Low beam out on driver's side

[Jessicasdd]

I have a problem with my headlight. The driver's side headlight's low beam isn't working. The high beam works, the daytime running lamp light works, just low beam isn't working. I replaced the bulb with 2 different new bulbs and both bulbs lit the same way, with high beam and daytime working and low beam not working. Any ideas before I start pulling wires out and really mess things up? My Cav is a 2001 4-door if that info is needed. Please help. Thanks!

[muff34]

well looks like your gonna have to check light socket for power then work your way back. Sounds like the wiring issue again IMO

[Classicrocjunkie]

bad connector, bad ground, bad harness all together.

[Jeffrv]

Interesting that on your car it is only the driver's side affected. On my 2002 Cavalier both headlights low beams will not come on sometimes in really cold weather, just DRL and high beams. Sometimes toggling to high beams will rerstore the low beams, and I was suspecting the light switch itself, but if yours acts the same yet only on one side perhaps it is in the wiring harness to the DRL module. Any suggestions where to find that beast? I think in my case it make be temp related as the low beams usually return to normal after 5 or 10 minutes driving, cabin warms up a bit.
Jeff

[Jessicasdd]

There is power going into the socket but the low beam still will not turn on. The thing that sucks is that because there is something wrong, when I put the car into gear and the daytimes come on they flash about five times and go off and a light on the dashboard lights up. It says service with a wrench above it. The daytimes won't try to come back on until I turn the car off and restart it. Then it does it all over again. But this same thing happened when just the light bulb blew. But we have tried three bulbs all ending with the same result. Shot in the dark: Could the relay between the low beam and the daytime have anything to do with it? I didn't think each side was on seperate relays. They're not on seperate fuses. Help!

[Jeffrv]

I talked with a former GM tech about this headlight issue. First off in regards to my problem about DRL's staying on in cold weather he hadn't heard of it, and suspected like I do a switch problem. As far as other headlight/running light/turn signal issues, he suggested checking the wiring bundle behind the windshield washer container, take it out and you will probably find lots of corrosion in the harness, rather common on Cavaliers he says. Good luck
Jeff

[Jessicasdd]

I went searching through other blogs and found that as the issue in most cases. The person you spoke with is right, it does seem to be a common problem among Cavaliers. That being said, it kind of ruins the Cavalier for me. I always thought it to be very reliable and this has been my only real problem with it. Anyway, have you ever heard of gmlink.com. I went there and registered and then went through help to contact someone. I explained in the message that this seems to be a common problem among Cavaliers so why hasn't it been recalled. I told them that it is very dangerous because if the wires are corroding inside the plastic sleaves then the lights could malfunction on any Cavalier at any given time and what if it happens at 3:00am when someone is on their way home from work. The lights fail and the driver can't see so he crashes and is killed. Well then it becomes a lawsuit against GM for failure to fix a known problem. A person customer service rep from GM has been trying to get back to me all day. We keep missing each other, playing phone tag. I will keep everyone up to date on what progresses from that contact. Hopefully we can get this recalled.

[Jessicasdd]

Fixed it, with the help of another AF member. Thank you Ben, for all your help. The problem was in two blue wries that ran across in front of the radiator. The wires were wrapped in seat tape and when we got to where the blue wires all meet, by the passenger side headlamp, that is where the corrosion was. Would have never thought to look there on my own cause the passenger light wasn't the one with the problem. One traffic ticket and one filed complaint leter and it is fixed. Didn't cost a thing, yet. I am going to continue to push for a recall on this as my light failed on me at 10 o clock at night and I feel it could pose a danger if both lights go at once at night. Anyone who feels they have anything they would like to add to help fuel this recall, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would be happy to include it with everything that I send.

[Classicrocjunkie]

Its always an issue with the harness.... lol.

[Jessicasdd]

I just couldn't get over the seat tape. Did you ever ride a bus to school? I attended elementary school in the 80's and our buses were notorious for having tape on the seats. It was supposed to blend in to look like the seats but it never did. The kids would rip it off to expose the tear and make the tear bigger. You know how kids are. To think that was what was wrapped around the wires is just beyond me. They might as well of used duct tape. It would have worked just as crappy. I couldn't believe when I watched him cut the tape away how corroded and rusted those wires were underneath. It was just unbelievable. I can not believe that GM has not issued a recall on this. My bad, I forgot. Has this caused a fire or a death? Probably not yet, but that is what it will take for GM to issue that recall on their own. Let's push it.