Headlamps/Parking/Tail Lgts won't come on with the switch on the turn signal lever!

[hoosierdaddy]

Just a week or so ago I headlamps, tail lamps, parking lights and etc. quick coming on with the switch. The only way I can get them to work is go into the DIC and toggle on the twilight feature and then of course they come on when it gets dark. Definenly glad I could do this but sometimes when it starts to get dark I like to drive with my headlamps off and closed and just use the parking lights and fog lights. Of course my first suspect is the switch itself. Is this fuse seperately, and where would that be exactly and how can I test it to make sure what the problem is? I definenlyly want to get this fixed before I head to the 2005 Cruise Fest in Bowling Green. I have not checked it out latel. I though maybe someone else out there at had this problem too with a 2000 C-5. If there is anyone out there that can help :confused me I would greatly appreicate it very much.


Thanks in advance for your help.
Bill

 

[hoosierdaddy]

2000 C-5 Headlamp Swith/Remove & Replace

UPDATE-UPDATE-UPDATE
R&R 2000 C-5 Headlamp Switch​

Checked out the below problem a little bit today; if I keep tring to turn the switch back and forth a number of times the lights will come on. Turn them back off and it will continue to work for a good dozen times or until I get tired of trying. Then I go back an hour or so later and they won't work again, go through the same thing and they will come on. So I think it is a safe bet that the switch has a problem; now that brings me to the next question: What kind of difficulty :confused am I going to have replacing the switch; come on some of C-5 experts share that knowledge, how about it c4c5 specialist?
Any hints of the trade will be greatly appreicated believe me!

Bill

​

Just a week or so ago I headlamps, tail lamps, parking lights and etc. quick coming on with the switch. The only way I can get them to work is go into the DIC and toggle on the twilight feature and then of course they come on when it gets dark. Definenly glad I could do this but sometimes when it starts to get dark I like to drive with my headlamps off and closed and just use the parking lights and fog lights. Of course my first suspect is the switch itself. Is this fuse seperately, and where would that be exactly and how can I test it to make sure what the problem is? I definenlyly want to get this fixed before I head to the 2005 Cruise Fest in Bowling Green. I have not checked it out latel. I though maybe someone else out there at had this problem too with a 2000 C-5. If there is anyone out there that can help :confused me I would greatly appreicate it very much.


Thanks in advance for your help.
Bill

 

[Patrick]

Bill, this is getting into electrical stuff. I don't have an answer for you, but I suspect C4/C5 Specialist might. Hang in there, I'm sure he'll find this thread in the next day or so.

-Patrick

 

[KANE]

Just a week or so ago I headlamps, tail lamps, parking lights and etc. quick coming on with the switch. If there is anyone out there that can help :confused me I would greatly appreicate it very much.

Wow. You will have to do some wire tracing!!

Lets start with something easy-

Do your turn signals work? (This goes to grounding)
How about the dimmer- do your brights come on when you MANUALLY raise the lights, turn the lights on, and pull back on the dimmer? (This goes to the extent of the problem)
Do your Fog lights come on when you signal to pass someone and the lights are down? (This too goes to pervasiveness)

I think the gremlin could be in a couple of areas- the switch itself, the wires between the switch and the twighlight sentinel, and then a ground to the switch itself or both.

I doubt that it is in the lamp harness, relays, or fuses if your twighlight sentinel is working.

Track the harness for the switch. Use a test light and back probe the contacts.

GET A SCHEMATIC FIRST!!!

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,
I would agree, there is alot to this.
Make sure that your hazard switch works.
If that is ok, then you will have to get into it deeper.
I would suspect that it could be a terminal at the connector under the dash, or the switch itself.
How far do you want to go with this???
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[hoosierdaddy]

HI there,
I would agree, there is alot to this.
Make sure that your hazard switch works.
If that is ok, then you will have to get into it deeper.
I would suspect that it could be a terminal at the connector under the dash, or the switch itself.
How far do you want to go with this???
Allthebest, c4c5

c4c5, you da MAN! The hazard switch works, but I have had the turn signals sometime again would on rare occassion quit working, then I would hit the hazard switch, they would work and right after try the turn signals and they would work. This happen last year a couple of times but not since then. Now this problem with the headlamps not working or the parking lights for that matter just started on rare occassion not working, now if I let it set for a couple of weeks this happens. If I turn the switch back and forth they will come on and operate as designed for a number of times, and then next time I may go through the same thing all over again. :confused I guess I still suspect the switch itself is bad! Do I have to pull the steering wheel to replace this switch? Any help you can give me would be appreciated very much.

Thanks in advance for your expertise,
Bill

 

[c4c5specialist]

HIthere,
You will have to remove the steering wheel, yes.
Disconnect the negative battery terminal and wait 15 mins.
This will be enough time to power down the air bag system without fear of deployment of the air bag.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[hoosierdaddy]

HIthere,
You will have to remove the steering wheel, yes.
Disconnect the negative battery terminal and wait 15 mins.
This will be enough time to power down the air bag system without fear of deployment of the air bag.
Allthebest, c4c5

Thanks c4c5; the strangest thing is now it comes on everytime I turn it on, not sure what is going on but my plan is to just leave it alone now; what do you think? By the way I never did get the colum lock re-call taken care of; should I be concerned about this or not?

Your the best!

Bill :confused

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI htere,
I would really check the connections at the base of the steering column just to be sure that nothing is loose.
There will be a few connections there, so check each one.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[hoosierdaddy]

HI htere,
I would really check the connections at the base of the steering column just to be sure that nothing is loose.
There will be a few connections there, so check each one.
Allthebest, c4c5

Thanks for getting back to me c4c5 but the strangest thing is that I have driven the car for the last couple of weeks and the head lamps come on everytime. I suspected the switch was malfunctioning but now I don't know. By the way the column recall bulletin that came out on C-5's what in the last year or two I never had done, should I be concerned about this? :confused I was told GM puts out recalls/bulletins with just a 2% failure rate. What do you think; I had started to get this done but I wasn't crazy about the local dealer taking my steering wheel off. I had heard there was a differant thing that was done for the automatics and the standard trans.

Thanks again,

Bill

 

[KANE]

I suspected the switch was malfunctioning but now I don't know. By the way the column recall bulletin that came out on C-5's what in the last year or two I never had done, should I be concerned about this? :confused I was told GM puts out recalls/bulletins with just a 2% failure rate.

I wouldn't bet that it has "healed" itself. I'm sure it will re-appear.

Check your connections. You won't need to pull the wheel- just remove the trim plates around the knee panels.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

I wouldn't bet that it has "healed" itself. I'm sure it will re-appear.

Check your connections. You won't need to pull the wheel- just remove the trim plates around the knee panels.

:confused No I wouldn't think it has healed itself either. If the switch is bad can it be replaced without pulling the steering wheel? I will check the connections at the steering column anyway; but why would it work for a long time and then all of a sudden quit; then I turn the switch back and forth for 5 or 6 times and it starts working again, and works for a long time without fail? What would be your thoughts on never having the column lock re-call done? You would think if there was a problem with the steering wheel locking up I would have experienced something by now would you?

Thanks,
Bill