those lights on GM cars or trucks, does anyone else seem to have them burnout prematurely? I see a lot of cars and trucks on the road with one bulb out and it is the GM vehicles. Mine was out, I go to the dealer to get a bulb since the parts stores don't even carry that bulb, change it by the time they both don' t work and the new bulb doesn't even work :wall: I think the damn socket is fried, must get so hot or something. Neither one works even with new bulbs :whackin: damn car companies:doh: So I will do without now I guess.

does the socket look fairly clean, by that, I mean, no corrosion?
wet it down with some marine type electrical spray/electrical socket cleaner, might clean it up enough to make the connection... :huh:
as long as your "night time" lights work, your all set anyway, I guess..
my old ford.. only bulb I've had to ever replace, was the left rear brake/signal bulb and the cab mounted, center rear brake light...... at 110K, I wish I could say that for the rest of the truck :hihi:.. but no real complaints, considering the abuse it gets.

edit * did ya check fuse?

We got the same trucks Slip and mine have been fine. A buddy at work also has the same truck and two of his have burnt out. Both of his were drivers side. Go figure.

when ya look at the light

think of it as a complete circuit
and think how you would have done it better :think:

then make your own....

i started doing that....when disatisfied....
and i then started customizing my electrical system

toggle switches are cool... http://www.2page.de/userdaten/19445621/bilder/smiley_starwarskampflol.gif
especially when they light up :read:

those lights on GM cars or trucks, does anyone else seem to have them burnout prematurely? I see a lot of cars and trucks on the road with one bulb out and it is the GM vehicles. Mine was out, I go to the dealer to get a bulb since the parts stores don't even carry that bulb, change it by the time they both don' t work and the new bulb doesn't even work :wall: I think the damn socket is fried, must get so hot or something. Neither one works even with new bulbs :whackin: damn car companies:doh: So I will do without now I guess.
Bruce, ya have to check to see if you have power at the socket with a test light or voltmeter first.

Bruce I bet $10 you drive a GM pickup...I see this ALOT while driving. It's a very common thing from what I see and probably a defect (but try and get them to admit it) My old van had the drl on the headlites, new one is on the parking lights. Always wondered if you could get pulled over if one was out. There is a DOT law on the books somewhere that says if there is a light on the vehicle and it's non-functional you can be written up for it. Even tractor trailers that have those 10,000 lights fall under the rule-if one is out it a writeable offense. Anyone know if this is true of DRL?

..

All you need to do is put the E-Break on 1 click and this will turn the lights out, so they are not on all the time.

Scott, 2 years ago, I was getting my old motorhome inspected, the foreman at CC Truck did the inspection, he checked every light, clearance lights, marker lights, fog lights, etc... now, i have had guys check the clearance lights before, but the fog lights? I told him nobody ever checked those before... he said, the law reads, if there is a light on the vehicle, ANY light, from the factory, it has to work... period, or it's a violation.

Any input from our men in blue, on this?

All you need to do is put the E-Break on 1 click and this will turn the lights out, so they are not on all the time.

I am not talking about headlights. I have a Silverado 2003, and the daytime running lights can be turned off at the switch if you want. Also at night I can do the same to the headlights on the beach if I want.


I bet the sockets are defective, GM just won't admit it but I will look into it further.

The socket does NOT look corroded, but it looks slightly discolored like it's burnt on the plastic.

I'll see if I can find the fuse and check that too.

:liquify: It's a known problem with the GM's Also you can be ticketed for it but IMO that is not going to get you pulled over unless of course you are all over the road the DRL will be the excuse they need to pull you over. You will not get a sticker with it out and putting the E brake down one click doesn't work on the newer trucks. I have driven Fords since High School and was very happy with them my E-250 work van was totaled and I needed a van in a pinch so I bought an 02 GMC 3500 Savana this van is the biggest POS on the road electrical problems, intake manifold gaskets before 80k (BTW a known problem) and the interior is just sheet, the van has been sitting as I had surgery last Wed and my wife comes in the house the other morning telling me the heater fan/motor is running I'm like WTF keys are in the house so I go outside and sure enough the fans is running no keys in the van all the heater controls are off:splat: I also bought a brand new 06 2500HD which has been back 2x for exhaust shields rattling and driveline vibration that supposedely doesnt exist according to the dealer funny thing is when I drive my buddy's identical truck his is smooth as silk, btw it has been to 2 seperate dealers. And dont get me started on gas mileage should have went back to FORD cause GM=Junk IMO

I used to be a GM guy in the 70's but then I bought a ford and never looked back. I would never own a Chevy/GM, Dodge again I hear of to many problems. The E-break must have been the later ones

vf won't hijack bruce's thread but u are right on the intake gaskets, the electrical I have not found. I've had 3 now the latest being an 06 and no electrical problems. The new one did had a bad egr valve at 7k miles. 2.5 day job to replace on the diesel. Lots of guys been ripping them out.

email me if I can help, I have the complete service manual for that van.

