Head light issues...

**Ptkirk** · 03-21-2009, 01:30 PM

I was replacing my turn signal flasher in my 99 T/A, and had to move a bundle of wires to get to it. As I was putting the bundle back into it's metal harness, it scraped and grounded and caused a short. Minor amount of smoke from under the dash to the left of the steering column. And now my head lights will not turn on or raise. Prior to this no problems or grinding. The turn signals and fog lights still work.

Tried changing out the head light switch and dimmer with no change.

Pulled all my fuses and checked them and none were blown.

Observed the DRL Module from behind the radio opened it up and everything looked fine.

Pulled all the under dash panels and laid on my back with a flash light to try and figure out were the smoke came from. I couldn't find any smoke damage anywhere.

I also took apart the wiring harness junction and looked it over and saw no smoke residue.

Any ideas on where to look or what to look at?

Either way will always disconnect the neg. battery terminal from now on. This sucks.

**fastlt196** · 03-21-2009, 03:27 PM

Just a shot in the dark but do u have a spare headlight to try maybe it blew the bulbs. But why they don't come up, no idea. I'd say get the skimatics and but a voltage meter at different spots and see where ur losing power and backtrack

**JoshieDoom** · 03-21-2009, 03:49 PM

Relay or the module(next to boxes of wiring under hood, two giant plugs) or burnt wiring

**Ptkirk** · 03-22-2009, 05:27 AM

From what I have looked at I have not been able to find any burnt wiring (underdash, behind radio, under hood) I have pulled the head light brain and looked it over and plugged it back in after, closed the hood and locked the car and the head lights winked at me without the lights coming on.

I tried to repeat it:
unlocked/locked the car - nothing
Open/close & lock - nothing
I tried each a couple times without getting the winking again.

I'll get my volt meter out and get under the dash with it. Any other ideas?

**raysz28** · 03-22-2009, 12:30 PM

Hey J,
Just curious, do the turn signals work now? lol
Let me know if you need help digging into it. We will need to make a trip over to Dayton in the next few weeks.

**Ptkirk** · 03-22-2009, 05:52 PM

Yeah they work now, let me know when would be good for you.

**Orcus79** · 03-23-2009, 10:20 AM

Sounds like the fuse block to me, if there was smoke there could be more coming, follow the harness and inspect every wire for rubbing and shorting in that area, any where the harness will be mounted or rubbing on some thing.

Double check the fuses to.

**2002_LS1** · 03-26-2009, 02:07 AM

fuse block, most def... I think you need to check the wiring and make sure to replace the fuse after just in case...

**Ptkirk** · 04-01-2009, 10:16 AM

Okay so I am crawling around under the dash and here is what I found so far.

This is the wire that shorted.

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/James%20Kirkland/Desktop/Trans%20am%20Wire%20Issue/Wire%20Cirlcled.JPG

This is where it goes into the harness to the left of the steering column.

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/James%20Kirkland/Desktop/Trans%20am%20Wire%20Issue/Harness%20Tagged.JPG

Any ideas on where the wire goes would be greatly appreciated.

**Ptkirk** · 04-01-2009, 10:19 AM

So i just realized I am not allowed to post pics.

So the wire is the red wire with black markings that runs into the top left corner of the wiring harness to the left of the steering column. Thanks for your help.

**Ptkirk** · 04-01-2009, 10:40 AM

okay just checked the resistance in the wire inside the car and found that it runs into what i believe is the DRL box behind the radio. I opened the box and found nothing inside of it. I think I will begin working from the harness back to the fuse box, any suggestions?

**Orcus79** · 04-01-2009, 10:45 AM

Just keep tracing it back to where you saw the smoke, best way to find it. Pay really close attention to any where it bends, flexes, mounts or may rub on an edge. It may not have been that particular wire either.

**Ptkirk** · 04-01-2009, 11:08 AM

I was able to check the resistance from the harness to the fuse box and it was slightly more, but that could have been the extra wire I had to add to make my volt meter reach. Any Ideas?

Double checked the fuses and came up with nothing.

**Ptkirk** · 04-01-2009, 12:48 PM

I tried swapping out the "brain" by the fuse box and got nothing.

**Orcus79** · 04-01-2009, 04:00 PM

Sounds like an internal break in the wire that may not show up. for shits and giggles have you checked the relays?

**Orcus79** · 04-01-2009, 04:49 PM

ok, the red black has nothing to do with the lights, that is the wire for your power door locks, according to my service manual for a 2000 Fbody. Those run on a breaker that I bet is smoking hot and open. Use pliers to remove it so you don't burn your self.

**Ptkirk** · 04-01-2009, 05:05 PM

I have had problems locating the relays on my wire diagrams. I need to get a service manual.

Where is the relay located?

So the Red with Black stripes is not a light power source? I thought I had traced it correctly. I wish i could post a pic, would it help if i emailed it to you?

**Orcus79** · 04-01-2009, 05:11 PM

Yea it would help, e-mail addy should be posted in my profile. And drop by chat would help go over things.

**Ptkirk** · 04-11-2009, 01:17 PM

Okay,

I used the manual to Ident. the wire I nicked: C200 connector Red wire B6.

Still getting power, rechecked the fuses...

Went thru the DRL trouble shooting and it seems to check out.

However for giggles wouldn't be against swapping it out to see if that would fix the problem. The local junkyard has a couple of LT1 Firebirds. Anyone know if the DRL module is the same and where it is located? I checked behind the radios and it's not there.

I think I will begin checking the continuity of the wires from the headlamp switch now.

When you guys said fuse block, what did you mean, I am assuming I should be looking at and beyond the fuses.

Thanks in advance.

**Ptkirk** · 04-11-2009, 04:38 PM

Okay, This is really annoying....

I am pretty sure the DRL module is not the issue. I checked the continuity across the C1 D & F wires and when I turn the headlamps on there was continuity.

I started trouble shooting the Headlamp Opening Actuator Control Module. As I checked C1 Terminal A and D and got no voltage. Then Terminal A and another ground and had no voltage.

The manual then told me to repair connection in circuit 10.

This sucks....http://www.ls1.com/forums/images/smilies/suicide.gif