Both headlights on my '98 are no longer popping up, nor are they lighting. No sounds from the headlight motors, they never grinded, just started intermittantly not popping up, after a few or several tries they would open. Then the problem would go away for a while, only to return again. Finally, they are not opening or lighting at all. Does this sound like the switch or the module? From what I have found by doing a search is that it appears to be the switch. Can anyone who has had this exact problem please advise. Thanks.

 

The first thing I would try is replacing (or just swap w/another location) Circuit Breaker #54 and Relay #44, both in the passenger footwell. The relay could have gone bad, and the circuit breaker may have 'tripped' and not want to reset any more.

You can test the headlight switch if you have a voltmeter. Any $10 meter will work.

Start by removing the bottom dash piece by following the applicable portions of these instructions for installing a CLB by jmX.

Locate the large connector at the bottom/center of the steering column. It's the big one dangling in this picture, only don't disconnect it.

That large connector is C209. Everywhere you see the << symbol in this schematic with C209 next to it, that's where a wire for the headlights goes through the C209 connector.

The 'Hot at All Times' in the schematic is the (+) voltage. Attach the (-) black lead from your meter to a good ground point (I usually just find a place where I can wedge it between a plastic trim piece and a metal part of the frame). Use the (+) red lead from the meter to see what does/doesn't have 12VDC power on the C209 connector as you turn the headlight switch on/off. You SHOULD be able to shove the end of the test lead into the wire end of the connector far enough to hit the metal crimps holding the wires in.

If the white wire on C209 has power, but the tan wire doesn't when the headlight switch is on, then it's probably your switch. I think the part number is 26075870, but confirm that with your dealer before ordering it if you're going to fix it yourself.

If that's not the problem, just poke around and look at the schematic to see where the voltage stops when it should be getting through.

If you need it, you can find the next page of the headlight schematics here. If you need any other schematics I can scan and email them to you, eveything I linked to in this post is already available on the web for my Tech Tip about the headlight wiring mod.

Hope this helps, and let us know what the problem turns out to be. :cheers:

 

great write up, :iagree:

 

Thanks Mark, I really appreciate your very well detailed response. :thumbs:
I will let you know how things turn out. :cheers:
:seeya
BTW, I just installed the CLB from jmX about 3 weeks ago. I got the dreaded "service column lock" on the dic but was able to get my steering wheel loose and installed the CLB. No problems ever since. :)

 

Here's my experience, sounds similar.

My headlights would not pop up or turn on. I hand-cranked them up and hit the "flash-to-pass". The hi-beams came on. I had to drive home that night holding the "flash-to-pass" lever, all the while shifting gears. :mad
Took it to my Chevy dealer the next day. On the repair invoice they listed as the cause as "BCM NO GROUNDING HEADLAMP RELAY". The fix was: "REPLACE AND REPROGRAM BCM".
This happen a little over 3 years ago, covered under warranty. Problem has never re-occurred.