C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Headlight Problem

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 04:29 PM
  #1  
texastyler642's Avatar
texastyler642
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
From: iowa
Default Headlight Problem

my headlights came up when i used them last but now they will not come down. does anybody have any suggestions of what to try or look for? does anyone know how this happened or how to fix it?
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 05:31 PM
  #2  
Easy Mike's Avatar
Easy Mike
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Default

Vacuum. The doors raise and lower by vacuum. Check the headlight vacuum relay - it sends vacuum to the door actuators.

Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 05:47 PM
  #3  
jdp6000's Avatar
jdp6000
Melting Slicks
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 3
From: Aurora Ontario
Default

Originally Posted by texastyler642
my headlights came up when i used them last but now they will not come down. does anybody have any suggestions of what to try or look for? does anyone know how this happened or how to fix it?
It sounds like a vaccum leak. Has your idle increased?

Take the hose off at the manufold and suck in. If there is no leak they sound go down. If it doesn't work there move down the line towards the headlights unltil you find a point where it works.

Keep in mind the leak could be at the headlight switch. Or did you hit the bypass switch with your knee?? Its directly below the steering wheel.

Jim
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 05:48 PM
  #4  
Alan 71's Avatar
Alan 71
Team Owner
15 Year Member
Active Streak: 120 Days
Community Influencer
Top Answer: 5
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,111
Likes: 4,174
From: Westminster Maryland
Default

Hi tt,
Did the headlight overide switch under the steering column get pulled somehow?
Regards,
Alan

Jim, you beat me to it!!! If tt hit it with his knee the switch would be closed and the doors would close. It would have to be pulled to keep them open.

Last edited by Alan 71; Mar 17, 2010 at 05:51 PM.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 05:54 PM
  #5  
jdp6000's Avatar
jdp6000
Melting Slicks
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 3
From: Aurora Ontario
Default

Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi tt,
Did the headlight overide switch under the steering column get pulled somehow?
Regards,
Alan

Jim, you beat me to it!!! If tt hit it with his knee the switch would be closed and the doors would close. It would have to be pulled to keep them open.
Yup, fastest gun or key board north of the boarder....LOL. Yes you are right and I stand corrected...unless he has the lines backwards.

On my 77 years ago I reversed the lines so I could turn the lights on and keep them down to give it that fog light look at dusk. It looked cool.

Still worth checking...though.

Jim
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 06:17 PM
  #6  
Sully1882's Avatar
Sully1882
Melting Slicks
Supporting Lifetime
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 5
From: Fayetteville Arkansas
Default

You definitely have a leak somewhere and the default way the system works when something is wrong is to open the headlamps so you can't get stuck somewhere with them down. I would bet something got pulled loose during the carb or HEI install. Do you have a vacuum line diagram? Search on here and I am sure you can find one or there's always the great info at Willcoxcorvette.com in their help section. Off the carb there should be a vac tube that goes to a white filter with one input and one output then that output goes to a line that then goes to a metal piece that has one input and two outputs from there i can't remember exactly... plus I don't know what year your car is.... sorry... hope that helps... get a vac diagram and start tracing lines!

hth,

Sully
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 08:00 PM
  #7  
jordan89's Avatar
jordan89
Safety Car
15 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,558
Likes: 4
From: Oakland California
Default

Yup Vacuum leak, or you probably pulled the headlight override switch underneath the steering column.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 09:32 PM
  #8  
ozzyrulesme's Avatar
ozzyrulesme
Racer
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 404
Likes: 1
From: roscoe il.
Default

I have the other problem! I can't get my lights to go up. Any input??? thanks... 74..
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-7

Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-9

5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!

 Joe Kucinski
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 09:39 PM
  #9  
Peterbuilt's Avatar
Peterbuilt
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,411
Likes: 1,550
From: mount holly NC
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Default Vacuum Problems!

Here's a good how to: http://www.corvette-101.com/vacuum.htm The text is good but use the corrected diagram.

Hope this helps.
Reply
Old Mar 19, 2010 | 10:44 PM
  #10  
ozzyrulesme's Avatar
ozzyrulesme
Racer
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 404
Likes: 1
From: roscoe il.
Default

When i just tape my headlight switch the parking light come on. or Wiggal the switch they come on. pull it lights come on but don't pop up? Switch bad?? How do i go about removeing the old one??? thanks ,matt
Reply
Old Mar 20, 2010 | 10:19 AM
  #11  
jdp6000's Avatar
jdp6000
Melting Slicks
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 3
From: Aurora Ontario
Default

Originally Posted by ozzyrulesme
When i just tape my headlight switch the parking light come on. or Wiggal the switch they come on. pull it lights come on but don't pop up? Switch bad?? How do i go about removeing the old one??? thanks ,matt
Sounds like it.

Its a bit of a pain. You can get it from underneath if you are small. Remove the lower plate that your pulldown for the headlights is on. Remove the one duct to the driverside air vent. Reach up with a screw driver and release the shaft that goes into the switch and pull the **** outwards. Unscrew the ring on the outside that holds the switch to the dash pad.

You can also.....get at the wires. You need to remove the lense from the tach/speedo. Undo all the bolts that hold the guages. Remove the screws that hold the dash pad to the drivers door pillar. Gently pull the pad back. It will make it easier to see. I found that this approach also works in changing the switch. You can see the release from the shaft as well if you free up the switch and turn it sidways. The wires are long enough to pull it out through the side. Plug a new switch in wiggle it in place, put the ring on from the outside, plug the vac lines in and reassemble. Make sure it works before you do all this.

Jim
Reply
Old Mar 20, 2010 | 11:07 AM
  #12  
Willcox Corvette's Avatar
0Willcox Corvette
Former Vendor
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,847
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Default

Texas.. you'll find the color diagrams at this link.

http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=280

Willcox
Reply
Old Mar 20, 2010 | 11:08 AM
  #13  
ozzyrulesme's Avatar
ozzyrulesme
Racer
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 404
Likes: 1
From: roscoe il.
Default

Thanks jim. will have to try that.
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2010 | 07:19 PM
  #14  
texastyler642's Avatar
texastyler642
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
From: iowa
Default

well theres a switch under the steering column and u pulled it up or down and when u would pull it down the headlights would go up when u turned the lights on and vise versa with it pushed in. when i would do that i could here the vacum motor going, but now it doesnt. i think the motor died because i had to manually push them up from underneath before. one morning i put them up but now they wont go down, any ideas as to why? they still work, just wont go down
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Headlight Problem





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:59 PM.

story-0
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE
story-1
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette lineup vs the world.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-20 17:58:41


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

Slideshow: 10 major Corvette problems from the last 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-14 16:37:05


VIEW MORE
story-3
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!

Slideshow: 5 most and least popular Corvette model years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-08 13:25:01


VIEW MORE
story-4
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette buyer's guide

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-17 16:41:08


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)

Slideshow: 10 things C8 Corvette owners hate, but won't tell you.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-01 18:36:07


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!

Slideshow: Should you add one of these incredible Corvettes to your garage?

By Brett Foote | 2026-04-01 18:14:05


VIEW MORE
story-7
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)

Slideshow: Every Corvette Grand Sport explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-03-26 07:13:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!

Slideshow: Breaking down the 2027 Grand Sport, Grand Sport X, Stingray, and LS6 V8.

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-03-26 13:48:45


VIEW MORE
story-9
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!

Slideshow: 5 reasons bad drivers crash sports cars & 5 ways to avoid a costly shame!

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-03-25 16:32:55


VIEW MORE