Firebird Headlights--ALL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS REGARDING HEADLIGHTS GO IN HERE
Do you hear any type of noise coming from the light? And are you positive you have power coming "INTO" the motor? If your answers are 1)no , 2)yes ,you need a new motor.
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From: Miami, Fl. - Hurricane Highway
Will Never Understand Headlight Motors Well a few months ago i installed the brass gear on my drivers side headlight, because it started to grind whenever i turned off my lights or whenever they would go down. Then about 2 months ago the drivers side headlight stopped going up, i didn't have the chance to check it out till yesterday. I manually lifted the light up half way and when i turned the switch the light went up with no problem and closed with no problem. Well today when i tried the light it wouldn't go up at all i turned the **** and the light went up and down again without a problem. Well turns out earlier this evening when i turned off my lights the grinding began again 
. All i could do was ignore it till i got home. But when i got home and turned off my lights the drivers headlight which was grinding would not go down at all ****!!! 
So now i took out the fuse for both lights and they are now up which i hate because i like how the car looks with the headlamp covers down. I feel like in an un-ending battle with my headlight motor 
I feel like its going to drive me crazy. Times like these i would spend $1000 on the Breatheless fixed headlights so i wouldn't have to deal with this ****. I hav no idea what to do, no my headlight motor doesn't go up or down and earlier it was grinding on the brass gear.
-Joel
. All i could do was ignore it till i got home. But when i got home and turned off my lights the drivers headlight which was grinding would not go down at all ****!!! So now i took out the fuse for both lights and they are now up which i hate because i like how the car looks with the headlamp covers down. I feel like in an un-ending battle with my headlight motor I feel like its going to drive me crazy. Times like these i would spend $1000 on the Breatheless fixed headlights so i wouldn't have to deal with this ****. I hav no idea what to do, no my headlight motor doesn't go up or down and earlier it was grinding on the brass gear.-Joel
check if it broke the plastic stop on the "headlight bar" That what happened to me, DO NOT BUY BRASS GEARS, they break this piece its going to cost you like a grand to fix if you have the dealer do it. Its easier to use stock new gears, they last like 40,000 miles at least....The goodnews is your gears probably arent stripped.
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From: Miami, Fl. - Hurricane Highway
What i don't understand is that why does the headlight not go down at all? I mean i switched the lights on they went up and soon as i reach my house they wont go back down at all. Its like a ******* mystery, and i want to solve this **** already.
-Joel
-Joel
Originally Posted by Mustang5.Ohater
Do you hear any type of noise coming from the light? And are you positive you have power coming "INTO" the motor? If your answers are 1)no , 2)yes ,you need a new motor.
another question...
whats the easiest way to change the headlamp motor...does the entire headlamp assembly have to be removed or can i take bits and pieces off through the top???
I messed around more with the brass gears in my '02 TA last year than I care to admit.
I got fed up the one day, ripped out both the headlight motors (brass gears and all), and dumped them directly into the trash!
Then I logged into gmpartsdirect, ordered 2 new sets from GM, installed them a week later - and never gave it a second thought about my headlights, until now, with your post.
I got fed up the one day, ripped out both the headlight motors (brass gears and all), and dumped them directly into the trash!
Then I logged into gmpartsdirect, ordered 2 new sets from GM, installed them a week later - and never gave it a second thought about my headlights, until now, with your post.
Originally Posted by Michael02hawk
I messed around more with the brass gears in my '02 TA last year than I care to admit.
I got fed up the one day, ripped out both the headlight motors (brass gears and all), and dumped them directly into the trash!
Then I logged into gmpartsdirect, ordered 2 new sets from GM, installed them a week later - and never gave it a second thought about my headlights, until now, with your post.
I got fed up the one day, ripped out both the headlight motors (brass gears and all), and dumped them directly into the trash!
Then I logged into gmpartsdirect, ordered 2 new sets from GM, installed them a week later - and never gave it a second thought about my headlights, until now, with your post.
these headlamps are beginning to be a pain...but i guess i cant complain too much...6 years and 56k miles and this is the first time ive had any issues with my lights.
Originally Posted by TNTramair
since we are on the topic and you brought this up...i am going to be changing out my headlamp motors as well and was wondering what the procedure is...if you could help me out with some insight on R&R id appreciate it.
these headlamps are beginning to be a pain...but i guess i cant complain too much...6 years and 56k miles and this is the first time ive had any issues with my lights.
these headlamps are beginning to be a pain...but i guess i cant complain too much...6 years and 56k miles and this is the first time ive had any issues with my lights.
http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/index.htm
Only follow the steps about removing the bad motor, then re-installation of the new one, in the reverse order. Skip the brass gead stuff....very good write up.
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Yes, these gears are royal pain in the ***! I had the brass gear strip out also. I know its stronger than the shitty nylon gear but damn. And yes it was installed correctly. It worked fine for about a year. I'd like to get the fixed headlights also but the price is just too damn much! Plus i'm not to fond of the headight layout. It would be awesome if you could get a setup that is bolt in that looked like the new corvette lights.
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From: St.Charles MO
The main problem seems to be the crap plastic housing. You can move the motor piece pretty easily and its only held dont by four metal pieces. See pic:
When its loose it will give slack or "play" with the gears, causing them to strip.
When its loose it will give slack or "play" with the gears, causing them to strip.
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From: Miami, Fl. - Hurricane Highway
Indeed JD_AMG good write up and photos of the motors. They are pure junk and i think everyone should see these pictures before doing anything to their headlight motors.
-Joel
-Joel
I installed brass gears, and had a problem releated to the motor coming lose like descried above.
A large pair of pliers and then a second piece of alimunum over the cover to line up the shift with 2 bolts, and my headligths work great, much quieter than stock.
The brass gears are good, but if your keep the headlight motor tight against the housing, i think even the nylon gears will last a long time.
Ryan
A large pair of pliers and then a second piece of alimunum over the cover to line up the shift with 2 bolts, and my headligths work great, much quieter than stock.
The brass gears are good, but if your keep the headlight motor tight against the housing, i think even the nylon gears will last a long time.
Ryan
Originally Posted by JD_AMG
The main problem seems to be the crap plastic housing. You can move the motor piece pretty easily and its only held dont by four metal pieces. See pic:
When its loose it will give slack or "play" with the gears, causing them to strip.
When its loose it will give slack or "play" with the gears, causing them to strip.
I have had the brass gears installed on both sides for 6 months, and they have worked great. I even pulled them a few weeks back, and they were still tight, and had no shavings in the gear case.
Do it right the first time, and you will have NO problems.
Headlight problem...gear or motor?
Originally Posted by kliuzzo
My pass. headlight wont come up. However, it dont make any noises at all.. Is this the gear or the motor itself? Im not really sure what to do