Chevrolet pickups day time running lights?

michaelc80 · Jun 23, 2005

Ok, I understand that I should be thinking about much more important things in life. But-the last couple of days I’ve been traveling and have noticed something odd. Mon-Wed was 110 mile round trip each day on the Interstate (80-between Colfax IA and Brooklyn, IA to be specific). Today (Thursday) I went 140 miles on 2 lane state highways. I can’t believe the number of Chevrolet pickups with one daytime running light out, and it’s mostly the drivers side. Here are some statistics I compiled.

Tuesday (interstate travel) counted 63 on-coming Chevrolet pickups with DRL’s. Of the 63, 41 had one DRL out. 33 were the drivers side.
Wednesday (interstate travel) counted 59 on-coming Chevrolet pickups with DRL’s. Of the 59, 29 had at least one DRL out. 20 were the drivers side.
Thursday (2 lane state highway travel) counted 24 on-coming Chevrolet pickups with DRL’s. Of the 24, 18 had at least one DRL out. 12 were the drivers side.

I did not count any vehicle other than full size Chevrolet pickups (no Suburbans, no S-10’s, no GMCs).

Is there something specific to the Chevrolet pickups that makes such a large number of DRL’s go out? I didn’t notice any other vehicle with DRL’s that had one out.

Just curious…..it seems everywhere I look there are Chevrolet pickups with one DRL out!

Jon · Jun 23, 2005

Older Chevy trucks (prior to 2002 or 2003?) had inadequate cooling to the DRL - and they burned out. No idea as to why driver's side or whatever.

At least it's not like VW which burns out lights because of their crap electrical system.

tom slick · Jun 23, 2005

I've noticed the same thing. I think they have a service bulletin on it.

Curious Kid · Jun 23, 2005

I'm not sure how the daylight running systems work for these vehicles, but I've heard that some systems would not run the bulbs at full power. Doing this, which I suspect is like putting the buld on a dimmer, is counter productive to maintaining a halogen bulbs life span unless used at full power from time to time. I believe it has to do will having the temperature be high enough so that the metal from the filament is somehow able to redeposit itself back on to the filament, rather than the glass perhaps. Dimming can hinder this process by effectively lower the unit's operating temperature.

srivett · Jun 23, 2005

I don't think I've seen one with two working lights.

Steve

JohnBrowning · Jun 23, 2005

When they first redesigned the full size truck I noticed the same thing. THe first 3 months I comented on this very topic to a few friends adn ralatives and they all observed the same thing. it is always more obvious on a almost beand new truck! I have found that 95% of the time it is the driver side that is burnt out.

On older designs that used the cars high beams they would power them with reduced voltage to make them not so bright when they were running as DRL. Later when they went to the dedicated DRL system they went to running them at 12 volts like the other bulbs as far as I am aware.

I have no idea about the TSB but from practical experince GM has a problem with all of the sockets for all of their lamps. They simply do not last that long past warranty before they start corrodeing realy badly here in Michigan. They also have a problem with sealing and drainage of their lamp houseing here in Michigan. A lot of the products like the mini-vans especialy have had problems with the two halfs the clear plastic lens and the black plastic body seperateing and falling off of the vechile due to poor workmanship. They do not seem to have a lot of luck with their sonicly welded headlamp assemblys! I do not know if it is a material problem or a supplier issue! I can also tell you from experince that GM tail lamps are the hardest to piece back together becasue they make them so thin that they are hard to repair.

Pick · Jun 23, 2005

I purchased my GMC 2500HD in September of 2003, and I still have both DRL's working. Have noticed a lot of drivers side DRL's not working here in Florida, as well as in Ohio and states in between.

Bill in Utah · Jun 23, 2005

The DRLs are a separate bulb/lens than the headlights on my Truck.

We use more salt than most other states for Ice removal (we have a endless FREE supply) and amazing both my 2000 DRLs are working and my Dads 2002 are working.

So are the Trucks at work which have tons of HARD miles on them... If the bulb goes out, they replace it.

Glad to see that no other brand but GM has *any* problems...

Amazing..

Bill

JohnnyO · Jun 23, 2005

Related issue, I don't know why but about 75% of Grand Ams have the left inside tail light/brake light burned out. My wife had a '99 GA and it did the same thing. Always just the one light.

michaelc80 · Jun 23, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Bill in Utah:
The DRLs are a separate bulb/lens than the headlights on my Truck.

