Chevrolet Aveo: Blows Left Headlight Fuse ONLY When Cranking The Engine?
video description
We tried telling him its way to bad to drive. he couldn't care less. a few weeks later police stopped him for speeding. they put a defect notice on it and siezed it. he never got it back
Date: 2022-11-01
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Comments and reviews: 14
jimbeaux
Eric. You mentioned that you can't keep a customers car due to a safety issue, but maybe under certain circumstances a dealership CAN keep your car?
Years ago we owned a 2004 Isuzu Axiom that had a NTSHA safety recall for an issue related to some bad gas we may have purchased. Sounds strange, but apparently we filled up with gas that contained way too much sulphur at an out of state service station. That may have damaged the seals in the fuel pump that would cause it to leak and could result in a fire. I contacted the dealership we purchased the car from (over 100 miles away) and was told that the fuel pump was on national back-order. The way Isuzu was handling the recall was that the car had to be diagnosed at the dealership by dropping the fuel tank and removing the pump for inspection. If the fuel pump was found to be affected only then would they order a replacement. The dealership could not release the car back to me until it was repaired. There was no estimate for when the pump would be available. In fact, the service guy told me they might never get a pump since Isuzu had gotten out of the personal vehicle business. So, since NTSHA considered this a safety issue, the dealership might NEVER return my car to me.
Needless to say, I never brought the car in for the recall inspection.
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Eric. You mentioned that you can't keep a customers car due to a safety issue, but maybe under certain circumstances a dealership CAN keep your car?
Years ago we owned a 2004 Isuzu Axiom that had a NTSHA safety recall for an issue related to some bad gas we may have purchased. Sounds strange, but apparently we filled up with gas that contained way too much sulphur at an out of state service station. That may have damaged the seals in the fuel pump that would cause it to leak and could result in a fire. I contacted the dealership we purchased the car from (over 100 miles away) and was told that the fuel pump was on national back-order. The way Isuzu was handling the recall was that the car had to be diagnosed at the dealership by dropping the fuel tank and removing the pump for inspection. If the fuel pump was found to be affected only then would they order a replacement. The dealership could not release the car back to me until it was repaired. There was no estimate for when the pump would be available. In fact, the service guy told me they might never get a pump since Isuzu had gotten out of the personal vehicle business. So, since NTSHA considered this a safety issue, the dealership might NEVER return my car to me.
Needless to say, I never brought the car in for the recall inspection.
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lovetolearn
Thats funny, when does it blow WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON lol. I'm a mobile tech and a customer called the other day for a repair. Before going I always try to get as much info as I can so I'm prepared. Sometimes I have diagrams or specs ready with a plan on customers info. I asked the lady what the complaint was she said in runs like
crap. I asked her does it acted up when your driving hiting bumps, turning, do you hear loud noises or when your sitting at a stop sign is it shaking wanting to stall. I was trying to find out if it was suspension related or engine issue. She said that's why I called you to figure it out. I tried again I said is it making loud noises or the steering feels funny, is the check engine light on. I got no help but if I knew I wouldn'tbe calling you. She was really nice and I understand some people just don't know about cars. I just thought it was funny when she said thats why I'm calling you to figure it out.
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Thats funny, when does it blow WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON lol. I'm a mobile tech and a customer called the other day for a repair. Before going I always try to get as much info as I can so I'm prepared. Sometimes I have diagrams or specs ready with a plan on customers info. I asked the lady what the complaint was she said in runs like
crap. I asked her does it acted up when your driving hiting bumps, turning, do you hear loud noises or when your sitting at a stop sign is it shaking wanting to stall. I was trying to find out if it was suspension related or engine issue. She said that's why I called you to figure it out. I tried again I said is it making loud noises or the steering feels funny, is the check engine light on. I got no help but if I knew I wouldn'tbe calling you. She was really nice and I understand some people just don't know about cars. I just thought it was funny when she said thats why I'm calling you to figure it out.
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Handsome
I had my old 2000 ford get a replacement windscreen. I and the installer was shocked the amount of rust behind the windscreen on both upper corners. I pleaded to get it done - and he talked to his boss and I signed a waiver to get it replaced. He even did his best to put rust sealer and tried to clean as much as he could out. But it was compromised and I accepted that risk to me. The worse thing that could happen was the windscreen would pop out forward in a high speed front collision or a rollover. The reason they were hesitant was because there was less reliable metal for the windscreen adhesive to properly stick to. Otherwise car was fine for it age and mileage (460, 000 km and 19 years old.
And the reason for the rust? Living on the coast of Australia and a particular road here you would get salt spray in high wind blowing across the road.
That's why it said here you never buy a car from the coast.
