Hey guys,
Simple question here. Is the indicator lamp on the dash of a car for the high beams have a standard for its color? I ask because every other car I have owned aside from both of my REPU's have all had a blue/purple indicator. The REPU's however have a red lamp. Is that odd?
When I did the rebuild on the Neon, one of the criteria for roadworthyness was that the car had two low beams, two high beams, and a blue dash indicator for the high beams. So at least in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, there's a standard.
I think its one of those things that became legislated at some point, probably after your pickup was built.
In Canada, as part of the Regulations from September 27, 2012, Amending the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Interpretation and Standards 101, 105, 122 and 135) pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, until September 1, 2017, vehicles must not only use a blue tell-tale for the "upper beam," but must also accompany the tell-tale with a graphic consisting of a side view of an old-school light, facing left, either solid or outline, and with either 4 or 5 horizontal lines leading away from the light. (If you really want to, you can read all about it here .)
That should keep the hard-working taxpayers of Canada safe from Illumination Confusion.
Back in the day, my father's '66 Toronado had a tell-tale for the high beams that illuminated the words "high beam" on the dash, in red. I don't recall being confused.
Like Streetwiseguy says....
at some point, the decision was made to go from red to blue, probably because red made it look like a warning / idiot light.
"Oh no, the little red light on my dashboard keeps coming on, but only at night, what's wrong?"
"Light" trivia: at one point in time, tail lights were optional, and some cars for quite a long period were built with only one (on the driver's side of the car).... in really old movies you see things like that.
How how about the old Mopars where the front parking lights went off when the headlights came on.
Now I don't remember what color the high beam indicator was on my Ford. I still am nostalgic for the simple idiot lights that it had, that lit up ALT or BRAKE or OIL instead of mystery hieroglyphics.
Knurled wrote: How how about the old Mopars where the front parking lights went off when the headlights came on. Now I don't remember what color the high beam indicator was on my Ford. I still am nostalgic for the simple idiot lights that it had, that lit up ALT or BRAKE or OIL instead of mystery hieroglyphics.
my '50 Plymouth, '65 Sunbeam, '62 E type, and several others had tiny red lights to indicate high beams .... I remember my WTF reaction when I drove my first car with a blue indicated 
I despise my wife's Jetta and it's high beam indicator. No other issues with the car other than the slushbox, because it isn't a manual. But that light is WAY bright, and doesn't dim with the other dash lights. Hey! Here's a great idea: let's blind the driver!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7Bcov5SGU0
Is it bad that one of my favorite parts of this scene from Mad Max is watching the idiot lights self-test? (Just turn the sound off, though, this is the crappy American dub)
my fiat 124s have all been blue.. but like all lights on the dash, consists of a light, nothing else. no indication of what it might be
integraguy wrote: Like Streetwiseguy says.... at some point, the decision was made to go from red to blue, probably because red made it look like a warning / idiot light. "Oh no, the little red light on my dashboard keeps coming on, but only at night, what's wrong?" "Light" trivia: at one point in time, tail lights were optional, and some cars for quite a long period were built with only one (on the driver's side of the car).... in really old movies you see things like that.
I can remember when cars started having two tail lights, barely. I asked my father why they did that. His response, "for balance" I'm sure he was not talking about weight.
I think it was red on my '65 Mustangs.
I found a bunch of old (late 60's) Dune Buggy magazines in an attic a few years ago and I remember reading in one of them that, to be legal, you didn't need a speedometer or fuel gauge, but you did need a high beam indicator.
The high beam indicator on my '64 Valiant is red. That's one little thing that I might change if/when I update the instrument panel. A small, blue LED might be the ticket, or just replace the red plastic with blue. I also might install separate indicators for left/right turn signals. Fancy, huh?
integraguy wrote: "Light" trivia: at one point in time, tail lights were optional, and some cars for quite a long period were built with only one (on the driver's side of the car).... in really old movies you see things like that.
My first vehicle, a '60 Ford pickup, had one tail light. The passenger side just had a reflector.
At least there is an indicating light... my '64 Mini has none... then again, it doesn't have reverse lights either... or a 4-way hazard switch... such luxuries we take for granted... it does have left and right tail lights, tho...
Ian F wrote: At least there is an indicating light... my '64 Mini has none... then again, it doesn't have reverse lights either... or a 4-way hazard switch... such luxuries we take for granted... it does have left and right tail lights, tho...
think those are luxuries ? that '50 Plymouth had wipers that were powered by engine vacuum ... mash on the accelerator and the wipers would quit, that was a lot of fun 
wbjones wrote:Ian F wrote: At least there is an indicating light... my '64 Mini has none... then again, it doesn't have reverse lights either... or a 4-way hazard switch... such luxuries we take for granted... it does have left and right tail lights, tho...think those are luxuries ? that '50 Plymouth had wipers that were powered by engine vacuum ... mash on the accelerator and the wipers would quit, that was a lot of fun
Mongo still does, one of them even touches the glass from time to time
do they do the hurry-jurky across the windshield like so many of the older tractor trailers did ?
My 1980 Vanagon had a red light for high beam. My '80 Rabbit had blue, as does my 1972 MG.
Remember the Pontiac Indian head high beam indicator?
Yep! Awesome. My dad's '65 Catalina had one. I am embarrassed to admit I don't remember if my '67 Le Mans does.
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=15aa1e166dfdc51aaf651fc68f2f6ebf&rgn=div8&view=text&node=49:6.1.2.3.37.2.7.1&idno=49
49CFR 571.101 Look down at table one. This applies to new cars, you have to check back through lots of years to find when the rule might have been changed.
So yeah, gotta be blue or green these days.
wbjones wrote:Ian F wrote: At least there is an indicating light... my '64 Mini has none... then again, it doesn't have reverse lights either... or a 4-way hazard switch... such luxuries we take for granted... it does have left and right tail lights, tho...think those are luxuries ? that '50 Plymouth had wipers that were powered by engine vacuum ... mash on the accelerator and the wipers would quit, that was a lot of fun
At least they worked... sometimes... which is more than I can say for the Mini wipers right now. I'm guessing since the car has spent much of its recent life in CA (and Aus before that), the wipers were rarely used and the grease is rock hard after 50 years. Fortunately, the wiper mechanism is a standard Lucas system and while not the greatest ever made, rebuilding them is fairly straight-forward (tear apart, clean, re-grease) and cheap (pretty much all labor).
Ian F wrote: At least there is an indicating light... my '64 Mini has none... then again, it doesn't have reverse lights either... or a 4-way hazard switch... such luxuries we take for granted... it does have left and right tail lights, tho...
My '65 Mustang didn't have reverse lights(they were optional though), I believe that wasn't standard until the late 60's.
The neat ones are the big caddys of te 70's with the fibreoptic system that illuminated in a pod on top of the front fins if your turn signal, parking lights, or high beam were on.
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