Dutch7

Every time I wash my car the passanger side light stops working because I'm guessing water gets to it somehow and shorts it out. So after it dries out for about a day I take it out plug it back in and it works fine. I'm tired of constantly doing this so what is the best way to seal the bulb and its connection to the socket?

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

It sounds like you have a bad socket.

I just created a new sticky about this: https://ls1tech.com/forums/pontiac-f...et-repair.html

Dutch7

ok ill check it out if it does it again thanks.

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

I get this exact same issue, I used to blow out bulbs on that side (like totally shatter), but I solved that issue by replacing the leaky housing, but I still get this random issue with the DRL not working (flasher and nighttime lights still work) whenever it rains or I wash the car.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

^^^ This is a very common issue. The flasher lenses face a beating being in the bumper. Any rock, etc. that pops up hits them head-on.

Your lens probably has a crack. If you press on the front with your finger, you should be able to see it. (The lenses do a good job in hiding the cracks, but a little pressure will cause it to separate.)

Water gets in there and will blow the bulb and/or shatter it. The fixes, in order of preference are:

- Replace the lens
or
- Drill a weep hole in the bottom of the lens (this will promote corrosion and cause more problems later)
or
- Use lens tape to cover the crack

transamterry

I had this problem in both of my DRL's. I believe the problem is that the bulbs get way too hot and cause the lenses to crack and have even been known to cause the housing itself to melt above the bulb. Both let in moisture and with the bulb on the bottom of the housing, the socket gets all the water and crud. I fixed my problem in several ways; first I clear nail polished the cracks in the lens ( there are other methods to fix the lens, this worked for me). 2nd, I removed that rubber plug at the top rear of the housing that has a little shroud over it to let out some heat ( I have NO idea what thats even there for) 3rd and some what controversial. I drilled 2 pensil-sized holes in the bottom just behind the plastic ridge in the housing. 4th, <non-sponsor URL removed> sells thicker gaskets for the sockets ( stock ones are too thin imo ). And finally, liberal use of dielectric grease in the socket ( by a new one if yours are too roasted) and you should be good to go. This fix has lasted well over 5 years for me through washings and driving in the rain.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

You don't think its because they are installed in the bumper an take road debris head on?




Delphi made a high temp and a low temp version of the socket. We got the low temp version due to cost. The high temp is ridiculous expensive. I recall doing the calculations a while back and for the price of one high-temp socket, you could by 20 of the low temp ones over the years.


That's a membrane for vapor so water vapor can get out of the housing and not cause condensation on the inside.


This is what I did while I waited for new housings to arrive. It worked pretty well to keep the water from pooling inside.

transamterry

Well I suppose debris hitting the lens could be A cause but I've inspected mine very closely while off the car and there are no associated chips in the plastic that you'd expect to see. All I know is I had lots of problems with bulbs blowing before I did all I did to mine and haven't had a single problem since then. Just my 2 cents.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

They were blowing because you had water in the lens, right?


I wouldn't expect this for a lens. If the plastic was of a type that chipped, they would quickly look like the surface of the moon. That being said, they probably get more brittle over time, but I'd expect that UV light and age would be greater factors than heat. If heat was a problem, the two sides should fail equally and at the same time. (I haven't seen that happen to others too much - and I have only had one side crack.)