Dt: the contact stated the headlights glowed an orange/yellow color. The dealership replaced the sockets and bulbs, but this has not solved the problem. The dealership stated there was no problem with the vehicle. The contact insisted this impaired his vision and he could not see three feet in front of the vehicle.
1996 Chevrolet Cavalier: headlights failing or too dim
9 of the 503 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier describe headlights failing or too dim.
- owner complaints
- 9
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- recalls
- 2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls and 3 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Headlights failing or too dim by model year
What owners say
The drivers side headlight was dim and it made it very hard to see at night. The has received numerous tickets about this problem. The consumer has noticed this on two or three vehicles a week on cavalier's and sunfire's. The consumer called the dealer and they said they had been having problems with the wire harness in this type of vehicle.
Head lamp wiring harness was corroded. As a result, the high and low beams malfunctioned.
Headlights were inoperative, took vehicle to mechanic, and had to replaced turn signal switch.*ak .
My right headlight is out due to melted wiring, which in talking with my local chevrolet dealer has been a pretty common problem in these cars. As far as I can see chevrolet hasn't issued a safety recall on this problem yet although it is clearly a safety issue. Any input you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Brakes failure to stop, car slips in gear when pressing on brakes, horn sometimes doesn't work then it starts to work , headlights go dim when brakes are pressed ,noise in rear area
The headlamps failed. Water entered the front lighting harness located behind the front bumper facia. The water was retained in the harness and caused the corrosion of the splices for the low beam headlamps and drl circuits. The splices were broken by the corrosion, resulting in failure.
Headlight wiring shorted on bracket while driving, headlights failed. Chevrolet said "too bad" charged $73.53 to fix wiring.
The problem is that when your driving at night there is a power drain on the electrical system. Whenever you apply the brakes the headlights will dim, the A/C will slow down, and the instrument dash lights will dim.the chevy dealer in inverness first worked on this problem on 1-23-98 and stated that this is normal for this vehicle. The problem continued to get worse so I took the vehicle in again on 2-23-98. Again they couldn't find anything wrong but they said the battery was drained so they went ahead and replaced the battery.this solved the problem for a while but after about two months the problem started again and I returned back to the dealer for repair. Again they said there was nothing wrong with the vehicle but they went ahead and replaced the altenator and recharged the battery. This has not solved the problem and just this last week 12-7-98 I retuned the vehicle to the dealer again. They kept the vehicle for four days and said that they could find nothing wrong but that the battery was drained again so they charged it and that there was nothing else they were going to do. My concern is that my family will be out at night and the vehicle will not start
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Interior lighting
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with the potential for the interior lamps to come on unexpectedly while the vehicles are being driven. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 101, "controls and displays."
- Risk
- The interior lamps coming on unexpectedly could startle a driver causing a momentary loss of control increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
- Remedy
- Dealers will run a diagnostic test on the lamp control module and, if necessary, replace it.
Recall number 98V027000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting: hazard flashing warning lights
- What is wrong
- The front and/or rear hazard warning lamps (four-way flashers) do not flash when the hazard switch is activated. This fails to comply with fmvss no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- Risk
- If these lamps were not flashing, other vehicles would not be aware that this vehicle was stopped increasing the risk of an accident.
- Remedy
- Dealers or vehicle owners will inspect for proper function of the hazard warning lamps. If necessary, dealers will replace the hazard lamp switch.
Recall number 96V250000 · Recall details
Questions about the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier headlights
Is headlights failing or too dim a common problem on the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier?
9 of 503 owner complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier (2%) mention headlights failing or too dim. The model year with the most reports is 2000.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier?
There are 2 recalls and 3 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
Stalling 33ABS 28No deployment 17Check engine light 17Brake failure 13Fire or smoke 13Loss of power 12Overheating 12Transmission failure 12Won't start 11Engine failure 9Seat belt 9Steering lock-up 9Knocking 7Fuel pump 6Jerking 5Power steering loss 5Pulling 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history