Q: I have a question about my ’97 Lincoln Town Car. The headlights will flash on and off intermittently. The headlight switch has been replaced and the problem is still there. I’ve had it looked at by two different repair shops and they haven’t been able to pinpoint the problem. Can you help? -- C.L., Oak Lawn

A: C.L., the headlamps in your Lincoln feature an AUTO mode which allows the lights to come on automatically when the level of outside light decreases below a threshold. The components involved include a light-sensitive light sensor amplifier, the headlamp switch and lighting control module (LCM). If this problem occurs when the lights are in AUTO mode, there might be a problem with the LCM. If this problem occurs with the lights in manual mode, the LCM is bypassed and the problem is likely a faulty headlamp dimmer switch. The dimmer switch allows the driver to select either the low beams or the high beams. If it has loose or faulty contacts the headlamps could blink on and off. By the way, the headlamp dimmer switch in your Lincoln is part of the multi-function switch. When the headlamps begin flashing on and off, jiggle the multifunction switch (turn signal stalk). If the problem goes away or occurs more frequently, you’ve found the problem.

Q: The temperature gauge in my ’91 Honda Accord LX is going up when I’m sitting at a stop, but it goes down when driving. The radiator has been replaced. Could the problem be a bad radiator fan, or should I replace the thermostat? -- E.G., Bladenboro, NC

A: E.G., that’s typical gauge operation when the radiator’s electric cooling fan is not operational. Maybe the radiator cooling fan’s electrical connector didn’t get plugged back in after the radiator was replaced. Maybe the ground wire for the radiator cooling fan isn’t attached. The radiator cooling fan on your Honda has two wires, one blue and the other black. If you know what you’re doing, you could test the motor by jumping fused B+ to the blue wire and ground to the black wire. If the motor spins, then it’s good. If not, it needs replacement. You should also know that the radiator cooling fan in your Accord is controlled by two separate coolant temperature sensors, an under-dash timer module and a relay. There are also two fuses (fuse 29 and 39) in the under-hood fuse box that should be checked.

Q: The headlamp assemblies on my ’97 Nissan Maxima are dull and hazy. As a result, my lights don’t seem as bright as they should be. A friend told me that there are several types of products that you can use to clean them. Do you have any experience with these? What do you recommend? -- S.M., Chicago

A: S.M., I’m aware of these products but have never tried any. If fellow readers have experience with any of these, I’ll pass the information along.

AutoAdviser: Ira Siegel is an Automotive Instructor and ASE Certified Master Auto Technician. If you have auto-related questions for Ira Siegel you can call and leave your questions at the Auto Adviser Hotline at 708-633-6839 or e-mail a question to Autoadvisr@aol.com.