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Chevy S10 - GMC S15 and Sonoma Lighting Issues

awadeawade Member Posts: 3
edited July 2017 in Chevrolet
I have an all original 91 with only 45,000 miles on it. Now when I turn on the head lights the lights come on but the instrument panel lights go out and the interior dome light comes one. I replaced both the head light switch and the panel dimmer switch but no luck. I took the dash out hoping there was something wrong with the printed circuit on the back but could not find anything wrong. Fuses all seem ok and I could see no visable damage to any of the wiring. Any ideas ? I'd hate to have to trace all the wiring.

Comments

  • hoodlatchhoodlatch Member Posts: 255
    My daughter had a similar problem. The parking lights, turn signals, brake lights, and dash lights all acting weird. At night, the dash lights wouldn't come on unless you put your foot on the brake. When you put your foot on the brake not only would the dash lights come on but also all the turn signal lights would come on.

    To make a long story short, her friend replaced one of the tail lights with a wrong bulb. This set up a short in the system, which caused a feedback. After an hour of trouble shooting along with a new fuse and the correct bulb, it was back to normal.

    Maybe something like that has taken place on your S-10. Before you do anything radical check the bulbs and sockets to see if one of them is shorted out. Good luck. :)
  • awadeawade Member Posts: 3
    Thanks hoodlatch. I'll try the bulbs in the instrument panel. All the other bulbs, brakes, back up, turn signal, etc. seem to work OK.
  • dave8697dave8697 Member Posts: 1,498
    Have you found your problem cause? I have the same problem. I replaced the switch and the dome light now works. The amber backup light bulb that was put in by the dealer??? was replaced too but it was the correct number (3057) so it wasn't the cause. Come November I'll have to drive in the dark all 46 miles to work at 6:30 AM every day so I'll want a lit speedo by then.
  • awadeawade Member Posts: 3
    No luck yet. Checked every bulb on the dang truck. My back up lights flicker or dont come on at all so I think it may be some sort of short in there. Does your dome light come on when you turn your head lights on ? My does but not at full strength. Almost like its some sort of safety measure since the instrument panel lights dont work.
  • philscbxphilscbx Member Posts: 33
    99 out of 100, it's always a bad ground when things look alien.
    Ground will seek out anything to make a circuit, as in making false lights light up, dimming of others and so forth.

    Check ground connection at radiator core support from battery terminal.
    Also add a ground from battery to other body panels, fender, back to the engine anywhere. Use #10 gauge wire.
    Replace poor looking battery cables.

    Sand clean the body ground connection and use a good grease before mounting it.

    Good Luck
  • radaremtpradaremtp Member Posts: 1
    I have had this truck for three years running fine. Recently I noticed that if I have my lights switched on, they will randomly flicker or shut off altogether. Toggling the headlight switch will turn them back on, but sometimes they'll turn off 3-4 times in a minute. Other times I can drive for 20-30 minutes and it won't happen once.
    I noticed that I'll hear a series of clicks from the relays in the glove compartment and the lights will dim and flicker. However, sometimes there will be a single click from the relay and my headlights will go out entirely. Is this a relay problem, a fuse issue, a wiring issue? I'd love any advice I can get as I'm in paramedic school and putting in 90 hour weeks. This severely limits my ability to see a mechanic as I usually work from before they're open to after they're closed. Thanks for any advice.
  • jpfjpf Member Posts: 496
    I have a 2000 4 cylinder S10. I had flickering lights and a constant humming sound. Turned out to be a bad alternator. After replacing the alternator, no sound and the truck runs fine. Good luck.
  • hoopdizzhoopdizz Member Posts: 2
    My dome lights on my 1998 sonoma do not work either the reading lamps or the overhead light. The fuse seems fine and has been tested anything else I can do? Also my light indicator for my 4 wheel drive does not show whether I am on 4 wheel or not anything as to why that is? Thanks!
  • scarter42505scarter42505 Member Posts: 1
    I am wondering if anyone else has ran into this problem. The truck's headlights work great on bright but the dims will not work.
  • ibldstffibldstff Member Posts: 3
    I had a cracked cylinder head. I replace it and all the gaskets. Ran the engine for a little while and now it looks like I have antifreeze in my oil and oil in my antifreeze. Is the block shot too?
  • chevy07boychevy07boy Member Posts: 1
    dude im haveing the same exact problem wit my lights did someone tell u wats wrong

