HELP - Headlight Door Motor Replace
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,753
Likes: 267
HELP - Headlight Door Motor Replace
The driver's side headlight door motor seems to have crapped out on my '02 coupe. Can anyone offer some advice on how to replace it? I see two bolts with nuts on the back side and a third that I can't tell if there is a nut ... or not. It's pretty much burried. Do I need to take the entire door assembly apart? Looks like a big job for what should be a minor repair.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 100
Likes: 5
I have done it before, but it was awhile back...
Off the top of my head I would say:
put your car up on ramps.
Manually raise your headlight
Take the Plastic Bezel off the Headlight
Remove the Plastic Panel on the underside of your car so you can access the assembly from underneath the car.
If at all possible trace the mount with a grease pencil or crayon so you don't have to realign the assembly upon installation.
Remove the 4 or 5 bolts that secure it to the frame.
Lift out the entire assembly and then exchange the motor.
Reverse the proccess
Off the top of my head I would say:
put your car up on ramps.
Manually raise your headlight
Take the Plastic Bezel off the Headlight
Remove the Plastic Panel on the underside of your car so you can access the assembly from underneath the car.
If at all possible trace the mount with a grease pencil or crayon so you don't have to realign the assembly upon installation.
Remove the 4 or 5 bolts that secure it to the frame.
Lift out the entire assembly and then exchange the motor.
Reverse the proccess
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 299
Likes: 2
From: John's Creek Georgia
It's not a big job at all. I went to the metal gears on both of mine a few months back. One of mine went. I did one and found it was so easy I pulled the other while I was at it. This is the thread that helped me. couldn't get much easier with information like this. You may not be changing the gears but the thread walks you through changing the motor as well. Sounds like a gear to me as well but I am no authority on it. Might as well pull it apart while it's out. the stealership wants an insane amount for the assembly. Good Luck!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1767764
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1767764
Last edited by bgray; Jul 16, 2008 at 08:25 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio Texas
I replaced the gear in mime last week end. Very easy to remove the whole headlight assembly rather than just removing the motor.
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...d.php?t=102908
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...d.php?t=102908
Last edited by coxjajb; Jul 16, 2008 at 09:46 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
Here are the stages my bad headlight gear went through:
1) Headlight would not open all the time, you had to try several times.
2) Headlight would rarely open, but if you turned the manual **** a little, it would usually open.
3) Headlight started making a machinegun noise when closing for 5 seconds.
4) Headlight would pop up with just parking lights on.
The headlight module controls opening and closing. It works by sensing the current spike when your headlights hit the open and close stops. BUT, if your gear strips at the opening or closing position, there is no current spike. A timer in the circuit then turns off the motor, but the headlights sometime get out of synch.
Motors RARELY go bad.
Headlight Modules RARELY go bad.
I would bet it is your gear !
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Racer
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 422
Likes: 3
From: Palatine IL
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Gotta say my diagnosis would be the same as the other guys
Heres a diagram that might help you if you do decide to replace it. Its pretty obvious how the thing goes together from the pic:
Heres a diagram that might help you if you do decide to replace it. Its pretty obvious how the thing goes together from the pic:
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: Eaton Rapids Michigan
I had much the same problem, changed the gear and then still not working turned out to be the control module. 
Luck had alot to do with it cause I found the part local and quick fix. No grinding noise? Chances are module.
Do a search Junkman had a really good discription of the removal DIY
Ed
Luck had alot to do with it cause I found the part local and quick fix. No grinding noise? Chances are module.Do a search Junkman had a really good discription of the removal DIY
Ed
Let us know how it turns out.
