Headlight Doesn't Work? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

phenixdragon · 01-01-2011, 01:53 PM

Last month, I replaced my stock HID bulbs with a different temperature bulbs and they worked great until about 2 weeks ago. The driver's side stopped working. I figured the bulb went out so I went and put the stock bulbs back in, and nothing. The driver's side still doesn't come on. I swapped the bulbs from the driver's to passengers and vis versa, same issue, the driver's side doesn't come on. I checked the fuse in the fuse box and it is good. I had even swapped the fuses around form the right and left and same issue, passenger side comes on while the driver's side stays off.

I'm not sure what else to check. Any ideas? Maybe a reply somewhere went out? Are there any other fuses for these besides in the fuse box?

caverman · 01-01-2011, 02:36 PM

Sounds like the ballast went out. You'll probably need to put your stock bulbs back in and take it back to the dealer. Don't leave the aftermarket bulbs in there when you take in for warranty or they'll probably use that as an excuse not to take care of it without you paying.

phenixdragon · 01-01-2011, 02:48 PM

Hm...well problem is that the lamps aren't stock anymore. Had ACC install the dual halos who fu**ed it up pretty badly anyway, that's another story.

I do have another broken lamp from an accident so maybe I can swap the ballasts? I think they are are just mounted on the bottom and can swap without having to open up the lamp housing?

caverman · 01-01-2011, 02:56 PM

I'm not positive on where the ballast is on the RS light. I thought I saw a thread where it was right on the back side of the bulb but again I don't know since I don't have an RS.

They will probably not warranty with the AAC stuff in there but I guess it's always worth a try. Techincally just opening up the housing and adding some halo rings shouldn't have anything to do with the bulbs/ballasts but the dealer/GM may not see it that way.

I doubt very seriously the ballasts are inside the housing though.

phenixdragon · 01-01-2011, 04:20 PM

Just took a look at the broken light I have laying around and the ballast can be taken off without opting the housing. I'm going to try swapping them tomorrow and see what happens. I'm hoping that it works, and if it does, than I am going to go to my dealer and see about getting a new headlamp through warranty. My dealer is cool where they probably can get warranty replacement since they know that if a ballast went out that it has nothing to do with the halos installed. This way I can at least get 1 free headlamp after the terrible job AAC did without me possibly paying for 2 new lamps at $600 or so a pop. But I was just hoping for something more simple like a rely or something without having to take the bumper off.

phenixdragon · 01-01-2011, 04:31 PM

Ya it's the ballast. I took the broken light and was able to plug it into the wiring without having to remove anything. Broken light came right now. So later this week I am going to see about getting a new lamp through warranty and once the new one arrives hopefully I can keep the broken one and put in the ballast from the broken light in while keeping the new lamp. Hoping, not saying that would happen that way though. Depends on GM.

phenixdragon · 01-03-2011, 02:03 AM

Actually had a cop pull me over New Year's Eve night while heading to dinner with my wife. Pulled me over because of the light being out and having the red halos on. Cop was actually more impressed than anything else. Even when he had me over, he walked up front asking me to turn the halos on. While I was, he was telling his partner to come check it out, showing her that my head lights are blue (well purplish with 12000K bulbs) and red halos. Copy didn't even car for my insurance and registration. Just told me to fix the light and not to run the reds. Now had I been in a rice rocket, probably would have ended up with a ticket.

caverman · 01-03-2011, 08:36 AM

Cool.....glad you found the problem and that is wasn't something like the wiring or so.

Hopefully you can work out the warranty issue with it.

phenixdragon · 01-03-2011, 06:44 PM

Err....had to edit my post. I mean I had a cop pull me over, not a copy. Stupid auto correct.

I hope to take it in for warranty tomorrow. We'll see though. I am pretty sick and just want to sleep 24/7.

01-01-2011, 01:53 PM	#1
phenixdragon Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 781	Headlight Doesn't Work? Last month, I replaced my stock HID bulbs with a different temperature bulbs and they worked great until about 2 weeks ago. The driver's side stopped working. I figured the bulb went out so I went and put the stock bulbs back in, and nothing. The driver's side still doesn't come on. I swapped the bulbs from the driver's to passengers and vis versa, same issue, the driver's side doesn't come on. I checked the fuse in the fuse box and it is good. I had even swapped the fuses around form the right and left and same issue, passenger side comes on while the driver's side stays off. I'm not sure what else to check. Any ideas? Maybe a reply somewhere went out? Are there any other fuses for these besides in the fuse box?

