1996 Lincoln Mark VIII Low Beam Headlight Problem

Normally these lights have a H-code (H1, H4, H7, etc), which is the size and type of the lamp. There are Xenon-upgrades available for normal Halogen-headlights, and these sets are delivered with trafo, starter, cabling etc. These lamps also don't come cheap, but much cheaper than $1000,- a piece. Lifetime of these lamps is a lot longers than halogen-lamps.

I have found my set on http://www.camcosystems.com/index.php.

Went to camco site, didn't find a part but I did mail them to ask if they had bulbs. Original code/part # on this bulb was HID-9500. Not object to a switch to Xenon retrofit -- just need to find it? Thanx for your help !!

On the UK-version of this site these sets are not being sold, but on the dutch version they are... Maybe in the UK these things are not allowed, I am not sure.

http://www.camcosystems.nl/index.php?action=producten&tbl_product_categorie=2

Dutch Sailor, Thanx for the new link you sent.. Our USA DOT supposedly approves any product imported into the US for use on our roads. Looking for illumination/safety concerns is the thrust of these efforts? Actually, it may just be another arm of DOT that employs hundreds of people who do Nothing?

New link has a number of options I may be able to use. First time I've seen offers of adapters for a bulb? I see what your talking about with all the $250.00 kits available for a complete change out!!

I may have to learn another language to take advantage of it, but I'll give it a try. Thanx for the link !!

If you google for 'Xenon Conversion' you should find some webpages in english on this subject. Beware of the exchanges rate of the Euro and the US Dollar (at the moment 200 euro's will be approximately 270 USD ex shipping).

Make it work forget about DOT it's a luxury car not a semi

WOW! That must be the worst case of planned obsolescence I've ever heard of. I concur that you shouldn't have to worry about "DoT approval", since it isn't a commercial vehicle. If you fix a system for which parts are non-existent, the next time there's a bad bulb you'll be in the dark for sure. I'd replace the whole system (if possible) if it were me.

Enviroman, your and Bwire comments are appreciated. My reference to DOT comes from the number of accidents attributed to No or Low lumens on the road at night caused by attempts to use some bastardized foreign (Oh, yeh this will work on your car) kit that is being sold on the net. A forum for Mark owners is full of guys who live in states requiring a yearly inspection, and have these cars sitting in a driveway because of no lights. I am considering All alternatives, but I've already returned two of these (it'll work) kits. Bulb size, distance from reflector, heat generated and actual size and method of attachment are all considerations. Very Frustrating !!

"Planned Obsolescence" is right on the money !! I'm told this was the first American made car to put a high intensity light bulb into production in the US market. Also told that Ford/Lincoln got into a whizzing contest with Sylvania, so they said "See Ya" and stopped production. Somehow it doesn't seem right for Lincoln to sell a car for $46,500 [in 1996 dollars] then tell you they can't help. The Lincoln parts guy made me a copy of his parts book showing that the part is not available! Told me I should show this to a cop when I get stopped !! Not a Good Answer !! I'm still on the Hunt. Thanx

There's always the old tried and true method - when the ashtray is full, it's time to trade it in! What will the Lincoln dealer give you on it if you get a new model? Or will they even talk about having it back?

You said there is no current at he bulb connection. The ballast is just a large resistor. Get a voltage meter and trace the wire from the fuse until you find No voltage. Between the last two measurements is where you will find the ballast resistor. Usually they are ceramic-quite often they are inside of a plastic cover. This is an inexpensive part. Or at least it should be.

glenn if you need a ballast i have factory used, tested 100% working mark VIII hid ballasts in my garage. i have been selling used mark VIII parts since 1999. i have customers world wide now. there is no ceramic resistors between the ballast and bulb on this HID set up. to find out if you have a bad ballast, unplug the HID bulb that does work, and plug the HID bulb that doesnt work, into the known good ballast, if it lights up, you have a bad ballast. these are not like the ballast you get at home depot, do not play with these plugs with your battery hooked up, these will kill you, this is not a 110 ac shock from an outlet in your house, be careful.

Hey, LincolnAuto Parts:

Am very interested in talking to you about this problem. Hope you read this reply and PM me with details on how I can ring you up. Matter of fact I'm on the East Coast of Florida and can come over to see you. Hope this will end not being able to drive at night!

Hey Glenn, Did you ever here back from Lincoln Auto Parts ? I too have a 96

Lincoln Mark VIII with the right side low beam out. Also on the east coast of

FL in the Daytona Area....

guys, i have one working factory hid bulb from a 96-98 mark VIII as well as ballasts that will be listed on the " famous internet auction site " tonight. you can find it by searching under seller name mopar68gtx.

hey lincoln auto parts , all my lights are working fine but they are really low and i heard if I change the bulbs it will burn my housing. If I install a conversion kit will it work because I read on a thread that someone installed a factory hid 96' mark8 kit and it works great.

Can't you just get a 1996 Lincoln Mark VIII hid conversion kit?

no you can buy aftermarket hid's made to fit the 9005 opening in your headlight. but you must restore the housings inside first, the chrome inside your headlights is fading away, thats why you cant see much. i restore mark VIII headlight housings. here are some pics. this is a set i restored, i rechrome the insides and polish the lense in and out

[IMG]http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss63/jamie95mark/gilbyslights.jpg[/IMG]

restored and unrestored!

[IMG]http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd281/jamies98lsc/richduty.jpg[/IMG]

you can see the difference.

[IMG]http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd281/jamies98lsc/headlights3.jpg[/IMG]

do you have a phone # i can call you?

you can call me this saturday or sunday, 727-789-6474 my name is jamie

so is it the ballast that burns the lights out? Or is it the lights that causes the lense to get all dirty? Should I just get a conversion kit?

first off what year is your mark VIII

1996

Jamie, I have a question for you. I have a 1998 Mark and the right side headlight has a pink tint instead of blue. This just recently happened. Does this sound like a bad bulb or ballast or something else?

Thanks

Long Haired Sheppard

I have this exact same problem, not with the bulb, but that I have a bad ballast. After weeks of searching what I learned is that yes it is easier to find the ballast if you purchase a whole headlight assembly but I also learned that its a heck of alot cheaper to hit up a local junk yard. I got mine for 35.00 for the entire headlight assembly for the 1996 Lincoln Mark Vlll LSC. Now Im going to search around a find an addition set just to have on hand.

Hi, I recently bought a 1996 Lincoln Mark Viii. I loved it until I tried driving it at night when I discovered that I couldn't see the road ahead. I was driving with lo beam and the traffic did not allow me to use high beams. Took the car back to the place where I bought it and the owner helped me. He un hooked both the low beam wiring and the high beam wiring and then inserted the low beam wire in the hi beam socket. Then he adjusted the vertical levelling screw so that the light that had been hi was now a low beam. I could now drive perfectly safe at night but I had no high beam if I wanted it. I am now working to get a high beam in the following manner. I think that it will work but I haven't installed it yet. I bought two fog lights from from JC Whitney that are advertised as 'PILOT ULTRA-THIN FLAT-BEAM FOG LIGHTS'. I plan on removing the headlight assembly, cutting out the back side of the low beam area and whateaver is inside the enclosure and mounting the 'JC Whitney # jcw-495174 and mfg # NV-53' light inside which was previously low beam area and now will be the hi beam area. I'm 91 years old and don't get things done very rapidly.

Good luck