# 2016 GMC Denali duramax headlight shuting off. BOSS headlight harness.



## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

for some reason my headlights are not staying on. One day the drivers side was off and I wiggled my BOSS headlight harness and I came back on. Now they both shut off. I pulled 5 replays out and cleaned them and took the left side headlight harness apart and cleaned that and they still do it. I can wiggle the headlight harness now and it doesn’t turn them back on. If I start my truck I guess they stay on but when it’s shut off with the key on they won’t stay on. Is there a problem there?? I have the sensor on the dash covered up also. Could someone try it with there truck and let me know please. Thanks


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Some new chevys will turn off the headlights if you switch from truck to plow with the key on. Also, if the ignition fuse wire is attached to a run fuse instead of ignition, the lights will revert to truck when turned off. The controller would shut off as well. None of this would be affected by wiggling the harness. I'm not sure if you have more than one issue going on.

How old is the install, who did the install, and how old are the pieces?


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> Some new chevys will turn off the headlights if you switch from truck to plow with the key on. Also, if the ignition fuse wire is attached to a run fuse instead of ignition, the lights will revert to truck when turned off. The controller would shut off as well. None of this would be affected by wiggling the harness. I'm not sure if you have more than one issue going on.
> 
> How old is the install, who did the install, and how old are the pieces?


The plow is not hooked up. I don't recall it doing this last year at all. I feel like something is not right but not to sure yet. Would like to see if someone else has experienced this. I took a quick video bet won't upload on here


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Without seeing anything, my guess is a loose connector at one or both headlights. If the truck computer senses a change in draw, it'll shut off the light(s) until you turn the key off, then back on. But you'd have to pull the lights to confirm it

Videos have to be uploaded to a site like YouTube, then a link posted via the "media" icon to show up due to limits on file size


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> Without seeing anything, my guess is a loose connector at one or both headlights. If the truck computer senses a change in draw, it'll shut off the light(s) until you turn the key off, then back on. But you'd have to pull the lights to confirm it
> 
> Videos have to be uploaded to a site like YouTube, then a link posted via the "media" icon to show up due to limits on file size


Here is a quick video


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Unfortunately without testing I don't have any better idea. Who did the install and were the pieces new?


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> Unfortunately without testing I don't have any better idea. Who did the install and were the pieces new?


I install them on both my trucks. I pulled this off my old truck and put on this one last season. The harness is older. It was used when I got it. I was actually talking about selling my plow this year and getting another new one with everything so it was all new again. Plow is 2 seasons old now and harness and electrical is prob 8yrs old or more


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

What is the truck that it came off of? Because if it was a 2014 or earlier, it's the wrong harness even though the connectors would have fit.

You should have noticed the problem immediately though

Edit: just saw that its 8 years old so it is the wrong harness. you need an MSC09044 not the MSC09003 that you probably used


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> What is the truck that it came off of? Because if it was a 2014 or earlier, it's the wrong harness even though the connectors would have fit.
> 
> You should have noticed the problem immediately though
> 
> Edit: just saw that its 8 years old so it is the wrong harness. you need an MSC09044 not the MSC09003 that you probably used


It was a 13 duramax. I switched the wires around so they would work. Just 2 wires is all you need to change on each Connector I think it was


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

R&J Whitetails said:


> It was a 13 duramax. I switched the wires around so they would work. Just 2 wires is all you need to change on each Connector I think it was


I did it once and there were way more than 2

BTW, "used an old harness and tried to rewire it to fit" would have been helpful details


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> I did it once and there were way more than 2
> 
> BTW, "used an old harness and tried to rewire it to fit" would have been helpful details


There's only 3 wires per harness and you have to flip flop 2 of them per harness. So yes it's 2 per harness


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

Here you go. 3 wires blue, white, red, 1,2,3
2 connectors per side. 6 wire total per side 12 wires for the pair of lights. Right???


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

R&J Whitetails said:


> Here you go. 3 wires blue, white, red, 1,2,3
> 2 connectors per side. 6 wire total per side 12 wires for the pair of lights. Right???
> View attachment 183550


Wrong. The wires you should have moved are at the OEM style connectors not the plow harness because the functions moved include the turn and tail lights which can't be switched at the black/blue connectors


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> Wrong. The wires you should have moved are at the OEM style connectors not the plow harness because the functions moved include the turn and tail lights which can't be switched at the black/blue connectors


Well that's what I did then. They worked fine after I switched them last year. This potential problem just started. Whatever wires I moved BOSS also confirmed they were the correct ones. This was 2 years ago and I can barley remember what I did yesterday lol


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

K

Most likely gremlins


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> K
> 
> Most likely gremlins


Yep ok gremlins. I get some traps set


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

cwren2472 said:


> K
> 
> Most likely gremlins


That's what I blame everything on.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

Looks like a relay opening and closing... 

If you take the boss wiring out of the equation, will the truck just do it on it's own?


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

Philbilly2 said:


> Looks like a relay opening and closing...
> 
> If you take the boss wiring out of the equation, will the truck just do it on it's own?


I'm not sure. Haven't had time to look into it. I though a rely at first to. Idk


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

I just wonder as my Denali has HID headlamps and there was a "driver issue?" I would have to go back and look to the see the exact part change, but my headlamps would do what they felt till I got the new driver thingy installed and now they are fine.

Sometimes only one, sometimes both, sometimes the other one... sometimes none and you had to turn them to off and restart them and then they would turn on again. Heck couple times I lost one while driving then it would come back down the road a few miles. Never lost both withe driving though...


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

Philbilly2 said:


> I just wonder as my Denali has HID headlamps and there was a "driver issue?" I would have to go back and look to the see the exact part change, but my headlamps would do what they felt till I got the new driver thingy installed and now they are fine.
> 
> Sometimes only one, sometimes both, sometimes the other one... sometimes none and you had to turn them to off and restart them and then they would turn on again. Heck couple times I lost one while driving then it would come back down the road a few miles. Never lost both withe driving though...


