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Is it an electrical nightmare?

h0wl0ngcanitbe

h0wl0ngcanitbe

Lifer
So I just picked up a 97 GTP and on the second day of owning it one of the head lights go out. Nothin big right? But I did notice my high beam light come on but dim, not as bright as when the high bean is actually on? Im assuming this is a computer signal to the driver?

A day or two later the second head light goes out before I can replace the first one and now all my lights do not work. Head lights and fogs? Both of the fuses are still good. I have yet to replace the head lights which im going to do but wanted to get initial thought if anyone knew of this issue personally?
 


Could very well be a bad ignition switch... as far as one going out and then the other, not sure...
 
Thanks for the replies guys. So consensus is a bad ground, is their a series of test I should do?

I will start by checking the battery but where should I go from their?

I did notice the autolights turning on and off when I did first get it? As in when the light outside was dim enough the lights normally kick on, but mine kicked on and off all day long? I do live in Seattle where lately its been very dark and gray outside so I chalked it up to that but if that info makes a difference im not sure?
 
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Well I think the cloudy conditions were causing it to act up a little bit but hard to say cause my 01 has never done this?

I have determined by doing some troubleshooting that the fogs still work like when I chirp the alarm and on certain conditions of the ignition being on. Only when the car engine is off but all aux is on and power is running does the fogs work.

I pulled apart my headlight assembly and replaced the headlight bulb and that did not fix it so im going to move on to checking grounds. Should I start by pulling the main battery ground and wire brushing it even though the car still powers on and runs everything else just fine? Or do I need to locate the headlight grounds?

I can tell this is going to be quite the mystery:th_angry2:
 
check and clean any grounds you find....i'd use some sandpaper...IMO finer grit works better for this kind of thing.
 
i'd pull the battery terminals first...clean them with a wire brush. I could BARELY see any battery acid on my terminals one day and my car wouldn't even start!!! cleaned them no issues...

Also don't forget to check your connectors sometimes some cars have corriosion issues inside of those, electrical contact cleaner is handy and won't hurt a bit...
 


@ 4THGENCAMAROFAN

So I am assuming by cleaning any grounds I see, ya mean that any black wires screwed to metal parts I should check out and clear? Cause I am seeing quite a few.

@ offroadfurry6

So even a slightly corroded battery ground could wig out a specific component while the rest of the car still works?

I am goin to hit both of these issues tonight and let ya guys know how it turns out thanks again and keep the thoughts comin!
 
ya grounds are usually black...there's usually quite a bit of them...what i would do is pop out your headlights and then trace the wires...youve got to fidn a ground somewhere.

I know on my 97 theres a ground on the front of the radiator support more toward the driver side.
 
h0wl0ngcanitbe said:
@ 4THGENCAMAROFAN

So I am assuming by cleaning any grounds I see, ya mean that any black wires screwed to metal parts I should check out and clear? Cause I am seeing quite a few.

@ offroadfurry6

So even a slightly corroded battery ground could wig out a specific component while the rest of the car still works?

I am goin to hit both of these issues tonight and let ya guys know how it turns out thanks again and keep the thoughts comin!
Click to expand...

with Eletricity...Anything can happen...ANYTHING...dude I had Full HID's and interior lights were working feriously but wouldn't start...nothing...cleaned the ground and fired right up...Eletrical components are funky, it can cause some weird effects...not saying ur issue is the ground...but cleaning the terminals is tooooooo easy and is a great place to start...no fix? move on to the other guys, find the headlight ground on the chasis somewhere, make sure it's making a solid connection, that means no grease or dirt/grime under or around it...
 
Gm released a TSB for certain '97 models that had to sensitive of a sensor. I don't recall what the fix was, but I'm sure it is floating around somewhere in cyberspace.
 


TSB is the sensor on the dash that regulates the lights goin on and off correct? The two bulb modual one red the other one clear on the top middle of the dash?
 
DSC02179.jpg

My two GTPs thank god for having spare parts

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The Ghetto hacked wireharness

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The way the stock ones that work look, and should look

So I isolated the issue. The previous owner must have ghetto hacked some HIDs or something cause I swapped out my 01 lights with the malfunctioning 97 and they worked just fine. So for now I have disconnected the head lights and that freed up my fogs so that I have at least some lighting forward. All of the forward lights must be connected somehow?

Here are some Pics

So that brings a close to this thread and on to my next... Aftermarket Headlights!!:D
 
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