Strange Headlight Problem..HELP
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 395
Likes: 0
Strange Headlight Problem..HELP
Here is the problem..I removed both headlight assemblies to install Depo lights.However after a four week wait I cancelled the order and reinstalled my original lights. NOW THE PROBLEM.....
Passenger side headlight works as it should..but when I connect the drivers side light I experience the following.
#1.....BOTH lights pop up when I turn on the parking lights...( headlights not lighted ) which they should not do and did not do prior to this.
#2.....Drivers side motor keeps running for about 5-7 seconds after closing AND makes a terrible noise. Works normally on opening.
All I did was remove and later replace the complete assemblies...only disconnected/reconnected one connector...however I did raise and lower the lights manually to get access to the mounting hardware.
Passenger side headlight works as it should..but when I connect the drivers side light I experience the following.
#1.....BOTH lights pop up when I turn on the parking lights...( headlights not lighted ) which they should not do and did not do prior to this.
#2.....Drivers side motor keeps running for about 5-7 seconds after closing AND makes a terrible noise. Works normally on opening.
All I did was remove and later replace the complete assemblies...only disconnected/reconnected one connector...however I did raise and lower the lights manually to get access to the mounting hardware.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,997
Likes: 36
From: Ocean Springs MS
It's the gear inside the headlight motor. It's only plastic and is stripping out, went through the same thing, as I'm sure may others have, a few months after I bought the car. You can fix it yourself fairly cheaply using a new metal gear from here...
http://www.rodneydickman.com/retail_new.html
Good luck.
http://www.rodneydickman.com/retail_new.html
Good luck.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
The gear is stripped
Take a look at Leaftye's thread in the sticky at the top of C5 General. Run down to headlight motors and it'll tell you all you need to know.
Take a look at Leaftye's thread in the sticky at the top of C5 General. Run down to headlight motors and it'll tell you all you need to know.
Terminal Vette Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 46
From: Philly PA
when you make a manual raise to remove them... you have to make sure you are at the same manual spot when you reconnect them.
If you move it manually, car off, the car is trying to not over shoot too far up or down. Its a set motoro pattern. Its still trying to do this pattern BUT with a abnormal starting vector.
Try popping them up, turn the car off. pull battery.
Manually crank them down. Turn off inside light control, even though no power.
Reconnect battery. then see what happens.
See if it is now reset to factory default position.
Also check to see that somehow you didnt blow any fuses.
Might want to pull teh DIC codes if this doesnt work.
If you move it manually, car off, the car is trying to not over shoot too far up or down. Its a set motoro pattern. Its still trying to do this pattern BUT with a abnormal starting vector.
Try popping them up, turn the car off. pull battery.
Manually crank them down. Turn off inside light control, even though no power.
Reconnect battery. then see what happens.
See if it is now reset to factory default position.
Also check to see that somehow you didnt blow any fuses.
Might want to pull teh DIC codes if this doesnt work.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,997
Likes: 36
From: Ocean Springs MS
Not sure if that's correct, I raise mine all the time manually at car shows to show the HID's and just turn the lights on and back off with the switch to lower them at the end of the show with no problems whatsoever.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 6
From: hagerstown md
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
when you make a manual raise to remove them... you have to make sure you are at the same manual spot when you reconnect them.
If you move it manually, car off, the car is trying to not over shoot too far up or down. Its a set motoro pattern. Its still trying to do this pattern BUT with a abnormal starting vector.
Try popping them up, turn the car off. pull battery.
Manually crank them down. Turn off inside light control, even though no power.
Reconnect battery. then see what happens.
See if it is now reset to factory default position.
Also check to see that somehow you didnt blow any fuses.
Might want to pull teh DIC codes if this doesnt work.
If you move it manually, car off, the car is trying to not over shoot too far up or down. Its a set motoro pattern. Its still trying to do this pattern BUT with a abnormal starting vector.
Try popping them up, turn the car off. pull battery.
Manually crank them down. Turn off inside light control, even though no power.
Reconnect battery. then see what happens.
See if it is now reset to factory default position.
Also check to see that somehow you didnt blow any fuses.
Might want to pull teh DIC codes if this doesnt work.
