I found a few complaints about this problem where the Lamp Out light would come on intermittently and each time, the warning would chime, like from ZERO to 100 times a minute, which can drive you NUTS.

That happened to me- 3 hours of chiming maybe hundreds of times. It would stop for a minute or two, then chime once a second for minutes a time, all with NO LIGHTS supposed to be on (daylight, no braking or turn signals activated). I was towing a 24ft enclosed trailer in heavy traffic and it just added to the stress level.. On the return trip tonight, the Lamp Out stayed on the entire 3 hour dive with all lights ON and working perfectly, but thankfully no chiming..


As I understand it, when a light is commanded ON (either by a light switch, or something like a brake or turn signal), the circuit is then monitored and if a high resistance is noted, the Lamp Out is activated. In other words, the system will NOT report a "Lamp Out" unless the light should be ON and isn't. (i.e, It does not monitor and "test" all the bulbs continuously even if they are not energized, like my old Volvo did. It's more like and old BMW I had that if a brake light was out, a BULB light would come on when I pressed the brake pedal, or a BULB would come on if I turned on the parking lights and one didn't come on.

But in MY CASE, even with ALL THE LIGHTS SWITCHED OFF (Lights off, no turn signal, no brake pressed) the Lamp Out will go off when it likes at will. If I turn ALL of the lights on, they are ALL perfectly lit (ALL bulbs), and the brake/turn signal lights, and the Lamp Out may still be on. In other words, it SAYS "Lamp Out" but none ARE out.

It's important to know when the Lamp Out light SHOULD come on to figure out if the problem is with the SYSTEM or is with an actual bulb anomaly.

So Question ONE is WHEN is a "lamp Out" supposed to illuminate/chime? Anytime, or just if the bulb is supposed to be on, but isn't?

That is step ONE for me to know, but I'm not sure it says anywhere I can find.

Anyone know?

Bob

 

The lamp out message is supposed to pop up when either one or more of your bulbs is dead. It also pops up when you put LED bulbs in without resistors because they don't have as much load as a halogen bulb.

 

DEAD when ACTIVATED (turned on)?
Or "dead" even when the bulb is not energized (turned off)?

All my bulbs are clear and bright when turned on and the "Lamp Out" is on whether the bulbs are turned off or turned on.
Sometimes the Bulb Out blinks and chimes like CRAZY, but other times it's on steady now.

I found where a popular reason is bad rear bulb circuit board (bulb holder).