DRL and Headlights are acting up
06-25-2012, 06:53 PM
#1
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DRL and Headlights are acting up My WS6 has some problems with the lights.
Fogs work fine but....One of the day time running lights doesnt come on when the lights are off and im just cruising but when i turn on the parking lights both of them come on as they should.
And when I Turn on my headlights on low beams both the high and low beams come on but the highs are very dim, and one of the low beams is dimmer than the other.
Finally when i turn on my brights only one side high beam works.
Its VERY frustrating! I cleaned the connectors on the radiator support but they were not even corroded or anything. I was thinking it would be a ground from what ive read but I really dont know...
I dont know what to do
Any help would be appreciated, and insight if this has happened to you before. Suggestions for what to look for also.
Thanks
Fogs work fine but....One of the day time running lights doesnt come on when the lights are off and im just cruising but when i turn on the parking lights both of them come on as they should.
And when I Turn on my headlights on low beams both the high and low beams come on but the highs are very dim, and one of the low beams is dimmer than the other.
Finally when i turn on my brights only one side high beam works.
Its VERY frustrating! I cleaned the connectors on the radiator support but they were not even corroded or anything. I was thinking it would be a ground from what ive read but I really dont know...
I dont know what to do
Any help would be appreciated, and insight if this has happened to you before. Suggestions for what to look for also.
Thanks
06-25-2012, 07:25 PM
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Your DRL problem could be as simple as a bulb replacement. May be that the base is burnt and not making a connection correctly. As far as your headlights go you have a ground in one of the harnesses that is bad or not getting a good connection. The symptom you describe is what happens. Just a few weeks ago I had the same issue when I replaced a headlight motor gear. Had the same problem and it turned out I didn't get the harness all the way together again.
Just reach up the opening in the bumper and play around with both of the harnesses a bit. It is a bad ground connection of some sort.
Just reach up the opening in the bumper and play around with both of the harnesses a bit. It is a bad ground connection of some sort.
06-25-2012, 08:35 PM
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Your DRL problem could be as simple as a bulb replacement. May be that the base is burnt and not making a connection correctly. As far as your headlights go you have a ground in one of the harnesses that is bad or not getting a good connection. The symptom you describe is what happens. Just a few weeks ago I had the same issue when I replaced a headlight motor gear. Had the same problem and it turned out I didn't get the harness all the way together again.
Just reach up the opening in the bumper and play around with both of the harnesses a bit. It is a bad ground connection of some sort.
Just reach up the opening in the bumper and play around with both of the harnesses a bit. It is a bad ground connection of some sort.
Are you talking about the harness coming from each headlight, or a different one? the harness coming from the bulbs in the engine bay are tight at least.
Thanks for helping too.
06-26-2012, 08:04 AM
#4
The headlights and DRL's are two separate issues. Trying to diagnose them in tandem will just confuse things.
For the headlights:
1) Eliminate the bulbs as an issue by switching the passenger side and driver side bulbs on the car.
- If the problem moves with the bulbs, then its the bulbs.
- If the problem is still the same and happening on the same sides as before, then the next step is to check the bulb connectors and then the headlight motor connectors. (The bulb wires go through the motor connectors.)
For the DRL's:
1) Make sure your parking brake is off. (If its on, the DRLs will not light.)
2) Test your turn signals. (The DRL filament and turn signal filament are shared.) Check the front and rear bulbs.
3) Test your hazard lights. Check the front and rear bulbs.
- What happens?
For the headlights:
1) Eliminate the bulbs as an issue by switching the passenger side and driver side bulbs on the car.
- If the problem moves with the bulbs, then its the bulbs.
- If the problem is still the same and happening on the same sides as before, then the next step is to check the bulb connectors and then the headlight motor connectors. (The bulb wires go through the motor connectors.)
For the DRL's:
1) Make sure your parking brake is off. (If its on, the DRLs will not light.)
2) Test your turn signals. (The DRL filament and turn signal filament are shared.) Check the front and rear bulbs.
3) Test your hazard lights. Check the front and rear bulbs.
- What happens?
07-11-2012, 09:52 PM
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The headlights and DRL's are two separate issues. Trying to diagnose them in tandem will just confuse things.
For the headlights:
1) Eliminate the bulbs as an issue by switching the passenger side and driver side bulbs on the car.
- If the problem moves with the bulbs, then its the bulbs.
