headlamp issue/question
 

Friends, I have been fighting a headlamp issue for a while and I am trying to resolve it once and for all....it was time to replace the bulbs in the headlamps, I did. Worked great for a few weeks, then both lamps would either refuse to illuminate or flicker on and off. I found that if I reached my hand up behind the wheel well cowling and slightly moved the harness or wires entering the harness or the lamp fixture itself, lights would come on. I examined the bulbs and they were what I would say was wobbly in the plug housing. So went to Autozone and bought 2 new ones, this time a higher grade. Plugged them in and instant light for a few days, then back to no light unless I played with the harness. After more closely looking at the plug/harness on each side, the center post female appears burned. I can still get the lights to turn on if I jiggle or play with the wires going into harness as if there is a broken wire (but on both sides?).
So question is.....is this a common HHR fault that I am dealing with? And where can I buy replacement plugs/harnesses/

Not common. Any auto parts store or GM parts department

Do you think "more expensive" is the same as "higher grade"? Look at the life expectancy chart on the back of the package.

I don't understand "center post female".

Don...that's not what my plugs look like. Mine have 3 wires going into back of plug. Bulbs have 3 male posts going into 3 females on the plugs. Yes, I bought the slightly more expensive bulbs on 2nd try. They looked the same but for some reason, the 2nd set was firmly seated in the plug (or socket), while the first set had a slight wobble.

those are H11 lights and sockets, I meant to search H13. My lying eyes again.

Just ask for H13 pigtails. I would suspect that they weren't plugged in right thus the burning. I think the center is ground.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...26942ec51b.jpg

"wobbly in the plug housing" - are you sure you removed the rubber o-ring gasket from the headlight housing when you removed the bulbs? Or, when you installed the lights did you make sure it had the o-ring gasket in place?

A burnt wiring can also indicate that the bulbs are too high a wattage. I believe 55/65w are the standard wattage.