headlights don't work

lil history on the car. bought the car last year in aug. it took me 2 years to find one, thank god for my boss and especially his wife. she forced him to sell it....pussy whipped. nonetheless i got it for a steal($1200). i love this car so much i put a new motor in it after i thought i blew a head gasket. come to find out it was the upper intake gasket.
all of my other lights work...highbeams, taillights, sidemakers, blinkers, etc. i checked all of my fuses with a power probe and they all are in good working condition. its just my freaking HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON. if anybody has an idea please let me know?

Might be the headlight switch. I had some work done on mine a few years ago and they didn't plug it in right. Some of the lights worked and some didn't. I can't remember which. But, they replaced the switch after they admitted they plugged it in wrong and everything worked great after that.

thanks jack,
but it turns out to be my headlight control mod. the dam thing just melted the plastic housing. total price is $167 from the dealer.

check price at www.gmpartsdirect.com or do you already get a discount from your dealer? My dealer gives me 25% off any parts, which makes it a wash once you pay shipping from gmpartsdirect. Much shorter wait time from the dealer though.

I have a similar problem. It started out as a rapid flashing of the dash lights and outside lights (parking, head lamps, rears). I could hear something clicking from under the dash. This behavior would happen when I turned the key on, then would stop after about 3-5 secs. Afterward, everything returned to normal and the car would be fine for a few days or even weeks. The problem would usually happen in the evening our at night.

After several weeks, the problem got worse. It would happen more frequently, and the flashing would last 10 secs or more. I noticed if I turned my brights on and off with the multi-function stalk, the problem would stop and the lights would then come on. Again, it would only occur in dim lighted conditions, but I could always get it to work.

Over time, it got worse, happening in the daytime as well as night. I would use the brights switch to stop the flashing, but a few days ago, the lamps would just not come on at all, not even with the manual headlamp switch. This seems to be permanent after 2 days so far.

Everything seems to point to the lighting control module - LCM. Anyone experienced a similar problem, or have any other ideas? Thx.

AA,
I would just get a used LCM from Morad's and try that first. I doubt their that much money used.

I'm finding they're hard to find. Left Ed a voice mail, waiting to see if he has any. I know the '97s won't work in a '96. not sure about mine. It's a very specific part.

My 95 sometimes clicks behind the dash sounds like a flasher not much lately though. Sometimes the air bag light would come on and dim the headlights puliing up to a stop. One time the dashboard lights went completely out but I shut off engine and they came back on but the left hand dash light in the headlight switch burnt out. That dash bulb is soldered into a circuit board in the headlight switch right one is replaceable. None of this probably not helpful but when my headlights start flashing I will use your bright lights trick.

I know this is an old thread, but the wife is up in Ottawa(in the 98 riv) and having the same issue as described in post 1. All lights work fine, high-beams are fine, but lows wont come on. If you hit the lock on the key-fob, they do blink though.

AA did you ever find a LCM? Anyone know where its located?

Edit: also anyone know the PN? or link on rock auto for it?

Its hard to troubleshoot since she's away on a trip, so I just told her to drive in daylight and if she HAS to drive in the dark to just run with high-beams on...

Karma wrote:

I know this is an old thread, but the wife is up in Ottawa(in the 98 riv) and having the same issue as described in post 1. All lights work fine, high-beams are fine, but lows wont come on. If you hit the lock on the key-fob, they do blink though.

AA did you ever find a LCM? Anyone know where its located?

Edit: also anyone know the PN? or link on rock auto for it?

Its hard to troubleshoot since she's away on a trip, so I just told her to drive in daylight and if she HAS to drive in the dark to just run with high-beams on...

Karma, I don't have the info on the LCM, but ask her if she has had to use the 4 way flashers recently and try to turn them On and Off once to see if that switch is stuck or not working. I seem to remember from a long time ago that someone had a similar problem and it was a bad 4 way flasher switch. I could be confusing my problems and diagnosis, but it's worth a shot.
I don't have the wiring diagram with me either so I cannot verify. But it's easy enough to try.
Has she tried to manually turn them on with the dashboard switch.?

IIRC, Aaron got a used LCM from Morad's, much cheaper than a new one from the parts stores that carry them.

Now if someone can come to the rescue regarding the LCM or other checks to do for headlights that won't come on automatically.???

She tried manually turning them on. No dice. Hasn't used the 4 way's recently and seems to be working.

Shes en-route to Montreal now, so any other tests will have to wait.

You mentioned that the headlights do blink when using the key fob to lock or unlock the car. I thought the high beams flash when using the key fob.
I have a 98 and will go out and check that now in case it has anything to do with further troubleshooting later on.
Be back and will update this post.

EDIT: Yes, it is the High Beams that flash when you lock or unlock using the key fob.

ah, ok. Thats good to know. Thanks Rick. So she must have been looking at the highs then. .... unless there is a difference in the lighting system between US and CAD, which is possible as we have daytime running lights...

Karma wrote:

ah, ok. Thats good to know. Thanks Rick. So she must have been looking at the highs then. .... unless there is a difference in the lighting system between US and CAD, which is possible as we have daytime running lights...

