Headlights Issue
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Headlights Issue
Hi Guys,
This seems t be a very large issue throughout this and most forums but I can not seem to find an answer to my exact problem. The question is simple but the answer seems to be very hard to find lol. My headlights will BOTH work but they BOTH only go up halfway then stop. No noises from the motor and they will retract just fine as well they will simply not go up 100% and the strange thing is that it is equal for both the right and left lights.......
This seems t be a very large issue throughout this and most forums but I can not seem to find an answer to my exact problem. The question is simple but the answer seems to be very hard to find lol. My headlights will BOTH work but they BOTH only go up halfway then stop. No noises from the motor and they will retract just fine as well they will simply not go up 100% and the strange thing is that it is equal for both the right and left lights.......
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,953
Likes: 550
From: Mission Viejo CA
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,060
Likes: 214
From: Epping NH
Disconnect the wire harness to each light and run 12v to each light directly and see if it opens correctly. If it does then the headlight module would be suspect...barring the 90's have that module.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,430
Likes: 3,279
From: Hartford WI
You know, if we know more about where you newbies are, we can come and steal your soul and sell it for cigarettes. 
I wish you people would fill up the profile so we know what car you have and what your location is. For instance, if you are in the Milwaukee area, I might be able to swing by one evening after work to lend you a tool or better yet, lend you one of my spare modules so you can see if your motor has an issue or if it is your module.
The way it works is simple. You turn the headlight on, it sends a signal to the motor. When it hits the end of the run, the motor will still push it to go further. That requires more draw than before and thus the module interprets that spike as "end of the run". Since it is both equally, I might think module. Still, you can turn the **** manually and see if it happens to feel different or is binding half way. For all you know, some dingbat tried to fix it and screwed up the assembly.
I wish you people would fill up the profile so we know what car you have and what your location is. For instance, if you are in the Milwaukee area, I might be able to swing by one evening after work to lend you a tool or better yet, lend you one of my spare modules so you can see if your motor has an issue or if it is your module.
The way it works is simple. You turn the headlight on, it sends a signal to the motor. When it hits the end of the run, the motor will still push it to go further. That requires more draw than before and thus the module interprets that spike as "end of the run". Since it is both equally, I might think module. Still, you can turn the **** manually and see if it happens to feel different or is binding half way. For all you know, some dingbat tried to fix it and screwed up the assembly.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,709
Likes: 328
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
Recommend checking if the dreaded is happening first. Have someone else turn on headlights while you listen up front. Hopefully no thuds, the headlights will stop if bumping into something in the front bays.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,144
Likes: 117
From: San Antonio Texas
Open your hood and watch/listen while you or somebody else operates the switch. There might be something snagging or bumping a light with the hood down, like a loose harness wire or something down in the light well.
If they work when the hood is up, then you have something in the way somewhere. If they act the same with the hood up, I'd say you have either binding in the linkage somewhere or possibly a bad control module. Try the manual dial on each headlight like mentioned above to feel if there is any binding in the linkages and the 12v jumper wire trick to see if they will go all the way up and down.
If you do jump them to 12v be sure to STOP/remove power when they hit the end of the travel or it might bend the linkage.
If they work when the hood is up, then you have something in the way somewhere. If they act the same with the hood up, I'd say you have either binding in the linkage somewhere or possibly a bad control module. Try the manual dial on each headlight like mentioned above to feel if there is any binding in the linkages and the 12v jumper wire trick to see if they will go all the way up and down.
If you do jump them to 12v be sure to STOP/remove power when they hit the end of the travel or it might bend the linkage.
