What Are Some Problems With Street Hawk Light Bars?

The lights on a police car tell other drivers to pull over.

Street Hawk light bars are red, white and blue police lights, also known as cherries, used by some cities on police cars but more often found on private security vehicles. The system should only be installed on vehicles used for security and emergency purposes; using a Street Hawk light bar to create the image of a law enforcement vehicle is a crime. A small control unit in the cabin of the vehicle controls the Street Hawk light bar.

Loose Connection

A common issue with Street Hawk light bars is a loose connection. The Street Hawk receives power and input control from the control module; if the wires that connect the two become loose or frayed, functionality can decrease. Examine the connection terminals on the control module and light bar for loose connections, and tighten where necessary. Examine the wires for cuts in the plastic protective sheath and the wires themselves.

Bulb

While the bulbs in the Street Hawk light bar are durable, they do not last forever. If a bulb goes, out replacing it is not difficult. Replacement bulbs are available from Street Hawk (see the link in the Resources section). The unit requires several different bulbs. Most of the lights are 12.8 volt, 55 watt halogen bulbs. However, examine the schematic that came with your Street Hawk unit to determine which model number requires replacement.

Damaged Control Module

Over time, the control module can become damaged. Most of the damage does not occur inside but on the external casing and buttons and switches of the unit due to constant and rough use. Street Hawk offers replacement control units as well as replacement buttons and nobs. Replacing nobs and switches is easy; simply open the unit with a screwdriver, pry off the old broken nob and replace it with a new one.

Dead Speaker

Some Street Hawk light bar models come with a 100-watt speaker, used as a loudspeaker and siren. The speaker can easily become damaged due to heavy usage and exposure to elements. Although the speaker is protected, damp, humid environments and extreme temperatures do impact it and can damage it. For example, coastal towns have more salt in the air, which can eventually corrode the speaker. Street Hawk offers replacement speakers.

References

• FedSig: StreetHawk Lightbar
• "How to Diagnose and Fix Everything Electronic"; Michael Geier; 2011
• Ali Image: Lights

Resources

• PW Service: Federal Signal StreetHawk LightBar
• PW Service: Street Hawk Light Bar