JMTAK

Greetings. I would greatly appreciate if someone can help me locate the headlight relay (if one exists) on a 1996 G30. This is a short school bus and all lights are working except for the high and low beams.

I do not see a relay anywhere near the fuse panel by the steering column but there is one way up under the dash that’s almost not possible to reach. Could that be it? I understand this was modified for the additional lights and there is a bank of wires and relays up in the top compartment by the school bus sign.

if this wasn’t a school bus would there be a headlamp relay somewhere specific or is there only a headlight light switch with no relay? I see a DRL 10 amp fuse but that’s about it. Napa sells a headlight relay for a 96 g30 so I’m thinking it must be there somewhere. Thanks for reading this.

mountainmanjoe

did you check the underhood fusebox?

JMTAK

thanks for the reply. I wasn’t so sure there is an underhood fuse box. I see what appears to be the ignition relay mounted to the top center firewall but no box... Would it be located somewhere near the battery behind or under driver side area? Maybe I need to take the battery out to get to that.

JMTAK

Could anyone share a chassis wiring diagram for G-series 96? I found one in the reference manual section on autozone.com but it doesn't enlarge when you "click to enlarge". Thank you

numbers1648

Did you find it? Where is it? Do you have a pic of what it looks like? I am trying to find the Fuel Pump Relay and I don't see anything that looks like a fuse box under the hood. Thanx for any help!

William Kisselstein

1996 G30 is the last of the old body style vans, no underhood fuse box.

Rock Auto part images show it's a small plastic box with a bolt down tab on the top. It could be under hood along the upper cowl and it could be under the dash. The same relay is sold for the headlights and for the fuel pump. Without going out and looking at my 1994 I suspect you will find it under the hood, I vaguely remember some relays there.

kidgrok

Just thought I'd try to give this thread some potential closure, since I believe I can answer the original question. My 1995 G30 Cube Van exhibited a problem from the time I purchased it a couple years ago whereby high beams would stay on only so long and then flake out until I hit the switch again (for which the turn signal lever serves that purpose). Low beams stayed on without issue, so I ignored the problem. In the past year I discovered the headlights had stopped working altogether, and over the weekend I decided I'd ought to get that resolved. Thought it might be easy. Wasn't.

In the process of troubleshooting and researching I was directed to this forum, which didn't help me a bit with this issue, besides letting me know others had experienced a similar puzzle. After too much of a day of working the problem, I discovered the "relay" in question on the Chevy and GM vans of this type is actually a toggle switch located on the lower steering column. Thank GOODNESS it's not part of the turn signal lever because replacing THAT looks like a real project. Instead the switch assembly is secured by a couple/few 3/8" nuts where it's practically accessible (wished I'd had a ratcheting wrench), and is actuated by a nice sturdy rod attached to the turn signal lever. There is no other headlight relay or fusible link, at least according to all the digging I'd done before breaking down and removing the necessary cover under the steering column. That was a matter 3 easy screws. Duh!

So if you have dysfunctional headlights, but parking lights are not an issue, I'll bet you five bucks that toggle switch is your culprit! Miraculously I was able to track down an OEM (generic) replacement for the switch assembly at my local CostLess Auto Parts store (Vancouver, WA) for $14 & change. Holy @#$%! Given how nearly impossible it is to locate online--searching ALWAYS directs you to the headlight switch itself--I NEVER expected to find what I needed in stock locally, and at a discount!
(this was taken from a $30 eBay listing but the part I procured does away with the leftmost flange)
Even my newly purchased online Haynes manual didn't clue me in to it! Anyway, Sasquatch here goes by the moniker Dimmer Switch ACDelco D817 7838234 ... or DS6 for short.

Hope that helps someone

William Kisselstein

That switch is probably the same for every GM vehicle from around 1982 to the last G-van in 1996, every non-airbag and early airbag vehicle with the round steering column from when they went to the multifunction lever on the left. Maybe even earlier, as far back as 1977 when they went to a plastic case on them.

Meaning if you're desperate you can hit the junkyard for one. I would cut the pigtail with it just in case. There are running changes here and there.