My sister-in-laws 96 Cavalier's DRL (Daytime Running Lights) just recently stop working. And I'm having trouble pin pointing the problem. So far both her DRL don't work and her drivers side head light low and hi beam don't work either, but her passenger side is working properly except for the DRL. Niether does her parking lights work, but the turn singnals work. And her DRL indicator light starts to flash, 1st with a slow series of blinks then rapid blinks. I printed out the headlight wiring diagram from Mitchell All Data and did the following:
- Checked all the fuses
- Checked bulbs
- Checked DRL relay (tested it on another Cavalier)
- Jumped DRL relay connector (Blue wire to ground and hi beams/DRL turned on)
Wondering if it can be microprocessor on dashboard circuit but didn't mess w/ that yet. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Sound to me like 2 problems. My 96 DRL's quit - with the blinking DRL indicator - exactly as you state. It was the dash processor. I went to a wrecker and bought a used 96 dash (make sure it matches exactly - manual-auto3- or auto4). Then to preserve my odometer, etc, I just opened both units and it was very easy to swap out the processors.
But in my case, all other light functions were normal - only the DRL's not coming on. High/Lo beams, signals and parking lights worked correctly. I might also suspect your multi function switch. Also with your wiring diagram - check all the ground points - make sure they don't have open or high resistance.
OK. But I kinda have another question. My girl as has a Cav but her is a 97 and they are both A/T but my girls car is a Rally Sport. Could I swap clusters real quick to check it or will some kinda "Theft Deterent" thing kick in. My girls cluster has a tach and the other car doesn't so I'm not sure everythings the same. Thanks.
All right I just rechecked some stuff and the parking lights do work. I think I traced the source of the problem. I pulled back some of the wire loom near the headlight going back to the fuse box and discovered corrosion and all the orange wires. There are 2 different orange wires coming from the fuse box. 1 wire spiting into 2 orange and another 1 spliting into 3 wires. The one w/ just 2 wires I found power but the other 1 wouldn't light up my test light. Well anyway after lots of exhaustion from messing w/ this thing I just twisted all 5 orange wires together and now the DRL work and driver side Hi beam works but no low. I'm gonna mess w/ it more on Tuesday but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Mike wrote:Sound to me like 2 problems. My 96 DRL's quit - with the blinking DRL indicator - exactly as you state. It was the dash processor. I went to a wrecker and bought a used 96 dash (make sure it matches exactly - manual-auto3- or auto4). Then to preserve my odometer, etc, I just opened both units and it was very easy to swap out the processors.
But in my case, all other light functions were normal - only the DRL's not coming on. High/Lo beams, signals and parking lights worked correctly. I might also suspect your multi function switch. Also with your wiring diagram - check all the ground points - make sure they don't have open or high resistance.
i have a 96 cavalier and 3 times i have paid 250 each time i have had it in the shop because the headlights keep going out they tell me its corroded wires . my question is how the hell many wires can there be from the harness to the headlight and woundnt it be cheaper and done finally if they replaced the whole harness..i think i am getting ripped off..someone help..please
someone please help i have a 96 cavalier ..i have had to take it in the shop 3 times because my headlights keep going with no warning other than my drl light flashes a cpl times then out go the lights..it has cost me 250 dollars every time i take it in and guess what broke again this is all within 4 months time they say its because the wires are corroded ..i say isnt there a way to replace the whole wire ?? i hear its not expensive. i feel i an getting ripped off if i take it there this time thats over 500 dollars and it will brake again he tells me, can anybody help me..hope so thanks..debi
Thanks guys but I figured out the problem. There was severe corrosion on the ORANGE power wires going to the headlight which also controlled the DRL relay. There was corrosion leading from the low-beam socket connector to the harness undearneath the battery. The battery was recently replaced and my teacher thinks the old battery was leaking battery acid on top of the harness, which caused the break. And I also found a kink in the ground wire with lots of corrosion too which is the reason when I jump the low beam bulb, I didn't get no power. And another note too I was wrong about the parking lights not working. They were working fine before I fixed the problem with the headlights. Just added some new wires and cleaned up all the other corrosion and good as new. Hope this helps someone. Thanks for all the help.
hello i have notice that a lot of people have proplems with cavalier drl/and no low beams my daughter has a 98 cavalier drl inop no low beams i went through ripping the car aparts as people tell you bad wiring under battery well there right but there is a easy way to fit it besides ripping the car apart the lights work on a grounding system where as constant power to the orange wire at the lowbeams and grounds out through the light switch i removed the light switch there are 2 plugs grey and blue i believe it was the blue plug where the blue wire is for the headight i check that wire with a ohm meter from the wire plug at switch to the blue wire at headlight and had continuity but i thought everyone is saying wiring proplem so i decide to run a new wire so i jumped a wire from the light switch to the left headlight and now that light worked but the right side didnt so i ran a wire from right light to left headlight to blue wire then they were both hook up to the wire going to th switch my point is you dont need to ripe andthing apart but pull out the headlight assemly for access to wiring you make sure the light bulbs are ok run a whole new wire and now everthing works great ps the is no drl module drl relay in fuse panel and the drl lights run off hight beam at a lower light power not the low beams as some people think i hope this help please let me know regards ps i am a retired ford mechanic
please use periods or something lol ... man im out of breath reading that.. !! jk
i have the same problem... butttt i did the 02 headligh conversion, but using the a harness i got from a 00-02 cavalier.
problems i have :
passenger side works fine highs/lows
driver side lows are dim
when i connect the DRL wire back ( did the DRL delete mod) the green light just flashes
i have no DRLs at all
the bulbs are new
all fuses are fine
didnt notice how old this was... was on search for a fix for the DRL flashes