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I had my old 2000 ford get a replacement windscreen. I and the installer was shocked the amount of rust behind the windscreen on both upper corners. I pleaded to get it done - and he talked to his boss and I signed a waiver to get it replaced. He even did his best to put rust sealer and tried to clean as much as he could out. But it was compromised and I accepted that risk to me. The worse thing that could happen was the windscreen would pop out forward in a high speed front collision or a rollover. The reason they were hesitant was because there was less reliable metal for the windscreen adhesive to properly stick to. Otherwise car was fine for it age and mileage (460, 000 km and 19 years old.
And the reason for the rust? Living on the coast of Australia and a particular road here you would get salt spray in high wind blowing across the road.
That's why it said here you never buy a car from the coast.
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Dwight
It might not be the fault of the day light control. As was indicated by the diagram, the FET transistor only controls the current in the positive direction. In the negative direction it is a forward biased diode. By pulling the fuse, you isolate the rail that supplies the voltage to the daytime light controller. It is possible that say the ignition switch was momentarily breaking the path of the +12V to the rest of the car, the current would flow backwards through the diode and supply what ever was also on that +12V line that is switched. It should break that connection to unnecessary power during cranking first before starting the cranking. I'd think it was that path to through the ignitions switch to the unnecessary power that is failing to separate before running the starter motor that is the issue.
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It might not be the fault of the day light control. As was indicated by the diagram, the FET transistor only controls the current in the positive direction. In the negative direction it is a forward biased diode. By pulling the fuse, you isolate the rail that supplies the voltage to the daytime light controller. It is possible that say the ignition switch was momentarily breaking the path of the +12V to the rest of the car, the current would flow backwards through the diode and supply what ever was also on that +12V line that is switched. It should break that connection to unnecessary power during cranking first before starting the cranking. I'd think it was that path to through the ignitions switch to the unnecessary power that is failing to separate before running the starter motor that is the issue.
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SS
Funny you brought up about forcing a customer to fix. I had a leak in a tire for several months, took it to an NTB tire shop where they told me I had a hair line crack in my aluminum wheel and quoted me like 400 dollars for a factory wheel. Being broke at the time I said just put the tire back on and I ll just fill it as needed. They said we can t let this car leave here with that wheel. I told them unless they would make my payments they better put the tire back on it and id pay for the diag and mount/dismount and sign whatever they needed. They did and I never went back to another NTB.
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Funny you brought up about forcing a customer to fix. I had a leak in a tire for several months, took it to an NTB tire shop where they told me I had a hair line crack in my aluminum wheel and quoted me like 400 dollars for a factory wheel. Being broke at the time I said just put the tire back on and I ll just fill it as needed. They said we can t let this car leave here with that wheel. I told them unless they would make my payments they better put the tire back on it and id pay for the diag and mount/dismount and sign whatever they needed. They did and I never went back to another NTB.
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Iowa599
The reduced voltage headlights for DRL is dumb!
I do like the idea of DRL, but not the execution. For my personal cars I swap the front bumber turn signal bulbs to dual filament white/amber LEDs with amber on turn. For the white filament I add an additional circuit that is powered with ignition on.
That means my DRL's pull about a tenth the amperage than what those do, and don't blow the headlight fuse.
(my current car I actually tapped the cruise control circuit to get a switch, since current draw is so low. Only on Run not Acc, & no cruise = no DRL)
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The reduced voltage headlights for DRL is dumb!
I do like the idea of DRL, but not the execution. For my personal cars I swap the front bumber turn signal bulbs to dual filament white/amber LEDs with amber on turn. For the white filament I add an additional circuit that is powered with ignition on.
That means my DRL's pull about a tenth the amperage than what those do, and don't blow the headlight fuse.
(my current car I actually tapped the cruise control circuit to get a switch, since current draw is so low. Only on Run not Acc, & no cruise = no DRL)
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VDPEFi
I just had to fix a cool problem on a Freelander where the fuse for LH parking lamps blew every time the switch was turned with a huge spark. well long story short dash had been out for a heater matrix and as it turns out the plugs for AC switch and heated seat are interchangeable. The heater illumination runs through that same fuse so in effect every time the lights were turned on it tried to activate the heated seat too. weird as wiring diagrams infer all interior lights handling by the RH park light fuse.
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I just had to fix a cool problem on a Freelander where the fuse for LH parking lamps blew every time the switch was turned with a huge spark. well long story short dash had been out for a heater matrix and as it turns out the plugs for AC switch and heated seat are interchangeable. The heater illumination runs through that same fuse so in effect every time the lights were turned on it tried to activate the heated seat too. weird as wiring diagrams infer all interior lights handling by the RH park light fuse.
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claymore
i think, on balance and in the aggregate, that you have the world's most interesting job. about 60% intellectual skill and about 40% physical skill/talent and a variety of new and challenging problems every week. plus you have the absolute certain knowledge in advance that every problem you see has a solution if you apply yourself carefully enough. i'm surprised that your life and work can't be spun up into a successful cable tv show once a week, although tv fame might be more of a curse than a benefit.
