# Hi Beam problems with 2012 Chevy Cruze



## LiveTrash (May 24, 2015)

Anything to do with the headlight system, including the highbeams, is controlled through the BCM. I'm not sure why they wouldn't have known this and told you over the phone. You'd likely have to bring it in to get it looked at. However with your recent phone encounter, maybe a different dealer?


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Any chance that you're still in B2B warranty? The High Beam relay is soldered into the underhood fuse box. As such, according to GM, you have to replace the whole fusebox if it's bad. So far I've not heard of anyone repairing it out, but I'd think anyone with electronic servicing skills could probably figure out how to do it.

But first off - I'd really double check the high beam bulbs. If one goes, the other isn't far behind - so you *can* lose both of them before you even notice you've lost one. If that's not it, it's time to do some real troubleshooting. I don't think you want to just start throwing parts at it.


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## gwollin (Dec 16, 2015)

since the headlamps are dual filament how do you tell if the high beam is burnt out?


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

gwollin said:


> since the headlamps are dual filament how do you tell if the high beam is burnt out?


You can eyeball them carefully looking for a gap in the filament. If you see one, it's bad. If you don't, then you need a ohm meter.

And being dual filament, you better see and measure two.

Hmmmm. I wonder if it's possible that a single-filament got stuck in there?


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

A head lamp bulb, and that what it is, a tiny bulb, the filaments may look good, but have a very tiny break in them, hitting them with 12 V verifies this in a second.

Still say its incredibly stupid to use point contact relays for just about anything, but dey are all doing dis. Made in China is not comforting. 

Here is the circuit for the high beams, the fact that when switching off of low beams, they are going off is a good sign that the BCM is working.










Note that point contact relay on the far left side that switches on the high beams.

Unfortunately this relay is located on the lower board, and I cannot remember if its soldered or plugged in, but either way, can be replaced.

Possible that fuse 37 or 38 are blown that are on the top board. by using an 1/8" wide tab, can check to see if you are getting 12V either on one side or the other with the high beams on for both fuse.



I had all this apart over three years ago, and even had that lower board in my hand, had three large connector blocks on it, and when I took mine apart, they were not even fully plugged in. Kicking myself for not taking a photo of it, while they show the top board, could not find the layout of the lower board anywhere in the shop manual. I was trying to find the fog lamp relay but tracing that pin 32 as I recall to make darn sure the thing would work as the first step before even buying the fogs.

And can't remember if these relays were plug in or not, but do have good desoldering tools. DRL's sure complicated this once very basic circuit and are considered as a safety item, but not very safe if you don't have any head lamps at all.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Must have used up all of my beans for posting photos, just look in page 10-36 to see the layout of your under the hood fuse and relay box.


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## wonder16 (Mar 13, 2016)

can someone help i have both low beams that wont turn on replaced the light bulbs still same issue and the fog light brake lights that wont work as well fuzes are good any advice would be greatly appriciated


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Here the the head lamp circuit again.

View attachment 184994


Have fuses both in the underhood fuse/relay box and the instrument fuse panel. BCM powers the underhood high beam relay, but not sure which fuse does. Can't even show a complete schematic. Unless a shorted filament blows a fuse, can really have some not easy to find problems. Can also be a code error in the BCM, don't like storing valuable code in flashram. But dey all do dis.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Here the the head lamp circuit again.

View attachment 184994


Have fuses both in the underhood fuse/relay box and the instrument fuse panel. BCM powers the underhood high beam relay, but not sure which fuse does. Can't even show a complete schematic. Unless a shorted filament blows a fuse, can really have some not easy to find problems. Can also be a code error in the BCM, don't like storing valuable code in flashram. But dey all do dis.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Daytime running lights really complicated the headlamp operating system, and even far more complex by introducing the BCM into the equation. Was curious if any class action suits were filed against GM, apparently so. DRL's are not required by law, but considered a safety factor by some.

Code stored in flashram that can be easily corrupted, using the worse possible electrical means for proper light, the point contact relay, even worse, made in China.