- If the problem is still the same and happening on the same sides as before, then the next step is to check the bulb connectors and then the headlight motor connectors. (The bulb wires go through the motor connectors.)
For the DRL's:
1) Make sure your parking brake is off. (If its on, the DRLs will not light.)
2) Test your turn signals. (The DRL filament and turn signal filament are shared.) Check the front and rear bulbs.
3) Test your hazard lights. Check the front and rear bulbs.
- What happens?
For the headlights:
1) Eliminate the bulbs as an issue by switching the passenger side and driver side bulbs on the car.
- If the problem moves with the bulbs, then its the bulbs.
- If the problem is still the same and happening on the same sides as before, then the next step is to check the bulb connectors and then the headlight motor connectors. (The bulb wires go through the motor connectors.)
For the DRL's:
1) Make sure your parking brake is off. (If its on, the DRLs will not light.)
2) Test your turn signals. (The DRL filament and turn signal filament are shared.) Check the front and rear bulbs.
3) Test your hazard lights. Check the front and rear bulbs.
- What happens?
For the DRL's i just need to replace the socket because one of the wires leading to it is loose.
Now for the headlights... one of the wires going to a bulb had the shielding torn so i taped that up and that didnt do anything so I manually flipped up the lights on the drivers side and took off the plastic surrounding the lights(under the metal cover) and found two connectors unplugged to anything. they are male, i cant see anything they would go to i think they are pigtail connectors. But now both the drivers side lights dont work at all and they dont flip up or down!!! Im making it worse. I quit for the night cuz the mosquitoes were ridiculous. I dont know what the deal is, im about to tear it all out and rewire everything.
Last edited by SinisterBirdWS6; 07-11-2012 at 11:15 PM.
07-12-2012, 06:51 AM
#6
If the problem stays on the driver's side when you switch the bulbs, the next place to look is at the headlight motor connector. These are notorious for getting water in them, corroding, shorting out, and rusting the terminals clean through. All the wires for the headlight door and the headlights themselves go through this connector. (So, if you have a problem with the ground in that connector, nothing will work at all.)
07-12-2012, 07:38 PM
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So your turn singnal on that bulb doesn't work correctly, either. Right?
Can you post a pic? Not sure what this could be. If they are big, they could be related. How many wires go to them?
No, this is an easy problem to resolve. Did you switch the left and right side bulbs (the ones that work for the ones that don't work.) as suggested above? I highly recommend doing this because the bulbs themselves can be balky. They often burn out at the same time and just tapping one can blow it out if its on its last legs. I've also had many of these new bulbs from Sylvania, which turned out to be duds.
If the problem stays on the driver's side when you switch the bulbs, the next place to look is at the headlight motor connector. These are notorious for getting water in them, corroding, shorting out, and rusting the terminals clean through. All the wires for the headlight door and the headlights themselves go through this connector. (So, if you have a problem with the ground in that connector, nothing will work at all.)
Can you post a pic? Not sure what this could be. If they are big, they could be related. How many wires go to them?
No, this is an easy problem to resolve. Did you switch the left and right side bulbs (the ones that work for the ones that don't work.) as suggested above? I highly recommend doing this because the bulbs themselves can be balky. They often burn out at the same time and just tapping one can blow it out if its on its last legs. I've also had many of these new bulbs from Sylvania, which turned out to be duds.
If the problem stays on the driver's side when you switch the bulbs, the next place to look is at the headlight motor connector. These are notorious for getting water in them, corroding, shorting out, and rusting the terminals clean through. All the wires for the headlight door and the headlights themselves go through this connector. (So, if you have a problem with the ground in that connector, nothing will work at all.)
i got the headlights working as they should now...but The big connector in the second pic had some corrosion in it and it works well if i push both sides of it together tight but it slightly moves and the lights go dim again. I dont know if it just needs more cleaning or should i just get a new connector. Now the driver side headlights wont flip up or down with the headlight switch. There is no power going to the motor through that big plug. Its weird because it would flip up and down fine before i tore into it. Any suggestions on that? could it be the module?
Thanks!
Last edited by SinisterBirdWS6; 07-12-2012 at 10:57 PM.
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07-13-2012, 09:33 AM
#8
No idea on the connectors in the first picture.
The second one is your headlight motor connector that I mentioned above. Very very common. That connector takes a pounding from the weather, water leaks in eventually, and you'll get corrosion.
