Front Turn Signal/Running lamps don't work

**scStormChaser** · 03-04-2015, 03:05 PM

I have had lots of issues with the front running lamps & turn signals. Right now they don't work except when you turn on the headlight switch which is a different filament in the bulb. The bulbs are only a couple months old and the filaments look fine and the rear turn signal/hazard lights work fine, I get green arrows in the instrument panel. I spliced on new sockets on both front lights since the original ones were melted and crispy when i replaced the bulbs. They worked fine for the last few months but they just up and quit. Any ideas?

**TransAmTerry** · 03-04-2015, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by scStormChaser

I have had lots of issues with the front running lamps & turn signals. Right now they don't work except when you turn on the headlight switch which is a different filament in the bulb. The bulbs are only a couple months old and the filaments look fine and the rear turn signal/hazard lights work fine, I get green arrows in the instrument panel. I spliced on new sockets on both front lights since the original ones were melted and crispy when i replaced the bulbs. They worked fine for the last few months but they just up and quit. Any ideas?

I'm guessing ur talking about ur 01 SS ?? If it were a T/A, there are all kinds of fixes for that as they are terrible on those. I think they're a whole different set up on the Camaros. Do the sockets lay on the bottom of the housing??. If they operate as DRL's, they proly generate a good bit of heat with no place to dissipate. Or they're letting water in due to hair line cracks in the lens. You say melted and crispy... sounds like too much heat. Look on the Firebird TransAm site under DRL problems.. whole bunch of info in there. With the whole spliced-in thing you got going on,, I could be way off base though.

**scStormChaser** · 03-05-2015, 09:22 AM

Yes this is my '01 SS. The sockets go into the top of the housing and the bulbs hang down. No moisture in there that I can see. I'm sure running the lights on a summer day would cause them to get pretty hot and eventually the sockets melt over time. However these are brand new and were working fine for a few months. I figured if this was a fuse problem, the entire socket would be out on both sides, but the second filament lights up fine when the head lights are on.

**scStormChaser** · 03-05-2015, 10:15 AM

Is there a separate fuse for the DRLs/Turn Signals vs the Parking lamps. I mean they are the same bulb. I've checked Fuses #5, #1, and #7. They all look fine. 2001 Chevrolet Camaro Main Fuse Block | Datasheetoo

**scStormChaser** · 03-05-2015, 12:31 PM

I have been reading about some DRL modules. Is it possible my issue is in there? Also id like to add that I have bypassed my ambient light sensor about a year ago.

**cammed goat** · 03-07-2015, 06:28 AM

By "splicing", do you mean solder or butt connectors? I ask as you could have some rusted wiring somewhere. The rust could be causing connectivity issues. Have you done any wire tracing with a test light to see if you have full power or interference?

**scStormChaser** · 04-02-2015, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by cammed goat

By "splicing", do you mean solder or butt connectors? I ask as you could have some rusted wiring somewhere. The rust could be causing connectivity issues. Have you done any wire tracing with a test light to see if you have full power or interference?

I don't think its a wire connection problem. The connectors on there are heat-shrink wrapped on and have no moisture or anything and still look brand new.

The amber lights light up fine when the headlights are on for both sides (both sets of bulbs). But neither bulbs come on for turn signals or daytime running lights in the front. The DRLs run of the same bulb, just a secondary filament. All the lights work fine in the rear as they should too. All the fuses are good in in the box beside the steering column.

**scStormChaser** · 04-02-2015, 01:27 PM

Still beating my brain in on this one. Can anybody think of any place else where an issue could be?

**douglowden116** · 04-02-2015, 02:20 PM

factory wiring and connections usually dont have to many issues . even though the connections you made look perfect it might be worth the time to take them apart and get a good look at them . nine times out of ten when i am repairing wiring the problems it isnt in the factories connections it is in a connection made by someone . i have seen shrink tubing let contamination into a connections many times . slice it open and take a look , what do you have to loose . if you are using shrink tubing make sure you are using a high quality product , alot of the cheaper tubing is made overseas and is not of very good quality .

**cammed goat** · 04-02-2015, 05:47 PM

^^This is true. I had an issue with my HIDs two weeks ago when my passenger ballast wouldn't fire. While checking the wiring, I noticed the negative wire for my HID harness felt brittle. While loosening my negative battery terminal, which the harness is also connected to, the negative HID harness terminal broke. Upon repairing the broken terminal, I removed the heat shrink tubing and found corrosion under the tubing. Replaced the eyelet and wrapped it in electrical tape and all is well.

**scStormChaser** · 04-06-2015, 11:41 AM

Well it wasn't the wiring, after pulling the sockets out here is what they looked like

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1c5nhy6hkf...406_153551.jpg

20150406_153551.jpg

Can't beleive they got so fried after less than a year and they had dielectrical grease. They don't sell the inserts separately from the entire socket which are 8 bucks a pop. I might switch to LED's so they stop melting the sockets. Anyone have any luck & or recommendations on LED bulb brands?