HELP! Passenger side low/high keeps going out, loose connection

[OnSale]

Ok so I'm getting ready to build a new set of retrofit lights and I need to solve this issue before I even begin building them.

So, long story short, I sold my custom built 13+ projectors and my friend lent me a set of quads to use while I built my new set of lights. The passenger side low beam kept going in and off and eventually the high stopped working too. So I pulled the headlights to change the bulb and found out that the H13 connection from trucks harness to the headlight housing was faulty. I would shake and move it and the low/high would come back on. So I went and bought a new H13 female from NAPA. Cut the oem off and soldered the new plug on. Problem solved for a few days. It goes back to being out. I take the headlight out again and move the wiring around and it turns on and off. So I figure the plug on the headlight side is faulty/pins are bad or bent. I wrap a ton of electrical tape around the plugs and that fixed my problem for about a month.

So yesterday I got a new set of quad headlights. Brand New. Put them in, low and high work. I shake the hell out of the plugs and the lights stay on. Success I thought!! Nope, today, the low and high are back to being off. If I smack my inner fender liner a couple times, the light comes back on. But then goes off after driving and I guess movement.

So my question is, wtf is going on here? I've already put a BRAND new Female H13 plug on the truck side harness. I just installed brand new Quads, which have a brand new H13 male plug on them. Why am I still experiencing a bad connection at that point?

And I know it's at that point because when I remove the headlight housing and I bend the wires at both sides of the H13 connection, the light goes on and off.

What is even left to do here? Should I try replacing the truck side Female H13 again? Perhaps the one from Napa had loose pins inside? I've tried pushing the wires into the plugs to make sure the pins were seated properly but still no luck. I don't understand how with 2 new plugs I still have this issue.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!! Thanks in advance!!!

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[whetrick1]

Have you tried moving the wire away from the plug. You may have a bad spot in the wire harness it self and when you shake the wire it looses connection. Look for burnt spots, nicks or miss insulation on the wires.


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[OnSale]

Have you tried moving the wire away from the plug. You may have a bad spot in the wire harness it self and when you shake the wire it looses connection. Look for burnt spots, nicks or miss insulation on the wires.


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That's the thing. I know the problem is at the plugs because when I'm gentle and don't move the cables at all and when the 2 plugs are connected, I just push and pull the plugs, the lights go on and off. I've made sure to only move the plugs and not the rest of the wiring. Each time I replace one of the plugs, i try moving the wires all around and shake the entire harness and the lights stay on and they work for a few days.

I dunno... I guess I'm going to have to trace the wires all the way from the H13 plug back into the harness and look for any breaks.

The other weird thing is it use to be just the low beam that would go out, and I would use my high beams at night when there was no other cars around, but now if the low goes out, the high goes out too. It sounds like I have a bad ground somewhere.

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[whetrick1]

I guess it could be in the ECM. I wouldn’t think so because it’s the only light that’s doing it. Yeah I would check the wires. There could be one that’s been pinched and you just haven’t seen it yet.


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[Wahrsuul]

My 09 had an issue like this. I pulled the plugs, gently twisted the flat pins a bit and reinstalled. Been fine for 8 months now.

 

[Thelegendl23]

Just posted about this last night.. that will solve your issue

 

[OnSale]

View attachment 133540

Just posted about this last night.. that will solve your issue

Can you link me to your post?

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[blackbetty14]

I was going to say to cut it all off and swap to a different style plug. Like a H4 or something.

 

[magician]

Had this same problem in my 2500 work truck. Turned out to be the connector behind the headlight assembly had ground pin on the plug that was slightly pulling out. I pulled all three of them out and reseated them and haven’t had any issues since..
FYI, there are several plugs on the headlight so check all of them. I think pin retention is a problem with some of those connectors.

 

[OnSale]

Had this same problem in my 2500 work truck. Turned out to be the connector behind the headlight assembly had ground pin on the plug that was slightly pulling out. I pulled all three of them out and reseated them and haven’t had any issues since..
FYI, there are several plugs on the headlight so check all of them. I think pin retention is a problem with some of those connectors.

I bought new housings, so they came with new plugs all around. I also cut off the truck side h13 plug and soldered on a new one. Still have the problem.

So the problem started, I replaced the truck side plug. Fixed and worked for like 2 weeks, then same problem. I got new OEM quads because I'm doing a new light build anyways. Problem was fixed for about 3 weeks and now it's back again. I've replaced every plug on the harness except the harness its self.

The problem is at the plug where the trucks wiring meets the plug/wires that come out the back of the headlight.

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[magician]

I bought new housings, so they came with new plugs all around. I also cut off the truck side h13 plug and soldered on a new one. Still have the problem.

So the problem started, I replaced the truck side plug. Fixed and worked for like 2 weeks, then same problem. I got new OEM quads because I'm doing a new light build anyways. Problem was fixed for about 3 weeks and now it's back again. I've replaced every plug on the harness except the harness its self.

The problem is at the plug where the trucks wiring meets the plug/wires that come out the back of the headlight.

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That’s exactly where one of the pins in the plug was pulling out on my 2500. If you don’t have the plugs anymore I would start looking at your terminations. Something seems to be working itself loose but is making a good connection whe you first hook everything up. This is exactly what my 2500 would do, work for a couple days or weeks then stop. Has bulbs replaced several times thinking that water was getting in and blowing the lamp. I was bored one day and pulled the entire headlight out and started looking around, that’s when I found one of the connectors had a pin that was backing out of the connector. I think it made good contact when someone first seated the plug but backed out over time.

If I’m not mistaken, there’s a connector that goes on the back of the light assembly and a harnes on the headlight that splits and goes to all the other lamps, it’s the main connector to the assembly that I’m talking about.

Hope this helps.

 

[Thelegendl23]

Can you link me to your post?

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https://www.ramforum.com/threads/headlight-housing-bad-harness.122869/

I ended up doing that to all 3 wires on both sides because it wasnt just the ground it was the power switch also, not an issue since.