In this video I have a look at a customers 2005 GMC Envoy that has no low beams. Ends up not being anything to fancy but I at least show you that following a good analytical thought process and plan wins every time!
-Enjoy!
-Enjoy!
come fix your car…
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Im an apprentice motorcycle mechanic and I learn so much from your electrical diagnostics. Thank you
Relay good work there.
Back in 1973 had a blue Volvo wagon with no brake lights ( 2 ) so i thought it was the brake light switch on the brake pedal arm. Well a 45 minutes later I decided to check the bulbs and sure enough bad bulbs. Still embarrassed.
Your not going to get sponsored by Napa by calling them Crapa 😂😂
top notch troubleshooting
AR6100? Assault relay capable of shooting 6100 magazines from a single clip
I thought u where going to put a link to the headlight restoration in the comments
Can't find the link to the headlight clearcoating process.
It’s never the relay and never the “brain box”…except when it is 😂
Shocker made an entrance 🤣
Had the same problem with a 2008 Pontiac and went with an aftermarket relay. 6 months later, same thing. Keep your receipt handy for warranty.
Eric Great video, Love how you used common sense to narrow it down to the relay. Eric What do you think of those GMC Envoy's?? a friend was looking at one as a winter beater, I know they did that weird driveshaft through the oil pan of the inline six, which is weird, but I think they are a decent vehicle, is that a fair statement?? I told my friend get a Toyota, 4 runner, but they are a lot more money used, the Envoy is cheaper. Let me know if the Envoy's are really bad. Thanks, Rich p.s. Love the videos
I know I'm an old codger, but what was wrong with a plain old headlight switch and dimmer switch? In my 45+ plus years of doing this work, I can count on one hand the number of each I've replaced!
Great video! The 08 style buick la crosse and impala's had the same problem with that relay. There was actually a recall on them.
Hi, Mr. O. Good detective work, again, as usual, as expected. Sometimes the fingerprints match up and the guilty party confesses. Relays that don't relay get relayed to the trash bin. Anyway, thanks for sharing! Stay healthy!
Bro i love watching your videos it is because of you that got into me hanic and study and read books and watch videos everyday only to be hopefully one day like you 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 god bless you my friend
Just wait till the salt eats the ground on the frame under the driver door causing the abs module to freak out.
mesmerizing
The Humdrum, the mundane, the everyday and I'm still here watching till the end. Thanks for the video and I'll see you next time!
Same happened with my 03. I fixed the problem by taking a whole bunch of relays from the local yard
Hi Mr. O. The relay in question is solid state. The low beams double as DRL's on these rigs via a PWM signal from the BCM requiring the solid state relay. Same for the electronic fan clutch, being fed a PWM signal.
HEY…. what about the test drive… not done until the test drive
As soon as I saw the title I knew it was that stupid HDM relay. Those stupid things seem to go bad all the time for whatever reason. Lol
Mr. O, videos like this are my favorite. You show the masses how to properly diagnose a failure. Regardless of the level of the repair, if you have a solid plan, along with decent skills, there is almost no repair that even a novice can't do. Hence, your tag line at the end of every video is very fitting for this video .
Great logical troubleshoot vid Eric ! Does NOT suck. It's a great refresher on test-lights and reminder to look for a diagram always.
Your powers of deduction leave little undone. Nicely worked out.
Sometimes it’s nice to get just a bad relay, as long as it’s not a blown fuse that then works once you change the fuse. Now that’s just aggravating.
Please do another another what’s up Wednesday’s 👍
The High Beam being the lower filament, and the Low Beam the higher filament. Well, that is a natural thing about optics, and how the light is guided by the reflector. All single reflector units will act in that fashion. Have you not come across this fact before, that you had to ask? I am surprised.
I had both low beams burn out at almost the same time once. The other thing that can happen is one goes out and they don't notice until the second goes. Then the mechanic thinks it's an unlikely coincidence like both went at the same time. D'oh! This is what happens when you comment before watching to the end. Really nice editing with the screen shots of the diagrams, BTW.
So weird, i had the same exact issue last week!!! Did same steps and got to the relay and swapped them and boom worked
Both my car and truck have actual glass headlight bulbs, no yellowing 🙂
It’s that damn relay, same year mine would just quite on the highway at night….relays seem to be the culprit or corrosion…
other reason to check if the bulb is bad… when they go bad they often do at the same time. assuming you change them at the same time. EVERYTIME I change mine I am using the sylvania "hot" bulbs.. one will fail the other will within minutes.
Love the Show. !!! Love the way you Think. A True Master Automotive Technician, with a vast assortment of Tools and Technics to get the job done & get it right. " Well most of the Time". Hee hee, snicker snicker. We can't be perfect all the time, but we try. I'm just an admirer. From Dan Johnson aka Super Genius.
