Lazy eye (headlight)
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Joined: Mar 2007
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Lazy eye (headlight)
This happened last night. I cut the lights on and the driver side headlight only came up about half way. I drove home and cutthe lights and they went down as usual. I cut them back on and they both worked. What caused this? I searched the forum but could not find this issue.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,470
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From: levittown pa. usa Even a bad day with my `Vette, is better than a good day at work
St. Jude Donor '10
Your problem is a common one, & there is plenty of info if you search using words like headlight motor. Your gears in the headlight motor are probably going bad. Its not a hard fix. If its not the gears themselves, it will probably be the nylon bushings in the motors. They get old & break apart or turn to dust. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 995
Likes: 1
From: Naples Campania
Fried headlight bushings
Do you see that crumbled plastic stuff? Yeah, that used to be a bushing...
Fried headlight gear
Happens all the time because the motor might not stop immediately when going up. Or, if there was some force against the light when it went up or down. I know it hurts the gear when you open/close the headlights at highway speeds....
Of course, the question there is what do you consider "highway speed"
Do you see that crumbled plastic stuff? Yeah, that used to be a bushing...
Fried headlight gear
Happens all the time because the motor might not stop immediately when going up. Or, if there was some force against the light when it went up or down. I know it hurts the gear when you open/close the headlights at highway speeds....
Of course, the question there is what do you consider "highway speed"
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,858
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria CA
What year?
Another cause to this is the motor magnets coming unglued and jamming up the motor.
On mine the factory glue holding the motor magnets to the inner motor sleeve failed. The magnets then jammed the motor up. You could tell this when you go to manually raise or lower the headlight using the emergency **** under the hood, located on the headlight motor housing. If you feel resistance and then suddenly the motor slams open/shut the rest of the way trying to take your hand with it, it's likely a jamming issue of some type inside.
I simply took the motor apart and reglued the magnets with JB weld, and that fixed it.
If the headlight motor is left jammed mid-travel it can run your battery down overnight. The motor sits there trying to move every few seconds but it can't, as the internal circuit breaker cools and heats (opens/closes) up over and over causing a parasitic battery drain. So I would suggest you unplug the harness connectors of problem headlight till you fix this, or you might have a dead battery in the morning like I did.
Another cause to this is the motor magnets coming unglued and jamming up the motor.
On mine the factory glue holding the motor magnets to the inner motor sleeve failed. The magnets then jammed the motor up. You could tell this when you go to manually raise or lower the headlight using the emergency **** under the hood, located on the headlight motor housing. If you feel resistance and then suddenly the motor slams open/shut the rest of the way trying to take your hand with it, it's likely a jamming issue of some type inside.
I simply took the motor apart and reglued the magnets with JB weld, and that fixed it.
If the headlight motor is left jammed mid-travel it can run your battery down overnight. The motor sits there trying to move every few seconds but it can't, as the internal circuit breaker cools and heats (opens/closes) up over and over causing a parasitic battery drain. So I would suggest you unplug the harness connectors of problem headlight till you fix this, or you might have a dead battery in the morning like I did.
Last edited by 86PACER; Sep 15, 2011 at 02:09 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,327
Likes: 3,242
From: Hartford WI
That isn't all. You could have a hairline crack in your gear. I did. Fortunately I noticed it before I put them out for sale. Initial examination said they were ok but I replaced them with the bronze gear anyways. I usually do a final inspection before I post a classified. After all, you are parting with good money and I'll be damned if I am going to get bad feedback because I didn't check it properly. Happened once but I will make sure it doesn't happen again but that is another story.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 995
Likes: 1
From: Naples Campania
That isn't all. You could have a hairline crack in your gear. I did. Fortunately I noticed it before I put them out for sale. Initial examination said they were ok but I replaced them with the bronze gear anyways. I usually do a final inspection before I post a classified. After all, you are parting with good money and I'll be damned if I am going to get bad feedback because I didn't check it properly. Happened once but I will make sure it doesn't happen again but that is another story.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,327
Likes: 3,242
From: Hartford WI
Sure, that is a way to look at it but the way I see it is this. If I have to go in one more time, my time is worth something. Even if it takes one more fix, I hate to spend my time, which I have little of already on doing something AGAIN when I can do it right the first time. The gears are old and can stand to be changed while I am there. Usually when I shortcut something, it comes back to bite me in the ***.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 995
Likes: 1
From: Naples Campania
Sure, that is a way to look at it but the way I see it is this. If I have to go in one more time, my time is worth something. Even if it takes one more fix, I hate to spend my time, which I have little of already on doing something AGAIN when I can do it right the first time. The gears are old and can stand to be changed while I am there. Usually when I shortcut something, it comes back to bite me in the ***.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,327
Likes: 3,242
From: Hartford WI
I guess it depends on how you use it and who makes it. If it is made in some crap factory (either here or overseas), probably not very long. I guess I just want peace of mind to know that that little upgrade will hold for the rest of my life and I won't have to be afraid that it will crack someday. When that day comes, they might not have a replacement for me. I have seen too many obsoleted parts.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 995
Likes: 1
From: Naples Campania
I guess it depends on how you use it and who makes it. If it is made in some crap factory (either here or overseas), probably not very long. I guess I just want peace of mind to know that that little upgrade will hold for the rest of my life and I won't have to be afraid that it will crack someday. When that day comes, they might not have a replacement for me. I have seen too many obsoleted parts.
in San Diego and they talked to the dealership in LA, who outsourced to a dealership in Washington state, who got it from....I don't even know.Well, anyways, I think this is about to get TL. I think Steve has the info he needs.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Johnstown Penna
On my 95 there are three relays mounted on the drivers side of the core support that have a wiring harness that loops up and around... The corner of my drivers side headlight caught this and prevented it from going the whole way around.... And I do know that my headlights wont open when I am going any faster than about 60 mph... I tried to open them going *slightly* faster than that and had to slow down to get them to open
