Common Buick Enclave headlight problems and fixes
Enclave owners have all experienced puzzling headlight problems. One side might randomly turn off, lights may flicker while driving, or the headlight may be a different, unexpected color. Problems like these cascade into each other, and 2009-2017 Buick Enclave owners understand. Headlight problems have shown up gradually over time, and many owners are searching for answers.
Let’s try to understand some of these problems using simple, relatable examples that Enclave owners often experience.
When One Headlight Stops Working Out of Nowhere
Commonly, owners turn the vehicle on to find that one headlight is simply not working. Often, these scenarios appear to have the passenger side out which is why someone might search for “2014 Buick Enclave passenger headlight not working”.
Many owners face the issues on the bulb. Headlight bulbs aren’t designed to last forever. Bulbs do not fail suddenly. They weaken and go out completely. You may not be aware that the bulb is getting weaker, until one night when it just doesn’t turn on.
Many owners of the 2010, 2012, and 2013 Buick Enclave models say the headlights were not very bright, and they failed quite early. That dimming is a sign of early failure. If one bulb fails, the other is likely to go quite soon, even if it is working at the time.
When the Headlight Turns On and Off by Itself
One of the most common complaints from Enclave owners is that the headlights turn on and off. This issue is sometimes described as having a mind of its own. It is very typical, for example, to see a headline that says “I have a 2015 Buick Enclave and the passenger headlight turns on and off”.
This is almost never a software issue, it is usually a problem with the actual hardware. In this case, it is the wiring connector behind the headlight. That wiring connector can loosen, due to vibration and heat over time. If a bump is hit, the connection can break for a moment and the light can turn off. If the wires shift, the connection can restore and the light will come back on again.
If the headlight works while the car is parked but is cuts out while the car is moving, that is a huge hint that the issue is not the bulb.
Flickering Headlights or lights Cutting Out At Night
Some Enclave owners notice something even scarier: the headlights flicker or briefly shut off while driving. This shows up in searches like “2014 Buick Enclave headlights cut out sometimes” or “2016 Buick Enclave lights turning off at night”.
We can pinpoint this issue, most likely, to burnt out bulbs – or, more likely, electrical system stress of some kind. Over time, relays wear out, grounding points corrode, and wiring insulation gets brittle. The system can momentarily lose power, especially when the alternator load changes or when driving over uneven roads.
Regardless of the number of times the lights turn off and on, the situation can get worse over time.
When The Headlight Changes Color
Some owners notice their headlight looking more frequently lost: it will appear yellow, amber, or even slightly red. Searches like “2012 Buick Enclave headlight bulb looks red” or “what does it mean when the headlight changes color on a Buick Enclave” are extremely prevalent.
This almost always happens with HID bulbs. The gases inside them, like the rest of the bulbs, tend to age poorly. As time goes on, this results in the bulbs changing color over time. This gas is extremely sensitive and as time goes on, it will change the color of the light it presents. After a while, the bulb will not function at all.
If a headlight is white and the other one is yellowish, the yellowish bulb is burning out.
Issues with LED Perimeter and Daytime Running Lights
Most Enclave owners notice that the main headlight is still functional, but the LED perimeter or daytime running light is non-functional. This explains the searches “2014 Buick Enclave left headlamp LED not working” and “2017 Buick Enclave how to fix headlamp outer LED perimeter”.
Unfortunately, this is one of the problems that is the least DIY friendly. The LED strip is integrated with the headlight housing on the majority of Enclave models. When one component fails, the system doesn’t accommodate a simple bulb replacement. This is why some owners are surprised to learn that the entire headlight assembly must be replaced.
One of the most common issues is that one beam mode works, but the other doesn’t. This is especially common on the right side. “2010 Buick Enclave headlight right side not doing high or low” and “high beam not working on 2017 Buick Enclave” are typical searches that lead to a relay or the multifunction switch on the steering column. Most of the time, the headlight itself is in working condition. The problem is that the signal isn’t being sent correctly.
When No Headlights Work at All
When owners encounter a situation where both headlights fail to work, a common assumption is that both bulbs have burned out. Though this is a reasonable assumption to make, occurrences of both bulbs burning out at the same time is very rare. When performing a search, perhaps, `diagnose no headlights 2012 Enclave`, there is a great chance the search will trace back to a blown fuse, a failed relay, or problems with the headlamp control module.
When, at the same time, everything goes dark, the answer to your problem is usually found in the headlamp control module.
Headlamp Control Module Costs
So, what happens when a diagnostic search for the headlamp control module, yields no results? First the module will have to be replaced, and now the owner has to pay the price. Usually this will set the owner back at least 575 to 613 dollars, and this does not include the price of the labor to have the module replaced.
The Big Picture
The problems Buick Enclave owners face with their headlights, results from simply taking into consideration the age of the parts. Failure of components due to their age, simply due to environmental factors, is an unfortunate occurrence in the life of a car. With time, the effects of heat, vibration, and electrical load, all take their toll. Most small problems, like a connector that is not making a good contact, or a bulb that is overdue for a change, will grow into full electrical problems if left ignored.
