97 Chevy Headlights Just Cut Out Randomly....Anyone heard of this?

[JScott23]

Okay so over the last month or so i've had a issue with my truck's headlights.


This truck is a gas 97 C2500 8 lug, silverado package. I have not made any modifications to the headlight wiring...


Basically i usually drive 20 miles or so to work everyday. Since it's gotten darker i've needed my headlights when i'm on my way home. Every once and a while after approximatly 20 minutes of driving my headlights will just randomly cut out. No high beams, no low beams nothing. The green light flashes on the dash showing the headlights are off however the switch is still in the on position. I tried to turn them off, and back on however it doesn't work. After 30-45 seconds, the headlights then come back on. Last night this happened twice, in about 5 minutes. 2 separate instances.




Here are my thoughts on potential problems..


1. Headlight switch is bad.

2. My Voltmeter usually reads low. Never down into the orange, but closer to 9V than 14V.

1.) Bad Battery? (Die Hard Gold, 2 years old.)
2.) Bad Alternator (Had it tested 3x, always comes back good.)



My thought would be #2, because i think that it's running too low of voltage to power the headlights up, especially since it comes back after 30-45 seconds. Which would allow the battery to charge back up a little at least.


Anybody run into this? It's not too safe especially since i take rural roads home...

 

[1low95GMC]

I don't think it would be battery or the alternator because if one of those was going out while you were driving the truck it would miss and run rough because the truck needs the power to run the ecm etc to run. My guess would be either the switch or a loose or bad ground.


I had to replace my malfunction switch because it has a loose wire coming out of the back of the switch that caused the headlights to not work. i doubt this would be your problem though.

 

[volunteerff21]

Mine used to do this exact same thing. It's darn scary when you're driving 55 down a backroad at night and all of a sudden it's pitch black.

Replaced the headlight switch once and it fixed it for about a month. Then it started up again.

Replaced the headlight switch again but this time installed a heavy duty headlight harness (Like the one Baron sells) along with it. Haven't had any problems since. This was over a year ago now.

The problem with the headlight wiring on these trucks is that they draw their power directly from the switch, instead of using a relay. The harness fixes this problem.

 

[thunderstruck]

Your battery could certainly be bad within 2 years, but that's not your problem. The battery could be so discharged that your truck won't start, but the halogen lights should still function, albeit dimly.

Like the other guys said, I'd suspect the headlight switch or the multifunction stalk on your steering column. But it would be a good idea to check the wiring first, especially the fuse for the headlights and the ground point. The ground is one the radiator support, near the evaporator canister IIRC. The fuse probably isn't blown, but I have seen where the fuse holder terminals loose up over time and cause a poor, intermittent connection. Look if the fuse is melted or charred near the legs.

 

[97DD]

Im having a similiar problem with my 97 z71 ec but my high beams when turned on will switch back to low then running and the green light signal on the dash will turn on. After a minute the highs will click back on by themselves if I dont release. Will the above suggestions fix this?

 

[Virginiabound]

I have a 100% fix.

My 1999 Tahoe had this same issue, the headlight switch would overheat and cause the lights to cut off, my DRL module was faulty so I would be left with nothing but a dark view of the road and a green bulb on the dash. These three parts will solve all of your problems.

The harness allows the switch to kick the relay, rather than power the bulbs, the drl module allows you to maintain the low beams in the event the relay fails.

This harness is listed for HID's, but will work fine with standard bulbs as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Kensun-Conver...qid=1396319051&sr=8-4&keywords=9006+hid+relay

http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-704-10...6319092&sr=8-1&keywords=1997+tahoe+drl+module

http://www.amazon.com/Standard-Moto...4&sr=8-1&keywords=1997+tahoe+headlight+switch

 

[98_k1500]

There is a relay under the dash (the small one beside the hazard flasher) that switches between the driving lights and the headlights. Sounds like you are having problems out of it or your headlight switch itself if your driving light indicator is lighting up.

 

[wiese1997k1500]

I have that problem, expect I don't want my day time running lights.

Before I pulled the DRL fuse I would have my brights on then hear a click and they'd go to low beams then after a short while go back to brights
Now after I pulled the DRL fuse, I would have my brights or just low beams on and after a while I hear a click and would be stuck with a low emitting blue light from my halos.

Would it be as simple as just pulling the DRL board or would I have to go thru and put new harness in, switch in etc?

 

[brycebba]

I think what you are dealing with is a loose plug, wire, or shorted connection for the multi function switch. It is a very common problem and will do exactly as you described. Park in front of a wall or something at night so you can tell if they come on. Do the tilt on the steering wheel in both directions and see if your lights change because this tugs and pushes on the wires for the multi function switch. If that doesn't work then Take the panel under the steering column off and start looking for broken wires on the big plug. If you don't find any then it could be a wire that pulled out slightly. Jiggle the wires around and push them into the sockets to see if the lights change.

 

[Muskwa]

I have been having the same issue with my headlights shutting off every now and then.
Have been running it for months like this, its getting dark in the morning so i decide to finally change the headlight switch to a part i pulled from a junkyard.
The lights worked fine and im off to work and i try and turn the high beams on, all the lights fail and wont turn back on for an extended period of time.
Being in a rush for work i switch back to the old switch so i can make it too work.
It works and as im driving about ten minutes from the time i last changed it the radio starts cutting out, i pull off the highway and stop to see what the problem is, shortly after my stereo dash shuts off and my truck dies.

Got picked up for work and attended it after work.
Once i got back i try starting it and it fires up easily but dies a short while after.
Boost it multiple times with the old switch, new switch and no switch and all the results are the same.
The truck dies from no power.

What could be the issue? Thanks in advance.