Fog lamp issue, # 886 bulb

[Tom B]

This 2002 Eldorado uses # 886 fog lamps. These are not listed in the owner's manual, but are listed on charts at auto parts suppliers. When one burned out, I replaced it. It lasted about 2 months before burning out again.

When I installed this replacement bulb, I found # 886 is easily bent on its wire mount. I suspect this may have something to do with it not lasting as long as expected. I did straighten it as best I could.

I'm looking for info on the procedures to replace a # 886 correctly, without bending the wires. I suspect that's the reason it is not discussed in the owner's manual. The location is difficult to reach, unlike some of the other lamps on the car.

Also, since only one bulb has burned out, and the other is original from 2002, is it advisable to replace both at the same time?

These lamps are available at various prices. Some are described as "foreign." Is there really any difference from one brand or price to another? Thanks.

[Cadillac Jim]

I found a picture of the 886 bulb online, and it is an exposed shell Xeon bulb like the headlight bulbs. These bulbs should be handled using cloth gloves because any trace of a fingerprint or grease on the bulb will shorten its life. You would have to use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner to get the fingerprint off well enough to get your bulb life.

I have found that Pep Boys offers an excellent selection of bulbs, although I haven't looked for the 886. This bulb is hard to find. Sylvania doesn't have one on their web site, so they don't make one right now. This tells me that there isn't much of a market for this bulb, almost certainly because it rarely goes out. If it is sold in the US as a replacement bulb to OEM standards by a reputable store like Wall-Mart or Pep Boys, it should be OK.

I have a 1997 Eldorado and checked; it uses the 886 in the driving/fog lights too. One of mine are still original after 12 years; the other was knocked out by a piece of re-bar sticking up out of a tire stop in a parking lot about three years ago. I replaced just the one and checked the "look" of the running lights at night, and didn't see a noticeable difference so I left the other one alone.

[Bill K]

885 &/or 886 (straight or angled base) are 50 watt bulbs. Your car came with 899 or 893 type 35 watt bulbs. My guess is that the additional heat created by the higher wattage shortened the bulb life.

I replaced my bulbs with the 50 watt type a couple of years ago and at that time drilled a small hole in the bottom rear of the lamp to vent the heat. I also adjusted the lamps to the correct beam height. Have not had a problem.

If you dont have HID I would strongly suggest upgrading to the 50 watt bulbs. If you have HID dont bother as the additional light output wont be noticed much.

[Tom B]

885 &/or 886 (straight or angled base) are 50 watt bulbs. Your car came with 899 or 893 type 35 watt bulbs. My guess is that the additional heat created by the higher wattage shortened the bulb life.

I got the part no. 886 from an electronic directory at a Wal-Mart. If the original bulb is actually an 899 or 893 35 watt, instead, it seems I should look for those numbers as well. I understand a "foreign made" 886 is now available at a reasonable price.

Have not had a problem. If you dont have HID I would strongly suggest upgrading to the 50 watt bulbs. If you have HID dont bother as the additional light output wont be noticed much.

HID?

[Cadillac Jim]

HID = High Intensity Discharge, basically an arc light with an ignitor like a fluorescent light, or a mercury or sodium street light. You can recognize them as having flashlight-looking headlight bulbs, often that flaunted as part of the front end styling. They control light better to avoid blinding oncoming traffic and are allowed more light output. You can recognize them in oncoming traffic by their very small, very bright blue-white headlights, usually only on high beams. Low beams are usually quartz Xenon, which is the standard type of headlights these days, and also our running/fog lights. HID is slowing becoming the standard type of high beam, and is creeping into the low beam headlights for some cars. Cadillac has been using them for some years now on high beam.

LED lighting is starting to replace HID lighting in other applications because very bright blue-white LEDs are becoming available that can, in clusters, put out comparable amounts of light. Look for that for the future. Red LEDs have already become the standard for taillights and stoplights.

According to Sylvania's automotive lighting replacement guide,

http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/A...ide/default.htm

the replacement bulb for the 2002 Eldorado running lights is the 886. The same guide gives the 886 as the replacement bulb for the running lights on my 1997 Eldorado. The 35 Watt bulb may be used on other Cadillacs but I believe that the right bulb for all 1992 and later Eldorados is the 886.

[Texas Jim]

My 2006 has HID headlights for both low and high beam.

It only has one bulb for both low and high beam.

It uses a movable shield/eyebrow thingy on the bulb to change from low beam to high beam.

Love the light output, but hope I never have to replace a bulb.

They are over $200 bucks EACH at the dealer.

(Yeah...I know... I can get them cheaper online)

[Cadillac Jim]

I believe that the HID bulbs have a much longer life than quartz-Xenon bulbs. I was looking at converting my 1997 Eldorado but the daytime headlights are 3/4 power high beam, which won't work with HID. The alternatives are to disable the daytime headlights (which reduce your accident rate by 75%), run the HID lights at full power in the daytime (which reduces their life by putting all those daytime hours on them), or disabling the OEM system entirely and doing something else (which likely would get you in a chess match with the PCM or PZM or something). I ended up switching to SilverLight headlamp bulbs instead.

