Some wierd issues
 

I'm trying to figure out what the heck is happening with my alero. I have had a bunch of wierd issues lately, and I think they must all be somehow related.

First, and most importantly, my passenger side headlight seems to randomly not go on when I turn my car or just the lights on. The siginals still work, and when this happens, the high beam bulbs come on as if they're in DRL mode... they're dimmer than normal, but the low beam on my driver side is on fine. When this happens, also the passenger side low beam comes on very faintly. Every time this happens, I get a Service Vehicle Soon light.

Secondly, I've been having some issues with my low tire pressure light come on. No other dummy lights come on when this happens, and my tires are at full pressure. I just reset the dummy light when I stop, but it has happened a couple of times over the last few days.

Lastly, tonight on my way home from my in laws, my siginals stopped working for about 30 minutes on the highway. This is not the first time this has happened.... as I can remember at least 3 other times this has occured. It started working again before I got home.

Any ideas what could be causing these strange issues?

check and make sure the splice pack for the grounds is securely attached to the body.. I had my drivers side get a little corroded and it made the signal mess up as if the bulb were out.

splice pack(ill bet this) or melted harness(es)(mine blew the fuse)?

hub?

hazard switch

Where is the splice pack, and what does it look like? I suck at electric wiring lol.

Any help would be appreciated, and thanks for the help already provided.

its on the drivers side inner fender, near the electrical box. Its a little black box with a bunch of black wires feeding into it. I've had mine all apart, and its easy to clean, if necessary.

i have the same headlight issue as you Nick and i have yet to find the problem. It wasn't the split pack or melted harness on mine. so good luck. let me know if you find out the problem. I am sure it is an easy fix once the problem part is found.

Hey Bud,

It sounds like you may have a "hot" wiring harness in one of your headlight bulbs.

Check to see if any of the prongs have widened and if your harness hass melted or not. If this problem doesn't happen at night, then it's your highbeams. etc..

try that :)

There's quite a few of them actually. I believe there's one on the passenger side too. But the drivers side one is easy to see so you know what you're looking for. It looks like an electrical connector with a handful of wires connected to it and it's just screwed to the body.

Bump.

Ok, so I have been lazy and havn't taken care of these issues. My headlight problem isn't my harnesses, because I replaced the headlights (one was cracked anyway), and I still have the issue. The only thing else I can think of is that when I installed my HID's back in the day, I cut the wires that plug into the headlights. I have used a metallic fastener thing that you crimp on, as well as a lot of electrical tape. But I think I can do a better job. However, the wires look kind of brittle now. Anybody know the part numbers to replace these plugs? Is that something you can even buy? Maybe I would be better chopping them off a junker.

Anyway, other question is how hard is it to replace the relay? Do I have to take apart the dash board? The siginals work like 70% of the time, but I'm sick of having to hit my hazzards.

Could be a high resistance in the wires going to the passenger side. Check the wires and make sure there arent any cuts in the wire. You should also use a voltmeter and check the voltage of the wires. If the light comes on very faintly, its usually high resistance.

well, i didnt read the thread when i posted, but if you used electrical tape, that could be the problem. Moisture probably got under the tape and the wire started to corrode. You should have used shrink wrap!! heh. I would go take off all the electrical tape, and the metallic fastener and check the wires.....

The wires are corroded a bit. But the cut is so close to the harness that I'm screwed now... i need new harnesses. Does anybody know the part number?

i have had the same thing with the turn signal would blink once then not at all got it checked out and it was a short in the turn signal switch had to replace that ....had no problems since then ...i think it was about $80.00 and took about 20 minutes or so to replace ....because the cruse control and the blinkers are on one switch....

Well, here's the update.

Today, car goes into the tint shop to get the tint removed from front windows.
Tomorrow, I will go to a junk yard to try to salvage some headligth wiring harnesses.
Monday, I have a scheduled appointment with the caddy dealer to fix my hazzards under recall. If my headlights don't work by Monday, then I'll have the dealer try to fix them too.

After that, its on to inspection next tuesday or wednesday.

sounds like you learned a few things in your automotive electrical class.

I just dropped Ruby off at the tint shop, that is also a shop that installs systems. I told the guy about my headlight problem, and he says that he will test it for me with a voltmeter and fix the harnesses for me if thats the problem. If not, he'll find the problem. So that's good.

I am not good with wiring at all, so I would rather just pay sombody to do it for me at this point.

Did you get busted for your tint or are you just tired of it? You said you were taking it off the front.

I have to pass inspection (its a year overdue now). I got pulled over and got nailed for tint and no inspection. Its my 4th tint ticket. I have no points on my license, and have never had a moving violation (knock on wood) but the tint has cost me $600 in tickets so far. Every time I've been pulled over it's been for tint. So, off it goes. I've gotta get the car back in drivable condition. I feel like its falling apart on me lately and I'm too nervous to drive it anywhere.

I need the car to last me another 8 months to a year... so at this point, the less the headaches the better.

yeap, ive learned the most in that class than any other one.....so far. heh.