I was thinking the same thing. But we recently confirmed the later years were the same because the US spec cars also have DRL's which are the High beams running in series to give half their normal output.

It was the early, like 95 that had issues. In Canada you had mandatory DRL's in 95 but the US spec cars did not, so the LCM's were different P/n's.

But, the 98's should be identical, as far as wiring and components installed (LCM).

Abaddon was all over trying to help someone in Canada with there problem on an early year car and found some issues with the way they were wired I believe. I didn't follow it as close as I could have.

ah, also good to know. My 95 is from the states, so its always lined up with troubleshooting.

The '95's use a resistor on the Low Beams for the DRL's. If the DRL's work, and the Low beams don't, I'd be looking at the Dimmer Switch. If neither work, then it's possible that the LCM or the Headlamp Switch is bad.

Good info on the 95. Just to remind people, the issue the wife is having is with the 98. (Though this 95 info I'm sure will be useful to someone browsing through someday.)

Abaddon wrote:

The '95's use a resistor on the Low Beams for the DRL's. If the DRL's work, and the Low beams don't, I'd be looking at the Dimmer Switch. If neither work, then it's possible that the LCM or the Headlamp Switch is bad.

Abaddon,
Did you mix 95 and 98 info in your post.?

Meaning, the 95 resistor info is separate from the possible dimmer, LCM or headlamp switch info for the 98.? Or am I confused as much as this post has become confused with different years that operate differently.
Could you please clarify for the 98 and not the 95. Thanks.

Why yes Rick, yes i did LOLOLOL. I paid no attention to the "my wifes '98" reference lol.

In that case, the LCM supplies power to the Low Beams based on the Ambient Light Sensor input and/or Headlamp Switch Input (manual turn on). See if the Low Beams will come on using the switch. And, if the High Beams work, we know that the ground on the LF Headlamp is good, which it shares for the Low Beams. Ask her if the DRL's work. Do they stay on when it gets dark?

Well, apparently the high beams stopped working on the way to Montreal. But, when trying to put them on, when you are pulling the stock, they turn on momentarily , but after the click nothing. All other lights work fine, signal, brake, etc...

Oh, and I dunno if its related but I got "Oh, I didn't tell you this before, but the cruse control hasn't worked for ages, and sometimes when you put it on it won't come on, but then later in the trip it will suddenly come on." Great. If I'd known that I would have sent her with the 95. I could have trouble-shot this ages ago.

Signal stalk? or still the LCM? to look at when it gets back?

I would be shifting my focus to the "Multi-Function control, but then again, I haven't got access to my wiring diagrams. It just seems to make sense that if the multi-function control is shedding it's functions one by one..........well.

She lost cruise control first, then headlights and now high beams, what is the common denominator.

Abaddon, is good at following the wiring diagrams and posting them on this site for evaluation. That's if he doesn't mind.

Karma, don't you have the FSM for the wife cars yet.?

Isn't that typical of a woman, not to mention a problem that isn't a problem, until it becomes a problem. And I thought you had the one in a million being somewhat mechanically inclined herself and able to work around in the machine shop on her own. That still doesn't mean there is a head load of common sense.??? I'm puzzled by her actions for sure. Still a keeper though.

Rickw wrote:

Isn't that typical of a woman, not to mention a problem that isn't a problem, until it becomes a problem. And I thought you had the one in a million being somewhat mechanically inclined herself and able to work around in the machine shop on her own. That still doesn't mean there is a head load of common sense.

Yeah, this one threw me for a loop. She's usually really good about this. She can work a lathe, did her own LIM gaskets and shocks herself, but didn't tell me for 2 months about cruse control not working. Go figure.

and no, no service manuals for her car yet...

Rickw wrote:

I would be shifting my focus to the "Multi-Function control, but then again, I haven't got access to my wiring diagrams. It just seems to make sense that if the multi-function control is shedding it's functions one by one..........well.

She lost cruise control first, then headlights and now high beams, what is the common denominator.

Abaddon, is good at following the wiring diagrams and posting them on this site for evaluation. That's if he doesn't mind.

Ask and thou shalt receive.....

After staring at the Cruise and headlight circuits, I have found this....
---The only thing those 2 circuits have in common is S115 (splice) and G101 (ground).
But, S115 and G101 are also shared with the Right Cornering Lamp, Right Front Park/Turn Lamp, Series Parallel Cooling Fan Relay, Post Converter Heated O2, Underhood Lamp, Right Cooling Fan Motor, both Horns, Washer Fluid Level Switch, Windshield Wiper Motor, A/C Compressor Clutch Diode, A/C Compressor Clutch, and the Front Heated O2.

G101 is located to the right of the Upper Engine Mount on the passenger side Lower Frame Rail.
S115 is located in the body harness in the RF fender.

Given this finding, I think it's safe to say that they are unrelated concerns

Rickw wrote:

Isn't that typical of a woman, not to mention a problem that isn't a problem....until it becomes a problem.

Mind if I use that Rick?