Headlight problems

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Devin Lucius - 22 Apr 2005 22:43 GMT

I have a 1985 camaro berlinetta and all the lights work accept for the
headlights. I checked all the fuses and they are all good so does anyone
have any sugestions for me? Thanks.

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ElectroPig - 23 Apr 2005 01:24 GMT

> I have a 1985 camaro berlinetta and all the lights work accept for the
> headlights. I checked all the fuses and they are all good so does anyone
> have any sugestions for me? Thanks.

'85 Berlinetta here too...I'd recommend checking every wire from the
headlights back. If you've ever been nudged in either front quarter, the
headlight buckets (large fibreglass unit spanning the whole front end) may
have cracked and throw things out of whack, which can also cause wires to
rub in annoying places.

That possibility is usually only applicable if ONE headlight is out,
though...

PS: If you know where you can find a parts car, start snagging parts
NOW...they're getting damned hard to find anymore...especially for the
85's!!! Any of the custom electronics...have backups if at all possible!!!

Which reminds me...the left control pod is a likely source of the trouble.
If the running lights come on when you hit that button, but the headlights
don't come on with the headlight button, that should be fine. If the
running lights--but not the headlights--come on when you hit the headlight
button, then the control pod is likely NOT where the problem lies. If that
helps any...

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basha48@lycos.com - 23 May 2005 06:23 GMT

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Devin Lucius - 23 Apr 2005 16:06 GMT

i checked some wires and now when i turn the headlights on the digital
gauges goes out.

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ElectroPig - 23 Apr 2005 20:23 GMT

> i checked some wires and now when i turn the headlights on the digital
> gauges goes out.

Mah, Frien'...you may have a problem with your transmission. I know it
sounds crazy, but there's a sending switch on the tranny that "appears" to
fry the instrument cluster. TRUST ME ON THIS: It cost me over $600 in
diagnostics and running wires to find it out...and ONLY after I had a parts
car home and started tearing the instrument cluster out of it!!!
Literally...I had JUST started tearing it down to pull the cluster when the
phone rang, and they said it was a $25.00 switch on the transmission that
was causing it!!!

Note: The sending switch problem's secondary symptom (the first was the
obvious blackness of the speedo/dash) was the immediate blowing of new fuses
the second you turned the key. Trying to insert a new fuse with the key
turned on--even without the motor running--resulted in an immediately
tasty-warm fuse with the expected life span of a heroin junkie looking at
the pretty lights down the train tracks...

99% chance it is NOT the instrument cluster that's bad!!! After getting
my switch (and the associated wiring) replaced, I've never had troubles with
the cluster blacking out on me since. (About 5 or 6 years back).

Sorry to say, but you're going to have to start tracing EVERY (*@#in wire
on the bloody car now...but it's highly likely that all it will be in the
end is a frayed wire or the tiniest little bit of missing insulation
"somewhere."

The trouble with the Berlinettas I'm told is that all the electronics
systems are tied together in weird and wonderful ways...if there's any way
that you can get a complete schematic of the TOTAL wiring system, that's
your
best bet to start. It's gonna be a bitch, either way, but if it keeps you
out of a dealer's bay and saves you the $600 in "alleged testing" it'll be
worth it.

While they were "diagnosing the problem" with mine, they screwed up the
dash, console, the lighter never worked again, the rear ashtray "went
missing"...that was the last time I ever took my car to a dealer,
incidentally. (Like that would be a surprise to anyone...)

I wish ya luck!

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