# Dome light in Van went out. Is the lamp replaceable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 6, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177 "2013-09-06T14:51:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/1 "2013-09-06T14:51:54Z")
My 2000 Econoline E150 Van has 2 dome lights. One in front and one in back. The back one went out. :dubious: I’ve never had a dome light go out in 32 years of driving. I didn’t think the lamp could burn out. 😛 They aren’t incandescent bulbs. Not sure what they are even called. Is the lamp replaceable? How does it remove from the light? Should I replace the entire light? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/2 "2013-09-06T14:57:19Z")
No. You bought a dome light. The rest of the van is expendable. 😛 Your owner’s manual should have instructions. I found [this thread](http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1113379-how-to-change-dome-light-bulb.html) at the Ford trucks forum. One reply has a link to a ‘dome light’ search on eBay. It looks like LED replacements are popular. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/3 "2013-09-06T15:08:13Z")
I think this is it. I’ll double check my manual. That is one weird looking lamp. I’m like the guy in the forum and not sure how to open the thing without breaking it. Thanks Johnny 36 mm length [http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pc-White-36mm-Festoon-3x-SMD-LED-Light-Bulb-Glove-Box-Dome-Map-Lamp-6411-6418-/370832322665?pt=Motors\_Car\_Truck\_Parts\_Accessories&fits=Year%3A2000|Make%3AFord|Model%3AE-150+Econoline&hash=item5657543069&vxp=mtr](http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pc-White-36mm-Festoon-3x-SMD-LED-Light-Bulb-Glove-Box-Dome-Map-Lamp-6411-6418-/370832322665?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A2000%7CMake%3AFord%7CModel%3AE-150+Econoline&hash=item5657543069&vxp=mtr) or may be this. it’s 39-41 mm in length [http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-White-211-212-578-39-41mm-Festoon-8-SMD-LED-Interior-Dome-Map-Light-Bulbs-22-/151115560008?pt=Motors\_Car\_Truck\_Parts\_Accessories&fits=Year%3A2000|Make%3AFord|Model%3AE-150+Econoline&hash=item232f307448&vxp=mtr](http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-White-211-212-578-39-41mm-Festoon-8-SMD-LED-Interior-Dome-Map-Light-Bulbs-22-/151115560008?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A2000%7CMake%3AFord%7CModel%3AE-150+Econoline&hash=item232f307448&vxp=mtr) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/4 "2013-09-06T15:11:28Z")
Yeah, that looks similar to the ones in the link in the link. Looks like they have some [larger arrays](http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-4pcs-35mm-16-LED-SMD-1206-Super-Festoon-Dome-Car-Bulb-Lamp-LED-Light-White-/400568087196?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d43b7f29c&vxp=mtr) too. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/5 "2013-09-06T15:27:34Z")
Why don’t you simply go to an auto parts store and get a replacement bulb? They cost something like $3 and takes 2 minutes to swap out. Not trying to be snarky, but this is easy. Or am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/6 "2013-09-06T15:34:11Z")
It’s not a normal screw in bulb. It’s a weird snap in thing. I wasn’t sure at first if it was even designed to be removed. Modern dome lights never seem to burn out. After looking at the replacement, I see it pops in and out like a glass fuse. Festoon geez what a name for a dome lamp. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/7 "2013-09-06T15:42:26Z")
In my experience the main reason for these bulbs to fail is when they are left on for an extended time. Be sure to check that it goes off when you shut the door. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/8 "2013-09-06T15:52:12Z")
> [@campp](#): > > Why don’t you simply go to an auto parts store and get a replacement bulb? They cost something like $3 and takes 2 minutes to swap out. > > Not trying to be snarky, but this is easy. Or am I missing something? I thought the same thing, then remembered what the bulbs look like these days. Gone are the fixtures that a 3 year old could handle. Now they all look like something designed by Escher. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/9 "2013-09-06T15:53:26Z")
I learned the hard way that the dome light will run down the battery. Only takes about 8 hours. I’ve had to use the jumper cables a few times over the years. Not recently. It’s been a couple years since I screwed up. Those LED replacements use less power. Maybe they won’t drain the battery so quick? At least give us 10 hours to catch the problem and still start. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/10 "2013-09-06T16:02:05Z")
Another thing is that the old style dome-light bulbs get seriously hot! I think they’re just regular old incandescent bulbs, but they get hot like a halogen bulb. Sometimes leaving the dome light on overnight would not only kill your battery but bake a nice brown spot onto the white plastic of the dome light. The LED replacements are awesome, although maybe not quite as bright. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/11 "2013-09-06T16:12:02Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I thought the same thing, then remembered what the bulbs look like these days. Gone are the fixtures that a 3 year old could handle. Now they all look like something designed by Escher. No kidding. The passenger-side daytime running light (mandatory here) burned out yesterday on my car. It cost $21 at a GM dealership — with taxes — because the bulb is permanently attached to a plastic housing, itself vastly overpriced. Bastards. What would a headlight bulb cost? A million dollars because it’s so much brighter? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dome-light-in-van-went-out-is-the-lamp-replaceable/668177/12 "2013-09-07T04:57:09Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It’s not a normal screw in bulb. It’s a weird snap in thing. I wasn’t sure at first if it was even designed to be removed. Modern dome lights never seem to burn out. > > After looking at the replacement, I see it pops in and out like a glass fuse. > > Festoon geez what a name for a dome lamp. Yeah, they’re like smaller cartridge fuses. Small ones. You can get them in different colours too. There are vast selections of them in the electrical section of any truck stop in your area. Try a Pilot or Flying J.