Headlight motor or headlight control module the culprit?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 202
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From: OKC Ok
Headlight motor or headlight control module the culprit?
I am having some troubles figuring out my drivers side headlight issue on my 2001 vette and wanted to ask for your guys/gals opinion if you didn't mind.
I took apart my headlight motor today and was going to install a new brass gear that I bought from Rodney Dickman's website only to find that my current OEM gear looked just fine and the rubber piece as well... I was a bit hesitant if that was the issue at first anyways since it was never making the typical grinding noise that you would usually get with a stripped gear.
Here is the symptom I have been experiencing: The driver's side headlight has been the only one acting up. It will intermittently not open, or close. When it is NOT opening/closing it doesn't seem to be making any abnormal noise. When it does open/close, sometimes it will open/close about half speed (slower) than it normally would... I am wondering if the motor might be going out since the issue has only occurred with one headlight. My thinking is if it's the headlight control module going out I would have weirder issues and likely a problem with both headlights, but I am not so sure.... QUESTION: If the headlight control module is going out has anyone ever heard of it only causing a problem with only one of the headlights intermittently not opening/closing or would that typically cause problems with both headlights?
Also, I may be making this up in my head, but I feel like for some reason when it is colder outside the issue occurs more frequently. That may just be a coincidence though, I am not sure... i.e.; most mornings it will not open. However later that evening when it is warmer outside it may actually open up. Plus I never had this issue before winter (just bought the car this summer).
I am tempted to pull the trigger on a new headlight motor but wanted to get someone else's opinion on whether they thought this sounds like more of an issue with the motor or the control module.
Thank you for your time! - Dave
I took apart my headlight motor today and was going to install a new brass gear that I bought from Rodney Dickman's website only to find that my current OEM gear looked just fine and the rubber piece as well... I was a bit hesitant if that was the issue at first anyways since it was never making the typical grinding noise that you would usually get with a stripped gear.
Here is the symptom I have been experiencing: The driver's side headlight has been the only one acting up. It will intermittently not open, or close. When it is NOT opening/closing it doesn't seem to be making any abnormal noise. When it does open/close, sometimes it will open/close about half speed (slower) than it normally would... I am wondering if the motor might be going out since the issue has only occurred with one headlight. My thinking is if it's the headlight control module going out I would have weirder issues and likely a problem with both headlights, but I am not so sure.... QUESTION: If the headlight control module is going out has anyone ever heard of it only causing a problem with only one of the headlights intermittently not opening/closing or would that typically cause problems with both headlights?
Also, I may be making this up in my head, but I feel like for some reason when it is colder outside the issue occurs more frequently. That may just be a coincidence though, I am not sure... i.e.; most mornings it will not open. However later that evening when it is warmer outside it may actually open up. Plus I never had this issue before winter (just bought the car this summer).
I am tempted to pull the trigger on a new headlight motor but wanted to get someone else's opinion on whether they thought this sounds like more of an issue with the motor or the control module.
Thank you for your time! - Dave
Last edited by DavesC4; Jan 19, 2014 at 05:52 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,091
Likes: 17
It is the plastic case bro. the worm gear isn't supported sufficiently on the outboard side of the gear and the whole thing flexes up and away from the plastic cog gear. You can search around for what other people have done to fix this.
I am having some troubles figuring out my drivers side headlight issue on my 2001 vette and wanted to ask for your guys/gals opinion if you didn't mind.
I took apart my headlight motor today and was going to install a new brass gear that I bought from Rodney Dickman's website only to find that my current OEM gear looked just fine and the rubber piece as well... I was a bit hesitant if that was the issue at first anyways since it was never making the typical grinding noise that you would usually get with a stripped gear.
Here is the symptom I have been experiencing: The driver's side headlight has been the only one acting up. It will intermittently not open, or close. When it is NOT opening/closing it doesn't seem to be making any abnormal noise. When it does open/close, sometimes it will open/close about half speed (slower) than it normally would... I am wondering if the motor might be going out since the issue has only occurred with one headlight. My thinking is if it's the headlight control module going out I would have weirder issues and likely a problem with both headlights, but I am not so sure.... QUESTION: If the headlight control module is going out has anyone ever heard of it only causing a problem with only one of the headlights intermittently not opening/closing or would that typically cause problems with both headlights?
Also, I may be making this up in my head, but I feel like for some reason when it is colder outside the issue occurs more frequently. That may just be a coincidence though, I am not sure... i.e.; most mornings it will not open. However later that evening when it is warmer outside it may actually open up. Plus I never had this issue before winter (just bought the car this summer).
I am tempted to pull the trigger on a new headlight motor but wanted to get someone else's opinion on whether they thought this sounds like more of an issue with the motor or the control module.
Thank you for your time! - Dave
I took apart my headlight motor today and was going to install a new brass gear that I bought from Rodney Dickman's website only to find that my current OEM gear looked just fine and the rubber piece as well... I was a bit hesitant if that was the issue at first anyways since it was never making the typical grinding noise that you would usually get with a stripped gear.
Here is the symptom I have been experiencing: The driver's side headlight has been the only one acting up. It will intermittently not open, or close. When it is NOT opening/closing it doesn't seem to be making any abnormal noise. When it does open/close, sometimes it will open/close about half speed (slower) than it normally would... I am wondering if the motor might be going out since the issue has only occurred with one headlight. My thinking is if it's the headlight control module going out I would have weirder issues and likely a problem with both headlights, but I am not so sure.... QUESTION: If the headlight control module is going out has anyone ever heard of it only causing a problem with only one of the headlights intermittently not opening/closing or would that typically cause problems with both headlights?
Also, I may be making this up in my head, but I feel like for some reason when it is colder outside the issue occurs more frequently. That may just be a coincidence though, I am not sure... i.e.; most mornings it will not open. However later that evening when it is warmer outside it may actually open up. Plus I never had this issue before winter (just bought the car this summer).
I am tempted to pull the trigger on a new headlight motor but wanted to get someone else's opinion on whether they thought this sounds like more of an issue with the motor or the control module.
Thank you for your time! - Dave
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: OKC Ok
Thanks for the tip, I will look into that.
