Another in the long list of issues… was out dealing with 2 different issues related to rust and warranty bits and thought I noticed my 3rd brake light wasn’t working the other day… so I had my wife hot the brakes and sure enough, it is no longer working.
They sell replacements on the GFC website but if I have to buy a new “sealed led” light every year or so, I’m going to look into other options.
Seen one 3d printed option but I don’t think my printer is big enough to do that in one piece.
Anyone done anything else?
Seems.like there is some goopy sealant applied to the door where the light wires go through to create a seal as well… but it’s a .6" hole there and the other holes are easily closed up by some 1/4 20 hardware.
Damn. Sorry to see you go through the problems. I fully expect that mine will stop working at some point because I wired that thing. Check the wires and connections. I hope its something simple. Good luck.
Sorry to hear about the brake light, dude! Were you able to confirm a wiring issue didn’t occur over time? After digging into our service data, we seldom see issues with these (< .02%), so hopefully it’s a simple fix rather than a faulty light from our supplier.
Your warranty window is good, so check with the CX team if you haven’t already, and hopefully we can find some quick resolution.
That 3D printed option is pretty damn rad though, and I really dig the more stealthy look. Regardless, hit us up.
Would definitely check the wiring to make sure nothing came loose however seems like gfc can get you a new one if need be. I’ve found similar ones on Amazon if ur looking for something different all together.
As far as that 3D printed one, I’ve printed 2 now, just had to print in 2 halves and glue them together. Obviously not ideal but has gotten the job done so far.
Well - think I figured out the issue - pulled my connector off today and out came one of the wires on the LED pig tail and it looked like a marshmallow been roasted over a fire.
This is super small gauge wire and is not fused - so I can’t imagine what fried it.
My light has moisture inside already too… not bad.
Sometimes sealed beams can get moisture inside. Ive found for headlights, open them up and blow warm air (blow dryer) into them till dry. Then re-seal them. Sometimes it works, but you very well may need to eventually replace, especially if the plastic is cracked…
Also noticed the connector itself was full of water - the wire was dripping inside the truck, the connectors dumped out a bit of water when I flipped them over.
God help me… April can’t get here soon enough to hopefully get this water managed… this is mental. Everyday an issue and so unpredictable… two days ago we had so much rain I was getting water in my basement but the truck was bone dry while parked backed down the driveway… but overnight last night we got a little precip and a frost this morning and I open it to find this while parked the same damn way. It really defies logic to me - seems like if the truck is on a hill, the drains would shed the water out the back… but I digress. No telling if water did this or something else, but it is fried.
I was going to make a joke about the lights being made in USA - but when I looked them up, as best I can tell they are made in USA and have a lifetime guarantee. Amazon.com. That said - I noticed they come with 3 wires and sure enough, one of the 3 wires is cut flush with the little nipple that pokes through - that was done by someone other than me and assume it would void any such warranty.
Driver’s side where the GFC supplied waterproof connector lives:
Dead center rear where the two cushions meet and water has been dripping down - this is right where the pigtail for the brake light is and appears water was dripping down from upstairs and landing on it and then making its way to the floor:
Service request form has always been super helpful for me and obviously others… its almost like that is what they continue to recommend it to provide solutions quickly. Or, some solder and heat shrink if you’re feeling handy…
Generally - PSA here, if you think I am being whiny or hate my posts or just want to be a clown, just block or mute me. It’s either that or I will block you! That’s a better solution to the community than sarcasm, memes, or some of the stuff I have gotten in DM here. Let’s keep it civil - even you don’t like what I am writing.
So root cause was this:
Pulled the heat shrink off:
The white wire is part of the light’s OEM pigtail. The red/black wires were added by GFC. I added the Powerpole connector so I could take the door off the truck and not unwrap all my wiring.
The short was caused likely by where the white wire is not shielded. While I don’t have the other wire in there, you can see copper coming out of the crimp lug.
Heads up if you have a working light and it fails - carefully remove the heatshrink and see if your wires are in contact with one another. Easy enough fix if your wires don’t fall out!
The white wire is securely crimped in that location and was not yanked on or pulled out. That’s how it was shipped.
Well, it would appear we’ve gotten to the bottom of the issue. Thanks for the details and sharing what you’ve found, @the_philxx. Please get that SRF submitted soon so our team help you out.
For other owners (under warranty or not), please reach out to us at support@gfcengineering.com prior to posting about or diagnosing issues as it’s much less effort on you. We genuinely appreciate you all leaning on your community, but we’re the experts and should be your first stop for possible issues relating to our product.
So start with us, and then feel free to post to your heart’s content. Not calling out this topic, just suggesting the most favorable protocol for everyone involved when things go array.
This community is great for how-to guides and in-depth support for custom work and DIY, but this forum is NOT a customer service hub. And while CX/CS teams throughout any industry are generally given a lot of grief, I can assure you that our team invests a lot of effort in this area and is continuing to make support & service a simple and smooth process whenever possible.
So that said, let us help you out and we can keep the forum focused and valuable for you all and future owners. Cheers.