    chris
  • sean1999sean1999 Member Posts: 7
    Bingo! exactly my problem. Had a guy at a parts house say it was a relay switch that was bad. Replaced the relay but the problem returned (or never left). At times the dims (normal driving lights) work but it is as if the truck is moody. I have been forced to adjust the beam of the lights to the road and drive with brights so as not to tick off drivers ahead of me.
  • sean1999sean1999 Member Posts: 7
    Also I have heard that there is an override option for that little eyeball in my dash speaker that tells my lights to activate / deactivate. However the switch on my instrument panel will not override this.......in fact it is basically useless. While the dusk to dawn eyeball is a nice luxury it is just something else to go wrong....and wrong it has.
  • gonogogonogo Member Posts: 879
    Check IP fuse panel. Fuse # 7 HDLP SW 10 amp, feeds power to headlight switch.
  • sean1999sean1999 Member Posts: 7
    I had not checked to fuse (the most simple of all things to inspect) so I checked per your advice. Unfortunately the fuse was in good use. I will have to move on to the next step whatever that is.
    I am, however, grateful for your suggestion. I am fishing for answers on this one before I have to take it to the shop and have them inspect what I should have inspected beforehand.
  • 98gmcsonoma98gmcsonoma Member Posts: 1
    Dude: I've got the same problem. My parking brake doesn't work at all. In looking through a Haynes guide at a "typical" headlight wiring diagram with DRL I found that there's a ground to the left headlight that is open if it senses the parking brake is on [which I guess mine is sensing]. Also, if I push the parking brake down and let it thwack back up that generally turns on my headlights. An electrician told me to double click on the dome override and that that might reset the headlights. Didn't work for me. Good luck
    Rich
  • joelowjoelow Member Posts: 1
    2000 S10 STARTED INTERMITTENT WHEN I MOVED STEERING COLUMN THEN I WOULD LOSE DIMS MORE AND HAVE TO MOVE COLUMN TO TOP POSITION TO GET LIGHTS ON.THEN I HAD TO BANG IT UP AND DOWN HARD THEN IT QUIT HAVING DIMS AT ALL . THIS ALL HAPPENED NEAR THE END OF MY WARRANTY AND THE DARN THINGS WOULD'NT DO IT WHEN I TRIED TO SHOW THE STEALER I MEAN DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM.......SO THEY SAID WHEN IT IS NOT WORKING BRING IT IN ...WELL IT STOPPED COMPLETELY JUST AFTER DEALER LOST GM DEALERSHIP THEN WENT BANKRUPT..NOW THERE IS NO RECORD ..........ANYONE FIGURE THIS OUT AND HOW TO FIX IT?
  • ninaesp14ninaesp14 Member Posts: 1
    my s- 10 lights will not work at all. I took the vehicle to a mechanic and was told it was a sensor but didn't know the location of the light sensor. Is there a diagram as to where all the sensors are located??? I have already checked all the fuses also.
  • palmer12palmer12 Member Posts: 7
    After an hour of trouble shooting along with a new fuse and the correct bulb, it was back to normal.image
  • palmer12palmer12 Member Posts: 7
    the midgate glass on my Bermuda Blue 06 LT avalanche is cracked.image
  • gonogogonogo Member Posts: 879
    It's more than the light sensor, the switch overrides the sensor.
  • garyn2garyn2 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2000 S10 and had the torque converter replaced by a transmission shop. After it was fixed and I was on my way home, I had driven it about 10 miles when I noticed on the instrument panel the LED backlit was not on for "D". I do have the backlit when it is in "P, R & N", but not in "D, 3, 2, 1". I am sure it was working fine before I took it to them, and I called the transmission shop and asked about this. They stated they noticed it did not light up when they test drove after replacing torque conv. and the module is plugged in and it shifts great, just no indicatior. They have no idea what could be wrong. Anyone have an idea. The odometer is LED and works fine.

    Thanks,
    Gary
  • dcrumdcrum Member Posts: 1
    Hey, I have the complete wiring diagrams for all components of a 2001 Sonoma. If you'd like a copy shoot me an email (dcrum25@gmail.com) and put "Sonoma Wiring Diagram" in the subject line and I'll send it to you.
  • thegraham83thegraham83 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 s10 4.3, during the day i have blinkers and all brake lights however the right brake light is dimmee than the the left. At night my running lights work fine but as soon as i step on the break my right tail light goes out, and when i use my right side blinker at night it wont blink and all the lights on that side of the truck go out
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