BC, got another electrical gremlin for you!!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,918
Likes: 1,879
From: Hot Springs AR
BC, got another electrical gremlin for you!!
"Attention shoppers, will Mr. Bill Curlee please go to the Corvette Forum Electrical department, one of our members has a question for you."
About a week ago my '00 FRC headlights started doing something I haven't been able to find via searching the forum or digging manually.
When I turn the parking lights on, both headlights will open. The lights themselves aren't on until you turn the lights off completely, then they both close normally.
So, how should I go about isolating the problem? I think the problem is either in the headlight control module or the turn signal stalk (shudder). I don't think it's a relay, but I'm not sure about that either.
Help!
TIA, and have a good one,
Mike
About a week ago my '00 FRC headlights started doing something I haven't been able to find via searching the forum or digging manually.
When I turn the parking lights on, both headlights will open. The lights themselves aren't on until you turn the lights off completely, then they both close normally.
So, how should I go about isolating the problem? I think the problem is either in the headlight control module or the turn signal stalk (shudder). I don't think it's a relay, but I'm not sure about that either.
Help!
TIA, and have a good one,
Mike
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 248
Likes: 2
From: Aurora il
Good guess is the turn signal stock assembly, since the switch that makes the lights go up is inside this assembly. Auto zone sells the stock for around $150.00 guesstimate. I had a problem where the head lights would not go up. Had to replace the trun signal assembly.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Its funny but in England we have to have parking lights in the headlight cluster so I have Euro lights with a tap into the parking lights in the turn signal cluster and a bulb in the headlight cluster.
Mine works the normal way and tha lights stay down on park. I have to go to headlights and back off to leave the parking lights on and the lamps up. I wish mine did what yours does.
I think I've heard in the past that its a headlight motor problem. If you can live with it it may be the cheapest fix
Mine works the normal way and tha lights stay down on park. I have to go to headlights and back off to leave the parking lights on and the lamps up. I wish mine did what yours does.
I think I've heard in the past that its a headlight motor problem. If you can live with it it may be the cheapest fix
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,918
Likes: 1,879
From: Hot Springs AR
Problem solved, but I don't understand the relationship!
rpm462, you got it.
One thing I didn't mention in the original post was the fact that the passenger side headlight gear had started slipping at the bottom of the closing cycle.
So, I fixed that problem by removing the actuator arm, rotating the motor drive 180 degrees, and reassembling. BTW, this only works if the drive gear has just started slipping; if it's been allowed to grind for a while usually the gear is too damaged and the only solution is to fix the gear (or buy a new actuator).
Anyway, now the headlights work just fine. I don't understand why, but who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?
Thanks for the help, and have a good one,
Mike
One thing I didn't mention in the original post was the fact that the passenger side headlight gear had started slipping at the bottom of the closing cycle.
So, I fixed that problem by removing the actuator arm, rotating the motor drive 180 degrees, and reassembling. BTW, this only works if the drive gear has just started slipping; if it's been allowed to grind for a while usually the gear is too damaged and the only solution is to fix the gear (or buy a new actuator).
Anyway, now the headlights work just fine. I don't understand why, but who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?
Thanks for the help, and have a good one,
Mike
