headlights dead?

[kruqnut]

I have a 96 s-10 extended cab 4.3Liter vin W engine connected to a VCM.

Well now that I have the brakes fixed, onto the next problem. My headlights don't work.

The daytime running lights work, and it makes the beams glow dim like they're supposed to with DRL. But the headlight switch does nothing ot the headlights. It turns on the parking lamps, but thats it.

If the car is off and I hit the lights, I get nothing but the parking lamps. If the car is on (and the daytime running lights) the DRL stay on and the headlights don't light up any more.

The headlights had bad wiring, which I fixed, and they worked for a while. But then my brakes locked up, while working on that they went out again.

Is there a fuse for the headlights/high beams? I can't seem to find anything in the side fuse panel for headlights.

I have a multimeter, what is the proper method to text the wires to make sure they're fine?

On another note, my left turn signals in FRONT don't work, the back ones work, and the parking lamps work but the signal won't flash, this applies to 4-ways too.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by kruqnut

I have a 96 s-10 extended cab 4.3Liter vin W engine connected to a VCM.

Well now that I have the brakes fixed, onto the next problem. My headlights don't work.

The daytime running lights work, and it makes the beams glow dim like they're supposed to with DRL. But the headlight switch does nothing ot the headlights. It turns on the parking lamps, but thats it.

If the car is off and I hit the lights, I get nothing but the parking lamps. If the car is on (and the daytime running lights) the DRL stay on and the headlights don't light up any more.

The headlights had bad wiring, which I fixed, and they worked for a while. But then my brakes locked up, while working on that they went out again.

Is there a fuse for the headlights/high beams? I can't seem to find anything in the side fuse panel for headlights.

I have a multimeter, what is the proper method to text the wires to make sure they're fine?

On another note, my left turn signals in FRONT don't work, the back ones work, and the parking lamps work but the signal won't flash, this applies to 4-ways too.

What was locking the brakes?
What did you do on the wiring repair?
Wires burnt/shorted/broke?

For fuses get out the volt ohm meter and check all fuse boxes for 12 volts on both sides of fuse for headlights on and check other fuse while you are there.
Post back info and what you find.

[kruqnut]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

What was locking the brakes?
What did you do on the wiring repair?
Wires burnt/shorted/broke?

For fuses get out the volt ohm meter and check all fuse boxes for 12 volts on both sides of fuse for headlights on and check other fuse while you are there.
Post back info and what you find.

I believe the culprit was a bad flex hose, I ended up replacing both calipers flex hose and the brake line on the driver's sidethey seem to work fine in the driveway, haven't hit the road yet tho

There doesn't seem to be a fuse for the headlights, thats what I'm trying to find. I looked in the chilton's manual and the wiring diagram says the headlight line is hot at all times with no fuse.

Looking at the fuse panel there seems to be no fuse for the headlights, that's why I'm stumped. Tehres the DRL fuse, but those works fine. I'm just so confused about this, are there fusible links in the headlight wires somewhere or what? also my left turn signals on the front don't work but the bulbs light up for the parking lamps. I'm not sure if the wires are burnt, they're all inside a wiring tube thingy and I haven't pulled them out yet. Where should I start looking for shorted wires? I would guess they aren't near the first driver side headlight, because when I was resplicing the connections to the driver's headbeam, any time I removed one of the wires the DRL would not work. The DRL only work when all 3 wires are plugged into the headlight, so the short must be between the headlamp switch and where the DRL connects tot he circuit right?

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by kruqnut

I believe the culprit was a bad flex hose, I ended up replacing both calipers flex hose and the brake line on the driver's sidethey seem to work fine in the driveway, haven't hit the road yet tho

There doesn't seem to be a fuse for the headlights, thats what I'm trying to find. I looked in the chilton's manual and the wiring diagram says the headlight line is hot at all times with no fuse.

Looking at the fuse panel there seems to be no fuse for the headlights, that's why I'm stumped. Tehres the DRL fuse, but those works fine. I'm just so confused about this, are there fusible links in the headlight wires somewhere or what? also my left turn signals on the front don't work but the bulbs light up for the parking lamps.

