Last edit by: IB Advertising
See related guides and technical advice from our community experts:
Browse all: Cleaning and Detailing
- How to restore your headlights
Step by step instructions for do-it-yourselfers.
Browse all: Cleaning and Detailing
No Low Beam Headlights
#322
Race Car Tech
The following users liked this post:
Gering (06-05-2016)
#323
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
Posts: 21,631
Received 1,136 Likes
on
882 Posts
Is there any consensus on this fix yet? Doesn't seem like it.
I have not taken mine in to the dealer (yet) because there seems to be so many varied opinions about what to do. I really don't have the mental energy to take the fuse box apart, and I rarely drive at night, so I'm at a loss.
I have not taken mine in to the dealer (yet) because there seems to be so many varied opinions about what to do. I really don't have the mental energy to take the fuse box apart, and I rarely drive at night, so I'm at a loss.
#324
Race Car Tech
Is there any consensus on this fix yet? Doesn't seem like it.
I have not taken mine in to the dealer (yet) because there seems to be so many varied opinions about what to do. I really don't have the mental energy to take the fuse box apart, and I rarely drive at night, so I'm at a loss.
I have not taken mine in to the dealer (yet) because there seems to be so many varied opinions about what to do. I really don't have the mental energy to take the fuse box apart, and I rarely drive at night, so I'm at a loss.
I'll do the fix myself, rather than have the dealer do it. They seem to fix one thing, and break something else
Post 85 seems to be the ticket to fix it. I have made a PDF of that, just in case the pics disappear down the road.
Last edited by 4SUMERZ; 05-24-2016 at 11:23 PM.
The following users liked this post:
Enterprisehunter (05-25-2016)
#325
Is there any consensus on this fix yet? Doesn't seem like it.
I have not taken mine in to the dealer (yet) because there seems to be so many varied opinions about what to do. I really don't have the mental energy to take the fuse box apart, and I rarely drive at night, so I'm at a loss.
I have not taken mine in to the dealer (yet) because there seems to be so many varied opinions about what to do. I really don't have the mental energy to take the fuse box apart, and I rarely drive at night, so I'm at a loss.
Take it in and have it done or not. If you never drive at night, it's a non-issue to you. If you do drive at night, and it fails, you can drive home with the brights.
If you want to sell your car, the polite thing to do is have the recall done.
#326
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
Posts: 21,631
Received 1,136 Likes
on
882 Posts
I have the recall letter in hand, but have had no issues yet, so I'm not having it done at the dealer, unless it's a last resort.
I'll do the fix myself, rather than have the dealer do it. They seem to fix one thing, and break something else
Post 85 seems to be the ticket to fix it. I have made a PDF of that, just in case the pics disappear down the road.
I'll do the fix myself, rather than have the dealer do it. They seem to fix one thing, and break something else
Post 85 seems to be the ticket to fix it. I have made a PDF of that, just in case the pics disappear down the road.
And do what? Throw them in a pile? I'm assuming they are not all the same.
But I agree about dealers usually causing more harm than good, and have resisted taking it to them because I simply don't trust them. Or anyone else, really.
So, Mrs. Ow, Imma take my chances I guess.
The only time in my 49 years of car ownership that my headlights didn't work was with a beater '66 Chev panel truck, and the foot dimmer switch rotted out. Replaced it for probably $5 and all was good.
Why is this even an issue in the second century of auto manufacturing? -- too much sensitive electronic gadgetry. What's the upside? None that I see.
Oh well.
#327
Low beam problem recall
There is an old recall still open on this problem. The small ground wire built into the fuse block flexes with under hood heat up and cooling causing the low beams to sometimes fail when under hood heats up and then usually start working again when fuse box cools down. This is an easy fix by the dealer where it takes longer to drive there and back than it does to complete the running of a new ground wire under the fuse box. Check the old threads for this as a "book" of comments has been written about this topic.
#328
Race Director
I read that before posting, but when I got to the "pull out all fuses and relays . . . "
And do what? Throw them in a pile? I'm assuming they are not all the same.
But I agree about dealers usually causing more harm than good, and have resisted taking it to them because I simply don't trust them. Or anyone else, really.
So, Mrs. Ow, Imma take my chances I guess.
The only time in my 49 years of car ownership that my headlights didn't work was with a beater '66 Chev panel truck, and the foot dimmer switch rotted out. Replaced it for probably $5 and all was good.
Why is this even an issue in the second century of auto manufacturing? -- too much sensitive electronic gadgetry. What's the upside? None that I see.
Oh well.
And do what? Throw them in a pile? I'm assuming they are not all the same.
But I agree about dealers usually causing more harm than good, and have resisted taking it to them because I simply don't trust them. Or anyone else, really.
So, Mrs. Ow, Imma take my chances I guess.
