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I've swapped out two modules so far trying to fix a left side headlight that will close on its own but it won't pop open on its own. I'm not dropping another 150 dollars on another two dollar circuit board. It's ridiculous.
I've replaced the entire forward lights harness, the headlight switch, the headlight control module (twice), the bushings and gears in the motors and the thing still isn't popping up.
Reason I ask is because I've seen a lot of people selling parts and labeling them as compatible across the whole C4 series and it's simply not true all of the time.
I have a '90, but I could have sworn that I read some place that '90 modules were different than '91 modules so I'm thinking the sellers have sent me the wrong one both times.
Might be worthwhile to pull it apart and verify. There are a few difference from side to side.
I assume so. I put it back together exactly the way that it came out anyway.
Only thing I noticed when I was taking it apart initially was that little clip that goes between the motor and that small aluminum block with the pin in it was missing. I don't know what the name of the part itself is.
I looked around online at other assemblies and some had that clip on the left hand side and and some didn't. I do have it on the right side, though.
I don't know if it never had one or if the previous owner had taken it apart and just not put it back on.
I do have two of those clips but I never put one on when I put the assembly back together just because it didn't have one on it to begin with when I took it apart.
Last time I had the motor off to check to see if the bushings were shot, I almost put that clip on there just for the heck of it to see if it made a difference but decided on not.
It's the clip with the red line, I copped the photo off the web...
Other than that, I put it back together exactly in reverse of how I took everything apart.
It'd be quick and easy enough to pull the headlight assembly off tomorrow and install that clip to see if it makes a difference, I guess.
Only reason I haven't is because, as I mentioned, there wasn't one on there the first time I took it apart.
And without knowing what that clip actually is, there's no way to know its actual mechanical function. For the novice anyway. And since I've never owned a car with headlights that flip 180 degrees, I'm basically a novice at knowing its actual function.
It's a stop limit bracket. When it spins around it's loose. When it reaches the maximum travel point it is firm against the stopper. The later style headlights for the C4 didn't have it.
It's a stop limit bracket. When it spins around it's loose. When it reaches the maximum travel point it is firm against the stopper. The later style headlights for the C4 didn't have it.
I've seen that term used around here but never knew what they were talking about, thanks.
Anyway, there's no bump stop for it to catch on so it must be a later model one without it. Like I said, though, the right side has that stop limit bracket. So I have two different style motors in that regard at least.
I took the motor apart again today and cleaned the contacts but still the same result. Closes but doesn't open.
Ah well. I'm not messing with it anymore. I've got no patience for dumb sht like that. When the weather gets a little better I'll mess with it again.
I learned a couple things anyway, so thanks for helping out.
So since you have a "wire harness" to plug into. Lets for grins do one more test. Plus your harness in on the headlight side. And then use power directly from the battery. I would open the headlight halfway manually and then see if you can rotate it with a solid battery connection.
So since you have a "wire harness" to plug into. Lets for grins do one more test. Plus your harness in on the headlight side. And then use power directly from the battery. I would open the headlight halfway manually and then see if you can rotate it with a solid battery connection.
Already tried that. I tried it after I connected it to the other side last night. That didn't work either.
So since you have a "wire harness" to plug into. Lets for grins do one more test. Plus your harness in on the headlight side. And then use power directly from the battery. I would open the headlight halfway manually and then see if you can rotate it with a solid battery connection.
I just went out and checked both directions with that makeshift harness .
The darned thing flips both ways when hooked to the battery supply.
I didn't think to hook it back up to the right side connector to check it that way again, probably should have just out of curiosity. I'll check that out again in the morning.
I just went out and checked both directions with that makeshift harness .
The darned thing flips both ways when hooked to the battery supply.
I didn't think to hook it back up to the right side connector to check it that way again, probably should have just out of curiosity. I'll check that out again in the morning.
So definitely electrical.
Well you know you are getting a signal from the headlight switch to the control module. I would imagine it is between the control module and the headlight. Check continuity/voltage between the headlight module and the headlight motor connector.
Only thing I did today was take the contacts out and clean them. Weird that it didn't work on the battery last night and did today. They weren't even dirty.
But I just opened and closed the thing around twenty times from the completely closed position and it ran fine both ways every single time.
Well you know you are getting a signal from the headlight switch to the control module. I would imagine it is between the control module and the headlight. Check continuity/voltage between the headlight module and the headlight motor connector.
Yeah, I'll do that in the morning some time. I think it'll be smooth sailing figuring it out from here.
Thanks for your help. I have a couple of new headlight connector pigtails around here some place, so I'll change it out since I have them.
I appreciate your walking me through it, thanks! When I figure out where the gremlin is I'll post back.
A had continuity throughout, so I took the module apart and it's got water in it at some point, I can see the stains. It was pretty corroded, too.
I put it back together and now it doesn't work at all. Heh heh. Well, if I keep hitting the switch, the right side will gradually stutter open and closed. Left side doesn't open or close at all now.
So, yeah. looks like another module is in the future. I think I'm gonna silicone the next one nice and good, though.
After cleaning it up a couple of times and looking more closely....
Are C4 Headlight Control Modules all the same?