The high beam, the low beam… and the Jim Beam! 😁
Logical deduction is kool. Beats buying an ECM BCM and a hi beam low beam switch. And still having no light. How many of us now look back in horror at all the parts and money thrown at problems to no avail. It was still broke. Thanks.
I've come across this year's ago on an 03 envoy, and it also ended up being a 40 dollar relay. Got an 07 envoy now and it has been a joy to own. Tough truck.
Another hunt-'em-down and give 'em a headshot. Nice Eric! Often, people don't take the time necessary to thoroughly investigate the problem to derive a viable solution based on observed facts – they black-box it, or as you so aptly put it "Load up the parts cannon". Run out and buy new bulbs, connectors, a big box of fuses, four or five relays (none of which are the correct ones) and of course, the problem remains the problem. I sincerely appreciate the way you methodically go step-by-step in a logical manner to achieve the light bulb coming on (yes, pun intended). When I was in the Navy, I taught my young sailors the very same technique – and those who remained in Engineering Fields prospered greatly from that. Something you failed to mention in this video, but I'm sure you have at some point, is those wiring diagrams are provided unpowered, or dead. One has to view them in that light to mechanize them as they troubleshoot. For instance, the relay is not picked up, but it's easy to see what is supposed to happen if you know what you are viewing.
Definitely NOT a bad vidya! Nice to see you after a 12 hour day plus 2.5 hrs commuting! Keep up the good work!
IATN
As one who isn't a mechanic, but learns something every time I watch one of your videos, I'll say this video doesn't suck. Might help someone like me down the road some time.
Makes me want to take a hose to that engine bay!!!
THAT THE CRAPA😂😂😂
I don't know nothin' 'bout wiring no headlights, but one minute into this I said to myself "Self," (that's what I call myself when I talk to myself) I says "Self, that right there sounds like a bad relay." Idiot savant, I tell ya. Well, idiot, anyhow.
You’re a beaut Eric! Keep up the great work. Most of the channels I watch are builds and projects it’s nice to see a confident competent mechanic be able to troubleshoot and diagnose without a parts cannon. I’m a field service tech in the medical field and I see lots of people that can’t diagnose worth a shit.
had the same thing happen on my Trailblazer. no low beams, bad HDM relay
Every time he does one of these I feel like Clint Howard in Apollo 13.
It's nice to get an easy one once in a while.
Going to remind me I have a Dodge there's a fusion between the negative and depositive by the battery it's an expensive little fuse as soon as you start the car up it opened the fuse and it calls it to drain the battery shut the car off if you just drop down like there's no problem so you think it's not the fuse that was the whole problem of mine
Take the easy ones when you can get them 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
You make something that seems hard look easy that's why I like these videos. Great job tracking down problem.
Watching you easily remove that headlight housing reminded me of my buddy and his 2001 F150 years back. He’d bought it used in another jurisdiction and on the long drive back home realized he had a driver side headlight burnt out. When I saw it after he got home the entire front was torn apart from him trying to get at the headlight bulb, there was a pile of assorted bits and pieces in the cab that he’d removed in his efforts. I went over to the passenger side and pulled the two little tabs up and pulled the headlight housing out in seconds and watched his jaw just about hit the floor!
I learned something! I didn't know you could turn a test light into one that provides power by using a jumper wire. Thanks!
Had a fella walk up to my truck from behind at the Hardee’s drive thru and inform me that I I had zero brake lightage! Instant concern and worry since several county law enforcement were enjoying a visit to my local Hardee’s at the same time I was breaking the law ! I limped my trusty 05 Chevy 2500 hd, with the mighty LLY DURAMAX home, spending much time scanning mirrors for approaching LE. A little voice in my head whispered your words, at first i wanted to unplug every connection underneath, then I understood, work from the source! A bad brake light bulb and a bad connection on the other side, hardest part was getting the screws out! You can do it yourself!
These relays are a pretty high failure item. They’re pulsed by the BCM so the DRLs run at a lower power level and its basically just a fancy transistor. So they get cooked pretty regularly
Honestly this is one of your best simple diagnosis videos.
I’d disagree this was a great one. Electrical stuff baffles people, this shows how logical and easy it can be. Nice work man.
Hey I did this same thing on a customer car the other week. I’m happy to say I did a similar diag to the diag master Eric himself.
I lucked out years ago when my Dad's neighbor asked for help on a vehicle much like that one. Both his low beam bulbs (or filaments if they were combined) were burnt out – like you said, he could have driven some time on one low beam and didn't realize it. He had already fired the parts cannon and replaced the switch on the steering column, with no cigar. Interestingly, he also called me over another time to "replace a bad breaker" in his home's breaker box. The "bad breaker" kept tripping. I checked and found one of those flat extension cords was twisted up – and the car was parked with a tire on the twisted cord. Unplugged the extension cord, and he was good to go – no parts needed.
Even though this ended up being a "simple fix", it still makes a great video if you ask me.
