows of a relatively easy hood light setup for the Mustang I'd be interested.

UGH! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/nonono.gif[/img]

 

ditto for the lack of a light in the glovebox.

Maybe if they didn't cut so many corners that they wouldn't have to have incentives to move most of the cars

 

There hasn't been a light under the hood since 1998 I believe, if not before then...

 

I noticed that a while back, but didn't think too much of it. That's a really good point though. I always keep a flashlight in the car though. If you get a flat on the side of a dark road, cars surely don't have wheel-well lights. It's a good idea to keep a flashlight in the car just in case. Keep it in the cabin... that way you can use it to look in the glovebox too. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrinjester.gif[/img]

 

Yeah, no under-hood light, no glovebox light and no light anywhere in the middle/rear of the car.

My 92 Explorer has an interior light in each door and two dome lights (front and rear) plus a light each for driver/passenger.

In the Stang you can't see ANYTHING in the backseat.

 

Here you go ladies and gentlemen.

http://forums.bradbarnett.net/index.php?showtopic=41803


[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumb.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(acadian @ March 2, 2006, 11:04 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
I noticed that a while back, but didn't think too much of it. That's a really good point though. I always keep a flashlight in the car though. If you get a flat on the side of a dark road, cars surely don't have wheel-well lights. It's a good idea to keep a flashlight in the car just in case. Keep it in the cabin... that way you can use it to look in the glovebox too. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrinjester.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]


Yeah that's great if you have someone there to hold the light for you but would be a royal pain in the rear if you didn't.

I have a flashlight in my glovebox too, but when I'm cleaning the engine bay I'm not breaking it out and holding it in my mouth.

I would hate to be in a side-of-the-road situation where it's raining and at night and I have to fumble around with a flashlight AND try to fix whatever has gone wrong with the car.

Thanks for the link Milstang... I really want something that is permanent. Those pertain mainly to showcars and so forth. I wonder if the OEM light for the 91 would work?

Anyone have any ideas?

 

Actually it is just a flashlight with a clip. A few ingenious people on the site decided to use for when they show the car. They can easily be used when working on the car as well. The other option is to buy an aftermarket light system to be installed by a professional or yourself. The only thing you have to worry about then is if the car is not getting power. Battery cable popped loose, frayed or grounded out, battery dead, etc.

That is why I like the clip on flashlight idea for repairs. That and they can possibly be clipped onto the wheel well to work on a flat.

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumb.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Shea @ March 2, 2006, 1:09 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
In the Stang you can't see ANYTHING in the backseat.
[/b][/quote]
We have a backseat ? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/04.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Imatk @ March 2, 2006, 5:12 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>

I would hate to be in a side-of-the-road situation where it's raining and at night and I have to fumble around with a flashlight AND try to fix whatever has gone wrong with the car.

[/b][/quote]

Exactly what is under the hood that you could possibly fix anyway? It's not like it is a classic Mustang where you can pull off a part and replace it easily. Just curious as to what you think you could do if you had an underhood light? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OKCMustangGT @ March 2, 2006, 6:09 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
We have a backseat ? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/04.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]
[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lol.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/werd.gif[/img] My dog likes it back there.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(2k5GTC @ March 2, 2006, 6:01 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Exactly what is under the hood that you could possibly fix anyway? It's not like it is a classic Mustang where you can pull off a part and replace it easily. Just curious as to what you think you could do if you had an underhood light? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]


Well let's be serious noone is going to be replacing parts on the side of the road if they break down.

But one could check any of the fluids or make sure none of the plug wires are loose or if the belt happened to slip lose you could possibly put it back on.

I also mentioned the fact that it is quite dark under there when I'm either cleaning the engine bay or doing anything else under the hood, changing the oil, plugs etc. etc. etc.

Does it really matter? If you are happy with not having a light, then well, I guess good for you?

I wondered if anyone knew of an aftermarket solution that I could put under the hood. If you know of one please post it.

This kind of thing continues to puzzle me. I haven't really frequented boards like this until the last year or so and am always amazed at the extent to which people will go to try and "defend" the Mustang. I love the car, but in my opinion there are things that could be improved.

