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96 Deville Headlights


jndnaps

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The headlights on my 96 Deville aren't too bright anymore. The plastic lenses are still very clear. The sun doesn't get to them all that much. I have the cheap GE Halogen bulbs in it now. I'd like to get a better brighter bulb, but I don't want to have to alter anything. Just looking for something better that's plug in and go. I definitely don't want the blue looking lights. Can anyone recommend anything from experience? I was looking at some on line and saw these Vision X Super white bulbs. They say super white, but they're blue. I really, REALLY, don't want a blue tint to the lights. Anyways, any recommendations?? Thanks!!

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If the lenses are plastic, it is possible they just need to be buffed to remove the haze. That would restore the brightness of the headlights. There are kits available to restore the headlights or you can use a rotary buffer and some fine compound to buff them out. Use tape to mask off the adjacent areas as not to damage any painted surface.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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Have you tried having your headlights adjusted? There are videos on youtube that show how to test if your headlights are properly aimed. If your plasic is like mine, it does not fade, and resists chips, and looks like clear glass. But i agree that the '96 original bulbs could have been brighter. Btw, those hundreds of rectangle bevels in the plastic were a selling point of the car and mentioned specifically in the tv commercials.

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There is a coating on Cadillac plastic headlight covers that keeps them from going hazy. Once gone, the headlight covers will get hazy with time and need to be buffed periodically to maintain the finish. I don't know if there is a product to restore that coating but a good body shop would know. Consumer Reports has an excellent online article on headlight restoration:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/headlight-restoration-kits/buying-guide.htm

But, you say that your headlights have not gotten that hazy look. Use your owner's manual on care for them. Buffing with abrasion will almost certainly remove the protective coating.

If the covers are clear and the headlights are dim, that leaves the reflectors and the bulbs. Again, I would look at your owner's manual on how to clean the reflectors. If the reflectors are clean and shiny, leave them alone. If they are noticeably dusty or dirty, then cleaning them might make a difference. If there is nothing about cleaning the reflectors in the owner's manual, (I'll look in the 1997 FSM if you like) I would suggest microfiber cloth, with a very dilute dishwasher liquid or baby shampoo first wipe, then rinse with a damp microfiber cloth, and if necessary wipe dry with a third dry microfiber cloth.

The OEM bulb type for your car is 9006 low beam, 9005 low beam. These bulbs use a right-angle socket.

I looked at Sylvania's bulb selector for your car and got five alternatives, just to start: halogen bulbs (OEM type, what you have now), extra power halogen, high power halogen with downroad pattern tuning and visibility filter, Xeon, and Xeon extra power. The visibility filter cuts some of the yellow light; this is their Silverstar line of bulbs. I used Silverstar bulbs in my 1997 ETC for most of the 15 years I drove it, and I use Silverstar bulbs in my wife's 1999 Pontiac Grand Am. The filter gives the bulb a light blue appearance in the package but the color of the the light that the bulb gives in operation is white. You should try them before you decide that they are blue.

Amazon gives more alternatives (Sylvania may offer them elsewhere on their web site): a line of Phillips bulbs similar to Sylvania's, LED conversions, and HID conversions. I don't recommend the HID conversions because they require modification of your wiring, including disabling the daylight running light feature, where your high beams are on at 25% power, because HID bulbs must be run at 100%. This means that you have a choice of 100% power HID daylight running lights (possibly illegal), no daylight running lights (not recommended), or use of low beams on all the time (not recommended).

The new LED lights are interesting. They put out more light than standard bulbs and generate less heat in the headlight because they draw less power. They are expensive but I may try them in my wife's car.

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-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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Never had any issues with my 96 headlamps. I actually thought the lenses were glass because they are thick and do not haze. 97+ on the other hand are horrible, glazed, water intrusion, etc...

I would put a good quality set of bulbs and have the alignment checked.

I had minor issue when my air ride was not working right and it was causing the headlights to be too high (rear end sitting a little low)

GM FAN FOREVER

Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile

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I have used these in my 96 Deville, I also thought they were glass.

https://www.sylvania.com/en-us/products/automotive/Pages/silverstar-ultra.aspx

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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Pretty sure that era still used glass headlights.

As for recoating the plastic ones...

You can buff and polish all you want. The problem will come back. The UV coating wears away.

There is a spray that has a UV coating. This stuff works great.

It's a two part coating. You activate it by pressing in the red button on the bottom.

Custom motorcycle gas tanks painters swear by it. Spilled gas does not melt it. Not really a paint..

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Picture shows sanded plastic VUE head lamp prior to spraying....*no polishing before spaying*.

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After spraying. Sanding marks etc all gone..very glossy hard finish.

You can see the fair weather clouds overhead in the internal chrome reflectors.

Product may cloud some while spraying. It clears as it dries.

post-2-0-95223900-1449094996_thumb.jpg

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These are definitely plastic lenses. They look great with no hazing or yellowing at all.. The car is rarely out in the sun without a cover on it. I'm just trying to get some input on the bulbs. I don't want to buy them if they're not brighter. Not sure if they're returnable once opened and I hate returning stuff I get on line. Ends up costing money for nothing. Here's a pic of the car. Still look that clear..

