Sixth Gen Honda Accord (1998-2002) Shift Lever Light

This is totally unscientific, kind of funny and I am almost embarrassed to call this “advice”, but I’ve seen it enough times to know it works. I’ve never bothered to investigate further but have done it myself on several cars of this particular model and also heard the same thing from others with the same model.

If you have one of these cars and it’s equipped with an automatic transmission, and the lights on the shift lever panel go out (P-R-N-D indicator) all you have to do is bang it once with your fist, and it should come back on. The problem may be intermittent and come back later, but this could just do the trick.

Spilled liquids might also be a contributing factor after turning sticky (coffee).

Headlight Bulb Change, Not So Fast

Well, if we thought all bulbs were easy to change quickly from the last time I did so, we’d be mistaken. Flashback to a previous model Toyota Corolla / Chevy Prizm (in this case a neighbor’s car) and we find that some times things do actually get simpler with time, bucking the trend of eve increasing complexity.

This was a 1998-ish model. The procedure for changing the bulb required the removal of 1 screw and 2 bolts, disconnecting the headlight assembly and removing the rubber boot.

It was a relative PITA (Pain In the you-know-where) aligning and putting the assembly back in because of the tight fit, and the fact it was freezing cold outside and getting dark – so I could only snap a few quick pics.

My guess is the newer model (2003+) was subject to stricter crash standards which required more crumple space, so the enhanced accessibility of the headlights is a bonus, not necessarily the primary intent.