Thanks Salty I will look you up if need be.

The photosensor or light switch that triggers the lights to be on may be blocked or defectective

Wow.. Bruce.. I googled "DRL GMC/Chevy problems".. got a whole lot of information.. there are even ubb's with threads dedicated to this issue!..
seems we have the Canadiens to blame for this :hihi:.. and the wrong bulb for the job.. interesting.. if your bored enuf to read thru it.

:liquify: It's a known problem with the GM's Also you can be ticketed for it but IMO that is not going to get you pulled over unless of course you are all over the road the DRL will be the excuse they need to pull you over. You will not get a sticker with it out and putting the E brake down one click doesn't work on the newer trucks. I have driven Fords since High School and was very happy with them my E-250 work van was totaled and I needed a van in a pinch so I bought an 02 GMC 3500 Savana this van is the biggest POS on the road electrical problems, intake manifold gaskets before 80k (BTW a known problem) and the interior is just sheet, the van has been sitting as I had surgery last Wed and my wife comes in the house the other morning telling me the heater fan/motor is running I'm like WTF keys are in the house so I go outside and sure enough the fans is running no keys in the van all the heater controls are off:splat: I also bought a brand new 06 2500HD which has been back 2x for exhaust shields rattling and driveline vibration that supposedely doesnt exist according to the dealer funny thing is when I drive my buddy's identical truck his is smooth as silk, btw it has been to 2 seperate dealers. And dont get me started on gas mileage should have went back to FORD cause GM=Junk IMO
What he said.
The last two companies I drove for in the last 18 years had 75% Ford.
Including my F series I have replaced exactly 1(one) light bulb in 800,000 miles driving Fords. Interior,exterior,marker lights,etc,etc.
Chevy/GM? I still have the Torx driver I had to buy to remove the headlight bezel to replace the bulb AGAIN. From 1988.
Kind of off topic but somewhat relevant. My company runs Chevy 3500 vans.
Had a 2006 van that blew up a transmission after 1 year and 51,000 miles. Based in ME; all highway. Out of commission for a month.
Chevy will replace the transmission with a 5 year/100,000 mile transmission as long as we pay half.
?

Chevy will replace the transmission with a 5 year/100,000 mile transmission as long as we pay half.
?

50% warranty... :faga::jester: chevy = :mad:

Yes.
You read that right.

The 5 yr 100,000 on the drivetrain is for the '07s.
It was an '06
Therefore they (GM) wouldn't pay for it.

After 89,000 and 10 years on my own Ford it cost me $200 and a weekend of work for a new clutch.
With a little bit of luck it will last me another 89,000 and 10 years.

make sure that you are not touching the bulb with bare fingers when changing them out. the oils from your fingers make them get too hot then they burn out quicker

sure enuff....looked after reading this.....another one out
03 Silverado

anyone have steering issues???? I was down a quart of p-steering fluid and have been having "play" in the wheel..
I'm thinking of a new ride.....

DOT rules pertain to commercial motor vehicles being used in the furtherance of commerce and have a minimum gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more.

While its true in the strictess of interpretations that all lights installed must work I doubt very much unless its a tailight, turn, stop, running lamps, or a headlight, both high and low beam you wont get stopped by a trooper or a local officer, as long as we are talking about a camper or light truck and not a commercial vehicle. Even if you install aftermarket tail lights to replace the original tail lights because the originals dont work anymore you must remove the original parts/defective lights otherwise the defective originals must be made to work along with the new aftermarket installation.

And what Tajon said about touching the lights, if you have touched them thats why they are burning out or dont even work. Install with glove on or use mucho layers of paper towels.
One thing you should all know that you are not allowed to have fog lamps on unless it is an emergency, ie; headlight out/s or fog so thick you can't see the front of the truck. Many people turn them on everytime the headlights are on and it is a violation.

sure enuff....looked after reading this.....another one out
03 Silverado

anyone have steering issues???? I was down a quart of p-steering fluid and have been having "play" in the wheel..
I'm thinking of a new ride.....


slingah? no adjustment screw surounded by a lock nutt?

Swimmer 10,001 lbs it's DOT, I had to go thru this with the registry last year the new van is 10k with comm plate :)

Lights in front can't just be not on, they have to be covered also as they're considered "off road" lights. Been thru that one too :)

Wow what a trainwreck sorry Bruce. Did you fix them yet?

Ya Salty, right, I always check the gross vehicle weight rating of the vehicle, not what it is registered for. Most of the time if not all the time its slightly under registered to fit someone else idea of what things are supposed to be. Like its very rare for a one ton to be 10,000 or less gross vehice weight rating but they are out there.

