C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

One headlight won't go up!!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 20, 2006 | 07:48 PM
  #1  
joseph p's Avatar
joseph p
Thread Starter
Drifting
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,444
Likes: 4
From: Hawthorne NJ
Default One headlight won't go up!!

Within the last year and a half I have taken both headlight motors apart on my '89 coupe and replaced those three nylon barrels in each. Both times it solved the problem. Now my pass. headlight won't come up.
Could it be the same thing? I do remember a couple of weeks ago that the headlight door had ice on it and wouldn't come up until I cleared it. But I think I used the headlights since then...???
Any ideas?
Thanks
Reply
Old Feb 20, 2006 | 10:35 PM
  #2  
jfb's Avatar
jfb
Team Owner
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Default

If your 89 has headlight relays, check the relay for that headlight. You can swap relays to see if the problem follows the relay. Also, you can check the headlight motor by unplugging it and jumping 12v from the battery to the headlight motor to force it to run.
Reply
Old Feb 21, 2006 | 01:56 PM
  #3  
joseph p's Avatar
joseph p
Thread Starter
Drifting
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,444
Likes: 4
From: Hawthorne NJ
Default

I cranked it up by hand. When I turn off the lights it goes down...but then it won't go back up by itself.
????????
Reply
Old Feb 21, 2006 | 04:56 PM
  #4  
*89x2*'s Avatar
*89x2*
Team Owner
25 Year Member
Community Builder
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,106
Likes: 2,511
From: ...tearing up the highways, one state at a time™®©
Default

Originally Posted by joseph p
I cranked it up by hand. When I turn off the lights it goes down...but then it won't go back up by itself.
????????

Replace the delrin bushings -
Reply
Old Feb 21, 2006 | 06:14 PM
  #5  
joseph p's Avatar
joseph p
Thread Starter
Drifting
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,444
Likes: 4
From: Hawthorne NJ
Default

Could I have installed them wrong? One year's use? Worked fine after repair.
Thanks
Reply
Old Feb 21, 2006 | 10:21 PM
  #6  
jfb's Avatar
jfb
Team Owner
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Default

I don't know what year the C4's went to an electronic switch for the headlight motors, but if you have relays, there are three relays, one for each side and an additional one for making the right door to go down. If you will swap the two headlight door relays (not the isolation relay) and the left headlight won't go up, then the trouble is the relay which isn't expensive. This is an easy test, give it a try!
Reply
Old Feb 21, 2006 | 11:38 PM
  #7  
ElisTwoCents's Avatar
ElisTwoCents
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Veteran: Navy
St. Jude 20 Year Donor
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,441
Likes: 421
From: Ventura County, CA
St. Jude Donor '05 thru '24
Default

Welcome to the club buddy!

Check the relays and try the manual crank, my gears go out often on the right headlight (3 times in the last 4 years)
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2006 | 02:19 AM
  #8  
Demonic85's Avatar
Demonic85
Team Owner
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
Default

What if the headlights go up, but one motor continues to run after the headlights are up and working?
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-1

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-4

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
Old Feb 22, 2006 | 09:37 AM
  #9  
onedef92's Avatar
onedef92
Team Owner
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 96,443
Likes: 9
From: Fort Knox, KY
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Default

Sounds like your bushings to me. Most headlight woes on 1988-96 Vettes are due to worn bushings.
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2006 | 12:34 PM
  #10  
VetNutJim's Avatar
VetNutJim
Safety Car
 
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 3,651
Likes: 5
From: Atlantis
Cruise-In I Veteran
Default

Originally Posted by 4Ever21
What if the headlights go up, but one motor continues to run after the headlights are up and working?
I think there were no more relays after the 84 model year.
The 84 had a three wire motor circuit and limit switches, I believe.

The newer system has TWO WIRE motors with no limit switches to report the position of the transport assembly.
The newer system uses a Headlight Control Module mounted on the left front wheelhouse.
There is a CURRENT SENSE circuit in the module that senses when the lights are open or closed by the increased current draw of the electric motors.

It's a 'stereo" (two channel) sensor and either side can fail and affect the operation of it's respective motor.

If the motors are NOT running replace the module. If the motors ARE running but the assembly is not moving properly check the gears and mechanical assembly.
Reply
Old Feb 23, 2006 | 12:31 AM
  #11  
Demonic85's Avatar
Demonic85
Team Owner
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
Default

When I turn them on, they both operate normally, both headlights work. However, on the driver side, the motor continues to run even though the headlight is up. It does it when I close them too. If I pull the **** out just slightly when they're closed, the motor shuts off. Its an '85 and there are no bushings to replace, it has 2 gears.
Reply
Old Feb 23, 2006 | 05:02 AM
  #12  
rodj's Avatar
rodj
Le Mans Master
25 Year Member
 
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,838
Likes: 31
From: Australia
Default

think there were no more relays after the 84 model year.

On my cars the "87 still has the relay the '89 and '90 are electronic
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To One headlight won't go up!!





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:36 PM.

story-0
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-1
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-2
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-5
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-6
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-8
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE