Headlight Issue

[Rob Bell]

Hello all, my passenger side headlight does not like to pop up. This is intermittent. There are no grinding or clicking noises that would indicate a stripped gear. What will happen is when I turn the lights on (usually the first time) the light will not come up. So I turn the lights off, then on again. It will either come up then, or I may have to turn the headlights off and then on a couple of times. Once it comes up, it's fine, and will go back down without issue.

I was thinking the arm needed some grease, so I did that. but it does not help. Does this sound like a gear issue? Has anyone else had this specific problem?

[Atrum Rosa]

Re: Headlight Issue

I actually had this problem with a weak battery. Bought a fresh battery and they pop up now without fuss.

[Brians00Blackbird]

Re: Headlight Issue

Check the headlight fuse, may need replacement. Motor could be going. Could be a kink in the arm like you mentioned. Hard to say, but check the fuse first, even if it looks ok.

[dgreet77]

Re: Headlight Issue

Always easy to disconnect the arm, turn the motor halfway over and reconnect the arm to use the other side of the gear in the motor. Seems like when my stock gears stripped it didn't always make noise. Even if they're fine its a 5 minute job to prove thats not it for sure.

[Rob Bell]

Re: Headlight Issue

OK thanks for the tips I will check on these.

Regarding disconnecting the arm, I see there is a nut holding it on. Does the nut come off easily? Or will wrenching the nut cause the motor to try and turn? Do I need a backup wrench? Also, it's pretty tight in there. Is it easier to access from underneath?

[CFreed11]

Re: Headlight Issue

Check the headlight control module..I believe it's right next to the fuse box under the hood. I was having a similar problem, and sometimes the headlights would pop up on their own while I was driving. I made a bypass wire and switch to go around it, but when I finally went to replace the module, I noticed it wasn't pushed down all the way. Somehow it had worked itself loose and wasn't getting a good connection or something. I pushed it all the way down again and my headlights have been working perfectly since. This was about a year ago when it happened to me. Maybe mine was a freak deal, but it's something else to check off your list..

[Rob Bell]

Re: Headlight Issue

Great, thanks. These all seem like simple checks.

[bigbrian442]

Re: Headlight Issue

Check the plug from the car to the motor/ headlights. They have corrosion problems and cause intermittent headlight motor issues. The plug is under the headlight assembly.

[dgreet77]

Re: Headlight Issue

OK thanks for the tips I will check on these.

Regarding disconnecting the arm, I see there is a nut holding it on. Does the nut come off easily? Or will wrenching the nut cause the motor to try and turn? Do I need a backup wrench? Also, it's pretty tight in there. Is it easier to access from underneath?

I think its not too bad to get the nut off. There is a stop on the arm that you can wedge something in to keep the motor from turning if it tries to turn too much. And its super tight in there but I never had any luck except from the top.

[Rob Bell]

Re: Headlight Issue

OK well I had not checked anything yet because I was busy. It must be a stripped gear because tonight it made the "stripped gear noise" when the light went down. But now that I know what it is, I'll try switching the motor around and see how that works.

[Rob Bell]

Re: Headlight Issue

Always easy to disconnect the arm, turn the motor halfway over and reconnect the arm to use the other side of the gear in the motor. Seems like when my stock gears stripped it didn't always make noise. Even if they're fine its a 5 minute job to prove thats not it for sure.

So when you say "turn the motor halfway over" do you mean turning the whole motor assembly 180 degrees and then reinstalling it? Or do you mean rotating the shaft 180 degrees and then putting the motor assembly back in the original position?

[Need4Camaro]

Re: Headlight Issue

I've had this problem twice before. Its caused by either too much resistance in the down position which automatically triggers the circuit breaker, or corrosion. You need to check the plug and clean or replace the socket.

[Rob Bell]

Re: Headlight Issue

OK I did some searching and found that you rotate the shaft 180 degrees, not the motor.

[dgreet77]

Re: Headlight Issue

Yeah, just spin the top of the motor. Sorry for the late reply.

[Rob Bell]

Re: Headlight Issue

Well I tried messing around with it for over an hour and just could not get it to work. I'm ordering the metal gears and just doing the permanent fix and be done with it. That geinding noise and headlights going up and down every time I lock the car sure is embarrasing!