Hi Beams not turning on

[wali110]

Hi all

I am having some problems in selecting the Hi Beam Lights on my 1989 Chevrolet Silverado K3500 5.7 V8

The selector Arm does pull back as it should but it is not engaging the Hi Beam Lights, when I do however try for a few Minutes am I able to get them to turn on but it takes a long time.

Can someone advise on what the problem may be and how I can solve it ?

Thanks all !

[ifixedit]

Are all the other lights / signals working normally? I recently had a bizzare problem with my 98 Yukon. All of a sudden the turn signals went weird, wouldn't flash normally (thought it was a bad bulb, it wasn't), headlights would not turn on when the switch was turned to on, upper brake light would not light up or would flash off and on along with the tail lights doing the same, the door chime would go off when I pushed on the brake pedal, etc., all kinds of weird stuff. Turned out it was a bad ground. I ran a new ground off one of the black leads of one of the tail lights to the body and all is good. If it's not a grounding issue I'd suspect the switch on the turn signal to engage the high beams is likely getting bad.

[east3021]

You'll need to verify with a wiring diagram for an 89, but here is the schematic for a 98. I would think that it is similar to your model.

 

 

 

If your low beams work, then it seems that the problem is either your Headlamp Dimmer Switch (part of the turn signal assembly) or in the downstream wiring to the high beam lights (light green wire 11 in the diagram above).

 

To test the dimmer switch, activate the high beam and use a test light between the high beam cavity ("C" in the diagram) and ground. If it lights, then it's not the dimmer switch.

 

That you're eventually able to get it to work sounds like a dimmer switch issue.

 

 

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[wali110]

Thanks for your great response it was very helpful.

 

The part that is damaged is actually the control unit that the Indicator Arm is attached to because when I pull the Arm back to turn the Hi Beams on does the unit inside also move back and it seems that it has become loose inside.

 

Does anybody know what that unit is called and what it looks like so that I can purchase it ?

 

Thanks again

[east3021]

Oops, just realized your 89 is a 1-ton. I was thinking it was a 1/2 ton GMT400, not the 1973+ series.

 

On the GMT400 the dimmer switch is a part of the "multifunction" switch, not sure about the previous generation.

 

 

 

 

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[wali110]

Thanks.

 

I finally got the problem sorted and the Hi Beams now work as they should.

 

It was the Indicator Arm that was not inserted properly and all I did was pulled it out and then put it back in.

 

Thanks a bunch for all your help

[east3021]

Cheap repairs are always good, glad you got it sorted out.

 

 

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[wali110]

Thanks my friend ;)