What was done on the wiring repair to lights?

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by kruqnut

I believe the culprit was a bad flex hose, I ended up replacing both calipers flex hose and the brake line on the driver's sidethey seem to work fine in the driveway, haven't hit the road yet tho

There doesn't seem to be a fuse for the headlights, thats what I'm trying to find. I looked in the chilton's manual and the wiring diagram says the headlight line is hot at all times with no fuse.

Looking at the fuse panel there seems to be no fuse for the headlights, that's why I'm stumped. Tehres the DRL fuse, but those works fine. I'm just so confused about this, are there fusible links in the headlight wires somewhere or what? also my left turn signals on the front don't work but the bulbs light up for the parking lamps. I'm not sure if the wires are burnt, they're all inside a wiring tube thingy and I haven't pulled them out yet. Where should I start looking for shorted wires? I would guess they aren't near the first driver side headlight, because when I was resplicing the connections to the driver's headbeam, any time I removed one of the wires the DRL would not work. The DRL only work when all 3 wires are plugged into the headlight, so the short must be between the headlamp switch and where the DRL connects tot he circuit right?

Only park lights fused.
Head light switch should have 2 12 volts wire into it.
One park fuse and other no c wire hot all time.

Pull headlight switch and check for 2 hot in and check yellow headlight wire out for 12 volts with headlights on.
Yellow wire from headlight switch feeds dimmer switch for low and high beams.

[kruqnut]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

What was done on the wiring repair to lights?

all i did was resplice the light green wire at the driver's side headlamp because the wiring was shotty, it cut on and off when i shook the wire, after i did that the lights worked for a while, then they just completely stopped.

After they stopped working I tried resplicing the other 2 connections, the splicing is fine i believe because with any of the 3 wires disconnected the DRL didn't work. all 3 wires had to be ok for the DRL to come on.

So that leads me to it being something under the dash or a fusable link or something that is on the circuit before it joins the DRL.

Either way im confused as hell. Right now Im taking apart the headlight switch to check for functionality.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by kruqnut

all i did was resplice the light green wire at the driver's side headlamp because the wiring was shotty, it cut on and off when i shook the wire, after i did that the lights worked for a while, then they just completely stopped.

After they stopped working I tried resplicing the other 2 connections, the splicing is fine i believe because with any of the 3 wires disconnected the DRL didn't work. all 3 wires had to be ok for the DRL to come on.

So that leads me to it being something under the dash or a fusable link or something that is on the circuit before it joins the DRL.

Either way im confused as hell. Right now Im taking apart the headlight switch to check for functionality.

Do not take it apart just remove it and check voltage in and out with switch on.
Post back what you find there.

[kruqnut]

I did some testing and found about 4000ohms resitance in the headlight switch circuit, after some fiddling around i got the headlights to work. I presume the switch needs replaced.

Now I have 1 more issue, THe left turn signals in front don't work.

The bulbs come on as parking lamps, but they won't blink for the 4-ways or turn signals. After studying the wiring diagram this leads me to believe the light blue wire that runs to these bulbs is not working properly. I tested this wire with the signal active and it was pulsing 11V approx. same as the other signal wires. so I'm confused where to go with this. When I connected the light blue wire to a live 12v wire it seemed to ground through it, so where is the open circuit? Did I check this wrong, I'm new witha multimeter so detailed instructions on how to test the circuit for the front left turn signal would be appreciated.

[MT-2500]

Good Bulb?
Ground?

[kruqnut]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Good Bulb?
Ground?

Well both bulbs light up when the parking lamps are on, including the single filament bulb. So the bulbs are good, I just replaced the bulbs in the bumperi redid the 2 grounds on the radiator, I don't know if either of those are for the turn signal.

The Airbag and related components were removed from this vehicle, I believe it may have been in an accident but I'm not sure.

