Lights Out! Help!

[BqUICK]

While driving last night on the highway, my lights went out. Rear lights were out, dash lights, and headlights flickered but returned.

Bumps seemed to make them blink. The local repair shop is troubleshooting but having a tough time finding the problem. Ideas????

[Pete Phillips]

Sounds like a bad ground or short circuit in the rear light wires. You didn't say what year car it is or whether you live in a climate where the cars rust from road salt. I had a '64 Wildcat once in Massachusetts, and the rear lights quit working because the rear bumper braces began to rust and lose their strength, which allowed the bumper to drop down just enough to sever the taillight wire, but not enough of a drop that I noticed the problem until the lights went out.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

McPherson, KS

[Guest]

almost a hard luck case:

I pulled off I-78 at the Hershey exit at 10pm Wed night in my '58 cadillac, to have my dash lights super bright! I thought I was dreaming.

Then I drove the 8 miles south to Hershey on that hilly road in the dark, and the head lights and dash went out while driving 45 mph. This happen about four times.

I drove slow, to my hotel, about a mile east of the downtown and the next morning everything look find.

Drove to the parking field and returned to the car a 6pm.

My buddy was staying up at the Hoiliday Inn back up on I-78, so I drove there for dinner. All the while I was playing with the lights to see if I could repeat the problem again.

I got to the hotel shut the car off, and the genorator light stayed on, with the key off. Oh crap, under the hood the generator wiring harness was smoking by the regulator.

Turns out the regulator shorted out, and started cooking my harness. So, at 9pm I drove my friends car onto the rear chocolate feild and when to the regulator man, the guy with the 4-ton truck, with the trailer bolted on the bed, and he got the flash light out and dought me out a new one.

Friday morning I was up and running again.

I walked but the guy that day at thought about getting the regulator. Got to learn to listen to that little voice in your head that sound like peter hartman!

[Guest my3buicks]

I had this happen when the braided ground strap between the engine and the firewall was going bad where it was attached - it did the off and on on bumps thing until it finally broke completely and then nothing. Just another thing to look at.

[BqUICK]

Here is the info on the car, sorry I did not include it earlier. 115K miles, no accidents, located in upstate New York, and yes we salt the roads!

1996 Buick Riviera SC

Fuses OK

Harnesses Connections OK

Computer readout OK

Battery OK

Going into the dash$$$$today!

[58tailfins]

i would look for a new headlight switch, it could be the problem

if it happens every time you have been driving with the ligts

on for a long time especially with the beam on or if the bulbs

are stronger than the orgrignaly was, the curent could be to high

for that old headlight switch

Bjoern

[Reatta Man]

Before going too far into the dash, look for and replace the headlight relays under the hood. They should be two small (about 1" square) relays that plug into a large box with something like POWER or FUSES stamped on the cover. They are about $9 each at any parts store, and I think there are two of them.

If that doesn't cure the problem, I would also recommend going to the headlight switch.

Joe

[BqUICK]

Joe,

Thanks for the tip but no soap! We did have to go under the dash however. The Exterior Light Control Module was burned up at the connector. It is good that there were no flammables around. You'd figure my wife or I would have smelled it!

All other power sources to the unit check out and the lights run when hooked to direct power so we spent the $80 or so bucks at

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results.cfm?merch=1

saved $60 bucks off the dealer $140!!!

[JohnD1956]

BQuick, where was that light module located under the dash? Was it tough to get to?

John D

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