Component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH

506 NHTSA complaints about exterior lighting:headlights:high/low beam dimmer switch issues across 36 makes and 177 models.

The exterior lighting:headlights:high/low beam dimmer switch is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 506 filings from 36 manufacturers and 177 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.

Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 3 crashes, 9 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the CHEVROLET IMPALA with 33 filings, followed by BUICK CENTURY and CHEVROLET CORSICA. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.

Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.

506
Complaints
177
Models Affected
3
Crashes
9
Fires
0
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 CHEVROLET IMPALA 33
2 BUICK CENTURY 19
3 CHEVROLET CORSICA 18
4 FORD THUNDERBIRD 11
5 MERCURY SABLE 10
6 HONDA CIVIC 10
7 DODGE INTREPID 10
8 TOYOTA CAMRY 8
9 PONTIAC SUNFIRE 8
10 PONTIAC GRAND AM 8
11 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 8
12 FORD EXPLORER 8
13 LINCOLN MARK VIII 7
14 FORD TAURUS 7
15 DODGE RAM 7
16 DODGE NEON 7
17 CHEVROLET BLAZER 7
18 CHEVROLET BERETTA 7
19 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 6
20 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 6
21 FORD F-150 6
22 FORD AEROSTAR 6
23 DODGE RAM 2500 6
24 DODGE RAM 1500 6
25 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 6
26 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO 6
27 BUICK LESABRE 6
28 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER 5
29 DODGE DURANGO 5
30 DODGE CARAVAN 5

Recent Complaints

2020 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER

The contact owns a 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander. While the contact’s wife was driving in a school zone, several unknown error codes became displayed. The Lane Departure warning light illuminated, and t

2021 NISSAN VERSA

The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Versa. The contact stated while attempting to reverse at 2 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound. Additionally, the contact stated that the high-beam headligh

2021 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the contact attempted to change lanes and the high beams automatically activated without driver input. The ve

2020 KIA TELLURIDE

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at night at an undisclosed speed, the high-beam headlight switch was activated; however, the high beam headlights failed to

2020 NISSAN TITAN

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Titan. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH on a dark roadway, the automatic high-beam headlights failed to activate as needed. The contact was able to manually activ

2020 KIA TELLURIDE

High beam lights stopped working. Bulbs are ok. Lamp assembly has a part that physically moves to change high to low.

2022 TOYOTA CAMRY

The contact rented a 2022 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving at night at undisclosed speed, they noticed their daytime running lights were still running even at night on the auto setting

2016 CADILLAC SRX

2016 CADILLAC SRX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A SAFETY FLAW WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY REPLACED. *JS

2015 CADILLAC SRX

The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the headlights were significantly dim, and she was unable to see the road. There were no warning lights illuminated. The

2013 NISSAN ALTIMA

MY NAME IS [XXX] AND I AM WRITING TO YOU REGARDING MY 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA. I AM HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. APPARENTLY I WAS ON MY WAY HOME ONE EVENING WITH MY BABY AND I HAD ON MY LOW

2001 HONDA CIVIC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT THAT CAUSED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS TO FAIL. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE HIGH BEAMS DUE TO THE FAILURE,

2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT DIMMER SWITCH FAILED TO ACTIVATE AND WAS ABLE TO ACTIVATE ONLY ONE SETTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. T

1998 JEEP LAREDO

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP LAREDO. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE, HE HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. WHEN PARKE

2013 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAI

1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND WOULD STALL INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK AND THE WINDS

2006 HONDA ELEMENT

2006 HONDA ELEMENT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT COMBINATION SWITCH WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SHE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WI

2002 HONDA CR-V

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CR-V. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY FAILED. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND

2004 HONDA CR-V

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT MY LOW BEAMS STOPPED WORKING AND I COULD SMELL SMOKE. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO JUST ALL OF THE SUDDEN HAVE YOUR LIGHTS GO OUT. I COULDN'T SEE AND OTHERS COULDN'T SEE ME. I TU

2005 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. MUST PULL & HOLD DIMMER LEVER TO ENGAGE "BRIGHT" LIGHTS TO HAVE ANY ILLUMINATION OF THE STREET. *KB

2007 HONDA FIT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA FIT. WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF THE ENGINE WAS ROTATING AND THE ENGINE RESPONDED AS IF THE VEHICLE WERE GOING TO STALL.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve exterior lighting:headlights:high/low beam dimmer switch issues?
The NHTSA has received 506 complaints about exterior lighting:headlights:high/low beam dimmer switch problems across 177 vehicle models from 36 manufacturers.
How dangerous are exterior lighting:headlights:high/low beam dimmer switch defects?
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH issues have been linked to 3 crashes, 9 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most exterior lighting:headlights:high/low beam dimmer switch problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for exterior lighting:headlights:high/low beam dimmer switch issues is the CHEVROLET IMPALA with 33 complaints.
Where does PlainCars get its safety data?
All vehicle safety data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database, which collects reports from vehicle owners about safety-related defects.

Data Sources

Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.

Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.

Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.

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