Before we start I do have a resistor on my automatic headlights so they aren't automatic anymore (preference)

When I switch on my headlights (I'm not sure if the same happens when I only turn it to parking lights, don't use them much) sometimes only the headlights will come on. No parking lights, no tail lights, no dash illumination. I can usually get them working by jiggling the knob a little or turning them off and on. Sometimes the headlights will come on and nothing else for a few seconds then everything else will turn on.

Where can I start looking? BCM? (That already needs to be replaced) Headlight switch? Maybe clean the ground busses?

Thanks for your help, electronics aren't my strong point in cars

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2017 Cruze RS
2008 Aura - Totaled
Sold but never forgotten:
1998 Bonneville SE
1992 Bonneville SE

My heater blower was intermittent. Jiggling the connector got it running most every time. Turned out to be the blower-replace your switch imo

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2001 Bonneville SSEi. 1598xx mi.
great car. Wrecked


Burnt Bonny.

Note if you pull the injectors to obserbe fuel delivery...make sure you leave the plugs in and disconnect the ign. Believe me

check the easiest first. the switch would be the culprit in my opinion.

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2002 Bonneville SSEI 170K



"Three men walking always has one teacher."

Well I took the switch out today. There was noticeable heat marks on some of the pins for the switch. The plug is a little deformed from the heat. I was going to try cleaning the pins, but I took some of the screws out on the switch and before I knew it I was left with a bunch of springs and parts that I had no idea where they go. So off to my local junkyard. Spent 15 minutes in 200 degree car pulling a switch and they tell me $40 when I come to the office with it. I LOL'd all the way out the door telling them that is the price of a brand new ACDelco switch and that I will never be back, and then my floor mat must of accidentally got caught on my gas pedal in their parking lot (this use to be a great junkyard. either how they manage it or the owners have changed in the last few years. use to be able to walk out with a box full of parts for $50, not just 1 switch. not the mention quality of service, i wont be back)

Then off to junkyard 2, I called them since I have never been there and they said $25 and they pull it. Figured I'll bite since I won't have head lights otherwise. Went and got it and tested it and it worked great. Got back home and started putting it all back together but before I finished I tested it again and had the same problem! Pulled it back apart and test it again and then all the lights work.

At this point I'm thinking I have a good switch but something else somewhere isn't working right. Or I could of just gotten another bad switch? I was thinking maybe something in the plug might be shorting out because it has melted a little bit? Opinions?

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2017 Cruze RS
2008 Aura - Totaled
Sold but never forgotten:
1998 Bonneville SE
1992 Bonneville SE

Have you checked your ground connector under the driver's side carpet for corrosion?

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PontiacDad at WCBF `08: "By any chance, was his name. . .Radomir?"

R.I.P. 10/31/15: 1997 SE: "Silver Shadow"
`05 Mercedes S500

My 95 SLE has this same problem. I posted about it years ago before my account went inactive. I originally replaced the switch which solved the problem for maybe 6 months. I put in another switch. I too had a melted connector and scorched wires & switch. I cut off the burned ends of the wires, made new ends, and bought a new connector harness (about $7 at the time). For some reason, too much power is going to the switch. The fix was temporary. I kept the old switches. I started cleaning up the scorched areas with alcohol and q-tips and swapping them out every 6 mos or so. 1 switch won't light up my tail lights, though. Then, I found I could get everything to work by using Twilight Sentinel. That worked for 5 years. Now, I can't get any of the switches to work. I'm leary of buying another $50+ new one or a junk yard one. The car has 284K on it! I've moved on to an 04 SE this year. We've been trying to get to the root of the problem so I can sell the 95. My mechanic thinks it is a short in the wiring harness somewhere behind the dash in a tunnel area that we can't easily reach. I'm curious about the suggestion of the ground under the carpet. I've been blowing out blower fan switches this past year or so. ($100 part) Maybe the root causes are related. Before I quit driving it everyday, I resorted to an LED light plugged in to an outlet in order to see my gauges at night.