Headlights really dim

Electronic systems, stereo and Holden iQ, wiring, it all goes here....
Grandstaff
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:22 pm

Headlights really dim

Post by Grandstaff »

So when I picked up my caprice and drove it back home, the low beams were really dim so I had to use the high beams to see while driving from New York to Southwest Florida. The first thing I did when I got back is picked up some LEDs that I have used on other cars in the past and had really good results, however when I installed them, the low beams were really dim to where I couldn't see more than 2-3 feet in front of me, and the high beams no longer work mind you these led's are brand new. I emailed the company about the issue, and they sent decoders and resistors which I tried both the decoder and resistor separately and then together, and nothing made them brighter. I just wanted to ask if there was some kind of resistor or something that would not be sending enough power to the led's.

H7:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VRRM2DZ?ps ... ct_details

H11:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072JC755L?ps ... ct_details
Sanford
Posts: 356
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:38 pm
Location: Texas Gulf Coast

Re: Headlights really dim

Post by Sanford »

Have you checked voltage at the bulb?
User avatar
Mooseman
Posts: 1075
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2017 11:35 pm
Location: Ottawa, ON Canada
Contact:

Re: Headlights really dim

Post by Mooseman »

Checked the fuses? Relays? And if it was a patrol vehicle, it may have had some wires hacked, maybe for wig-wags.
2011 Caprice PPV, former RCMP test vehicle, never put into service
Build Thread: http://www.newcaprice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2419
Grandstaff
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:22 pm

Re: Headlights really dim

Post by Grandstaff »

I've checked the fuses, I have not checked the voltage at the bulbs yet, but the car still had a lot of the police wiring, sirens and lighting modules so would that be causing it to not get the correct amount of power to make them bright.
Grandstaff
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:22 pm

Re: Headlights really dim

Post by Grandstaff »

Mooseman wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 10:43 pm Checked the fuses? Relays? And if it was a patrol vehicle, it may have had some wires hacked, maybe for wig-wags.
I checked the voltage, and the voltage was fine at 12 volts, I then checked fuses and relays, which were fine, I checked the low beam bulb by putting it in the high beam side of the headlight housing, and it was throwing plenty of light. What I think it might be is just dirt and debris in the housing that scuffed up the lenses. When I got the vehicle, it was missing the rear covers for the low beams, so a lot of dirt, debris, and especially small pieces of asphalt were in the actual housing, which might have just scratched up and scraped the lenses.
User avatar
elc32955
System Manager
Posts: 2718
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 10:32 am
Location: East Central Florida
Contact:

Re: Headlights really dim

Post by elc32955 »

Sounds like you have a pretty simple decision matrix at this point, pull the headlight modules and either disassemble, clean, polish, and reassemble - or forklift the headlights in favor of newer units in better shape from a salvage yard or another member. Also looks like the headlights are still available from GM new searching a 2017 (11-17 are the same), driver side is a part 92245554, passenger side is a part 92245553. Rear caps are showing NLA for those headlights, price is in excess of $700 each from GM Parts Direct before their inflated shipping/handling charges are added.

We've had some members anecdotally who has been successful with disassembling the whole units using I believe heat to release the lens adhesive, if you search through the old posts you may find some info on how this specifically was done. We've so far not been successful in finding an after-market company that is willing to take on producing a run of new headlights made to GM/DOT specifications. TYC has been a stone wall so far when we approached them. Headlights will assuredly down a car from road-legal use if we get to the point where we can't get good operational spares, but we're a ways away from approaching that point. With a total production run of just over 15,000 cars in a 7-year period, we may be running up against the wall of cost-efficiency for an after-market company to do the R&D, submit for DOT approval, then actually manufacture & sell some at a pricepoint to make money at.

Keep up updated! And if you do take your lights apart, please take plenty of the pics for the members that will likely need to follow you with their headlight refurbs!

Thanks
Eric
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
Grandstaff
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:22 pm

Re: Headlights really dim

Post by Grandstaff »

elc32955 wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 12:17 pm Sounds like you have a pretty simple decision matrix at this point, pull the headlight modules and either disassemble, clean, polish, and reassemble - or forklift the headlights in favor of newer units in better shape from a salvage yard or another member. Also looks like the headlights are still available from GM new searching a 2017 (11-17 are the same), driver side is a part 92245554, passenger side is a part 92245553. Rear caps are showing NLA for those headlights, price is in excess of $700 each from GM Parts Direct before their inflated shipping/handling charges are added.

We've had some members anecdotally who has been successful with disassembling the whole units using I believe heat to release the lens adhesive, if you search through the old posts you may find some info on how this specifically was done. We've so far not been successful in finding an after-market company that is willing to take on producing a run of new headlights made to GM/DOT specifications. TYC has been a stone wall so far when we approached them. Headlights will assuredly down a car from road-legal use if we get to the point where we can't get good operational spares, but we're a ways away from approaching that point. With a total production run of just over 15,000 cars in a 7-year period, we may be running up against the wall of cost-efficiency for an after-market company to do the R&D, submit for DOT approval, then actually manufacture & sell some at a pricepoint to make money at.

Keep up updated! And if you do take your lights apart, please take plenty of the pics for the members that will likely need to follow you with their headlight refurbs!

Thanks
Eric
Well actually this gave me a reason to go through with purchasing new headlights because I have taken several headlights apart already and just didn't want to go through with the headache of doing it again, however, I won't be purchasing used headlights or new ones from GM. I actually found a website that sells overstock of a lot of holden parts, including Statesman headlights and with the cost of the headlights + shipping + conversion fee it cost me just over $470 for a pair of brand-new headlights from Australia that I think look better than the OEM Caprice headlights because they don't have the yellow side markers. Not to mention the headlights will be arriving at my front door in 2-4 days. :D The link to the headlights for those who would want to buy some will be down below.

https://www.holmart.com.au/holden-wm-st ... jector-hal
https://www.holmart.com.au/holden-wm-st ... ector-halo
Attachments
Screenshot 2023-03-26 162630.png
Screenshot 2023-03-26 162630.png (74.67 KiB) Viewed 828 times
User avatar
elc32955
System Manager
Posts: 2718
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 10:32 am
Location: East Central Florida
Contact:

Re: Headlights really dim

Post by elc32955 »

Well, let us know if those actually make it to you, since they're not DOT approved for use on US cars you might have a problem getting them across the border. Think it had something to do with the way the beam patterns worked on the Australian versions but I'm going by vague memory here.

Good luck!
Eric
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
Post Reply