Dim Passenger Headlamp
Thread Starter
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 3
From: Indiana
Dim Passenger Headlamp
1st post.....I bought the 2009 HHR in December 2013. I have replaced both headlamps (probably around Dec/Jan).....driver side was out when I bought it and then the passenger side followed suit a month later.
Just noticed that the passenger side headlamp (low or high) is very dim.....it is not totally out. It is almost like a dim glow on both low and high. The driver side lamp is fine. I am thinking a ground issue. I found a schematic by Lucky but it is too small to be able to read it.....does anybody have a larger 2009 HHR Headlamp schematic that they could post or PM me? Does anybody know where the ground for the passenger headlamp terminates?
Thanks for your help.....the site is very helpful.
dobe77
Just noticed that the passenger side headlamp (low or high) is very dim.....it is not totally out. It is almost like a dim glow on both low and high. The driver side lamp is fine. I am thinking a ground issue. I found a schematic by Lucky but it is too small to be able to read it.....does anybody have a larger 2009 HHR Headlamp schematic that they could post or PM me? Does anybody know where the ground for the passenger headlamp terminates?
Thanks for your help.....the site is very helpful.
dobe77
Last edited by nageeeK; Aug 7, 2014 at 07:37 AM.
Platinum Member
Joined: 12-06-2009
Posts: 11,719
From: Alabama
Welcome to the site.
The wiring schematic shows both headlight grounds to be in the left engine compartment area.
Left side headlight says: left shock tower
Right side headlight says: left engine comp. area
All of the exterior front lights, horn, ps module, ebcm,and horn all show to ground at these 2 points. I would be looking for a heavy gauge ground connection.
The wiring schematic shows both headlight grounds to be in the left engine compartment area.
Left side headlight says: left shock tower
Right side headlight says: left engine comp. area
All of the exterior front lights, horn, ps module, ebcm,and horn all show to ground at these 2 points. I would be looking for a heavy gauge ground connection.
Thread Starter
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 3
From: Indiana
Appreciate the comments and suggestions.....I will investigate further after work and respond back with what I find.
skyline26 - when I mentioned "glow"......that is literally what the light is doing. It is not throwing any light forward, but if you look close enough, the filament is glowing. I can understand bulbs having a different brightness, but this is not the case. Not slamming your comment....I appreciate them all. I just wanted to clarify what I was witnessing.
dobe77
skyline26 - when I mentioned "glow"......that is literally what the light is doing. It is not throwing any light forward, but if you look close enough, the filament is glowing. I can understand bulbs having a different brightness, but this is not the case. Not slamming your comment....I appreciate them all. I just wanted to clarify what I was witnessing.
dobe77
Thread Starter
Joined: 12-09-2013
Posts: 3
From: Indiana
Problem solved.....donbrew wins the award for diagnosing the problem.
I found the two grounding terminations on the left side of the engine. I first loosened up the two wires that firemangeorge had a picture posted of - left engine compartment. I tested the lights and the left and right headlamps came on (still dim on the passenger side) without those ground wires connected....that told me that the ground wires to the headlamps were somewhere else. Reconnected those wires and found the ground connection on the left engine tower (behind fuse box). I remove two wires from the stud and the lights would not come on. Verified that I had a good connection and tightened them back up. Still had a dim passenger headlamp. I then removed the right splash guard to access the headlamp bulb....removed the connector and reconnected it. Tested lights and behold they both illuminated correctly! I took the connecter apart one more time and sprayed an electrical contact cleaner on it. It is good to go for now....must not have had a good connection.
Thanks for the ideas.....hope someone else can learn from our thread.
dobe77
I found the two grounding terminations on the left side of the engine. I first loosened up the two wires that firemangeorge had a picture posted of - left engine compartment. I tested the lights and the left and right headlamps came on (still dim on the passenger side) without those ground wires connected....that told me that the ground wires to the headlamps were somewhere else. Reconnected those wires and found the ground connection on the left engine tower (behind fuse box). I remove two wires from the stud and the lights would not come on. Verified that I had a good connection and tightened them back up. Still had a dim passenger headlamp. I then removed the right splash guard to access the headlamp bulb....removed the connector and reconnected it. Tested lights and behold they both illuminated correctly! I took the connecter apart one more time and sprayed an electrical contact cleaner on it. It is good to go for now....must not have had a good connection.
Thanks for the ideas.....hope someone else can learn from our thread.
dobe77
Glad you got it fixed.
Deceased
Joined: 06-30-2010
Posts: 25,739
From: Kannapolis NC
