2005 Chevrolet Malibu, Front Turn Signal Socket

If you have a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu or a similar vehicle, and the front turn signal and park light socket is burnt out you have two choices. Buy a replacement headlight assembly or install a new socket. The manufacturer considers the socket to be part of the headlight assembly and therefore does not list a replacement part. I have found one that works!

To start the repair the headlight assembly has to be removed.

There are two 10 mm headed bolts that hold the headlight assembly in place.

Then the assembly will lift off of the body panel.

Release the latch and separate the connector.

Once the light assembly is removed, the sealing cover has to be rotated and removed. Lefty loosey, righty tighty. It does take a fair amount of pressure to loosen the cover.

Now we are down to the front turn signal/park light socket assembly. Note that the wires are inside the housing. The harness is installed at the factory before the light is completely assembled. Once the light is assembled the entire harness cannot be changed. The manufacturer therefore considers it as part of the light assembly and only sells it that way.

Being used to this type of situation and having multiple parts at my disposal, I can usually find something that will work. Notice in the picture below that the two sockets look quite different form the back side. The overall size is good though as it will allow the sealing cover to go back into position.

Looking at the business side of the sockets, you should notice that the sockets have the same alignment tabs and the both accommodate the same style bulb. If you looked at a side view you would also see that they have the same focal length. Meaning that the bulb height from the sealing base to the top of the bulb is the same distance or length on both socket assemblies.

The proof that it fits, replacement socket installed in the light assembly. If you need to purchase this socket please click here.

Notice that the old socket had four wires and the new on has three. The original design uses the socket as a splice location for two ground wires (black). Those two wires will  be spliced into the one black wire on the new socket. This just moves the splice location to outside the socket rather than inside the socket.

Sometimes you have to think outside the box to fix problems economically.

4 discussions on “2005 Chevrolet Malibu, Front Turn Signal Socket”

  1. The power signal for the right front turn signal is generated inside the BCM. Terminal 38 of the C1 connector, dark blue wire. It junctions in several places along the way. Do you have a scan tool capable of interacting with the BCM?

  2. I’m not getting the voltage for the flash of the blinker. Appears to be a blue wire where the headlight assembly plugs into the harness. Where is the other end of that wire to check for voltage there?

  3. Found your site while looking for a wiring harness for my 2005 Malibu. My left turn signal was burnt out. Ordered the part and just replaced the old one. Seems to be a perfect fit. It was very easy to replace. Thanks for the link for the part!!

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