Simple question. 71 Cutlass S 350. Does the wire going to under hood light always Hot.Mine is only hot when I pull headlight switch on( or parking light).Thanks,Tom.

 

That's normal.

- Eric

 

Think about this for a minute. There's no other way you'd want it set up.

If it weren't set up this way, or in other words, if that wire was always hot, the underhood light would go on any time you opened the hood, day or night. If the car were in the shop or in your garage getting worked on, and the hood was up for any length of time, the only way to avoid running down the battery would be to either remove the bulb or disconnect the battery. That certainly wouldn't be a good design.

 

Agreed. My truck has the light wire hot all the time. When I'm working on the motor, I need to remember to disconnect the wire going to it.