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i think, on balance and in the aggregate, that you have the world's most interesting job. about 60% intellectual skill and about 40% physical skill/talent and a variety of new and challenging problems every week. plus you have the absolute certain knowledge in advance that every problem you see has a solution if you apply yourself carefully enough. i'm surprised that your life and work can't be spun up into a successful cable tv show once a week, although tv fame might be more of a curse than a benefit.
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Chris
Yeah drl are not required that is so weird I kind of think that even tho drl increases safety maybe they should be used less because every time I drive at night now I see at least 1 car that doesn't turn their lights on because drl and it's so unsafe cause anyone not paying attention does not see the car they come up on until the last minute idk how people can drive around not turning their lights on thinking drl are headlights also because they provide less light than regular headlights too
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Yeah drl are not required that is so weird I kind of think that even tho drl increases safety maybe they should be used less because every time I drive at night now I see at least 1 car that doesn't turn their lights on because drl and it's so unsafe cause anyone not paying attention does not see the car they come up on until the last minute idk how people can drive around not turning their lights on thinking drl are headlights also because they provide less light than regular headlights too
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The
To follow up on the extortion that some shops try there is one addition. In the PRONY (peoples republic of New York) we have the annual safety and emission inspection. You begin the inspection with removing the old sticker. You proceed with the inspection. Customer fails inspection. Now the customer has no sticker to drive on our wonderfully maintained winding ways in the southern tier. Correct? Some old ladies are scared to death. Me, I just drive it home and perform the repair myself.
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To follow up on the extortion that some shops try there is one addition. In the PRONY (peoples republic of New York) we have the annual safety and emission inspection. You begin the inspection with removing the old sticker. You proceed with the inspection. Customer fails inspection. Now the customer has no sticker to drive on our wonderfully maintained winding ways in the southern tier. Correct? Some old ladies are scared to death. Me, I just drive it home and perform the repair myself.
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Stephen
Great video and troubleshooting. My local inspection place in Texas would not even start the state inspection since one daytime running light was out. He said that if they were both off when my daughter pulled up, it would not have been an issue. However, it was an issue since he saw that one was working and one wasn't. Unfortunately, the DRLs are led strips built into the headlight assembly on her vehicle. So, I ended up having to to pull the bumper cover to replace it.
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Great video and troubleshooting. My local inspection place in Texas would not even start the state inspection since one daytime running light was out. He said that if they were both off when my daughter pulled up, it would not have been an issue. However, it was an issue since he saw that one was working and one wasn't. Unfortunately, the DRLs are led strips built into the headlight assembly on her vehicle. So, I ended up having to to pull the bumper cover to replace it.
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dj
DRL I assume started as a standard on everything due to most states requires lights to be on driving in the rain, in my state if you have your wipers on you better have your lights as you could be ticketed for not following the state law. I have never heard of anyone getting a ticket for not have lights on when its raining. I don't want t test it either as my 1991 S10 don't have DRL but I turn my lights on when I'm driving anyway.
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DRL I assume started as a standard on everything due to most states requires lights to be on driving in the rain, in my state if you have your wipers on you better have your lights as you could be ticketed for not following the state law. I have never heard of anyone getting a ticket for not have lights on when its raining. I don't want t test it either as my 1991 S10 don't have DRL but I turn my lights on when I'm driving anyway.
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Crude
I'm confused.
First time you blew the fuse the max current through the meter was over 20 amps, which blew the fuse which makes sense since it was a 15 amp fuse.
After that the amps never went over 10 amps which means something changed.
How can the DRL module make the 15 amp fuse blow if the headlights run at 10 amps without being clipped.
I would be checking and seeing what else the wires from the DRL go to.
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I'm confused.
First time you blew the fuse the max current through the meter was over 20 amps, which blew the fuse which makes sense since it was a 15 amp fuse.
After that the amps never went over 10 amps which means something changed.
How can the DRL module make the 15 amp fuse blow if the headlights run at 10 amps without being clipped.
I would be checking and seeing what else the wires from the DRL go to.
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Peter
Outstanding diagnosis once again!
And you're exactly right about the matter of extortion. I've known HVAC companies that will disconnect all the interconnect wiring on an air conditioner when they condemn the unit. (Typically for some B. S. nonsense about environmental damage due to refrigerant leakage) Lots of scam artists out there!
But I wouldn't call the cops if I found one. I'd call a lawyer. ;)
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Outstanding diagnosis once again!
And you're exactly right about the matter of extortion. I've known HVAC companies that will disconnect all the interconnect wiring on an air conditioner when they condemn the unit. (Typically for some B. S. nonsense about environmental damage due to refrigerant leakage) Lots of scam artists out there!
But I wouldn't call the cops if I found one. I'd call a lawyer. ;)
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