Headlights and dashlights
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Headlights and dashlights
Two vettes. Both 89's.
1.) At night when i turn my lights on, the entire dash goes black. That is unless you hit the optical sensor with some light. Any insight before i try diagnosing this would be much appreciated. Dont care for this much
2.) This vette after you manually crank the headlights up you can turn your lights off via the headlight switch and they will flip down, however they obviously do not flip up. Insight on this as well would be appreciated.
1.) At night when i turn my lights on, the entire dash goes black. That is unless you hit the optical sensor with some light. Any insight before i try diagnosing this would be much appreciated. Dont care for this much
2.) This vette after you manually crank the headlights up you can turn your lights off via the headlight switch and they will flip down, however they obviously do not flip up. Insight on this as well would be appreciated.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
Two vettes. Both 89's.
1.) At night when i turn my lights on, the entire dash goes black. That is unless you hit the optical sensor with some light. Any insight before i try diagnosing this would be much appreciated. Dont care for this much
2.) This vette after you manually crank the headlights up you can turn your lights off via the headlight switch and they will flip down, however they obviously do not flip up. Insight on this as well would be appreciated.
1.) At night when i turn my lights on, the entire dash goes black. That is unless you hit the optical sensor with some light. Any insight before i try diagnosing this would be much appreciated. Dont care for this much
2.) This vette after you manually crank the headlights up you can turn your lights off via the headlight switch and they will flip down, however they obviously do not flip up. Insight on this as well would be appreciated.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Turn your headlight switch counterclockwise, this will brighten your dash. If not, then the electronic dimming circuit on one of the two circuit boards in the cluster will need work.
The headlight doors are operated by three relays on the 87, one or more may be defective. Also, there are some contacts inside the motor that make connection at the end of the run which sets up the connection for reversing the motor to make the door go the opposite way. If your relays are ok, then these contacts inside the motor are worn out but it is unlikely that both motors quit at the same time. Looking at the circuit, I would say that it is more likely that your headlight switch is worn out because it turns on both relays that open the headlight doors.
Unplug each headlight door motor when closed and apply 12v to each motor to see if they will open. If so, then check relays and the headlight switch. On the left motor, put 12v+ on the green wire and - on the white wire coming from the headlight plug. On the right motor, put +12v on the green/wh wire and - on the wh/blk wire from the headlight plug.
The headlight doors are operated by three relays on the 87, one or more may be defective. Also, there are some contacts inside the motor that make connection at the end of the run which sets up the connection for reversing the motor to make the door go the opposite way. If your relays are ok, then these contacts inside the motor are worn out but it is unlikely that both motors quit at the same time. Looking at the circuit, I would say that it is more likely that your headlight switch is worn out because it turns on both relays that open the headlight doors.
Unplug each headlight door motor when closed and apply 12v to each motor to see if they will open. If so, then check relays and the headlight switch. On the left motor, put 12v+ on the green wire and - on the white wire coming from the headlight plug. On the right motor, put +12v on the green/wh wire and - on the wh/blk wire from the headlight plug.
Last edited by jfb; Apr 30, 2011 at 07:45 PM.
