Pontiac Repair: 2002 Grand Am headlights, auto lamps, water intrusion

Question
QUESTION: I have a 2002 Grand Am with headlights & dash lights that won't shut off even when you shut the car off.  We replaced a headlight that had gone out but the new one was very dim.  We put another one in thinking that it was the bulb.  That one was dim also.  Then we replaced the whole headlight assembly.  It was still dim.  We checked the wiring but it all was ok.  Now the headlights and dash lights won't go off unless you disconnect the battery.  What could e the problem?

ANSWER: Hi Lisa:
does this car have a sunroof? If so chances are that either the body control module is full of water and corrosion or either one of the dash board fuses boxes is full of water and corrosion and keeping the auto lamps on. the sunroof's on these leak and water runs down the windshiled pillars and into the fuses boxes or the body module. you can take the access covers off the sides of the dash and look in the fuses boxes and see if any of the relays or fuses have signs of water intrusion. same with the body control module that is located under the glove box right under the bower motor take the pastic access panel down and the module is right there it has 3 connetors in it pull the connectors out and see if there is corrosion in there. chances are it's on of those things. If this doesn't have a sunroof then it's could still be a BODY module is bad but not from a water leak issue.... you can stop by one of the big box auto parts stores they will scna the car for codes and see what may be in any of the modules and go from there.
Good luck :-}


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well we found part of the problem.  To start---the drivers side headlight was dim. We checked the wiring and didn't see any damage or problems.  My husband wired the fog light to the headlight to make it brighter.  The headlight got brighter but then they wouldn't shut off.  When he put the wiring the correct way we still have the same problem.  The drivers side is very dim. When you put the brights on nothing changes to the drivers side.  The passenger side light is fine.  It does what it is supposed to do when the brights are on.  The dirvers side is dim in the auto position and when you turn the headlights on.  We took it to have the car scanned and nothing came up.  Yippee!  But it doesn't solve the problem of the dim light.

Answer
There has to be an issue with either high resistance in on of the wire to the bulb or a bad ground going to that bulb. yout going to have to trace the wires from the bubl though the harness to find either a wire that has corrosion in it (high resistance) or a bad ground connection on the body somewhere. that is why the bulb is dim It's either missing a ground or full battery volatge to the bulb. On last though. you have the correct bulb in this right? The part # on the bulb is a 4 digit (short trade #) for the bulb. there is a difference in a 9006 or a 9004 bulb then a 9006LL or 9004LL that can make a diffeence as well.