Chevy Pickup Parking Lights

Loren in Iowa · Oct 25, 2017

Since we are on the topic of pickups, why do I meet so many full sized GMC and Chevy pickups, with one front parking light out? Some inherent problem, or just poor maintenance? I just have to know.

kcm.MN · Oct 25, 2017

It's not just parking lights. We have parttime problems with one of the DRL's and one of the brake lights; opposite corner from the DRL. Ours is a 2004. Last Chevy was a 1994 and it did the same thing. Maybe the nature of the GM beast? *lol*

Liquid_wrench · Oct 25, 2017

I have a 2005...no problem with any lights,but sometimes when I turn off the engine and take the key out...the dash lights stay on and will drain the battery...I have recently discovered,if I open the rear door,the dash lights go out like it should with the drivers door....so I now just open the rear door...and all is well. lol

Keith

jeffcat · Oct 25, 2017

I do see quite a few with the DRL One being out. The other thing that is far worse is idiots DRIVING at night with the DRLs on and no headlights or taillights. If you can catch them at a trafic light and yell at them to turn everything ON!!!

DR. EVIL · Oct 25, 2017

I forget the model years involved, sometime in the 1980's to sometime after the 2000's, but the molded plastic grill had molded gussets to keep the grill square and created a "resonant frequency of vibration" that coincided with the resonant frequency of the parking light bulb filament that caused the light to burn out in seconds or minutes instead of lasting hundreds of hours. Cutting the molded in gussets changed the resonant frequency of vibration and let the bulb last the normal hundreds of hours.

I read this in an issue of Car and Driver Magazine if I remember correctly. But trucks of that certain vintage, 80-90% will have one burned out light, sometimes left, sometimes right.

Goose · Oct 25, 2017

It's probably the DRLs, Daylight Running Lights. A lot of them go out.

Patsdeere · Oct 25, 2017

Interesting. Why would only 1 go out and not both since it could originally happen to either one? Not like a burned out bulb changes the frequency.

wd9garymn · Oct 25, 2017

I have a 94 silverado bought new with long box-extended cab and have NEVER changed any bulbs front or rear. Unbelievable. Just under 180000 miles.

Adirondack case guy · Oct 25, 2017

It must be a real bummer for a cop to write a traffic citation for something like not signing when turning, when his own lights don't work. I have seen state troopers in blazers with one of those running lights out, usually RH one, many times. Chevys are notorious for that problem.
Loren

DR. EVIL · Oct 25, 2017

It had to do with the way the grill popped in to the front of the truck, one side was held more secure than the other which effected the frequency. It was all about the molded grill, nothing to do with the frequency of the filament in the bulb.

Pitch · Oct 25, 2017

Every vehicle I have that has DRL, 1 Chevy Cruz, 1 Olds Alero, 1 Malibu the DRL's automatically switch to regular lights at dusk. The headlight switch was set on auto the day we brought them home and has never been touched since.

rusty6 · Oct 25, 2017

I see so many of that vintage GM pickups coming at me with one light on in the daytime. Its got so that if I see a vehicle approaching with one light, I assume it is GM.
My 97 Blazer has not had that problem. But it is showing signs of something going wrong. last couple of times I was driving at night the headlights went out for no reason. DRLs stayed on so I could see and it only lasted a couple of seconds til they came back on. Still makes me wonder what is going to happen next. Today's vehicles have come a long way in power train reliability but it seems that electronics are going to be their weakness.

Whiskey Bent · Oct 25, 2017

I think they put to hot of a bulb in them. If you try to change the bulb alot of the sockets are burnt looking and half melted.

4play · Oct 25, 2017

Most of the DRL bulbs I replace are the wrong bulbs. Even most auto parts stores don't carry the correct bulb. The correct bulb number is 4114, most have a 3157/3457 which work but don't last as long. The earlier model year trucks used a 4157 which is longer life than 3157 but not as long as 4114.

There are also LED bulb options, which run cooler and should last much longer.

KEB in GCMS · Oct 26, 2017

My 2000 Silverado and the 2002 Suburban is like that. The right side DRL will go out long before the left side will. I just try to keep an extra bulb in the truck so when I notice it is gone out I replace it right then.

gab · Oct 26, 2017

I also had a 97 Jimmy doing that, was the headlight switch.

jim buford · Nov 1, 2017

I have a 2004 silverado and have the same problem. Sometimes on and sometimes not. I figured must be a short but have headlights I run all the time so haven't checked it further.

W_B · Nov 1, 2017

I'm not sure how you maintain a light bulb, but I've replaced several on the rear of my '05 Silverado 2500HD. Brake and running lights, doesn't seem to matter. Worst vehicle I ever had for headlights was an '89 Ford full size van. Was replacing headlight bulbs constantly. I got where I could do it pretty quickly, if I could get the screws out of the ring that held them in.

Chevy Pickup Parking Lights

Loren in Iowa

Member

kcm.MN

Well-known Member

Liquid_wrench

Member

jeffcat

Well-known Member

DR. EVIL

Well-known Member

Goose

Well-known Member

Patsdeere

Well-known Member

wd9garymn

Member

Adirondack case guy

Well-known Member

DR. EVIL

Well-known Member

Pitch

Well-known Member

rusty6

Well-known Member

Whiskey Bent

Member

4play

Well-known Member

KEB in GCMS

Member

gab

Well-known Member

jim buford

Member

W_B

Well-known Member

Similar threads