Headlights, whats going on?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 303
Likes: 0
From: Corinth MS
Headlights, whats going on?
Today when I turned off my headlights the drivers side headlight motor continued to growl for a couple of seconds after it closed. On the way home I turned on the running lights due to a rain shower and the headlights opened up without the lights being on. Usually just the running lights and fogs come on and the headlamps remain closed. Whats up? Is this an adjustment issue or is the motor getting ready to crap out?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I had the motor growl a few months ago. The dealer changed the headlamp actuator assembly. If thwe cars out of warranty, you can get a DIY kit to rebuild the actuator gears.
The lights up but not on sounds like a different problem to me but I'm no expert.
Best of luck.
The lights up but not on sounds like a different problem to me but I'm no expert.
Best of luck.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
GK
Both headlight door motors are controlled by a module that is located below the passengers head light. If you have gear noise the drive gear could be stripped.
If the headlights do not come on check IP center MAXI circuit breaker# 52. If your day time running lights are ever on that breaker is GOOD. See if you get High beams or the dash light indicator for the high beam. Check IP center fuses #10, 12,, 9 & 8.
The ground terminals are G-102 and G-101. They are located just behing the headlight assemblies.
I just found significant corrosion on those two chassis ground points!
Check out this post
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...post1548191560
Both headlight door motors are controlled by a module that is located below the passengers head light. If you have gear noise the drive gear could be stripped.
If the headlights do not come on check IP center MAXI circuit breaker# 52. If your day time running lights are ever on that breaker is GOOD. See if you get High beams or the dash light indicator for the high beam. Check IP center fuses #10, 12,, 9 & 8.
The ground terminals are G-102 and G-101. They are located just behing the headlight assemblies.
I just found significant corrosion on those two chassis ground points!
Check out this post
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...post1548191560
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 303
Likes: 0
From: Corinth MS
Bill/DeeGee, thanks for the reply. First off, the headlights function like normal, just the growling noise when the drivers side closes. Is the DYI kit you refer to the type that consist of bronze gears such as Eklers sells. It was weird that when I only turned on the running lights that the headlights popped up.
Bill, I checked out your link on ground connections. It was very enlightening. When cleaning mine I did not go inside the connector. Being my car spent some high miles in Michigan it may be that my EBTCM code is in the connector. How do you separate the ground terminal? I am going to give it a try tomorrow.
Thanks for the excellent input
gk
Bill, I checked out your link on ground connections. It was very enlightening. When cleaning mine I did not go inside the connector. Being my car spent some high miles in Michigan it may be that my EBTCM code is in the connector. How do you separate the ground terminal? I am going to give it a try tomorrow.
Thanks for the excellent input
gk
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Here
Pilot of Beer Force 1
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Here is all you need to know...http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ight=headlight
any help just ask
edit: ahhh crap the pics aren't working...damn servers
read the write up and I can email ya the pics.....shoot me an IM when you are online
any help just ask
edit: ahhh crap the pics aren't working...damn servers
read the write up and I can email ya the pics.....shoot me an IM when you are online
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,707
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles
Flapper Headlight
Bill's excellent post caught my attention when I developed the following problem on my 2000 coupe. When I shut off my lights the driverside headlight went down and popped right back up. Lights off but the car really looks funny looking like it's asleep with one eye open. After fooling around with it and not really accomplishing anything, it suddenly started behaving even more strange. Now the door shuts and opens and shuts a total of 6 times before it finally stops in the correct closed position. Precisely 6 times before it stops every time. Any ideas? The grounds and connectors have been checked and they all still look new since the car only has 20k on it and never seen rain. Thanks for any input or suggestions anyone might have.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
I had the same problem. The drivers side growled when closed. When I turned the parking lights on the headlights would pop up. I fixed it by rotating the gears inside the actuator. It was simple and effective. The headlight no longer growls and the parking lights come on with out the headlights popping up. Everything is back to normal. I can even turn on my fog lights in the park position with the headlights down.
If you do a forum search, you should find a thread that has the "easy" fix I did as well as a complete instruction set for installing the brass gears.
Good luck.
If you do a forum search, you should find a thread that has the "easy" fix I did as well as a complete instruction set for installing the brass gears.
Good luck.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,707
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles
Headlights
Thanks Strokster for the input. I don't have any growling noises or any difficulty in using the foglights and parking lights as you described. Since the actuator works perfectly, I suspect that the problem is not mechanical and the gears are just fine. It seems to be a logic problem that causes it to continue to open and close for 6 more times.
Thanks again
Thanks again
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,561
Likes: 448
From: Atlanta metro Ga.
Originally Posted by robvuk
Thanks Strokster for the input. I don't have any growling noises or any difficulty in using the foglights and parking lights as you described. Since the actuator works perfectly, I suspect that the problem is not mechanical and the gears are just fine. It seems to be a logic problem that causes it to continue to open and close for 6 more times.
Thanks again
Thanks again
There is a TSB from GM about this problem, and it only affected a small quantity of cars. This is the "winking headlight" syndrome. The fix (per the TSB) is to install washers under a bracket, thus repositioning it so the open / close switch will properly actuate. Let me know if you can't find the bulletin and I'll help.
Ahh heck, I'm in a good mood, so I dug it up for you. You are welcome!
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/....php?qstId=217
