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One headlight stays down

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Old Sep 11, 2018 | 02:18 AM
  #1  
Terje.Larsson's Avatar
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Default One headlight stays down

Hey all
Have had my c5 since May and then tested my headlight and booth was working.
Now yesterday was the first time since I tested ... no light went up;
Tested a few times and suddenly left light went up .. but right light
stays in the down position .. both lights are working so the problem is that it does not go up.
Im not that good at troubleshooting so thought if someone could tell me a little bit in the troubleshooting
Thanks in advance.
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Old Sep 11, 2018 | 09:22 AM
  #2  
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Do a search for bump stops, buy a few and replace. They're little beige plastic caps you can easily see when you have the hood open. There's 4 per side, but you most likely won't need all 8.

I've got several just sitting here on my desk.

Also, you can move them around since they all use different contact areas. Just play musical chairs with em and you'll see the spots they rest on are in different locations depending on which one you're looking at. That will also get you back in business short term. But they get brittle over time so for the few bucks they cost, I just replaced em.



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Old Sep 11, 2018 | 07:10 PM
  #3  
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Originally Posted by Terje.Larsson
...no light went up;
Tested a few times and suddenly left light went up .. but right light stays in the down position .. both lights are working so the problem is that it does not go up...
Try to manually open the right headlight using the **** on the motor. Just turn it until the door begins to open, and then go and turn them ON with the switch to see if both go up now.

If manually relieving the pressure allows it to work and the motor works fine closing, while not producing the well known "rat-tat-tat" noise, chances are your motor is OK and, as mentioned above by K-Spaz, it is just the bump stops that limit the closing action what needs to be replaced (even though they might look fine to the naked eye). The ones that limit the opening action are probably fine, but I would replace all 4 (it might be a good idea to do the same to the left side because you mentioned that it failed to open the first couple of times as well).

The way the headlights work is not based on predetermined positions. When the headlight doors open or close and they reach the end of their travel, they press against the corresponding rubber bump stops. As a result the current through the headlight motors increases and that is sensed by the Headlight Door Control Module, which in turns cuts power to the motors.

If there are missing or damaged bump stops, or they are scored too deep, the motor might keep working longer than really needed, which could result in over torque. If that happens, the next time the motor is operated it would require more torque to perform the action. That would mean more current than normal and the possible intervention of the Headlight Control Module, shutting again the motor before the door actually moves.

If you need replacements you can order them from here.

In addition to that, there is a TSB for the driver's side headlight motor that calls for shimming it.

Last edited by GCG; Sep 11, 2018 at 07:16 PM.
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Old Sep 12, 2018 | 03:31 AM
  #4  
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Originally Posted by GCG
Try to manually open the right headlight using the **** on the motor. Just turn it until the door begins to open, and then go and turn them ON with the switch to see if both go up now.

If manually relieving the pressure allows it to work and the motor works fine closing, while not producing the well known "rat-tat-tat" noise, chances are your motor is OK and, as mentioned above by K-Spaz, it is just the bump stops that limit the closing action what needs to be replaced (even though they might look fine to the naked eye). The ones that limit the opening action are probably fine, but I would replace all 4 (it might be a good idea to do the same to the left side because you mentioned that it failed to open the first couple of times as well).

The way the headlights work is not based on predetermined positions. When the headlight doors open or close and they reach the end of their travel, they press against the corresponding rubber bump stops. As a result the current through the headlight motors increases and that is sensed by the Headlight Door Control Module, which in turns cuts power to the motors.

If there are missing or damaged bump stops, or they are scored too deep, the motor might keep working longer than really needed, which could result in over torque. If that happens, the next time the motor is operated it would require more torque to perform the action. That would mean more current than normal and the possible intervention of the Headlight Control Module, shutting again the motor before the door actually moves.

If you need replacements you can order them from here.

