I have a 95 Chevy Lumina with a headlight out. I don't think it's the bulb since the filament appears to be in place. I bought a headlight connector replacement from AutoZone and am now wondering how to do the installation. Do I need to solder the wires once I splice them? Also, will it be obvious where I need to cut the old wires off?
First, before looking at the bulb, check the fuse. They may blow at times. If you find it blown, DON'T just replace it - find the reason first, remove the cause (usually a short of some kind) and then replace. If the fuse checks ok, check the bulb. Filaments at times do appear in place even when they are not. Do the ohmmeter check or, if you don't have the instrument, install temporarily the bulb from the other side, observing bulb-handling rules (or you might end up with another blown bulb). If the bulb proves ok beyond any doubt, check the voltage in the connector terminals - there may be a broken lead (you'll need a voltmeter or a test bulb). If that tests ok (voltage ok with lights switched on), it's not the connector - it's something else. The only remaining reason may be the ground connection, a common problem in many older cars. To check that, install a temporary ground lead from the battery neg. terminal directly to the connector (try not to short the circuit).
