Is Dealer Blowing Smoke Up My....?

[LarryGee]

Had to replace passenger side headlight housing because it was cracked and moisture corroded the bulb contact points. I replaced BOTH housings to match, with aftermarket housings and replace with new bulb sockets and bulbs.

EDIT: The passenger side turn signal worked until it didn’t. End EDIT:

Passenger side turn signal won't blink. Driver side does. I couldn't figure it out so I took it to the dealer.

Dealer says that GM control module won't recognize aftermarket housings.

Dealer also says that driver side is measuring 12v but the passenger side is only measuring 1v.

Dealer says new OEM headlights will fix the problem. OEM headlights are $935 each.

Are they blowing smoke up my a%% ?

 

[Tonyv__]

Was the passenger turn signal working on the original damaged light?

 

[LarryGee]

Was the passenger turn signal working on the original damaged light?

No. It was, until it didn’t . That’s what led me to discovering the corrosion on the headlight housing and replacing the housing, bulb socket and bulb.

 

[B-train]

Electricity doesn't care if it's OEM or aftermarket if all things are equal. If you went from LED to incandescent, or regular bulb to a HID setup, then you may have issues with the circuitry based on load, etc.

But, again, if like for like was replaced, then I don't see how an OEM one will be better. Your OEM one stopped working due to corrosion and you have low voltage at that pin/connector. If it was corroded, I'd look further back up the wire harness for wires that are corroded, or split where you maybe only have 1 good strand left. Another possibility is that it's grounding itself out, hence 1V.

 

[Tonyv__]

No. It was, until it didn’t . That’s what led me to discovering the corrosion on the headlight housing and replacing the housing, bulb socket and bulb.

Yeah I’d lean on the headlight not getting adequate voltage. Tell them they can fix the actual issue (1v at the passenger side headlight) or just take your business elsewhere.

 

[LarryGee]

Electricity doesn't care if it's OEM or aftermarket if all things are equal. If you went from LED to incandescent, or regular bulb to a HID setup, then you may have issues with the circuitry based on load, etc.

But, again, if like for like was replaced, then I don't see how an OEM one will be better. Your OEM one stopped working due to corrosion and you have low voltage at that pin/connector. If it was corroded, I'd look further back up the wire harness for wires that are corroded, or split where you maybe only have 1 good strand left. Another possibility is that it's grounding itself out, hence 1V.

All bulbs stayed stock.

It could be the harness except that the doesn’t directly connect to the bulb socket. It connects to the main housing pin connector and that was corrosion free.

 

[LarryGee]

Finding and fixing the cause for the voltage drop was my first thought as well.

However, that’s when they suggested that the OEM housing has proprietary recognition capability via the control module.

They are implying that aftermarket housings Will not be recognized by the control module.

That’s where I think they are full of BS. However, they are a dealer and have the scan tools that most shops do not have.

 

[Tonyv__]

Finding and fixing the cause for the voltage drop was my first thought as well.

However, that’s when they suggested that the OEM housing has proprietary recognition capability via the control module.

They are implying that aftermarket housings Will not be recognized by the control module.

That’s where I think they are full of BS. However, they are a dealer and have the scan tools that most shops do not have.

Ask them to explain why your driver side works and passenger doesn’t. Since you replaced both of them with aftermarket

 

[LarryGee]

Ask them to explain why your driver side works and passenger doesn’t. Since you replaced both of them with aftermarket

I did. That’s when they said that the aftermarket housing isn’t good quality and Tahoe control module isn’t “recognizing” it.

 

[Tonyv__]

I did. That’s when they said that the aftermarket housing isn’t good quality and Tahoe control module isn’t “recognizing” it.

I’d move on and find an independent shop if that’s an option.

 

[gooffeyguy]

Do you still have your old housings? If so, plug one of them in and see if it works or not. It doesn't have to be the one that was cracked/corroded and didn't work, plug the good one in and see if the "control modual" recognizes it

 

[OR VietVet]

There isn't any module that cares about the housings. The dealer is saying BS because going off their recommendation and reasoning, every time you replace a bulb of any sort, it would then have to be mated thru the module. I call BS. Like for like, aftermarket or not, it should work. The problem here is two fold.......the voltage to the bulb and a thief at the dealership. Find a trusted reputable shop and get the voltage problem fixed. What happens when you do a shunt and supply 12 volts to the bulb?

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Definitely BS, IMO. Time to start tracing the electrical feed wire that is registering 1 volt.

 

[LarryGee]

I did not think to do that when I had everything apart.

I don’t need to tell you what a pain in the a&& it is to have to remove the air box to change the stupid bulb….

 

[OR VietVet]

I just edited my post. I meant to say "there isn't any module that cares about the housings".

 

[Coolman1987us]

I did not think to do that when I had everything apart.

I don’t need to tell you what a pain in the a&& it is to have to remove the air box to change the stupid bulb….

call me when you have to remove your inner fender and bumper cover to change a bulb...

 

[Doubeleive]

I just edited my post. I meant to say "there isn't any module that cares about the housings".

that's not necessarily true anymore, these new housings on the 2015+ have there own module inside and the whole housing is a complete light system.
and there are at least 3 different types, some are led, some are hid, and some are incandescent/hid/led and so on
on my 18 the housings are $2000 each, used ones are $900-1k each. I was able to upgrade mine luckily with some adapters to a higher wattage HID, the stock HID is only 25w and the bulbs are not sold anywhere but at the dealer and a couple places have them online.
as such I bought a couple spare bulbs to have on hand if one happens to go out

 

[OR VietVet]

I stand corrected. The manufacturer has figured out a way to do crap like that.

 

[gtrslngrchris]

My oem passenger headlight was beyond destroyed by the original owner and then cobbled back together and it was leaking and corroded both and worked for a few weeks then popped up an error for the front passenger turn indicator when it wasn't working and was specific about the error. It also hasn't cared in the slightest since I replaced the headlights with Morimotos.

 

[mike singleton]

Had to replace passenger side headlight housing because it was cracked and moisture corroded the bulb contact points. I replaced BOTH housings to match, with aftermarket housings and replace with new bulb sockets and bulbs.

EDIT: The passenger side turn signal worked until it didn’t. End EDIT:

Passenger side turn signal won't blink. Driver side does. I couldn't figure it out so I took it to the dealer.

Dealer says that GM control module won't recognize aftermarket housings.

Dealer also says that driver side is measuring 12v but the passenger side is only measuring 1v.

Dealer says new OEM headlights will fix the problem. OEM headlights are $935 each.

Are they blowing smoke up my a%% ?

What year make and Model - Did I miss this? I've replaced by 2011 suburban ltz lights with led and had no problem.