The male pins need to be polished. You can use fine steel wool, which should give you a much better connection. The female terminals are much harder and I don't even know how you'd go about getting them clean. Once you have things an good shape, you'll want to put TONS of dialectic grease on the terminals to help keep water off them.
Some of my female pins were so far gone, I had to crimp on new ones. (Dealers typically only have the tools to do this. Getting a set at home is a a $100-200 proposition.) You can also get a new pigtail to replace the connectors. If you go that route, be sure to get an official GM/Delphi pigtail, which will come with special waterproof melting crimp connectors. (This is not a place for a non-weathertight connectors.)
The second one is your headlight motor connector that I mentioned above. Very very common. That connector takes a pounding from the weather, water leaks in eventually, and you'll get corrosion.
The male pins need to be polished. You can use fine steel wool, which should give you a much better connection. The female terminals are much harder and I don't even know how you'd go about getting them clean. Once you have things an good shape, you'll want to put TONS of dialectic grease on the terminals to help keep water off them.
Some of my female pins were so far gone, I had to crimp on new ones. (Dealers typically only have the tools to do this. Getting a set at home is a a $100-200 proposition.) You can also get a new pigtail to replace the connectors. If you go that route, be sure to get an official GM/Delphi pigtail, which will come with special waterproof melting crimp connectors. (This is not a place for a non-weathertight connectors.)
07-20-2012, 05:58 PM
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No idea on the connectors in the first picture.
The second one is your headlight motor connector that I mentioned above. Very very common. That connector takes a pounding from the weather, water leaks in eventually, and you'll get corrosion.
The male pins need to be polished. You can use fine steel wool, which should give you a much better connection. The female terminals are much harder and I don't even know how you'd go about getting them clean. Once you have things an good shape, you'll want to put TONS of dialectic grease on the terminals to help keep water off them.
Some of my female pins were so far gone, I had to crimp on new ones. (Dealers typically only have the tools to do this. Getting a set at home is a a $100-200 proposition.) You can also get a new pigtail to replace the connectors. If you go that route, be sure to get an official GM/Delphi pigtail, which will come with special waterproof melting crimp connectors. (This is not a place for a non-weathertight connectors.)
The second one is your headlight motor connector that I mentioned above. Very very common. That connector takes a pounding from the weather, water leaks in eventually, and you'll get corrosion.
The male pins need to be polished. You can use fine steel wool, which should give you a much better connection. The female terminals are much harder and I don't even know how you'd go about getting them clean. Once you have things an good shape, you'll want to put TONS of dialectic grease on the terminals to help keep water off them.
Some of my female pins were so far gone, I had to crimp on new ones. (Dealers typically only have the tools to do this. Getting a set at home is a a $100-200 proposition.) You can also get a new pigtail to replace the connectors. If you go that route, be sure to get an official GM/Delphi pigtail, which will come with special waterproof melting crimp connectors. (This is not a place for a non-weathertight connectors.)
Also, i replaced the headlight control module as i thought that was what was making only one headlight flip and it worked for awhile the it didnt while i was messing with the connector then at the end of the day it fliped like it should.
Maybe its all the motor connector causing both the problems?
07-20-2012, 06:59 PM
#10
It could cause everything that is related to the headlight but nothing else.
The corrosion can also be grey or clear. I'd suggest polishing up the mail contacts, especially the ground wire. If you have corrosion between the contacts, the connection won't be good.
The corrosion can also be grey or clear. I'd suggest polishing up the mail contacts, especially the ground wire. If you have corrosion between the contacts, the connection won't be good.
07-20-2012, 07:58 PM
#11
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I couldnt fit my fingers in the male so i scraped it with a screwdriver..I know you said steel wool would work but i couldnt fit my fingers in to clean them, any tricks to doing that?
Side note, i looked on the passenger side and the connector and motor are like brand new because they dont have that black crap on the outside of the connector or wires and the motor looks really clean too. the problem side(Drivers), it looks like someone was trying to take apart the headlight gear case around with a screwdriver. I dont know which one is new or if it was like that from the factory.
Side note, i looked on the passenger side and the connector and motor are like brand new because they dont have that black crap on the outside of the connector or wires and the motor looks really clean too. the problem side(Drivers), it looks like someone was trying to take apart the headlight gear case around with a screwdriver. I dont know which one is new or if it was like that from the factory.