Very very few of the guys here or elsewhere realize that about the fog lights. When they are on its like having two sets of headlights coming at you, the regular ones, compared those to low beam, and the fog lights which give off enough illumination to be considered high beam.

Thanks Salty for keeping it straight.

slingah? no adjustment screw surounded by a lock nutt?

I dunno chit about automobiles...:hee:

Thanks everyone. not fixed yet but the more I look into it, the more I see this as a problem with the fixture itself :(

And don't get me started on a rant about which automaker is worse than the other, because I have had enough Fords to know about them and their crappy faulty timing chain cover gaskets that go bad and cause engines to burn up number one bearings :wall: thousands of dollars for new motors :wall: None of the car companies are perfect, I am happy with Honda though(for now), they go out of their way to satisfy the customer :uhuh:

The problem should be a recall but GM loses enough dough already, I bet they just blow it off..............:zup:

Slip,

Gm has a service bulletin about DRL bulbs on the GMT 800 series trucks. (Which a full size chevy or GMC is). This not a recall. They specify in bulletin that the bulbs be replaced with a long life version and "both bulbs be replaced together for customer satisfaction"

The latter part of the statement is where their is a lot of misunderstanding, I have seen many times only one bulb replaced and then a short time later the other burns out. Replace both bulbs with trade #4114K the old bulb trade #4157K. The GM number if needed is 15199562

Thanks everyone. not fixed yet but the more I look into it, the more I see this as a problem with the fixture itself :(

And don't get me started on a rant about which automaker is worse than the other, because I have had enough Fords to know about them and their crappy faulty timing chain cover gaskets that go bad and cause engines to burn up number one bearings :wall: thousands of dollars for new motors :wall: None of the car companies are perfect, I am happy with Honda though(for now), they go out of their way to satisfy the customer :uhuh:

The problem should be a recall but GM loses enough dough already, I bet they just blow it off..............:zup:


Slip just out of curiousity which motor are you referring to with the faulty TC cover?? My last three 351, 4.6, 5.4 had a combined odometer reading of around 625K and prior to that I had 2.8 Ranger 300 6 in a 150 and 351 Cleveland in my 86 f-250 and I can honestly say the biggest engine repair I had done was intake gaskets on my 4.6 at right around 200K One glaring problem I remember was my 86 F250 with the POS Holley carb that would leakdown into the motor while sitting and you would have to floor it to get it cleared out to start but thats another story:usd:

Thanks werench :btu: I'll give it a try.


VF, I had a 1997 E250 van , the first year they stopped the straight 6 300ci :smash: :wall: and went with V-6 4.6 liter engines instead. Nothing wrong with those 300 6's, can't understand why they cheapened and put such a small engine in that big supervan :huh: I had a 1986 brand new ranger and they underpowered that as well with a 2.0 liter engine, guess I didn't learn.....

The gasket for the timing chain went, I could smell antifreeze but three trips to the mechanic to figure out where it was coming from and then fixing it must have been too late, a short while later I was on the highway and poof, motor burnt the number 1 main bearing :(

I had a 1986 E150 with the straight 6 and it cost me didly squat to run it for 5 years, I made money with that van, the 97 cost me so much I wrote off ford for a while. I love my chevy truck.

Slip,

Gm has a service bulletin about DRL bulbs on the GMT 800 series trucks. (Which a full size chevy or GMC is). This not a recall. They specify in bulletin that the bulbs be replaced with a long life version and "both bulbs be replaced together for customer satisfaction"

The latter part of the statement is where their is a lot of misunderstanding, I have seen many times only one bulb replaced and then a short time later the other burns out. Replace both bulbs with trade #4114K the old bulb trade #4157K. The GM number if needed is 15199562

Thanks, funny this thread came up and my next RO was a '01 Yukon. You guessed it DRL didn't work. Burnt looking sockets, too. Saved me a coniption fit.

Slip - check this site out: http://www.fullsizechevy.com - Great resource for Chebbys :btu:

Just another type of Bull%$%$%$%$ gadget the 3 American auto companies have come up with to make the American consumer buy their peices of crap they call cars/trucks !!!
Maybe if they had been making vehicles with quality that don't fall apart like Japan has been for years they wouldn't been loosing millions each quarter and closing dealerships all over,
while for years , Toyota has been turning HUGE profits every quarter (17 billion last quarter) :faga:

Just another type of Bull%$%$%$%$ gadget the 3 American auto companies have come up with to make the American consumer buy their peices of crap they call cars/trucks !!!
Maybe if they had been making vehicles with quality that don't fall apart like Japan has been for years they wouldn't been loosing millions each quarter and closing dealerships all over,
while for years , Toyota has been turning HUGE profits every quarter (17 billion last quarter) :faga:

Someone on the tube stated that Toyota's profits were greater than the big American 3 put together. While selling fewer cars, barely but still fewer. I know that I don't weep when I have to repair a Toyota.