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JDenPA's avatar
JDenPA
Explorer
Oct 27, 2014

GMC Pulled fuse & Headlights Come ON

I have a 2015 GMC Acadia. When I pull the #1 BATT fuse the high beams come on. Does not matter if I am connected to the tow vehicle or not. I have installed the Blue OX 4 diode kit on the taillights and the Unified Braking System. I have also pulled the ECM and OnStar fuses as recommended in the owners manual. The only work around I have found is to pull the headlight fuses. The headlight control knob does not function with the #1 fuse pulled. Calls to GM and dealer were fruitless. Has anyone else had this problem?

10 Replies

  • Tnx, I'll try the GMC route before getting a 3rd fuse switch. Hopefully the engineers will come up with a better solution then "pull the fuse"
  • I purchased yet another Blue Ox mini fuse switch for the high bean fuse. I now have a total of three fuse switches.
  • Jden, have you found a solution for the lights coming on after the 50 amp fuse is pulled? Just bought a 2015 Acadia and had the same problem coming home after the Blue Ox tow kit was installed.
  • I found a thread on another forum discussing the same problem I am having with the 2015 Acadia headlights. Yes the owners manual states to pull Batt 1, ECM and OnStar fuses. Yes I have called my dealer's service manager and GM directly. I previously had a 2010 Chev Traverse and had to pull the same 3 fuses without this problem. So it appears that something has changed in the lighting setup and that I am not alone with this problem and GM was not aware of the problem. This vehicle uses keys. I have been following the thread where 2015 Suburbans with keyless starting are having a steering wheel locking problem and have to disconnect the battery.
  • Most headlights used to be on circuit breakers that would automatically reset. They would usually blink on and off if there was a problem.
    This 2015 model may have LED lights or HID headlights that may mean that what was done in the past may not be applicable now. I looked in the 2015 owners manual and there are no instructions for towing the 2015 Acadia. I believe the 2014 could be towed four down after removing the 50 amp #1 BATT fuse but perhaps the 2015 is different.
    In any case the service manager at your dealer should know what is going on.
  • Your manual says to pull three fuses? I thought all GM cars were the same. On my HHR I pulled one fuse and on the Equinox it's the same. Learn something new every day....sorry I can't help...Dennis
  • You don't say exactly what you are trying to do but if you want to unlock the steering so you can tow without all of your instruments coming on try this.

    I don't know if GM got lazy and didn't change the fuses but it's worth a look see.

    I have an '01 S10 and when I tow I pull the #4 & #11 fuses in the fuse panel that you can see on the left side of the dashboard when you open the door. This unlocks the steering wheel and disables the instrument panel and the ignition so it doubles as an anti theft device. The truck won't start without the fuses.
  • CAN fault most likely causing the headlights to come on as a safety precaution. Is that what the owners manual says to do for towing? Or, does it say to disconnect the battery terminal?
  • I don't have this vehicle but newer cars use a CAN bus to control many things. Pulling a fuse doesn't have the same results that it used to.
  • That seems counter intuitive. Loss of current is tripping a relay ON. I will be following this out of curiosity. I do not have a GMC Acadia so have no idea.