stuck headlight, sketchy cruise control - and yep I've searched the forum already!

[lostatlantis]

Original Post
Hi guys, got another passenger side headlight stuck case :( It went up without any problem, but can only down maybe an inch or two. There's no loud noise when going down, so I think the gear might not be the cause (I had the gear induced noise issue when I first got the car, so I know what it sounds like).

I took off the rubber cap to try manually lower it, but it's not doing anything - I tried turning the knob clockwise and counterclockwise, and the headlight moves ever so slightly when I turn it counterclockwise (kinda like finetuning your rear-view mirror) but not down.

I am outta ideas... what should I do next?


UPDATE: Feb 1st, 2005


When I try to manually turn the knob to lower it, it tightens to a point where it feels like it's physically impossible to turn any more. Then a loud POP, and the headlight will give way, dipping to almost closing. Then I have to turn the knob (which is REALLY loose now) to lower it completely. Recently, it's progressed to the point where I have to push down on the light directly to get it to "POP"... is it getting worse?

Interesting sidenote - when I posted this thread originally, that was the FIRST time it did this. I left for a 10 day trip on Dec 29th, 2004. When I got back, the firebird had been sitting in the garage and the light worked perfectly! At the time the weather was abnormally cold in South Carolina, and I thought somehow the cold caused the problem. Well, after I got back to school on Jan 10th 2005, the problem started again.

Do you all still think it's the gear? I feel like the cold temperature has something to do with it.


As for the cruise control, this problem appeared just yesterday when I drove back to school (I-95/I-40, 70+ mph). It's sketchy in that:

1) sometimes it won't set at all
2) to get it to set, I have to be on the throttle lightly
3) once it's set, sometimes when I use the buttom to accelerate in 1mph increment, it'll suddenly disengage, and the car noticeably stutters.


Any ideas?

Update: 2 5, 2005

Yesterday was pretty warm, 45 F or so around 3:30 pm, and the headlight worked without a problem. I took a video clip regardless, here it is: Firebird - Headlight

So... temperature definitely has something to do with it. But how and what do I do to fix it?

[ February 05, 2005, 10:30 PM: Message edited by: lostatlantis ]

[D_Fisher]

Bad gear maybe. Check out this link...

http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/index.htm

[Rob Bell]

Since the motor turning on and off is supposedly controlled by the current draw, if for some reason it's jammed, or just hard to move, the current draw is probably making the motor think it's supposed to turn off too soon. I would check all the moving parts for binding. Maybe you can also have someone turn the lights on and off while you push (not too hard) on the headlight to "help" it move.

[lostatlantis]

Hi guys, I was away visiting family and just got back last night. I managed to lower the stuck right headlight manually by turning the knob really hard - it gets stuck at one point, then the headlight suddenly gives and makes a loud clunking noise at the same time. After that, I can slowly lower the headlight by continuing turning the knob.

I will get a video with sound up soon. I have to get this fixed because I have to drive back to school at the latest on this coming Tuesday. Right now, I am off to a local body shop and see if they can do anything about it.

[lostatlantis]

right now I think what Rob suggested is what's happening, because when it's stuck, the headlight motor doesn't make any loud noise at all. Correct me if I am wrong, but I remember problem with the gear resulted in a loud noise as the motor continued to run for a while.

Here, the entire motion simply stops. It was pretty cold the week before (27 or so high), maybe the cold weather got to the light? Anyway, I'll be back in a couple of hours with a video so you can see what I am talking about.

[pontiac nino]

The gear is locked up, the teeth are probably gone or just stuck. Either way change em'. The headlight motor should still be good, just need to change the gears.

[lostatlantis]

hi guys,

sorry for not posting back sooner... school started and before you know it, it's friggin Feb.

Okay, I've updated the original post, but basically the right light is stuck everytime I turn the lights off. I WILL get a high quality video clip with sound on here soon.

When I try to manually turn the knob to lower it, it tightens to a point where it feels like it's physically impossible to turn any more. Then a loud POP, and the headlight will give way, dipping to almost closing. Then I have to turn the knob (which is REALLY loose now) to lower it completely. Recently, it's progressed to the point where I have to push down on the light directly to get it to "POP"... :( is it getting worse?

Interesting sidenote - when I posted this thread originally, that was the FIRST time it did this. I left for a 10 day trip on Dec 29th, 2004. When I got back, the firebird had been sitting in the garage and the light worked perfectly! At the time the weather was abnormally cold in South Carolina, and I thought somehow the cold caused the problem. Well, after I got back to school on Jan 10th 2005, the problem started again.

Do you all still think it's the gear? I feel like the cold temperature has something to do with it.

[lostatlantis]

tested the headlight thursday afternoon at 3:30 pm, and it worked perfectly! Took a video clip regardless. So it appears temp definitely has something to do with it - it was around 45F at the time, compared to below 30 before.

anything I can do to make it work REGARDLESS of temp?