01-01-2011, 02:36 PM	#2
caverman Drives: '69 SS Convertible Join Date: May 2009 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 7,111	Sounds like the ballast went out. You'll probably need to put your stock bulbs back in and take it back to the dealer. Don't leave the aftermarket bulbs in there when you take in for warranty or they'll probably use that as an excuse not to take care of it without you paying. __________________ *-2010 Camaro* 2SS \| M6 \| VR w/White Stripes \| 1 3/4" KOOKS - 3" Magnaflow \| LPE 3.91 gears \| ADM tuned \| Halltech w/ADM Scoop \| Spohn/BMR Trailing Arm/Toe Rod \| BC Coilovers\| Pedders FE4 ZL1 swaybars \| Cradle/Diff/Radius Rod bushings \| VMax TB \| Morimoto Projectors \| MGW shifter \| Red Calipers Build Journal

01-01-2011, 02:56 PM	#4
caverman Drives: '69 SS Convertible Join Date: May 2009 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 7,111	I'm not positive on where the ballast is on the RS light. I thought I saw a thread where it was right on the back side of the bulb but again I don't know since I don't have an RS. They will probably not warranty with the AAC stuff in there but I guess it's always worth a try. Techincally just opening up the housing and adding some halo rings shouldn't have anything to do with the bulbs/ballasts but the dealer/GM may not see it that way. I doubt very seriously the ballasts are inside the housing though. __________________ *-2010 Camaro* 2SS \| M6 \| VR w/White Stripes \| 1 3/4" KOOKS - 3" Magnaflow \| LPE 3.91 gears \| ADM tuned \| Halltech w/ADM Scoop \| Spohn/BMR Trailing Arm/Toe Rod \| BC Coilovers\| Pedders FE4 ZL1 swaybars \| Cradle/Diff/Radius Rod bushings \| VMax TB \| Morimoto Projectors \| MGW shifter \| Red Calipers Build Journal

01-03-2011, 02:03 AM	#7
phenixdragon Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 781	Actually had a cop pull me over New Year's Eve night while heading to dinner with my wife. Pulled me over because of the light being out and having the red halos on. Cop was actually more impressed than anything else. Even when he had me over, he walked up front asking me to turn the halos on. While I was, he was telling his partner to come check it out, showing her that my head lights are blue (well purplish with 12000K bulbs) and red halos. Copy didn't even car for my insurance and registration. Just told me to fix the light and not to run the reds. Now had I been in a rice rocket, probably would have ended up with a ticket. Last edited by phenixdragon; 01-03-2011 at 06:43 PM.

01-03-2011, 08:36 AM	#8
caverman Drives: '69 SS Convertible Join Date: May 2009 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 7,111	Cool.....glad you found the problem and that is wasn't something like the wiring or so. Hopefully you can work out the warranty issue with it. __________________ *-2010 Camaro* 2SS \| M6 \| VR w/White Stripes \| 1 3/4" KOOKS - 3" Magnaflow \| LPE 3.91 gears \| ADM tuned \| Halltech w/ADM Scoop \| Spohn/BMR Trailing Arm/Toe Rod \| BC Coilovers\| Pedders FE4 ZL1 swaybars \| Cradle/Diff/Radius Rod bushings \| VMax TB \| Morimoto Projectors \| MGW shifter \| Red Calipers Build Journal

01-01-2011, 02:48 PM	#3
phenixdragon Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 781	Hm...well problem is that the lamps aren't stock anymore. Had ACC install the dual halos who fu**ed it up pretty badly anyway, that's another story. I do have another broken lamp from an accident so maybe I can swap the ballasts? I think they are are just mounted on the bottom and can swap without having to open up the lamp housing?

01-01-2011, 04:20 PM	#5
phenixdragon Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 781	Just took a look at the broken light I have laying around and the ballast can be taken off without opting the housing. I'm going to try swapping them tomorrow and see what happens. I'm hoping that it works, and if it does, than I am going to go to my dealer and see about getting a new headlamp through warranty. My dealer is cool where they probably can get warranty replacement since they know that if a ballast went out that it has nothing to do with the halos installed. This way I can at least get 1 free headlamp after the terrible job AAC did without me possibly paying for 2 new lamps at $600 or so a pop. But I was just hoping for something more simple like a rely or something without having to take the bumper off.

01-01-2011, 04:31 PM	#6
phenixdragon Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 781	Ya it's the ballast. I took the broken light and was able to plug it into the wiring without having to remove anything. Broken light came right now. So later this week I am going to see about getting a new lamp through warranty and once the new one arrives hopefully I can keep the broken one and put in the ballast from the broken light in while keeping the new lamp. Hoping, not saying that would happen that way though. Depends on GM.

01-03-2011, 06:44 PM	#9
phenixdragon Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 781	Err....had to edit my post. I mean I had a cop pull me over, not a copy. Stupid auto correct. I hope to take it in for warranty tomorrow. We'll see though. I am pretty sick and just want to sleep 24/7.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Restoring Headlights with Headlight Armor Lighting Protection	HeadlightArmor	Cosmetic Maintenance: Washing, Waxing, Detailing, Bodywork, Protection	3	01-12-2016 11:58 AM
PWA "The Lounge"	DGthe3	Off-topic Discussions	143773	11-06-2010 11:00 AM
WORST DEALER WORK EVER!!!look at what they did to my baby*	2SSmeCamaro	5th Gen Camaro SS LS LT General Discussions	105	06-15-2010 02:25 PM
New Photos of Headlight Armor Smoked Taillight Kits at Night from 500 & 1000 ft	HeadlightArmor	Cosmetics and Lighting Modification Discussions	6	04-25-2010 11:14 AM
FAT32 40GB Portable HD Didn't Work	Embalmer	Audio, Video, Bluetooth, Navigation, Radar, Electronics Forum	26	05-07-2009 12:09 AM