hey, I own a 2000 sunfire. I was driving before dark and noticed that my day time running light's were flickering, and i also could hear something making a noice in side a ticking noise. This went on for approx, 10 secs and it stopped and they would work, either would my high beams. only thing worked were my low beams. I shut the car off and checked and couldn't find nothing, i started the car back up and it worked but same thing happened again shortly after. I can hear a ticking noise from the inside fuse panel, and seem's to be coming from a little square box look's like a relay, could this cause it to be doing this? Thanks
Jeffery

So crazy!! I was just about to post almost the same problem...

My headlights (lowbeams) aren't flickering, they're completely out.

Fog lights work,
High Beams work,
Same ticking noise, ticking noise only starts once the car is in motion, forward or reverse...but just for a few seconds.
Service light is on...

This is the latest bs thing to fall apart on my 2003 sunfire...will never buy GM again...
in the past 4 months i've had to..
-replace oxygen sensor
-replace a fan motor
-replace fuel pump
-replace computer
-replace fuel line gaskets
...the list goes on an on....

From the research i've done, it looks like the headlight problem could be caused by a shorted wire or the headlamp switch...
The shorted wire is seomthing i'm going to try and locate by myself by wiggling things...if it's the headlamp switch i think it could be expensive...fomr other online stories i think they have to tack apart the stearing column or something...

Let me knwo if you hear of anything...if i wiggle the right wire i'll let you know too..

cheers

Julie

I had been having this problem with my 97 sunfire...

I tried swapping harnesses ( couldnt have been the right one ), fuses, relays, bulbs and switch and was ready to give up when I decided to spend my sunday a few weeks ago, ripping the front clip off my car and pulling the headlight harness and untaping/unlooming the whole thing, going through every wire and replacing anything that had the slightest crack or scratch in it.

After cleaning it all up I taped the entire harness and stuck it back in the car....and it worked...thankfully all my headlights issues have been fixed for now...

Sadly there is a good chance the same problems are going on with you guys....

Good to know...

did you have any ticking noises coming from the dash?

it actually sounds like a cross between the turn signal indicator and and electical zap.... like when you're turning on a gas stove top...the tick tick tick noise made by the electrical charge trying to ignite the gas...i guess this would only make sense if you have a gas stove...

ah well...

hey, i stopped at the garage today, to pick up one of those relay's that inside my fuse panel, that i hear clicking when the problem act's up, the guy told me that it's not the problem, becasue it's making that noise telling you that it can't do what it's trying to do, he said it sounds like a broken wire. Well I Have no Highbeams at all, my drl work's for a few mintues and then the flickering stops. I have no idea, you guys are saying the wire harness, i just pulled out one headlight and I don't no where to start with checking the wires. You guys beable to help me out here.
Thanks

Wicked!! so that's what the clicking noise is...

I have no experience under the hood...looking to buy a Haynes car repair manual tonight, just to get an idea of what wires run where... i'm hoping to try and locate the general area as to where the wire is broken...just to save some labour costs at the shop...

I know (i think) the wire leading to the highbeams is pink...does anyone know what colour the wire is leading to the lowbeams?

I just went to the car, and looked at some stuff, and i don't no where to start with the wiring at, but i was thinking maybe our problem is the highbeam switch, i was looking in my Chilton repair book

I'm sure i'll be boggled with the wires as well...

I looked into the switch as well....from what i read...sunfires (at least 2003 model) has a multi switch...turn signal included...i guess they have to take apart the stearing column...totally not a diy job...i know you need a special tool (ain't cheap) to take the wheel off...plus it's probably the last thing i'd want to put back on improperly...YIKES!!

Do you have anything that instructs the changing of the switch differently? please tell me it's much easier?

uhm...for the switch....pop out the three screws underneath the steering wheel to pop off the trim undo the two retaining screws holding in your switch one on top....one between the switch and steering wheel....unplug switch....installation is reverse of removal....



This was what I did when I pulled my headlight harness....pulled the front clip...air bong and washer jug...unplugged the harness and pulled the entire thing out of the car and removed all the electrical tape and started inspecting....good luck and make sure when your all done tape it up the best you can and hope it doesn't happen again....

Might have been overkill but truthfully it was alot easier to pull the headlight harness when you remove the windshield washer jug.