Last edited by sneakelman; Jun 20, 2008 at 02:57 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 6
From: hagerstown md
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Here is the problem..I removed both headlight assemblies to install Depo lights.However after a four week wait I cancelled the order and reinstalled my original lights. NOW THE PROBLEM.....
Passenger side headlight works as it should..but when I connect the drivers side light I experience the following.
#1.....BOTH lights pop up when I turn on the parking lights...( headlights not lighted ) which they should not do and did not do prior to this.
#2.....Drivers side motor keeps running for about 5-7 seconds after closing AND makes a terrible noise. Works normally on opening.
All I did was remove and later replace the complete assemblies...only disconnected/reconnected one connector...however I did raise and lower the lights manually to get access to the mounting hardware.
Passenger side headlight works as it should..but when I connect the drivers side light I experience the following.
#1.....BOTH lights pop up when I turn on the parking lights...( headlights not lighted ) which they should not do and did not do prior to this.
#2.....Drivers side motor keeps running for about 5-7 seconds after closing AND makes a terrible noise. Works normally on opening.
All I did was remove and later replace the complete assemblies...only disconnected/reconnected one connector...however I did raise and lower the lights manually to get access to the mounting hardware.
Now for #1: When you turn the headlights on, do they both light up correctly? Are all connections tight and proper?
I believe, not certain on this, that if you have a headlight go out, it will raise the lights when you turn the parking lights on as a way to let you know there is a light out. Kind of like how the turn signals hyper flash when you have a parking/DRL/brake light out. I could be wrong on that one though.
I seem to remember when I changed mine to HIDs, it did the same thing when I didn't have one side connected properly. Lights would pop up when I hit the parking lights.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,997
Likes: 36
From: Ocean Springs MS
I was thinking it was some kind of voltage problem. I do have HID's in both the foglights as well as the head lights and they are still all working fine otherwise. 
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 6
From: hagerstown md
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Not to hijack this, but what did you do to correct this? Mine have been working fine for over a year, but lately have started popping up when I just turn on the parking lights. If I turn them back off and then back to the parking lights they stay down. I was thinking it was some kind of voltage problem. I do have HID's in both the foglights as well as the head lights and they are still all working fine otherwise.
I was thinking it was some kind of voltage problem. I do have HID's in both the foglights as well as the head lights and they are still all working fine otherwise. 
Mine have been working fine(fogs too) since I got the wiring right. Except the occasional "won't come up" when you turn them on.
I've seen where people have wired in a seperate bulb to trick module. That's my next mod on the to-do-list. Try the seperate bulb wired in mod.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,651
Likes: 9
From: HOW FAST WAS I GOING OFFICER? Los Angeles Hating GM Dealership Service Dept.'s Since Sept. 2004
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
#1: First thing I would do it make sure you're hi-beams aren't on --- check the indicator wand to make sure it's in the full back position...
...#2 is gonna be the gear, I think.
...#2 is gonna be the gear, I think.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,997
Likes: 36
From: Ocean Springs MS
My guess is that your battery is getting old, and not putting the voltage out that it was a year ago. Not that it is going bad, just that is puts out just enough less to make the control module think there is a bulb out. You know how these cars LOVE voltage, and get temperemental when they don't get what they want. And people wonder why we call our vettes "she".
Mine have been working fine(fogs too) since I got the wiring right. Except the occasional "won't come up" when you turn them on.
I've seen where people have wired in a seperate bulb to trick module. That's my next mod on the to-do-list. Try the seperate bulb wired in mod.
Mine have been working fine(fogs too) since I got the wiring right. Except the occasional "won't come up" when you turn them on.
I've seen where people have wired in a seperate bulb to trick module. That's my next mod on the to-do-list. Try the seperate bulb wired in mod.
Good point on the battery, thanks. That reminded me that I did leave the interior lights on all night a while back and battery was too weak to start the car the next day.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 395
Likes: 0
Yes you were right..can't explain it but the gears did strip out at the same time that i was reinstalling the lights..and yes the stripped gear did in fact cause the lights to pop up in the parked setting..replaced the nylon gear with the bronze one and now all is well..Thanks to everyone for your help.
grayfox2424
grayfox2424