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lights going out

red

red

Being a lake bum in Texas
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Lake Brownwood, Texas
Having an odd problem with my headlights in the 05 2500hd. 2 days ago we were hit by some freezing weather and ice and one of my headlights refused to turn on. Now today (same temps) my daytime running lights are out as well. Lights flick in for a moment when I turn the light switch on but immediately go off afterwards.

Lights are HID's
 
Bulbs are all new except the HID's. There is a diode under the high beam relay to the low beam relay to keep the low beams (esp. keeping the HID's Hot) on with the high beams. The diode simply passes current from the high beam relay turn on power to the low beam turn on power circuit. Possible connection trouble there. Cold HID's for low beams coming off high beams is not fun... This setup appears to set a body trouble code as the computer sees the low beam control get the 12v.

Do the high beams work? If so the low beams should come on as well in that setup.

With a flick on then off it suggests a short or excessive current draw that is popping the headlamp breaker. The breaker auto resets. I would disconnect one HID power unit at a time in case on has water in it. Possible weak breaker or wire short.
 
Agreed I don't think its the actual bulb either and besides changing the fuel filter nothing has been changed on the truck. Warming up today so will check the wiring and relays
 
Could be the ballast/s next time turn them off then right back on, see if that works. Seems to be a common problem with HIDs. Are you using a relay kit?
 
These HID's appear to be a cut above the rest as they never had the one side on and the other fails to light symptoms. As the HID's age they start to do that I found with my last set that was 100% night driving. Course I never gave them freezing rain weather...

DRL are standard long life bulbs. I would check the grounds and sockets for them. Next you are looking at a wiring diagram and see if they share a common breaker.

This does have the auto headlamp control with the sensor in the dash - possible that module is having a fit.
 
Little testing done before work. DTR's come on when I hit the keypad unlock button, turn off when I fire up the truck and won't come back on.

High beams working fine along with all other lights.

Taking vacation time next week so will have plenty of time to mess with it.
 
red said:
Little testing done before work. DTR's come on when I hit the keypad unlock button, turn off when I fire up the truck and won't come back on.

High beams working fine along with all other lights.

Taking vacation time next week so will have plenty of time to mess with it.
Click to expand...

If the high beams come on then there should be power to the low beam relay to turn it on. So I would check a HID connection for power - whatever is the easiest one to get to. Disconnect it and then give it a jumper from the battery to see if it lights up or smokes off. It is acting like a HID unit has shorted out and is taking both HID's out via the breaker. Possible low beam relay burned out as suggested above.

You have to be in gear for DRL to come on. Could be on the same breaker as the low beams.

Flick the light switch to manual off after starting the engine. (Turn to parking lights and then to off/auto I think. Verify off with high beams.) After a cool down time for the breaker the DRL may come back on. This truck likes to turn on the lights and then decide to turn them off after engine start. Course I parked it under shade all the time...
 
Ah to clarify only 1 hid is having trouble, passenger side is working fine.

I'll try swapping the relays out when I get home.
 
Relays swapped with no change. Also tried the on/off/on switch with no luck, same little quick flash with the one HID then nothing. Will check the ground when I wake up this afternoon but otherwise lookin like I'll be ordering up a set of HID's
 
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