The only time in my 49 years of car ownership that my headlights didn't work was with a beater '66 Chev panel truck, and the foot dimmer switch rotted out. Replaced it for probably $5 and all was good.
Why is this even an issue in the second century of auto manufacturing? -- too much sensitive electronic gadgetry. What's the upside? None that I see.
Oh well.
#332
Instructor
As you can see there is NO SPACE for a backup wire.
While I did repair the wire that was obviously broken, there was absolutely NO WAY to place a back up wire either on the front or the backside of the inner fuse box wiring tunnel scheme.
Here is the photo from senseoftouch post#85 from his 2005 C6 headlight fuse box wiring repair BACKSIDE BACKUP WIRE:
NEEDLESS TO SAY, MY HEADLIGHTS ARE NOW WORKING AND I WAS ABLE SO SWEDGE THE INSIDE METAL SLEEVES AND REUSE THEM TO REASSEMBLE THE FUSE BOX.
A SIDE NOTE, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE THE FUSE BOX FROM THE BOTTOM INSERTS WHILE STILL ATTACHED TO THE FUSE BOX IN THE CAR. i NEEDED A SMALL SCREW DRIVER TO SEPARATE THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE FUSE BOX THAT REMAIN IN THE CAR WHILE YOU REPAIR THE UPPER FUSE BOX WITH THE WIRING TUNNELS.
THIS JOB IS SOOOO EASY, TOOK ALL OF 1 HOUR TO COMPLETE THE WHOLE THING.
THANKS TO THIS GREAT FORUM FOR HELPING US SCHLUBS REPAIR OUR GREAT CARS WITHOUT THE NEED FOR DEALER CRAP AND DEALER DESTRUCTION OF OUR CARS WHILE IN THEIR POSSESSION.
I AM STOKED!!!!!!!:flag :
Last edited by Enterprisehunter; 06-04-2016 at 05:42 PM.
The following users liked this post:
Gering (06-05-2016)
#333
Race Director
All done with the re-wire. followed an easier path. I even completely removed the shoulders at the corners to make lazy bends in the wires. You can see it better on the second photo where I actually did it at both bends. Much easier and (IMHO) less stress on the wires. Next step is putting it back together and putting it in the car. Reporting back soon....
Original side:
Back(up) side
Original side:
Back(up) side
#334
Instructor
Also for those interested on my 2008 the "backup" wire is not possible, due to other wires running through that same line.
overall easy fix.
Take a picture of the fuse box to see where all the fuses and relays go.
#336
Drifting
2007 Z51 headlights went out 8/16/14. GM has a recall but no solution. Did the fix yesterday (broken wire).Thank you Tom. Wired both sides. You think GM would figure it out. I just hope this doesn't happen to anyone it night and on a mountain road. Mine when out on my way to work in the morning. Thanks all you guys that posted.
Mark
Mark
#338
Yes, the official fix is a jumper wire that leaves the guts untouched.
#339
Intermediate
This forum is great. Thanks for the great write-up and pictures.
I got my recall notice a long time ago but never wanted to take it to the dealer. Decided to take a look at the wiring today to see the condition. The original wire was fine and had normal resistance. My car is an '07 so I was able to add an additional wire on the back. 20 gauge Bell wire (solid copper core) is 22 cents a foot at Home Depot.
The bolt collars were a pain. I crushed them enough to be able to hammer them out. To remove sharp edges and allow easy reassembly I used a grinding wheel to clean up the sleeves.
Also used channel locks to press the wire into the channel on the board, couldn't do it any other way, 20 gauge is a tight fit.
Remember to re-index both windows when you reconnect the battery- roll window down some then close and hold for about 5 seconds.
I got my recall notice a long time ago but never wanted to take it to the dealer. Decided to take a look at the wiring today to see the condition. The original wire was fine and had normal resistance. My car is an '07 so I was able to add an additional wire on the back. 20 gauge Bell wire (solid copper core) is 22 cents a foot at Home Depot.
The bolt collars were a pain. I crushed them enough to be able to hammer them out. To remove sharp edges and allow easy reassembly I used a grinding wheel to clean up the sleeves.
Also used channel locks to press the wire into the channel on the board, couldn't do it any other way, 20 gauge is a tight fit.
Remember to re-index both windows when you reconnect the battery- roll window down some then close and hold for about 5 seconds.
#340
Thanks for the kind words
WHAT A GUY! And he really knows his stuff. and I can personally vouch for that. Actually I called him about my 'No low beams' as coincidentally we live in the same town. After chatting for a few minutes HE volunteered to fix mine, for a neighborly tip, and the same day too! Well it was an impressive sight to watch, and despite my gift of gab, I was driving off into the sunset in under 2 hours. Move over Iron-man and Captain America, there's a new guy in town! Thanx again Tom, YOU ROCK!