Headlight Operation
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
Headlight Operation
When you guys (and/or gals), turn on your headlights, do you have to turn the switch more than once to get them to come up? This is usually the case with mine, but every once in a while, they pop up on the first attempt. I looked at the manual, and found nothing that suggested I should have to double click my headlight switch.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
When the plastic gears fail, how do they fail? Do they bind, strip, or just break off? I would be surprised if it was a gear problem due to the fact the car has less than 20K miles on it, unless it is some sort of failure based on the age of the material and not the wear. My feeling is these gears fail because of fatigue, not necessarily age.
I would lean toward a switch problem, but the first stage is fine (fog lights). It doesn't seem to be a contact issue, because I can't make them come up by wiggling or twisting harder on the switch. Also, if I do have to try a second time to make them come up, I can not just go back to the first stage of the switch, then to the second. I have to go all the way to the off position and straight to the second stage, (or headlight up position of the switch), to make them pop up. It's odd.
I would lean toward a switch problem, but the first stage is fine (fog lights). It doesn't seem to be a contact issue, because I can't make them come up by wiggling or twisting harder on the switch. Also, if I do have to try a second time to make them come up, I can not just go back to the first stage of the switch, then to the second. I have to go all the way to the off position and straight to the second stage, (or headlight up position of the switch), to make them pop up. It's odd.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,535
Likes: 379
From: NSL UT
When the plastic gears fail, how do they fail? Do they bind, strip, or just break off? I would be surprised if it was a gear problem due to the fact the car has less than 20K miles on it, unless it is some sort of failure based on the age of the material and not the wear. My feeling is these gears fail because of fatigue, not necessarily age.
I would lean toward a switch problem, but the first stage is fine (fog lights). It doesn't seem to be a contact issue, because I can't make them come up by wiggling or twisting harder on the switch. Also, if I do have to try a second time to make them come up, I can not just go back to the first stage of the switch, then to the second. I have to go all the way to the off position and straight to the second stage, (or headlight up position of the switch), to make them pop up. It's odd.
I would lean toward a switch problem, but the first stage is fine (fog lights). It doesn't seem to be a contact issue, because I can't make them come up by wiggling or twisting harder on the switch. Also, if I do have to try a second time to make them come up, I can not just go back to the first stage of the switch, then to the second. I have to go all the way to the off position and straight to the second stage, (or headlight up position of the switch), to make them pop up. It's odd.
put more pressure on them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 6
From: hagerstown md
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
I have the same issue with mine. But I have HID bulbs, so I know what causes this problem. It's not enough voltage recognized by the BCM, it thinks a bulb is out.
Can you turn the lights on on the first try if you have just the high beams on? Try that and let us know if it works. If it does, then I would look at replacing the low beam bulbs. You may have one that is not pulling enough voltage and tricking your BCM into thinking there is a bulb out.
Can you turn the lights on on the first try if you have just the high beams on? Try that and let us know if it works. If it does, then I would look at replacing the low beam bulbs. You may have one that is not pulling enough voltage and tricking your BCM into thinking there is a bulb out.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
I have the same issue with mine. But I have HID bulbs, so I know what causes this problem. It's not enough voltage recognized by the BCM, it thinks a bulb is out.
Can you turn the lights on on the first try if you have just the high beams on? Try that and let us know if it works. If it does, then I would look at replacing the low beam bulbs. You may have one that is not pulling enough voltage and tricking your BCM into thinking there is a bulb out.
Can you turn the lights on on the first try if you have just the high beams on? Try that and let us know if it works. If it does, then I would look at replacing the low beam bulbs. You may have one that is not pulling enough voltage and tricking your BCM into thinking there is a bulb out.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 6
From: Louisville Kentucky
I tried that, but it didn't work. It's an interesting theory though. Could it be that one of the bight bulbs isn't pulling enough voltage too. It doesn't act any different with brights as it does with low beams. These bulbs could be original. I bought the car last year with 9K miles so they wouldn't have been used a whole lot, but would be 11 years old, if original.
Here's a picture of a bad gear:
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 6
From: hagerstown md
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Being that it is both headlights. I kinda rule out stripped gears. Not that it couldn't be, just that you would hear a crapload of noise if it were.
I'm with junkman on this one, are you sure you don't have HIDs? But then, you would have to have low and high HIDs for the problem to occur. When you hit the lights, do they come on bright, go dim, then brighten back up? If they do, then they are HIDs. If not, maybe the control module for the headlights is failing.
Good luck, and let us know what you find.
I'm with junkman on this one, are you sure you don't have HIDs? But then, you would have to have low and high HIDs for the problem to occur. When you hit the lights, do they come on bright, go dim, then brighten back up? If they do, then they are HIDs. If not, maybe the control module for the headlights is failing.
Good luck, and let us know what you find.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
I don't think they are HID. They aren't extremely intense like the cars I've seen with the HID. I may be mistaken though. Is HID the same as xenon headlights? They are definitely not the crazy blue intense lights that you see on newer cars. Also, I would be surprised if the original owner would have made any changes to the car. He was in his 60s and put only 9K miles on it in the 10 years he owned it.
Thanks for the interest in helping me figure this out. Sorry it took me so long to get back to the thread.
Thanks for the interest in helping me figure this out. Sorry it took me so long to get back to the thread.