In addition to that, there is a TSB for the driver's side headlight motor that calls for shimming it.
==========================
Hi and Thanks
Yesterday i manually opend the right light… after that i noticed that both lights was working up and down..
But the right one now make the noise "rat-tat-tat" when going down
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Old Sep 12, 2018 | 08:27 AM
  #5  
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Originally Posted by Terje.Larsson
==========================
Hi and Thanks
Yesterday i manually opend the right light… after that i noticed that both lights was working up and down..
But the right one now make the noise "rat-tat-tat" when going down
Then you'll probably need this:
Amazon Amazon
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Old Sep 12, 2018 | 10:28 AM
  #6  
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Originally Posted by dinocajic
Then you'll probably need this:


Originally Posted by Terje.Larsson
==========================
Hi and Thanks
Yesterday i manually opend the right light… after that i noticed that both lights was working up and down..
But the right one now make the noise "rat-tat-tat" when going down
It seems you probably have a broken plastic gear in the right headlight. Considering the first round of symptoms, it would be wise to replace as well all the rubber bump stops in both sides. You can get them here.

Get a kit like this one (pay attention because there are 2 different kits: one for "97 to early 2000" and another for "late 2000 to 2004") and follow these step-by-step directions. You'll save money and they will last forever

There is a TSB, that calls for shimming the driver's side motor. The parts needed for this are included in the above mentioned kit (#2 in diagram below).


Last edited by GCG; Sep 12, 2018 at 01:23 PM.
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Old Sep 13, 2018 | 11:58 AM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by Terje.Larsson
Yesterday i manually opend the right light… after that i noticed that both lights was working up and down..
But the right one now make the noise "rat-tat-tat" when going down
You need a new headlight gear. When you manually turned it the teeth were able to eventually grab the worm drive and lift up. The sound you're hearing when turning headlight off is the missing teeth from the gear grinding against the remaining teeth and the worm drive. It grinds because of the very fast speed of the gear jostling everything around as opposed to the slow speed of turning it manually.

Gear is ~$50 and you can replace it in an afternoon.
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Old Sep 13, 2018 | 12:13 PM
  #8  
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Originally Posted by dinocajic
I agree the stock piece is plastic & that stock piece only works so long.. I had to replace one also..
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Old Sep 14, 2018 | 02:35 AM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by robert miller
I agree the stock piece is plastic & that stock piece only works so long.. I had to replace one also..
Ok Thanks
I got this link erlier ..
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1"><span style=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1" /> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
but they dont send to Sweden .. so i have to look for other site
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Old Sep 14, 2018 | 09:24 AM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Terje.Larsson
Ok Thanks
I got this link erlier .. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
but they dont send to Sweden .. so i have to look for other site
Did you check the links I gave you in Post 6?
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Old Sep 14, 2018 | 09:44 AM
  #11  
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I will check that too Thanks.
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Old Sep 14, 2018 | 10:21 AM
  #12  
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Another option is if you send it to a forum member and he or she can ship it to you privately. I can help if that's the option you want to go
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Old Sep 14, 2018 | 11:55 AM
  #13  
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You could try removing the lift arm off the motor, turn the motor 180 degrees using the manual ****, reattach the lift arm and see if it now works. I would also flip the little plastic bump stops 180 degrees while your at it. There are 4 on each headlight assembly.
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Old Sep 17, 2018 | 02:45 AM
  #14  
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Originally Posted by helga203
Another option is if you send it to a forum member and he or she can ship it to you privately. I can help if that's the option you want to go
Thanks Helga203.. Thats a good idea .. i will get back to you if i order one.. so i can have your adress
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Old Sep 17, 2018 | 01:23 PM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by Old School
You could try removing the lift arm off the motor, turn the motor 180 degrees using the manual ****, reattach the lift arm and see if it now works. I would also flip the little plastic bump stops 180 degrees while your at it. There are 4 on each headlight assembly.
Did the same to mine--works fine now -- cost $0. You need to get better access by removing the black cover on the headlight. I needed a small pry bar to remove the arm from the motor.
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