Headlight Motor Problem
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Headlight Motor Problem
I have an 04 C5 it was in an accident and broke my drivers side headlight motor. I just replaced it with a used one. Now when I turn on the lights the passenger side goes up but not the drivers side. Then if I turn off the lights the passenger goes down and the drivers goes up. I've tried to manual turn the drivers side down to match the passenger side but when I turn them on again it does the same thing. Help mixed up lights!!!!!!!!!!
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I have an 04 C5 it was in an accident and broke my drivers side headlight motor. I just replaced it with a used one. Now when I turn on the lights the passenger side goes up but not the drivers side. Then if I turn off the lights the passenger goes down and the drivers goes up. I've tried to manual turn the drivers side down to match the passenger side but when I turn them on again it does the same thing. Help mixed up lights!!!!!!!!!!
HTH
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
That arm also has an offset bend, or "dog leg" to it, and if it were flipped over incorrectly, I don't think the other end would reach, plus I think the arm would hit part of the mechanism and not move freely.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Boise ID
It is possible to attach the arm to the motor with the “elbow” pointing in the wrong direction. Not sure this would cause the problems the OP is experiencing but it does restrict the movement range.
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
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Headlight Motor Problem
Yes I am referring to that arm that hooks directly to the motor. You are right it can fit either way but the mechanism hits the stops and won't move. So it can only fit correctly one way. I have tried turning the motor 180 degrees and more and nothing seems to make any difference. Still puzzled any more ideas or am I maybe doing something wrong?
Team Owner
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Yes I am referring to that arm that hooks directly to the motor. You are right it can fit either way but the mechanism hits the stops and won't move. So it can only fit correctly one way. I have tried turning the motor 180 degrees and more and nothing seems to make any difference. Still puzzled any more ideas or am I maybe doing something wrong?
There's also the early style/late style motors to consider too. As far as I know, the only difference is the main drive-gear cover and the way it's attached. I don't think there is any other difference, but I could be wrong. There are of course differences in right side/left side motors, but I don't think a right side will even mount on the left.
Food for thought.
Try a search.
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Found this:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...r-problem.html
Even if this not your specific problem, it doesn't hurt good to be aware of.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...r-problem.html
Even if this not your specific problem, it doesn't hurt good to be aware of.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 233
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From: Austin Texas
I'd take off bezzles on both sides of the car and manually raise and lower the lights to convince myself the linkages are operating identically. If it's not the linkage doing something bizarre it must be electrical.
When the headlights are raised the headlight module sends positive voltage to one wire of the motor and grounds the other. When the lights are lowered the opposite occurs. The OP said his car was in an accident. If the new (used) motor was for some reason spliced into the existing wiring it's possible the motors wires are just backward.
When the headlights are raised the headlight module sends positive voltage to one wire of the motor and grounds the other. When the lights are lowered the opposite occurs. The OP said his car was in an accident. If the new (used) motor was for some reason spliced into the existing wiring it's possible the motors wires are just backward.
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I'd take off bezzles on both sides of the car and manually raise and lower the lights to convince myself the linkages are operating identically. If it's not the linkage doing something bizarre it must be electrical.
When the headlights are raised the headlight module sends positive voltage to one wire of the motor and grounds the other. When the lights are lowered the opposite occurs. The OP said his car was in an accident. If the new (used) motor was for some reason spliced into the existing wiring it's possible the motors wires are just backward.
When the headlights are raised the headlight module sends positive voltage to one wire of the motor and grounds the other. When the lights are lowered the opposite occurs. The OP said his car was in an accident. If the new (used) motor was for some reason spliced into the existing wiring it's possible the motors wires are just backward.
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Headlight Motor Problem
thanks guys. I read the article about the headlight motor needing washers to move the motor back so the arm will hit the stops. This could definitely be the problem and I will try but mine does not go down then come back up half way like those guys said theirs did. Mine just go opposite of each other when passenger is up with light on drivers side is down with light on. When drivers side goes up light goes off and passengers side goes down like it should with light off. Could this still be the arm not hitting the stops correctly so the motor does not do what its suppose to do. Still baffled?
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Headlight Motor Problem
I don't think it would be a wiring problem when the car was in the accident it was not hit hard enough to do hardly any damage. Everything works with the headlight coming on and off. I will sure check.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Santa Maria Ca.
My old school thinking tells me the 2 wires to the motor are reversed-possibly installed into the "molex" connector in the wrong spots when the assembly was manufactured.
IF it were mine,I'd switch the 2 wires and see what happens .
Check this: the green wire to the headlight motor should be the outermost wire on the wide connector that plugs into the loom on the top of the frame rail,and the gray wire should be the second one in (both sides,driver and passenger)
Check the location of the green wire on the side that works correctly,see if it's position matches the green wire position on the replacement.
If these wires are reversed on your new motor,there's your problem-and you need to switch 'em.
And good luck
IF it were mine,I'd switch the 2 wires and see what happens .
Check this: the green wire to the headlight motor should be the outermost wire on the wide connector that plugs into the loom on the top of the frame rail,and the gray wire should be the second one in (both sides,driver and passenger)
Check the location of the green wire on the side that works correctly,see if it's position matches the green wire position on the replacement.
If these wires are reversed on your new motor,there's your problem-and you need to switch 'em.
And good luck
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Headlight Motor Problem
I just checked my wires and the gray and green one have been switched. They are not in the same position as the passenger side wires just as Carcass suggested. Now what tool do I need to get the prongs out of the gray plug and switch them. Don't want to damage them!!!!!! Thanks