The vehicles are getting smarter. They know that you can sort out a real problem so they threw you a simple one to see if you would do a deep dive when it wasn't necessary.
I really liked this one even if it turned out to be quick and easy. You did a great job analyzing the problem, coming up with a solid plan to attack it, and narrated the process all the way through so well that anyone who watches this video could have found the issue you found. Awesome job as usual, thanks for putting this out even if you didn’t think it was worth it.
Your the best
Nooooooooooo!!!! We deserve a live version of the video you did years ago!!!!!! 😋
never put clear coat on headlight lens
I figured it was the relay, gm had a recall or tsb on them for the envoy/trailblazer
Please keep up the videos even if you think they arenot note worthy because we lost Rainman Ray (temporarly I hope & we need some regular mechanical videos)
Another great straight diagnosis!! Easy Peasy if you follow the plan!! Thanks Eric!!
Taking it easy down here in the comments section
Your awesome 👌 thanks I have same problem on 97 chevy z71 I'll sure test it 😊
lol i already knew it was the relay since the get go because it happened to my aunts trailblazer and these are a know problem for these vehicles.
When you least expect it, boom, thar she blows!
Another great video. To paraphrase you tag expression .If you can do it so can I. You give us backyard mechanics confidence and tips to trouble shoot ourselves. If the problem is greater than our skills can handle, that's when we should pass it on to the pro's.
Great video Eric! Some of the equipment I work on daily has 60+ relays. Depending on the function they can be a real bear to chase down and to make things worse, it's German made with German diagrams…I only know English. Some days are challenging. Thanks for all the great videos!
I had a 2001 Prizm with no low beams after 12 years of ownership. The posts wound up being bad. I'm not good with electric stuff so I had my mechanic solve the issue.
These types of video's definitely don't suck Mr O. I have the Return YouTube Dislike extension installed, and this video is currently at 8.6K 👍 and 0, yes, you read that right, 0 👎. You sir, are a legend!
I miss the platform, I drove an 04, and 06 over the course of 7 years. My 06 popped a transmission at 26000 but under warranty so I didn't care. No SUV I ever drove had the guts, handling or driver feedback they had. I'm sure if I had it longer and it started to nickel and dime me to death like I hear from many, my opinion would probably be much different.
No idea how Eric cleans up dingy headlight covers but I use Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish
I never complain about the easy ones.
You can't win them all. Here's hoping the next one will be a real gem!
You could also use some heavy duty compound to clean up those headlights
Not for GM you would be shoe shine boy.
I think there was a recall on multiple vehicles with those relays. It was just to replace them. I remember when I was a noob I had same compaint and was told its probably a couple of bulbs. Well it wasn't and i was like wtf! then my buddy came over and was like switch those 2 relays around and see if it works, sure enough it was that!
Since it's a GM, he'll be back next week with his high beams blown. Overall Chrsyler vehicles are worse, but I have never seen more electrical issues than in Gm vehicles. It's kind of amazing really.
I fell into the trap of "it just needs two bulbs" once. I had a '68 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible that I was restoring, and the brake lights didn't work. Did I even check the bulbs? Nope. I just assumed "old car, bad wiring." I started at the brake pedal (at first I assumed it was the brake-light switch, but it wasn't). I worked my way back, following the wiring harness from there. Everything tested good, all the way down. Then I finally checked the bulbs. LOL! Felt REALLY stupid, but learned a good lesson — ALWAYS check the simple stuff first! 🙂
These are the videos I need Eric. They constantly remind me to have a plan and work the problem. Thanks!
Not like the caddy's that you need to remove the front clip to change a park lite bulb 🥴 was waiting for it to be the body module and a 390$ part 😊
I went back and watched the video just to let you know the bottles of polish by 3M are discontinued. How are Hanna and Marie been doing?
I've got the same thing in a 2002 trailblazer but it's only the passenger marker lamp with no power. Wires look good.
Good deal give me a little more information for I can check the inside light on my Z by 71 police interceptor 2010 thank you so much I even went out and bought different test lights that have different bulbs in different grades of current they can handle thanks again for this this is very helpful I’m struggling with it it’s been too hot to work on
Just had to replace DRL socket on my 2005 GMC. I soldered the new one in and used heat shrink tubing. I do not trust butt connectors on my headlights. The sockets are notorious for burning out from heat.
I love these quick videos. I had the same issue with a 2009 envoy. turns out that is not a mechanical relay. Its a Mosfet transistor driver so the BCM can PWM the "relay" for the DRL.
Easy day 😎👍
Nice video
Easy fix
Keep it coming
Thank you for the videos
You are a great teacher.
I know that you just cut the wire in the low beam circuit to make content for YouTube. I don't trust this Eric guy at all. 🙄
Lol, I knew within the first minute of the video it was that relay. I've had the pleasure of replacing it on my 08 Trailblazer twice.
Keep it simple and methodical. great video Eric