Did find this:

"A federal judge in Oklahoma dismissed the Suzuki lawsuit for reasons that sound similar to lawsuits that had to be dropped against General Motors. In the case of GM, a federal judge ruled that a bankruptcy agreement protected GM from lawsuits for many problems that occurred prior to the bankruptcy. The judge in the Suzuki lawsuit said much the same thing about the Forenza and Reno case."

Rest of the story is here, who are these federal judges working for?

Lawsuit Dismissed Over Suzuki Lighting Problems | CarComplaints.com

When I was learning how to fly, was taught always to look for a spot to land, same thing with the Cruze, memorizing the road as what I should do in case the headlamps would fail. 

Feel GM should address your headlamp problem, and with a lifetime warranty, providing you don't get killed first.


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## anthonysmith93 (Jul 15, 2015)

gwollin said:


> I just got off the phone with my local Chevy dealer and they weren't really much help. I am struggling to figure out why my hi beams wont come on even though the blue light in the dash comes on when the hi beams should be on. I checked the fuses and the headlamps and they are both fine so that leads me to believe that the Hi beam relay is bad but I'm not having any luck finding it and my local Chevy dealer couldn't tell me where its located.
> 
> any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> ...


Swap out those bulbs with some walmart ones, if they still don't work....walmart will return opened bulbs, so you don't lose any money, and you'll know if it's the bulbs or not.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

NickD said:


> Must have used up all of my beans for posting photos, just look in page 10-36 to see the layout of your under the hood fuse and relay box.


This happened to me once, now I go into my settings and delete all the old pictures, than I can put more in.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

What happened to the OP, did he/she get this problem resolved? Or still in the dark?


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

NickD said:


> What happened to the OP, did he/she get this problem resolved? Or still in the dark?


Maybe they got blinded by the light! IDK My bright lights are really not that bright either. NEver really thought too much about it since I don't drive with my brights on that often.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Redid the head lamp wiring on my 82 P-30 motorhome chassis, positive lead from the battery through body connector, only about a dozen Package Electric terminals on that, just put on all new connectors, Head Lamp wire went directly to the head lamps switch on the dash with all but three terminals on it and a fast acting circuit breaker, Big heavy plated terminals, that just need a minor cleaning and coated with Lubriplate. 12 volt out for the parking on the first click, on both terminals when pulled all the way out.

Head lamp wire went to the dimmer switch, just got a new Standard for a couple of bucks, simple form C switch, 12V to either the dims or the brights. Still had plenty of automotive grade pretinned wire left, when you could buy a thousand foot roll of this stuff for ten bucks, a dime a foot.

Uses that four rectangular head lamp system, can buy both dims and brights, but the brights are stupid, just two terminals, if you connect that connector to the dims, only the brights would work, bottom terminal is for the dims. But having four dim and brights, if the dims on the outers go out, just switch that lamp with the same one in the brights. Dims burn out the quickest because always used.

Very simple system, should have left it this way and extremely reliable. Going though the BCM using cheap made in China relays and fast acting fuses is totally stupid in my opinion, and experience. Even dumber yet is storing that extremely valuable code in electrically erasable memory. One 0.75V glitch would reset it back to zero and a microcontroller is next to worthless without code.

If you don't have enough brains to switch on your head lamps when conditions call for it, shouldn't even be allowed on the road. When that blazing sun is on full blast, can't even tell if the DRL's are on and just wasting energy.

But like ABS, some dingbat professor in Stanford was given a grant to say its 14% than non-ABS, so even more idiots in Washington DC make it a law. Haven't done this with DRL's light, but a so-called safety feature, but sure not safe if you don't have any head lamps at all.

What should be a law is making fog lamps a requirement, would only add about eight bucks to the cost of the vehicle, and at least you would have an independent system of some light if your head lamps should fail.

Not easy living in a country ran by idiots. DRL's are a nightmare for most people that don't have over eight years of electronic training. Plus the experience to boot.

Point contact relays are really stupid, one tiny dot of arcing can prevent them from making contact. A shorted transistor or a stuck valve in ABS, you would have no brakes at all, how stupid can people be? What happened to KISS?


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