Intermittant headlight door
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 931
Likes: 35
From: Rowlett, Texas
Intermittant headlight door
Well, got one headlight that won't always open on the first try, after not being actuated for a couple of weeks or so.
Don't think it's the gears or mechanicals, as I've redone those in the last few years. And when it does open, on the 3rd or 4th try, it then functions great multiple times in a row.
So, I'm thinking electrical, wiring, a switch contact point, or similar.
Any suggestions on where to look first?
Is there a relay in the headlight area, or is it all hiding up under the dash or floorboard somewhere difficult?
Tks,
DG
Don't think it's the gears or mechanicals, as I've redone those in the last few years. And when it does open, on the 3rd or 4th try, it then functions great multiple times in a row.
So, I'm thinking electrical, wiring, a switch contact point, or similar.
Any suggestions on where to look first?
Is there a relay in the headlight area, or is it all hiding up under the dash or floorboard somewhere difficult?
Tks,
DG
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
Check the electrical connection from the motor to the Control Module. I had similiar issues right after having the headlight motor replaced. I unfastened the connector and made sure all were tight, squirted some CRC MAF Sensor Cleaner and now all is good.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 931
Likes: 35
From: Rowlett, Texas
Thanks, Guys. Some good places to look.
- Don't think it's the contact on the turn-signal switch, since the left light works perfectly every time, and certainly they are run by the same contact on that switch?
- Never used the brass gears: just flipped the original gears over to expose new teeth and went 10 more years. When those teeth wore out another 10 years later, installed new cheap plastic
gears and started the process over again. Not the gears though, when it fails to open, the motor never even twitches.
- Will definitely check the connectors. Assume the motors have brushes? That could certainly cause the intermittant behavior. Ouch! $$$
DG
- Don't think it's the contact on the turn-signal switch, since the left light works perfectly every time, and certainly they are run by the same contact on that switch?
- Never used the brass gears: just flipped the original gears over to expose new teeth and went 10 more years. When those teeth wore out another 10 years later, installed new cheap plastic
gears and started the process over again. Not the gears though, when it fails to open, the motor never even twitches.
- Will definitely check the connectors. Assume the motors have brushes? That could certainly cause the intermittant behavior. Ouch! $$$
DG
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
Thanks, Guys. Some good places to look.
- Don't think it's the contact on the turn-signal switch, since the left light works perfectly every time, and certainly they are run by the same contact on that switch?
- Never used the brass gears: just flipped the original gears over to expose new teeth and went 10 more years. When those teeth wore out another 10 years later, installed new cheap plastic
gears and started the process over again. Not the gears though, when it fails to open, the motor never even twitches.
- Will definitely check the connectors. Assume the motors have brushes? That could certainly cause the intermittent behavior. Ouch! $$$
DG
- Don't think it's the contact on the turn-signal switch, since the left light works perfectly every time, and certainly they are run by the same contact on that switch?
- Never used the brass gears: just flipped the original gears over to expose new teeth and went 10 more years. When those teeth wore out another 10 years later, installed new cheap plastic
gears and started the process over again. Not the gears though, when it fails to open, the motor never even twitches.
- Will definitely check the connectors. Assume the motors have brushes? That could certainly cause the intermittent behavior. Ouch! $$$
DG
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 931
Likes: 35
From: Rowlett, Texas
"My message to check the connectors is not the motor itself, but the wiring connector between the motor and headlight control module. Sorry if I was not clear."
Tks. Yeah, that's the first thing I plan to do, but it popped in my head that if the motor has brushes, it could be that - classic symptoms of worn brushes.
Course, gotta find time to troubleshoot the thing, between gold and 100 degree temps in Dallas, just haven't ventured out there.
I'll report back when I find it.
Cheers, DG
Tks. Yeah, that's the first thing I plan to do, but it popped in my head that if the motor has brushes, it could be that - classic symptoms of worn brushes.
Course, gotta find time to troubleshoot the thing, between gold and 100 degree temps in Dallas, just haven't ventured out there.
I'll report back when I find it.
Cheers, DG
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17
Thanks, Guys. Some good places to look.
- Don't think it's the contact on the turn-signal switch, since the left light works perfectly every time, and certainly they are run by the same contact on that switch?
- Never used the brass gears: just flipped the original gears over to expose new teeth and went 10 more years. When those teeth wore out another 10 years later, installed new cheap plastic
gears and started the process over again. Not the gears though, when it fails to open, the motor never even twitches.
- Will definitely check the connectors. Assume the motors have brushes? That could certainly cause the intermittant behavior. Ouch! $$$
DG
- Don't think it's the contact on the turn-signal switch, since the left light works perfectly every time, and certainly they are run by the same contact on that switch?
- Never used the brass gears: just flipped the original gears over to expose new teeth and went 10 more years. When those teeth wore out another 10 years later, installed new cheap plastic
gears and started the process over again. Not the gears though, when it fails to open, the motor never even twitches.
- Will definitely check the connectors. Assume the motors have brushes? That could certainly cause the intermittant behavior. Ouch! $$$
DG
Flip to high beams on off to get reg beams on etc.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 931
Likes: 35
From: Rowlett, Texas
Well, finally got to it.
It was a worn gear.
Move it by hand just a turn or two and it worked great, But when trying to come off full down position, the buggered gear jammed.
And indeed it looked pretty bad when I popped it out
The good news, I actually found a brand new spare gear in my parts bin, it's replaced and on the bench with the cover epoxy drying.
And yes, if anything goes bad again I will step up and go with brass gears.
Cheers,
DG
It was a worn gear.
Move it by hand just a turn or two and it worked great, But when trying to come off full down position, the buggered gear jammed.
And indeed it looked pretty bad when I popped it out
The good news, I actually found a brand new spare gear in my parts bin, it's replaced and on the bench with the cover epoxy drying.
And yes, if anything goes bad again I will step up and go with brass gears.
Cheers,
DG