 See I have felt that I have had a lighting issue now for a while. I have no daytime running lights. I was thinking that the LED strips are always supposed to be on whether it is sunny out or what not. I have absolutely no lights on during the day unless I manually turn them on is that how yours is?


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

R&J Whitetails said:


> See I have felt that I have had a lighting issue now for a while. I have no daytime running lights. I was thinking that the LED strips are always supposed to be on whether it is sunny out or what not. I have absolutely no lights on during the day unless I manually turn them on is that how yours is?


I believe that the LED strip is on during the day. I will have to look when I am by the truck.


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

Philbilly2 said:


> I believe that the LED strip is on during the day. I will have to look when I am by the truck.


Thank you


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

R&J Whitetails said:


> See I have felt that I have had a lighting issue now for a while. I have no daytime running lights. I was thinking that the LED strips are always supposed to be on whether it is sunny out or what not. I have absolutely no lights on during the day unless I manually turn them on is that how yours is?


Now that I think about it, the LED's are lit during the day but only when the truck is in gear. I remember seeing them on and then shut off when I put the truck in park in the reflection of the store windows we stopped at yesterday.

In park, all are off... unless it is night, then the headlights are on even in park.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

The DRL will not work on the BOSS adapter unless the adapter is modified. Unlike the Western, the stock adapter is not equipped to handle the DRL.

I'm sure the OP did that as well when he modified the harness the first time, though.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Here are the instructions for any others who may need them


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

Philbilly2 said:


> Now that I think about it, the LED's are lit during the day but only when the truck is in gear. I remember seeing them on and then shut off when I put the truck in park in the reflection of the store windows we stopped at yesterday.
> 
> In park, all are off... unless it is night, then the headlights are on even in park.


YES that is what I thought. Mine Are never on unless I automatically turn them on


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> The DRL will not work on the BOSS adapter unless the adapter is modified. Unlike the Western, the stock adapter is not equipped to handle the DRL.
> 
> I'm sure the OP did that as well when he modified the harness the first time, though.
> 
> View attachment 183597


 No I don't ever remember cutting a wire and hugging another one to it


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

R&J Whitetails said:


> No I don't ever remember cutting a wire and hugging another one to it


Then the operation that you have is normal. If you didn't do the above, the DRL will only work when the switch is on the Manual Full-On position rather than automatic.


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> Then the operation that you have is normal. If you didn't do the above, the DRL will only work when the switch is on the Manual Full-On position rather than automatic.


Ok so I need to fix that then. I want them to come on during the day whenever it's in gear


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

cwren2472 said:


> The DRL will not work on the BOSS adapter unless the adapter is modified. Unlike the Western, the stock adapter is not equipped to handle the DRL.
> 
> I'm sure the OP did that as well when he modified the harness the first time, though.
> 
> View attachment 183597


Good work there.

I would have never guessed that you have to do that.

Western has a different headlight harness for the LED strip vs the standard if I recall correct from when I purchased mine.


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

Yea that is I will check it out


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Philbilly2 said:


> Good work there.
> I would have never guessed that you have to do that.


Since I get the bulletins (and even occasionally read them), I guess you could call it cheating

Incidentally, I'd wager that your issue was related to the dual-burn relay pack that they used on those GMs on the 11 pin harness. DD had to revise it 5 times before settling on a dual 5-spade relay configuration


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> Since I get the bulletins (and even occasionally read them), I guess you could call it cheating
> 
> Incidentally, I'd wager that your issue was related to the dual-burn relay pack that they used on those GMs on the 11 pin harness. DD had to revise it 5 times before settling on a dual 5-spade relay configuration


I think it might be a bad relay also. I should just sell everything and buy all new this year


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

R&J Whitetails said:


> I think it might be a bad relay also. I have five rely I think in one cluster and then there is one single relay so it would be nice to know which one I need to change. I should just sell everything and buy all new this year


I doubt it is the relay; he has a totally different plow with totally different wiring. In your case, 1 relay controls 1 function of both headlights together so anything related to it would affect both lights at the same time, not 1 light only


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> I doubt it is the relay; he has a totally different plow with totally different wiring. In your case, 1 relay controls 1 function of both headlights together so anything related to it would affect both lights at the same time, not 1 light only


Ok but both lights flash 3 or 4 times And then they shut off. Just like in the video that happens to both sides so that's why I thought one of the relays might be wearing out. The lights work perfectly fine if the vehicle is started but if I just have the key on that's when they flicker and shut off. Does that make any sense to anyone?


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Relay could be faulty or corroded, but it would not be affected by the position of the key. It would be the same no matter what.


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> Relay could be faulty or corroded, but it would not be affected by the position of the key. It would be the same no matter what.


 Yes you are correct. It should do it anytime vehicle is running or key is on. I'm not quite sure what the issue would be. Back to the gremlins I guess


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

NOT trying to come off as a smart ass here, but if it's the incorrect harness wouldn't it just be easier to buy the correct one? Probably even sell the old one for half the cost of new, then you wouldn't be taking much of a hit.


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

JMHConstruction said:


> NOT trying to come off as a smart ass here, but if it's the incorrect harness wouldn't it just be easier to buy the correct one? Probably even sell the old one for half the cost of new, then you wouldn't be taking much of a hit.


The new harness is exactly the same. The wires are just flipped around. I remember asking them that and they said I could just switch the wires around. My head lights wouldn't turn on when I plugged them in so that's why I called them after I put the stuff on this truck. I worked all last year just fine. They problem is this year within the last few weeks/month. But yes I know what you are saying.


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