headlight issues
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2021
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From: The Other Vancouver
Did you reset the DTCs and look in Forscan for the associated lines like in the BCM that pertain to outages and headlamp style (I think starting around 726-25-01)?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2024
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I reset the DTC and it came right back with the right low beam short or open. went threw all the light settings not sure exactly what I did but it is working now. I just got the forscan Thursday so I was turning on Bambi mode and headlight off for drl. now i reset the DTC again and it found no error? go figure lol Thanks for your help man!
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2021
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On flicker, every light unit will have mfgering tolerance due to Parts variations. The units should have been tested for voltage level sensitivity and Current drain at time of product assembly to uncover an issue before marketed.
The vehicle's voltage will vary over a range due to start cycle drain from the Battery and required Alternator voltage output to rise for Battery recharge.
The lights see this higher system voltage as well
When vehicle is off, the system voltage goes down to the Battery SOC at that time, the flicker may stop or start as the Lamp tolerance may dictate. As running 14.x volts drops to 12.x volts after shut down.
If the light unit tolerance is marginal in the wrong direction, system and light reaction is the result.
I would bet the faulty side operation would react the same if plugged up and tested on the opposite side. This would tend to prove the unit is out of tolerance and not a problem with the vehicle power circuit.
.
Ever remember seeing street lights flicker at some rate in your travels especially LED types in cold temps? This is usually the result of aging in the unit or a component fault.
I have a neighbor who has a pair of LED Lamps on an outside wall, one of which flickers when the temp falls into the low 30s for the same reasons as suggested above. In this area the Power line voltage even drops some under night time lighting and Heating loads. One Lamp reacts to this.
.
Many owners don't realize until a Lamp goes out, that the high Beams Lamps are in the lower housing position in Halogen housings.
There is a good reason for this.
A. It allows the low Beam Lamps to cover more front and wide coverage without causing excess blinding of oncoming traffic. The housing has a shading Bar placed in front of the lamp as a high cut-off control. When following another vehicle, the low Beam Lamp has a shading bar in front of it to limit and create a well defined top cut-off point at about the top of most vehicle trunk lids to limit blind reflection in the lead vehicle.
B. With the high Beam Lamp placed in the lower housing position and different projection control for distance, that also becomes an advantage made possible by the Lamps higher output rating and flatter beam control.
When an aftermarket housing makes radical changes in Lamp design and position, there needs to e a lot of testing to be sure that assembly has reasonable light control and not just all out brightness sprayed in places it should not go.
This is where a problem arises when some LED lamps are placed in Halogen housings. Everything can change and oncoming traffic often gets blinded.
Have to pay attention to the end result, of any changes made.
it's bad enough now with stock "eye ball" lights being viewed off their center coming at you.
The Feds are aware of these problems and change will forced on mfger to come in the future and at inspection stations . It has just gotten out of of control and with illegal colors and placements thrown into the mx.
This is already happening now in the engine Tuning business and modifications vs emissions. Some companies have been fined, dropped some offerings and services as a result. The EPA has been given the power to do this by Law. Ever notice the Diesel boys who's trucks belch smoke from tuning changes? It has been noticed by others who complain.
Good luck.
The vehicle's voltage will vary over a range due to start cycle drain from the Battery and required Alternator voltage output to rise for Battery recharge.
The lights see this higher system voltage as well
When vehicle is off, the system voltage goes down to the Battery SOC at that time, the flicker may stop or start as the Lamp tolerance may dictate. As running 14.x volts drops to 12.x volts after shut down.
If the light unit tolerance is marginal in the wrong direction, system and light reaction is the result.
I would bet the faulty side operation would react the same if plugged up and tested on the opposite side. This would tend to prove the unit is out of tolerance and not a problem with the vehicle power circuit.
.
Ever remember seeing street lights flicker at some rate in your travels especially LED types in cold temps? This is usually the result of aging in the unit or a component fault.
I have a neighbor who has a pair of LED Lamps on an outside wall, one of which flickers when the temp falls into the low 30s for the same reasons as suggested above. In this area the Power line voltage even drops some under night time lighting and Heating loads. One Lamp reacts to this.
.
Many owners don't realize until a Lamp goes out, that the high Beams Lamps are in the lower housing position in Halogen housings.
There is a good reason for this.
A. It allows the low Beam Lamps to cover more front and wide coverage without causing excess blinding of oncoming traffic. The housing has a shading Bar placed in front of the lamp as a high cut-off control. When following another vehicle, the low Beam Lamp has a shading bar in front of it to limit and create a well defined top cut-off point at about the top of most vehicle trunk lids to limit blind reflection in the lead vehicle.
B. With the high Beam Lamp placed in the lower housing position and different projection control for distance, that also becomes an advantage made possible by the Lamps higher output rating and flatter beam control.
When an aftermarket housing makes radical changes in Lamp design and position, there needs to e a lot of testing to be sure that assembly has reasonable light control and not just all out brightness sprayed in places it should not go.
This is where a problem arises when some LED lamps are placed in Halogen housings. Everything can change and oncoming traffic often gets blinded.
Have to pay attention to the end result, of any changes made.
it's bad enough now with stock "eye ball" lights being viewed off their center coming at you.
The Feds are aware of these problems and change will forced on mfger to come in the future and at inspection stations . It has just gotten out of of control and with illegal colors and placements thrown into the mx.
This is already happening now in the engine Tuning business and modifications vs emissions. Some companies have been fined, dropped some offerings and services as a result. The EPA has been given the power to do this by Law. Ever notice the Diesel boys who's trucks belch smoke from tuning changes? It has been noticed by others who complain.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 7
Likes: 2
Well they weren't working this AM so I put my factory lights back. Sending these back for a refund. I would be interested in recommendations on some good headlights yall have tried that look good and wont give me this issue again.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Where did you install the DRL wire in your fusebox? The instructions say to connect to #10 fuse which is supposedly the internal temperature gauge. But my 2018 XL does not have that fuse.
Last edited by kwillis; Sep 18, 2024 at 04:58 PM. Reason: correction