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Have you tried having your headlights adjusted? There are videos on youtube that show how to test if your headlights are properly aimed. If your plasic is like mine, it does not fade, and resists chips, and looks like clear glass. But i agree that the '96 original bulbs could have been brighter. Btw, those hundreds of rectangle bevels in the plastic were a selling point of the car and mentioned specifically in the tv commercials.

Yeah, they're as clear as glass. They look new.. Yes, I checked the adjustment on them and they're pretty much spot on.. I am getting old so it could be the eyes are out of whack too... :blink:

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Hmmm.....the rear housing may be plastic...are you sure the lens is plastic? GM lamps of that era had plastic rears.....but a glass lens.

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After spraying. Sanding marks etc all gone..very glossy hard finish.

You can see the fair weather clouds overhead in the internal chrome reflectors.

Product may cloud some while spraying. It clears as it dries.

Hmmm.....the rear housing may be plastic...are you sure the lens is plastic? GM lamps of that era had plastic rears.....but a glass lens.

Yep, the 96's have plastic lenses. Thanks for the info. In the past, I have wet sanded and buffed lenses that look as bad as the one you posted, but I never used the spray max stuff.

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I do a 3 stage wet sand. ending with 2000 grit, then wipe down with alcohol.

last 3 light coats of uv resistant clearcoat. Saves some money. Lasts awhile

GM FAN FOREVER

Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile

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Have you tried having your headlights adjusted? There are videos on youtube that show how to test if your headlights are properly aimed. If your plasic is like mine, it does not fade, and resists chips, and looks like clear glass. But i agree that the '96 original bulbs could have been brighter. Btw, those hundreds of rectangle bevels in the plastic were a selling point of the car and mentioned specifically in the tv commercials.

Yeah, they're as clear as glass. They look new.. Yes, I checked the adjustment on them and they're pretty much spot on.. I am getting old so it could be the eyes are out of whack too... :blink:

I hear ya!, my eyes are especially bad in the rain at night

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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I never understood how cadillac mastered plastic headlights, and plastic chrome trim in 1996, then starting in 1997, had fogging hazing headlights, and peeling foil chrome trim. Was it a formulation change mandated by the EPA? I think my '96 (manufactured in August 1996), had the non crumbling plastic firewall too. Funny how timing is everything - or buying the end of line car has additional benefits. I migh buy extra headlamps one day, and load them loaded up with LED's. Drilled and individually epoxied in from the back.

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It seems very true that towards the end of a model of car how all the little bugs are worked out and perfected. Then a new model comes along and the little quirks all over.

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I was thinking of this thread today and felt and tapped on the 97 Eldorado headlights, they seem to be glass to me, cold to the touch.

Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1  >>

1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm

How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/

Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year  http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm

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I was also thinking of adding a set of after market fog lights. I think they could mount in that small space below the bumper pretty easy and would look nice.. Just a thought..


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Fog lights are a waste in my opinion. I have them on my STS and my Silverado pickup - both from the factory. They don't do much to improve visibility in the fog over the low beam headlights.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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I never understood how cadillac mastered plastic headlights, and plastic chrome trim in 1996, then starting in 1997, had fogging hazing headlights, and peeling foil chrome trim. Was it a formulation change mandated by the EPA? I think my '96 (manufactured in August 1996), had the non crumbling plastic firewall too. Funny how timing is everything - or buying the end of line car has additional benefits. I migh buy extra headlamps one day, and load them loaded up with LED's. Drilled and individually epoxied in from the back.

My 1997 ETC never had a problem with headlights or chrome. The first four years was in the L.A. area (i.e. lots of sun), I did not park in the garage, but the parking at work was in a high-rise parking garage. I think that the real answer was that I was careful who I let wash the car or detail it - no abrasive cleaners on the headlights or chrome. I had it for almost 15 years.

Fog lights are a waste in my opinion. I have them on my STS and my Silverado pickup - both from the factory. They don't do much to improve visibility in the fog over the low beam headlights.

Export versions use them for daytime running lights because the 3/4 power high beams can be turned off. I never saw an appreciable advantage, other than brighter lighting very close to the car. I had factory running lights (white, not yellow) on my 1990 Pontiac Grand Am GT and on the 1997 ETC.

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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My 1997 ETC never had a problem with headlights or chrome. The first four years was in the L.A. area (i.e. lots of sun), I did not park in the garage, but the parking at work was in a high-rise parking garage. I think that the real answer was that I was careful who I let wash the car or detail it - no abrasive cleaners on the headlights or chrome. I had it for almost 15 years.

Your '97 Eldorado had glass headlight lenses - the Sevilles through '97 had glass headlights also.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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My 1997 ETC never had a problem with headlights or chrome. The first four years was in the L.A. area (i.e. lots of sun), I did not park in the garage, but the parking at work was in a high-rise parking garage. I think that the real answer was that I was careful who I let wash the car or detail it - no abrasive cleaners on the headlights or chrome. I had it for almost 15 years.

Your '97 Eldorado had glass headlight lenses - the Sevilles through '97 had glass headlights also.

You know, I thought that it did. It's been almost two years now and I couldn't remember for sure. But the way everybody was talking on this thread, I was thinking that all of them had polycarbonate lenses. Since the Eldorado didn't change platform, it may have stayed with glass lenses perhaps until the last year, 2002.

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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