Hoping someone can help.

bought my 2001 c5 coupe a few years ago, original owner converted all to led (headlights, taillights, DRL, etc). All worked fine for 3 years. Recently, one DRL started flickering on and off intermittently. I figured it was the bulb and changed them both with the same switchback amber/ white ones from corvette envy. Worked fine for a few days now today one DRL (passenger side) is working fine but left DRL wasn’t on at all.

I turned the light switch 1 turn and it came on fine (amber). Turn signal works. When it got darker out it came on fine (white). For some reason, when the light switch is to off the DRL doesn’t illuminate and I get no turn signal.

when I locked the car, it didn’t flash like the right side did. When I unlock, it illuminated orange with the other side, then went white, back to orange.

weird….tells me bulbs are fine it’s getting power but what could be causing this intermittent nature/ just the driver side DRL to be out?

wouldn’t a fuse or relay affect both sides? Really strange and bugging me!


UPDATE: driving at night works fine, both illuminate white and turn signals work. Checked alternator with a test from OBD reader and it’s fine, battery comes back and says 12.26 “below acceptable limit” but it shows at 13.8-14 when car is running (optima dual terminal red top batter, 4-5 years old).

 

Check that the tabs are making contact with the pins on the bulb. I recently had an issue with my front socket not contacting the bulb pins and the bulb wouldn't light. I swapped in another socket and the bulb worked as normal.






You can also try bending the socket pins with a precision screwdriver if you don't want to cut/splice in a new socket.

 

I’m thinking that definitely might be what it is. I took the bulbs out and the insides look burnt and corroded. With the bulb back in when I wiggle the wires going into the socket, the light goes out, changes from white to amber, flickers, etc. Tells me you may be right and might be time for new sockets (20 years old at this point).

im thinking the dealer may be the only way to go for this as there aren’t a lot of electrical mechanics where I am. Assuming just need to wire in 2 new sockets (and hopefully they can go in from under the car versus having to take the whole headlight assembly out…I went in with low profile ramps which sucked but guessing on a hoist this might be a lot easier).

thanks for the heads up and will report on when done!

 

Okay, corrosion, and the plastic becoming brittle is a known problem. The easiest and cheapest fix for this is to buy new lens assemblies and replace them both. You can get OEM ones from Rock Auto pretty cheap. You might take the opportunity to upgrade to something with LED strips from Sharplight. (see image below) Removing the headlight assemblies to do this is not difficult. The first side will take you about 45 minutes, the second about ten. Good luck.

 

As an update, problem solved: took it in to my mechanic and he pulled the socket/ pigtail, found the blue wire on one side was not contacting well with the inside of the socket. Ordered aftermarket replacement sockets @ $13 each, 45 mins and $80 later, new sockets and everything works perfectly.

GM wanted $220 per socket, or $460 for the whole harness, plus a $260 electrical inspection and estimate of $800 to do the labour. So...$1520 vs. $106....

Lot of frustration chasing and changing bulbs and turns out it was just a crappy likely burnt out/ frayed socket wire. Go figure.