When I hit the 4ways the other 3 sides blink. when I hit the left turn signal the rear blink, the dash blinks, but the front left ones don't blink. But because the parking lamps come on that must mean the circuit is complete to a degree, they just arent getting the pulsing signal. So i tested the wire out of the urn signal lever that is supposed to be going to the bulbs and it seemed to be pulsing 11v just like the other wires, maybe I tested wrong? Like I said any directions on how to use the multimeter to test are appreciated. By looking at the wiring diagram it looks like only 1 wire could be the problem

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by kruqnut

Well both bulbs light up when the parking lamps are on, including the single filament bulb. So the bulbs are good, I just replaced the bulbs in the bumperi redid the 2 grounds on the radiator, I don't know if either of those are for the turn signal.

The Airbag and related components were removed from this vehicle, I believe it may have been in an accident but I'm not sure.

When I hit the 4ways the other 3 sides blink. when I hit the left turn signal the rear blink, the dash blinks, but the front left ones don't blink. But because the parking lamps come on that must mean the circuit is complete to a degree, they just arent getting the pulsing signal. So i tested the wire out of the urn signal lever that is supposed to be going to the bulbs and it seemed to be pulsing 11v just like the other wires, maybe I tested wrong? Like I said any directions on how to use the multimeter to test are appreciated. By looking at the wiring diagram it looks like only 1 wire could be the problem

Parking lamp filement and turn signal filement is seperate in the bulb.
On can work and the other side of bulb can be bad.
Replace the bulb when you have it out.
Check for turn signal on turn signal wire to light.
Check for turn signal signal to bulb.
Check bulb and bulb socket/pligin.
Remove socket and check for turn signal inside of it.
Check bulb.
Check for good ground.

Are you getting turn signal inside bulb socket?
Are you getting good ground inside bulb socket?
If so and the bulb is good you should have turn sinnal.

A old bulb type test light works best for testing lights and sockets and grounds.

Also to check for ground you can reverse test light and if it lights up on ground wite you have a bad ground.
Post back what you find.

[MT-2500]

If wiring to light socket and bulb is good/new.
Replace the light socket.

[kruqnut]

Both the front left signals don't work, and parking lamps come on in both of them. It is seperate in 1 bulb, the other bulb is only one filament tho, 1 wire comes from the parking light switch, the other wire comes from the turn/hazard switch but according to the diagram meets up with the left turn signal dash light, and the other headlight, before it goes to the switch. So only 2 wires go in, besides that, I swapped that bulb with the one on the right side, and the right side still works and the left side doesnt. The otehr bulb that is double filament is brand new just replaced.

ow exactly do i check for the signal? put the positive of my multimeter to the surface to test, I.E. the wire then ground out the other side and test the voltage? It should pulse 12V like up at the column switch i tested yesterday right? If i test the wire before the socket and it doesn't work I would stop there and suspect that wire correct?

How do i test the ground? Sorry about being so new to this, everyone has to learn sometime right? I have to run off for lunch for a little bit, Ill get out there and start testing soon as i get back.

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Parking lamp filement and turn signal filement is seperate in the bulb.
On can work and the other side of bulb can be bad.
Replace the bulb when you have it out.
Check for turn signal on turn signal wire to light.
Check for turn signal signal to bulb.
Check bulb and bulb socket/pligin.
Remove socket and check for turn signal inside of it.
Check bulb.
Check for good ground.

Are you getting turn signal inside bulb socket?
Are you getting good ground inside bulb socket?
If so and the bulb is good you should have turn sinnal.

A old bulb type test light works best for testing lights and sockets and grounds.

Also to check for ground you can reverse test light and if it lights up on ground wite you have a bad ground.
Post back what you find.

[MT-2500]

The one with the double filement bub is turn sinnal.

Check the light blue wire into it for 12 volt flashing.
Remove bulb and check inside socket for 12 volt flashing inside the socket on the light blue terminial.

The check the black wire to it for ground and inside the socket shell for ground.
If it gives you any static replace the bulb socket and be done with it.
Good Luck

[kruqnut]

I tested the line down before it splits to goto the 2 turn signals on the front left ( both bulbs are signals) the wire was giving -0.02 on my DMM, kinda pulsing, losing alot of voltage i presume. So i tested the same wire up after coming out of a harness right before the ABS system. I was getting up to 10v there(pulsing, just the meter only read up to 10v before the signal dropped then repeated).

So I'm going to replace the wire and see where I'm at.