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Small light inside headlamp

21K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  ddalder 
#1 ·
I have one of the small bulbs out and was wondering do I need to remove the whole assembly to change just this one bulb?
 
#2 ·
Pull the front bumper and grill off (not an easy task). If you decide to do this yourself remember that the 4 nuts that hold the bumper to the fenders are tighteners that hold sliders. these sliders will slide forward to a slot that will allow the bumper assy to come off... after you remove all of the plastic clips that hold the fairings onto the frame. This will give you access to the headlight capsule.
 
#6 ·
I try to do it when nobody's looking...:cool2: I hate when I have a bulb out, but I feel pretty stupid when I have to smack my Caddy to get the light to come on :helpless: Mine started as just the passenger side but I've noticed the driver's side doing it now as well... :hmm:
 
#8 ·
id say if its only the small light dont take off the bumper, just unscrew the fuse box, and disconnect it. and that should give you enough room to the headlight side door just unscrew that, pull off the door and twist out the small bulb socket. just letting you know its a tight fit in there but it beats having to take off the bumper
 
#9 ·
i might be wrong here because i have never done this on my STS, but on the CTS guys turn there wheels all the way to one side where they can get more room in there, pop the fender liner off and then you have plenty of room to swap that bulb out...once again, i have never done this to my STS yet, but it seems legit to me and easy enough as i have done this on the CTS
 
#13 ·
Are you talking about the signal light on the side of the fender just behind the wheel? If so, what you suggest will work. The lamp in this thread is actually inside the headlamp assembly. To gain access you need to remove an access panel on the assembly. I've never done it either, but looking at the diagrams and photos, I can't see being able to use the method you're suggesting for the bulb in question. Again, no first hand experience with this one so it's just an opinion.
 
#14 ·
I believe it's just a "parking" light...
Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening? Maybe a bad relay or something... The WIERD thing about mine is, when the little bulb on the driverside started doing this as well, I found that giving it a tap would make both passenger and driver lights come back on WTH???? That's what's making me believe there's more to it than just a loose bulb.
 
#15 ·
I've seen many, many bulbs over the years that react this way. Depending on how the element fractures (one location only), tapping it can resestablish the connection temporarily. It still has to be replaced because... well, it's in essence "burned out". If the element is broken in two or more places you'll never be able to get it to light up again. Hitting the bulb always used to be the trick when the old sealed beam headlamps went out until you could get a replacement.

Most bulbs have a similar life expectancy so when one burns out, the one on the opposite side often isn't far behind.
 
#17 ·
Okay. Then i have to assume both of mine are burned out because no matter what position the headlight switch is in, the lights never turn on. Are they supposed to turn on in the parking light position? I noticed the amber turn signals don't in that position.
 
#21 ·
I bought one of the disc manuals off of e-bay and was very disappointed. Save you bucks, IMHO.

This evening my little light went out so I give it a tap, a rap, a bang, a smack and then went crazy on it... dead. Time to pull it off and change 'em. Maybe I'll go led, but for sure I think i will do a YouTube on it as soon as the weather breaks a little.
 
#23 ·
The DRL's are the front signal lamps. They are illuminated continuously anytime the ambient light senses it's daytime and the car is not in Park. When you use your signal light, the car cycles the lamp on/off.

That small lamp everyone is discussing, GM calls a front position lamp.
 
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