I have a 99 coupe with a problem headlight door.

The driver side headlight door would not pop up occasionally and had an slight excess amount of up and down play so I suspected the gear even though the motor did not spin like worn or missing teeth. I changed the gear and found the gear was ok but the rubber cushion was very damaged from age I guess. New gear and rubber cushion was installed and it worked 3 or 4 times and then did not come up again. If I turn the **** not even an 1/8 turn it would work correctly, occasionally it will not lower either but slightly turning the **** it would again work for 3 or 4 times. I then suspected the motor had a bad spot on the comm. or a brush that was dirty. I took the motor apart (not something for the faint hearted for sure) and the comm. was clean and the brushes look good. Back together and the same situation, it will work 3 to 5 times then does not, but turning the **** the very slight amount will make it work again. There is NO bind in the headlight frame, works very smooth. I flipped the bumper stops so new surfaces for the linkage arm to contact trying to eliminate any over travel of the motor arm. I understand the theory of it being a "stall" motor and I don't think it is a modual. The motor turns as freely as the passenger side and has about the same end play as the passenger motor shaft does.
Any help would be appreciated.

Jerry

 

Wow, no one with an idea of what is wrong with the intermittent headlight door? Gear is good and I do not see a bad spot on the motor comm. or brushes. When I turn on the lights if the door does not raise and it just turn the motor **** just a fraction it will spin and the door will raise. Or if I turn the manual **** 1/8 turn before turning on the lights it will always raise. And may work 3 to 5 times before failing?
Any help?
Thanks, Jerry

 

Let me know if you figure it out. Mine does the exact same thing and, like you, I haven't been able to figure out why.

 

I have tried everything I can think of, cleaning the armature shaft, and brushes I thought would do it. If I turn on the headlights and the driver side motor does not spin and I just barely turn the know it will spin quickly and freely and the headlight will actuate. Or if it does not come up and I turn the headlights off and rotate the **** 20 degrees or so and turn them back on the headlight will come up leaving me to suspect a dead spot in the motor. I checked the wiring when I had the motor apart and didn't see anything.
I will keep working on it but was hoping for someone who had discovered the cure.....
Thanks, Jerry

 

Can you disassemble the motor, turn the armature or gear 180 degrees, and reassemble? (I.e. get the "dead spot" away from the 'down' position.)

 

Actually I tried this in a different manner. The motor is a major PIA to take apart and reassemble. Very strong magnets and a thrust washer assembly in the top of the motor shaft. The **** end of the motor. I painted a small dot on the ****, removed the assembly and gear. Indexed the **** about 90 degrees and reassembled everything. Still the same result. Man, I am stumped. I don't think it is the module. When the headlight switch is turned and the headlight stays down and it turn the **** the slightest amount it spins very fast and the headlight raises. Replacing the motor is pretty expensive and I would like to find the problem if I can.