Headlight problems Not a clue?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: Gainesville va
Headlight problems Not a clue?
I have been having problems with the headlights on my 98 coupe. When I turn on the headlight switch, the lights come on but the lights will not pop up. I can manually crank them up. I thought it was the gears. So I opened the motors up and the plastic gears were almost brand new. Any ideas where to look next. Should I assume that this is some type of electrical problem and where should I start to look to fix the problem? Thanks for the help? 
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: Vallejo CA
More on the non-Popup Headlights?
I have a very similar problem, but only with the drivers side headlight; it comes on but doesn't come up unless I crank it by hand.
There was and is no gear grinding or headlight motors running or other funny noises after rasing or lowering the lights. It simply stopped working tonight.
A quick fuse check, the 10 watt'er under the hood looks OK. Is it readily apparent when one of these "mini-fuses" fries?
The electrical connections to the headlight assembly seem to be in good shape.
I'd be very interested in how this saga turned out for you.
There was and is no gear grinding or headlight motors running or other funny noises after rasing or lowering the lights. It simply stopped working tonight.
A quick fuse check, the 10 watt'er under the hood looks OK. Is it readily apparent when one of these "mini-fuses" fries?
The electrical connections to the headlight assembly seem to be in good shape.
I'd be very interested in how this saga turned out for you.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I blew a fuse when I was working on the headlights. I found the offender in the passenger wheel well fuse panel
Another member reckons its A6.
Give that a try.
Another member reckons its A6.
Give that a try.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: Vallejo CA
Now it Gets Weird
This morning I drove to work before dawn using both headlights, the drivers side raised manually and the passenger side popped up normally. When I got to work I shut off the lights and they both went down. Suprised but happy I hit the switch to turn the lights back on, they both popped up!
I shut the lights off and again they both went down but this time I noticed a horrid groaning sound that lasted about 5-10 seconds, coming from the drivers side light.
When I left work this evening, both lights popped up, and when I got home and turned them off they both lowered, again accompanied by that horrible sound from the drivers side light.
What the heck is going on? Are the gears on the drivers side stripping and I just didn't hear that noise before?
Merry Christmas to all!
I shut the lights off and again they both went down but this time I noticed a horrid groaning sound that lasted about 5-10 seconds, coming from the drivers side light.
When I left work this evening, both lights popped up, and when I got home and turned them off they both lowered, again accompanied by that horrible sound from the drivers side light.
What the heck is going on? Are the gears on the drivers side stripping and I just didn't hear that noise before?
Merry Christmas to all!
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Life Time NCM #2196
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 82,592
Likes: 1,710
From: Converse TX
Originally Posted by Kevin G
This morning I drove to work before dawn using both headlights, the drivers side raised manually and the passenger side popped up normally. When I got to work I shut off the lights and they both went down. Suprised but happy I hit the switch to turn the lights back on, they both popped up!
I shut the lights off and again they both went down but this time I noticed a horrid groaning sound that lasted about 5-10 seconds, coming from the drivers side light.
When I left work this evening, both lights popped up, and when I got home and turned them off they both lowered, again accompanied by that horrible sound from the drivers side light.
What the heck is going on? Are the gears on the drivers side stripping and I just didn't hear that noise before?
Merry Christmas to all!
I shut the lights off and again they both went down but this time I noticed a horrid groaning sound that lasted about 5-10 seconds, coming from the drivers side light.
When I left work this evening, both lights popped up, and when I got home and turned them off they both lowered, again accompanied by that horrible sound from the drivers side light.
What the heck is going on? Are the gears on the drivers side stripping and I just didn't hear that noise before?
Merry Christmas to all!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,230
Likes: 14
From: Mandeville Louisiana
even if a fuse looks good it can still be bad............ Had this problem before it kicked my butt for a while. My headlights sometimes do that I just hit the motor with something and it starts working. My friend in his vette had the problem his would grind the dealer replaced one of the motors a few times. I think it was something to do with a relay tho.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,613
Likes: 0
From: Spring Tx
On mine it was the contacts in the stalk[the car had literally not been driven at night for more than two years]turning the lights on and off about a dozen times got them to working.If its only one headlight[no grinding or groaning] check the headlight motor ground connector[they get corroded] there is one on each side[just aft of the headlight housing] and it is a flat multi-wire plug that supplies grounds for several components.Grinding or groaning indicates a worn or stripped set of gears[brass replacements are available], stock are plastic..A blown fuse would indicated a shorted or bad headlight motor[replacement of that part necessary]although a jammed gear might also cause a fuse to blow.For the dyslexic among you, try not to turn on the lights with the wiper stalk.
7th Gear
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
headlight fix?
DMORAN, try this link, I bought a headlight gear from this guy. He was very helpful throughout my plight, JC
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/97-04...spagenameZWDVW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/97-04...spagenameZWDVW
Pro
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
From: Dover AFB DE
I know the 97 and 98 have a headlighmodule under the pass headlight. It can cause some strange headlight actions. When I worked on my friends 98 the motor burned out the module-about 50 bucks on ebay bet be careful, it may be bad. As I recall there are two fuses in the underhood fuse box. One for each side headlight.
Instructor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 213
Likes: 1
From: Parkesburg PA
ANTIVINUM,
The module you and jjcslynn are talking about is very easy to remove.
Raise the light, remove the black plastic cover around the lights, remove the painted headlight lid as a caution.
You can reach down under the light. Pull off both wire plugs and with a 10 mm socket, remove two nuts and it will lift out at an angle. Took me about 10 minutes to get it out.
Does anyone know the name of this part or better yet, a part number.
The module you and jjcslynn are talking about is very easy to remove.
Raise the light, remove the black plastic cover around the lights, remove the painted headlight lid as a caution.
You can reach down under the light. Pull off both wire plugs and with a 10 mm socket, remove two nuts and it will lift out at an angle. Took me about 10 minutes to get it out.
Does anyone know the name of this part or better yet, a part number.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: Granada Hills CA
My money would be on the gears starting to strip. This just happened on my 2000. I was getting a grinding noise from the passenger head lamp when I shut the lights off and they went down. The noise lasted for 5-10 seconds. Anyway, even with the gears starting to strip, I was able to crank the passenger headlamp up and down. I just finished replacing the OEM plastic gear with a brass gear I purchased from rodneydickman.com. He sells a kit with instructions on how to do this. Here is the link: http://www.rodneydickman.com/retail_new.html
The plastic gear had just started to strip and only one tooth had completed sheered off.
The plastic gear had just started to strip and only one tooth had completed sheered off.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
From: Dover AFB DE
Originally Posted by W.A.M.
ANTIVINUM,
The module you and jjcslynn are talking about is very easy to remove.
Raise the light, remove the black plastic cover around the lights, remove the painted headlight lid as a caution.
You can reach down under the light. Pull off both wire plugs and with a 10 mm socket, remove two nuts and it will lift out at an angle. Took me about 10 minutes to get it out.
Does anyone know the name of this part or better yet, a part number.
The module you and jjcslynn are talking about is very easy to remove.
Raise the light, remove the black plastic cover around the lights, remove the painted headlight lid as a caution.
You can reach down under the light. Pull off both wire plugs and with a 10 mm socket, remove two nuts and it will lift out at an angle. Took me about 10 minutes to get it out.
Does anyone know the name of this part or better yet, a part number.