I need some good reliable info from you knowledgeable f-guys please. I have run into a bit of trouble when i removed the modules from the center console to have a couple of backlit buttons repaired. When i reinstalled the modules the buttons are all backlit now BUT the button for the 'park lights' does nothing! Grrr... Here is my dilemma ... i went through the owner's manual several times and i cannot find out what exactly this button does! One f-chatter mentioned that it turns on the yellow lights within the foglights and the two outer tailights only. How does this differ from rotating the headlight switch one notch to the 'park lights' position? Can i eliminate this console switch as it appears it may be redundant? I am going to spend time this weekend to figure out what the heck i have done to the console 'park lights' switch and hope to resolve it BUT i am gathering info to formulate a 'plan b' in case i can't fix it. Plan b is if indeed this button is redundant i may just replace it with a 'dummy' button like the one used on US spec cars for the rear foglight. Sound smart? Also ... regarding the side marker lights... the rear red ones come on with the headlights but the front yellow ones do not but they blink with the turn signals. Should the front side marker lights be on with the headlights and blink with the turn signals? Or do they not come on except for signaling? I really appreciate this forum being very new to Ferrari and you guys have been very helpful already. Thanks again! Don
What I told you about the parking lights was correct, I went out and checked mine to be sure before responding. Furthermore, like a dumbass, I somehow forgot to turn them off, and found myself with a dead battery the next day! The difference between the parking light function and the 1st position of the stalk switch is, the stalk switch turns on the parking lights AND the rest of the tail lights, and side markers. This function only can be used if the ignition is on, the parking lights work even if the ignition is turned off. In all honesty, I wouldn't worry so much about this, nobody ever uses the parking lights anyway. I wouldn't recommend replacing the switch with anything, just leave it alone and forget about it! As far as your front side markers, it sounds like somebody did a mod on them... thats actually a very common mod done by import and tuner guys. It can be reversed, and it should be quite obvious how to do so, once you look at the wiring. But in order to do that, you'll have to pull the front wheels off and remove the inner fender covers to access the wiring. You can instead remove the front-most underbody cover directly below the front bumper cover... but you'll need a lift, or some other way to get the front end up fairly high to do that.
Thanks Steve for the info. Sorry to hear about the dead battery... i kinda feel partly responsible. I think that you are right... the 'park light' button does seem to be sort of a useless gadget. As far as the side front side markers are concerned i would prefer if they would be on with the rear side markers and blink when signaling. Do you know if there is a wiring diagram showing the front marker wiring? Thanks again! Don
The side markers are not originally wired to blink at all... they stay on solid at all times when the switch is on. The mod that guys do... simply cut the hot lead from the side marker, jump it over to the front turn indicator lead, and splice it in. When you see this has been done, its painfully obvious how to reverse it back to the way it was... unless your blind or something. The front parking light/turn signals use an 1157 type bulb with 2 elements... much like a brake light. So, when you turn on your turn signal, the brighter element flashes. Because the side marker uses a typical single element bulb, you can only splice the hot lead from the side marker into 1 element lead of the front indicator... either the marker light element (factory setup), or the turn signal element. Somebody obviously switched the hot lead from the side marker FROM the marker element lead, to the turn signal element lead. If that made any sense to you, you'll realize that your side markers CANNOT be on solid AND flash with the turn signals. However, I have seen nifty aftermarket circuit modules you can put inline to the side marker to achieve this. If it didnt make sense... sorry, I did my best. Another option for you to consider is adding the euro turn indicator lights that mount in the fenders below where the shields are typically mounted... but the idea of drilling a 1/2'' hole in my fender freaks me out! I personally dont think there is any benefit to these in the US, the crazy way the roads are setup in europe, and sittin on the wrong side of the car, definitely makes them necessary over there! (no offense you guys) But euro cars dont have the front side markers that US cars have either. These guys sell some nifty aftermarket ones --> http://www.dimex-group.com/en/tuning/imola/accessory/f-348/aerodynamics-design/turn-signals.html
Hi While cleaning and testing my 348 fog/driving lights, I decided to replace the standard H3 Halogen daytime lamps with Sylvania Silverstars. The pic was taken halfway through the job, shining on a light grey wall, about 5' from the lamps. The Silverstar on the left, standard lamp on the right. As you can see the Silverstars are brighter, whiter, and with a more defined pattern. Just thought you'd like to see the comparison. Richard Image Unavailable, Please Login
Excellent mod. I like the cleaner, brighter beam - but how well do they cover the road? At five feet the band looks 1/2 as wide.
COOL! Thanks for sharing! I love new technologies that can make our old cars better and safer, without taking away from what it is.
ND - I'll l do that. Good suggestion. Wingfeather - My 348 is a Canadian car so these Silverstar H3's are 'daytime' lamps that are 'on' all the time. I'll report how they shine down the road in front of me as soon spring arrives and I can get out onto any road that's not coverd with snow and ice! I just like the brighter, white color better than the washed-out pale yellow of stock bulbs.
Steve i actually was able to follow all that! I will check it out as soon as i can free up some time away from work and let you know what i found. I wonder if i could replace the single element front side marker bulbs with a dual element bulb and wire it exactly like the front marker/signal light? Hmmm... Thanks!
