Driver-Side Headlight Motor Won't Stop!

[Justin Kirkham]

So I drive my firebird into the garage to start cleaning her up. I pull in, and as I turn my headlights off, they go down normally, but then I head this nasty cranking motor sound from my front driver's side. I flip the headlights back up and all is gone. They keep doing this now, and I can't get them down and get the motor to stop. They go up and down just fine, and there is nothing else wrong, but the motor seems to think they aren't down all the way. I let it go for 5-6 seconds one time, and it didn't look like it was going to quit. Help?!

-Justin

[whiteshark]

I just fixed this problem no more than 15 min ago on my little brothers 98 bird [img]tongue.gif[/img] . VERY easy fix. Take the headlight cover off, remove 2 bolts holding the headlight on then manually turn the headlight motor 180 degrees. Put everything back on. Took us about an hour mainly figuring things out. I could do it in 15 min now probably. Here's the instruction site I used http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/
Also theres a video there for 98+ birds. You'll probably need to download it since the motor is in a different place than the 97 (which is what's shown on the site). Good luck [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[Justin Kirkham]

Whiteshark, or anyone else, could you help me out a bit? I just can't figure out how to do it. Maybe a quick step by step for me or a description of what screws and bolts I need to take out?

-Justin

[whiteshark]

Start with the headlight down and open the hood. Unscrew the two screws on the back holding the metal part of the light on, there's 2 more once you open the light. Open the lights and take of the plastic piece that surrounds the lights. Then unscrew the two other screws holding on the top. Take off the top. There are two screws with one side a black screw that fits an allen wrench. The other side is a silver nut (10mm). The act as kind of a hinge I think. Then look down at the motor. There is one silver nut (10mm) holding the lever that raises the light. Take that nut off and slide the lever off the little pole thing. the little pole thing is round but at the end is flat on two sides. Take the rubber thing off the top of the motor and manurally rotate the little pole until the flat side that was facing you is facing the other way (in other words manually rotate it 180 degrees) but the lever back on. Put your screws back in and put on the top. And you should be good to go. Let me know if you have any questions.

[Firebird1055]

I'm all for helping people out and everything, but this thread could've been avoided entirely, seeing as how this problem has been addressed on here more than once before...

[1sweetryde]

Can ya believe this crap? Mine just started doing the exact same thing Thursday night!!!!

Arrrgggghhhhh!!!!

Let's go to our respective Pontiac dealerships and start bustin some heads!!!

[Justin Kirkham]

Thanks to whiteshark for the help, and to those that didn't help... well... strength in numbers, right?

-Justin

[FirebirdGT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by whiteshark:
Here's the instruction site I used http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/
<hr></blockquote>


There is also a link in the Tech Database, along with other maintenance links (if anybody would bother to read OUR OWN site).

[Go4broke]

thats crazy that you are talking about this my headlight motor was doing the same thing like about a month a go so I bought that metal gear on line from someone and that seem to do the trick but now after month later the metal gear is striped too. I don't know it I should buy another one $50 or just get a new motor which would be covered under warrenty $100. I might have done something wrong when I installed it like not enough lube or something.