And this particular light omission, in my opinion, is one of those things.

 

they were sooo busy making the car look soooo good they forgot the elements

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Imatk @ March 3, 2006, 12:09 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>

This kind of thing continues to puzzle me. I haven't really frequented boards like this until the last year or so and am always amazed at the extent to which people will go to try and "defend" the Mustang. I love the car, but in my opinion there are things that could be improved.

And this particular light omission, in my opinion, is one of those things.
[/b][/quote]

Not really sure why you think anyone is defending the Mustang. If anything, they would be defending the designers of the new stang... not the car itself. It's not really the car's fault that it doesn't have enough lighting. I think some of us are just trying to figure out ways to live with the lack of light. Sure, I wish Ford had put a light under the hood or in the dash... but I'm not going to spend a bunch of time and money installing aftermarket lights. I just carry a flashlight in case I need it. If I get a flat on the side of the road, I'll set the flashlight down on the ground angled up at the tire... or if necessary hold it between my legs or under my arm. And I personally don't need a light under the hood, but if I did.... those clip lights are pretty cool.

I personally think it's puzzling that some people see a problem and try to figure out a way to fix it or get around it... while others just complain about it. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/headscratch.gif[/img]

 

You know I never even thought about a glovebox light or a engine bay light. All my previous cars have never had them either, with exception to my 92 Mercury GranMarquee (stop laughing.......ok your right it is funny). To be honest I think we all would want more for our money but for me the car could have came with just a seat and a steering wheel inside. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/04.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vistablue mustang @ March 3, 2006, 12:35 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
To be honest I think we all would want more for our money but for me the car could have came with just a seat and a steering wheel inside. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/04.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]

Stop it... now you are just "defending" the Mustang. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrinjester.gif[/img] Seriously though, you make a good point. I mean, when you really like a car, it's easy to overlook some of it's minor problems. Same goes for liking someone of the opposite sex. It's definitely normal to forget about some of your significant other's bad habits when they make up for it in so many other ways. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumb.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(acadian @ March 3, 2006, 10:14 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
I personally think it's puzzling that some people see a problem and try to figure out a way to fix it or get around it... while others just complain about it. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/headscratch.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]

Well I wasn't JUST complaining about it. If you had actually read my original post you would know that.

As for the whole "defending" the Mustang or designers... I mean semantically I guess there's an issue with my wording but really does it matter?

The main reason for the post was to see if anyone knew of an aftermarket solution to the problem. So, as you wrote, I AM trying to figure out a way to fix it.

I don't want to "get around it" because that's simply not a solution in my mind. And what does having a light under the hood have to do with changing a spare tire? I'm really not following the logic here.

So far at least one person has posted some kind of solution. Not the one I wanted but at least he tried.

Your post falls in the same line with what I mentioned about people "defending" the car(Or designers, however you like it.) It doesn't really address my issue, or help, or contribute anything more than you writing about how it doesn't matter to YOU that there isn't a light under the hood. Oh and how I'm complaining I suppose.


So I'll put stars around it this time:

** If you are happy with not having a light under the hood the that's wonderful. Good for you... um YAY? **

** If you are happy or unhappy about not having a light under the hood but you know of an aftermarket solution that is permanent then I would love to hear of one.**

I'm thinking I will just buy an OEM light from maybe my '91 Mustang and try to use something like that.

 

I might be wrong but it seems like underhood lights aren't as common as they used to be. My Tundra doesn't have one either, and it's got lights everywhere else: two overhead sets in the cab, glovebox, driver's side footwell, each door, cargo light--but nope, no engine bay light. Don't think it's a unique oversight for just the Mustang.

 

Yeah I've not owned a car other than my '91 so this is definately new to me.

It seems like it would be one of those things that would always be there. Like floormats or something.

 

I'm weirded out that they still use a hood prop. I mean come on this is a Mustang.. people are likely to be spending hours upon hours under the hood.. Hood lifters aren't that expensive.