07-20-2012, 09:54 PM
#12
This is making more sense now and pointing more to that connector...
There is a terminal position assurance lock on the back of the connector, which holds the terminals in the body. If you pop that off, you should be able to use a straightened paperclip to release the tangs holding the terminals in the terminal body. If you get the paperclip in there just right, the terminal should slide out the back of the connector. Once out, you can polish it up, bend the tang back in place (so it will re-lock) and slide it back in the connector body.
The previous owner had a stripped headlight motor gear and either replaced it or rotated it. (They did take apart the case with a screwdriver!) When they did that, they unhooked the connector to get the motor out. This first disconnection is what caused the issue.
As long as the connector isn't removed after leaving the factory, the part of the terminals that are in contact won't corrode. But when the connector is removed and replaced, its inevitable that corroded parts of the terminal will make contact with the pristine parts. Eventually everything will corrode.
If you can polish up those terminals, you should be good. You just need to get bare/clean metal on bare/clean metal.
As long as the connector isn't removed after leaving the factory, the part of the terminals that are in contact won't corrode. But when the connector is removed and replaced, its inevitable that corroded parts of the terminal will make contact with the pristine parts. Eventually everything will corrode.
If you can polish up those terminals, you should be good. You just need to get bare/clean metal on bare/clean metal.
07-29-2012, 03:00 PM
#13
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I took out the male connectors and polished as you said( a few were pretty corroded but they cleaned up nice. plugged them back in and the headlights worked as they should.
As i was putting everything back together, i moved the connector a little bit and they went dim again, and i movedd it back so they arnt dim and its staying like that.
edit: I polished the females just like the males and now they are all dim just like when i started and even with a wiggle of the connector it wont turn bright.
Cant tell ya how pissed off i am, just as soon as i get close, it no sooner gets worse.
So i guess i should just buy both pigtails? or just the female? the female was worse than the males as the males cleaned up nice but the females were starting to rust and its hard to clean inside them.
If you have a part number or a place where i could get it, that would be much appreciated.
As i was putting everything back together, i moved the connector a little bit and they went dim again, and i movedd it back so they arnt dim and its staying like that.
edit: I polished the females just like the males and now they are all dim just like when i started and even with a wiggle of the connector it wont turn bright.
Cant tell ya how pissed off i am, just as soon as i get close, it no sooner gets worse.
So i guess i should just buy both pigtails? or just the female? the female was worse than the males as the males cleaned up nice but the females were starting to rust and its hard to clean inside them.
If you have a part number or a place where i could get it, that would be much appreciated.
Last edited by SinisterBirdWS6; 07-29-2012 at 05:25 PM.
07-29-2012, 05:52 PM
#14
Another important part is using dialectic grease on the terminals. That will keep water out. You might try greasing the terminals, wiggling them in to a good position and see how far that gets you.
A new female pigtail may be in order but, getting water proof splices is key and challenging. A GM dealer also has the tools to replace the individual terminals without splicing in a new pigtail, but I'll bet they'd charge a fortune. You can also buy the terminals and tools separately if you want to do it yourself. I can help you do that, if you want. The terminal will run you a few cents but the special crimping tools will run $50-200. (But you can use them over and over again on other terminal/connector jobs.)
A new female pigtail may be in order but, getting water proof splices is key and challenging. A GM dealer also has the tools to replace the individual terminals without splicing in a new pigtail, but I'll bet they'd charge a fortune. You can also buy the terminals and tools separately if you want to do it yourself. I can help you do that, if you want. The terminal will run you a few cents but the special crimping tools will run $50-200. (But you can use them over and over again on other terminal/connector jobs.)
07-29-2012, 06:32 PM
#15
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I used alot of dialectric grease too.
I found one on rock auto (#12102775) i think thats the right one?
if not could you show me where i could find one.
And do you think is it worth just getting the male pigtail as well?
Taking it to the dealer isnt an option for me.
By the way thanks for helping me as i go.
I found one on rock auto (#12102775) i think thats the right one?
if not could you show me where i could find one.
And do you think is it worth just getting the male pigtail as well?
Taking it to the dealer isnt an option for me.
By the way thanks for helping me as i go.
07-29-2012, 08:12 PM
#16
No. You can polish up the male terminals as good as new. The females have always been the problem for me. I've never replaced the males due to this problem and all is well.
