[brandonjones]

I can't get my equinox to start after changing the headlights. When I put the key into the ignition I get a whinning sound from the engine compartment and the cabin lights flicker. Once I try to turn it over I hear a click in the engine and then all the power seems like it is instantly drained. It seems like a short but I can't find one and I tried taking the new headlights out again and looking at the wires. Any ideas?

 

[tommctech]

What kind of headlights did you install? Were they OEM?

 

[gar187er]

i could not imagine a simple headlight change is the cause of this...the plugs for the lights only go one way so you couldnt have shorted them out unless you bought chinese made POS bulbs....do you have a voltmeter?

 

[tommctech]

i could not imagine a simple headlight change is the cause of this...the plugs for the lights only go one way so you couldnt have shorted them out unless you bought chinese made POS bulbs

My thinking exactly

 

[brandonjones]

To be a little more clear, it wasn't the headlight assembly, just the bulbs. They weren't cheap, best they had where I bought them. I don't have a voltmeter but I could probably get one, but I wouldn't know where to test anyway. I checked the fuses again, not sure which ones to look for, thinking either headlight or ignition/starter-related fuses. When I was in the cabin fuse box today it made some weird alarm and I think the check engine light came on, possibly at the same time. Not sure if this is a theft deterrent or some other alarm but I had never head it before. I went to buy an ODB-II sensor(I've wanted one for a while anyway), but they didn't carry any. I live in Germany so I can't just run to autozone.

A friend said that the whining sound could be the alternator but it seems odd that it would go the same time as when I'm doing a bulb change. Any other ideas? I really don't want to spend 300 euro to have this thing towed to a shop.

 

[tommctech]

To be a little more clear, it wasn't the headlight assembly, just the bulbs. They weren't cheap, best they had where I bought them. I don't have a voltmeter but I could probably get one, but I wouldn't know where to test anyway. I checked the fuses again, not sure which ones to look for, thinking either headlight or ignition/starter-related fuses. When I was in the cabin fuse box today it made some weird alarm and I think the check engine light came on, possibly at the same time. Not sure if this is a theft deterrent or some other alarm but I had never head it before. I went to buy an ODB-II sensor(I've wanted one for a while anyway), but they didn't carry any. I live in Germany so I can't just run to autozone.

A friend said that the whining sound could be the alternator but it seems odd that it would go the same time as when I'm doing a bulb change. Any other ideas? I really don't want to spend 300 euro to have this thing towed to a shop.

After the power is drained, do you have to jump the car to get power? If you turn it on and not start it do you have power? If you have a lack of power, the ODB reader won't do anything for you as it needs power. To trace the short if there is one, you'll need a voltmeter. I'm not an electrical engineer or anything, but I had some experience when putting HIDs in my Accord. I screwed up wiring the ballasts but eventually got it figured out. Good Luck