I have just purchased a 1987 cadillac Brougham D'Elegance.
and i noticed on the outside of the car between the front and back door these plastic strips that look like lights.

does anyone know if these are lights or just reflectors...they look like lights to me but i havent figured out how they turn on so maby the bulbs are burned out or they or in fact just reflectors...would be neat if they where lights though...i also have seen cadillacs with lights on the side of the car though.

They're probably opera lights that turn on when the parking and headlights are on.

Do a search for them or go back a few pages in the forum. There are tons of posts about them here.

They're opera lights, and you'll prolly never see them work either. There's no bulbs to replace, they're electrolumisencent strips but they're replacable, problem is they're hard to find in working condition. However, yes, they're lights, and are/were designed to light up and they look cool when they do, just not too common to see a working set.

I have just purchased a 1987 cadillac Brougham D'Elegance.
and i noticed on the outside of the car between the front and back door these plastic strips that look like lights.

does anyone know if these are lights or just reflectors...they look like lights to me but i havent figured out how they turn on so maby the bulbs are burned out or they or in fact just reflectors...would be neat if they where lights though...i also have seen cadillacs with lights on the side of the car though.

Hey, I have a 1987 Brougham, too. I also have the opera lights on the sides between the doors. Mine come on, (when I can see, at least) only when I click the car alarm on and off with my remote and the headlights, taillights, and those little lights in between the doors flash.

They work? Oooh Ahhhh

If they're the original electro-lumioverlycomplicatedtechnologyfortheirday strips that's surprising and good to hear! Now I suggest you mount another side mirror so you can see the lights at all times...

to enjoy them...

while they last...


*laughs evilly and drives away*

*car stalls*...oh damn you to hell quadrajet!

"*car stalls*...oh damn you to hell quadrajet!"

AHAHAHAHA :histeric: :thumbsup: :D
That was great.

and mine still work too(1990). Great things to have :-D

The ones on my 78 still work, I'd say probably half of them still do. They'll be easy to sell if I ever decide to part it. :crybaby:

Mine don't work...and it's a shame I live with everyday... :crying: Rub it in jrc rub it in!

I've seen replacements with LED and such, and hope to do that in the future, but when I need to replace my vinyl, which is still holding out (bless the previous owners diligence) perhaps then I'll go ahead and change them.


Man they work on your 78 dave?! Certainly you could fetch a pretty penny for them! I shall give you two pretty pennies...and this goat...

the Opra lights on my '79 still work...

...see, Cadillac was smart back then...

use a regular "fuse" type interrior bulb, covered by a plastic lens.... it is brighter, last longer.. and when it goes, you spend $3 for 2 bulbs and replace them :)

the lights on my '93 COupe still work.... they are not bright though.....

That's it...I hate you all...starting now!

haha suckers, my 78 town car has light bulbs in the opera lights and they will always work. The ones on my 76 Fleetwood never worked, but I didn't have that car for very long.

My owner's manual (1987 Cadillac Brougham) mentions the required bulb for the opera light. One important question - how do you access the "old" bulb?