C5 Headlights...
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 16,135
Likes: 5
From: Newberry FL
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
C5 Headlights...
On my way home I hit a pretty heavy hole and my driverside light dropped. I turned the lights off and then back on and things were fine. I got out and pushed on both pretty hard and nothing. Drove over several other rough patches and nothing came from it. When I got home, I tried pushing down on them and nothing. Is this some sort of design to protect the gearing (poopy plastic thing)? I have NO grinding and the headlights are working fine. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. Anyways, any of you experienced this?
Thanks in advance,
Micah
Thanks in advance,
Micah
Moderator Emeritus
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 54,756
Likes: 0
From: Always living in a state of Confusion.
Gone, but not Forgotten
Cruise-In 5, 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09
I've never heard of anything like that before, but doesn't mean it couldn't happen.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
if the headlights won't go down, it's possible the gearing is jammed
do both headlights do this?
can you hear the moter trying to turn?
is the motor turning but nothing happening?
do both headlights do this?
can you hear the moter trying to turn?
is the motor turning but nothing happening?
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Schaumburg IL
No. He hit a pothole and one of the lights closed on it's own, but when he turned the lights off then back on, everything was good. I say you have nothing to worry about. Keep those copper gears in a safe spot.... You may need them someday soon.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 16,135
Likes: 5
From: Newberry FL
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Thanks.
Originally Posted by TheRadioFlyer
if the headlights won't go down, it's possible the gearing is jammed
do both headlights do this?
can you hear the moter trying to turn?
is the motor turning but nothing happening?
do both headlights do this?
can you hear the moter trying to turn?
is the motor turning but nothing happening?
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,312
Likes: 24,776
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Nothing in the design for that that I know of. Haven't personally had that happen to mine.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 0
From: Columbia MO
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 855
Likes: 0
From: Tampa FL
The wierd thing I was thinking is: If the Headlight dropped and you put the other one down shouldn't the gear grind since its already down if it forced its way past the gears. Unless there is a sensor to where it stops or safety release type mechanism??
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
my apologies. I misread the original post trying to figure out why he would push on a headlight that was down.
I'm going to assume the headlight powered itself down and didn't just fall. If that is the case there is a short. If the light turned off, then the headlight closed, the short will be closer to the switch, if the headlight remained on, the short is in the headlight motor wiring.
I'm going to assume the headlight powered itself down and didn't just fall. If that is the case there is a short. If the light turned off, then the headlight closed, the short will be closer to the switch, if the headlight remained on, the short is in the headlight motor wiring.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Looking at the wiring diagrams each headlamp door motor is individually grounded (LH drivers side G101 - RH G102). If it was the RH headlamp only it may be a bad ground connection on that side that shook loose with the vibration.