We use more salt than most other states for Ice removal (we have a endless FREE supply) and amazing both my 2000 DRLs are working and my Dads 2002 are working.

So are the Trucks at work which have tons of HARD miles on them... If the bulb goes out, they replace it.

Glad to see that no other brand but GM has *any* problems...

Amazing..

Bill

It was strictly an observation-not a slam against GM. I have no doubt that every brand has their weird things like this, but it seems to be extremely noticable with the Chevrolet pickups since its the DRL's. I also wanted to make sure I wasn't imagining it

dickwells · Jun 23, 2005

I noticed this problem (on other trucks) when my 2002 was about a year old. I changed the bulbs and the old ones were burned and darkened around the base. I replaced them with amber ones and they are still ok but I haven't pulled them to see if they are burning too.

brianl703 · Jun 24, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by JohnBrowning:
I have no idea about the TSB but from practical experince GM has a problem with all of the sockets for all of their lamps.

Has terminal grease been applied to the sockets from the factory? Was terminal grease applied to the sockets after the bulb replacement?

I've seen sockets (specifically 280 series Metri-Pack that mate to 9005/9006 headlight bulbs) with "PED" stamped on them in other makes of vehicles--and they do not seem to have these problems. In fact, I do believe that my '96 Ford Contour has these connectors in it.

PED is "Packard Electrical Division", aka DELHPI, the supplier (in the past, not as much recently) of most of GM's sockets and electrical connectors.

Both GM and non-GM Delphi connectors/sockets appear identical, right down to the 3-rib gasket and the usage of individual wire seals.

simple_gifts · Jun 24, 2005

These headlight problem seems to be afflicting Bug's Jetta's and Passats. Always 1 headlight burnt out.

medic · Jun 24, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Bill in Utah:
Glad to see that no other brand but GM has *any* problems...

Amazing..

Looks like somebody is a bit touchy. I'm sure this study would've inlcuded Ford and Dodge, but they don't seem to have these DRL problems (can you figure out why?) and DRL's were the basis for the study. I have also noticed this problem with GM trucks over they years, but never noticed that they were mostly on the drivers side. I think somebody put their personal time in and made an observation on the data they collected. They then asked a question regarding that data.

Interestingly enough, I don't remember you chiming in on my recent post "Another Ford Blunder". Is this because you consider it to be okay to point out a vehicle's shortcomings as long as it isn't a GM truck?

cousincletus · Jun 24, 2005

I just worked on a 2002 Suburban. Base of the bulb and the socket looked burnt from the bulbs getting too hot. Replaced with long life bulbs but didn't use the bulb grease. (Good idea though on the grease and I wish I would have thought of it when I had the bulbs out).

brianl703 · Jun 24, 2005

Keep in mind also that some people install illegal, non-DOT approved overwattage bulbs. (Ebay is loaded with this crap, so there's a market for it). These, in addition to blinding other drivers, WILL fry a socket..and the wiring..and maybe, if you're really (un)lucky, the whole vehicle (when something overheats to the point that it catches fire).

srivett · Jun 24, 2005

Having a burnt out light also makes you a criminal.

I wonder how many tickets they've paid for customers. I'm betting none.

Steve

oilyriser · Jun 24, 2005

White LED's for DRL's would save energy, and almost never burn out.

brianl703 · Jun 24, 2005

I don't know about the rest of them, but the old N-body Malibu will light the "service vehicle soon" tell-tale on the dashboard if one of the DRLs burns out.

gudmund · Jun 25, 2005

have noticed the same thing on the Chevy PU's. now for something of just the oppisite. My 96 Geo Metro - 250+thou miles when I sold it(and yes it was and is still running) and had never had to replace either of the DRL headlamps(H4 Halogins)-still the originals on both sides. And now my 98 Suzuki Swift - 108+thou and the same thing-never replaced either yet. Being they are on all the time the vehicle runs, I figured when I bought the 96 I would be replacing them more often so I bought extra's, well I still have extra's - some for the 96, and now some for the 98 being they are different for each. Thats over 6000hrs of burn time on the 96 Metro(yes I have a hour meter on both) and over 2700hrs on the 98 Swift so far. They run at 80% in "DRL"-daylite- than full 100% when regular headlites are on which is about half the time being I drive over half the time in the dark(sorry I had to admit that).

Chevrolet pickups day time running lights?

Similar threads