[Texas Jim]

I believe that the HID bulbs have a much longer life than quartz-Xenon bulbs. I was looking at converting my 1997 Eldorado but the daytime headlights are 3/4 power high beam, which won't work with HID. The alternatives are to disable the daytime headlights (which reduce your accident rate by 75%), run the HID lights at full power in the daytime (which reduces their life by putting all those daytime hours on them), or disabling the OEM system entirely and doing something else (which likely would get you in a chess match with the PCM or PZM or something). I ended up switching to SilverLight headlamp bulbs instead.

That was probably a smart move.

Then you don't have to fight the computers.

[Cadillac Jim]

Texas Jim -- Due to my experience in industry, I have a very clear perspective that to mess with an existing embedded processor, you need this information:

• What are the requirements of the processor? This is a description of what it does.
• The ICD (Interface Control Document) describes all the inputs and outputs, including CAN bus Class 2 protocol electrical and data description and specifications.
• You must replace the processor to achieve any change. Thus you need something with the same pinouts as the program storage, which is usually the processor itself in modern embedded processors. You need software, new or existing, that preforms all the existing functions, and you need to add or delete functions to that software to achieve your changes.

Since the RFA and OnStar data are on the CAN Class 2 bus, the ICD can't be complete in that pass-through or ignored messages that do things like read the PCM codes or lat-long-altitude from the OnStar GPS, door lock and other signals from the RFA, aren't going to be there, and that's OK. But you need to know what data in is necessary for existing and new functions, and what data out supports existing and new functions.

On another level, the whole car is designed as a system. If you modify one of the modules, there will likely be a ripple effect on the functioning of the other modules. For example, new functions that slow down the software slightly can slow down a complete system of functions, and a bus with high traffic can suffer slower communications or dropped messages.

Can-o-worms, and GM data is tightly held for obvious vehicle security reasons. I'll pass, just give me the SilverLight bulbs, please.

[Tom B]

Thanks for this info. I found a Sylvania 886 at a Pep Boy's. Now the challenge is to install it in its difficult-to-reach location without touching the lamp. Any suggestions? (That appears to be the problem with the first lamp I replaced. It is difficult to reach the location with the car parked on a level surface like I have in my garage. The lamp manufacurer did not have sufficient instructions to users not to touch the glass bulb during installation. Instead it says "See vehicle owner's manual..." etc.)

I took photos of the lamp I purchased, front and back, and have them on my server. Click here:

886-front

886-back

HID = High Intensity Discharge, basically an arc light with an ignitor like a fluorescent light, or a mercury or sodium street light. You can recognize them as having flashlight-looking headlight bulbs, often that flaunted as part of the front end styling. They control light better to avoid blinding oncoming traffic and are allowed more light output. You can recognize them in oncoming traffic by their very small, very bright blue-white headlights, usually only on high beams. Low beams are usually quartz Xenon, which is the standard type of headlights these days, and also our running/fog lights. HID is slowing becoming the standard type of high beam, and is creeping into the low beam headlights for some cars. Cadillac has been using them for some years now on high beam.

LED lighting is starting to replace HID lighting in other applications because very bright blue-white LEDs are becoming available that can, in clusters, put out comparable amounts of light. Look for that for the future. Red LEDs have already become the standard for taillights and stoplights.

According to Sylvania's automotive lighting replacement guide,

http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/A...ide/default.htm

the replacement bulb for the 2002 Eldorado running lights is the 886. The same guide gives the 886 as the replacement bulb for the running lights on my 1997 Eldorado. The 35 Watt bulb may be used on other Cadillacs but I believe that the right bulb for all 1992 and later Eldorados is the 886.

886 is the correct number. It is shown on the Sylvania guide and on the guide at Pep Boy's and elsewhere.

The retail price - - $7.99

[Texas Jim]

The only thing I can think of ... is to wear CLEAN STERILE surgical type gloves.

After installing it, I would try to wipe it REAL WELL with a alcohol pad or clean tissue soaked in alcohol to make SURE that the bulb is clean.

Someone else may have a much better answer.

[Cadillac Jim]

When I must hold a quartz bulb in my hand while installing it, or removing it for inspection, I handle it through a clean handkerchief. It's probably good insurance to wash your hands just before doing it, too, to make sure that you have a minimum of fingerprint oil on your skin. I learned the technique with slide projector bulbs, which were one of the first bulbs to use quartz halogen, and the early ones went like popcorn. I would take two or three clean handkerchiefs to the job and, when done, throw them in the washing machine when the wife wasn't looking.

[Tom B]

Thanks for the comments. They are helpful. Now I need to figure out a way to get under the front bumper of the vehicle to complete the installation. Unfortunately I don't have a car lift available, like in a garage.

[Tom B]

The new lamp seems to be working OK. Since it's on the passenger side, I had to temporarily move a soft panel out of the way to get to it. (I clipped the soft panel with a big metal clip to hold it away.)

I was able to complete this without touching the lamp. I discovered the old lamp had a broken filament inside.

Here is a photo of the new installation showing the way the lamp fits in the assembly:

http://www.n5gar.com/07-24-09-foglamp.jpg

[Texas Jim]

Thanks for the update and the pic.

It will probably help someone else out, when they have the same problem.

[Cadillac Jim]

Yeah, that was a very nice photograph. It must have been very difficult to get you camera in there. How did you do it? Did you use a cell phone?