After closing headlights motor started to go crazy
05-30-2012, 06:35 PM
#1
After closing headlights motor started to go crazy Yesterday this suddenly started - after I switch off the lights (and close headlights), right side motor starts going crazy - buzzes and hits and tries to rotate for a few seconds. Today when I pressed button on the remote to lock the car it also did this action for 3-4 seconds. What could be the problem?
So I hope that's something electrical and not plastic gear Trending Topics
05-31-2012, 07:18 PM
#8
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaffney, S.C.
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thats what these headlights do when the gears strip ive had an 02 and a 98 trans am and have replaced motor gears 4 times because of these exact symptoms when i locked and unlocked the car the lights would come up and go right back down make a horrible grinding banging noise because the motor was still turning the gear because since it was stripped the motor had no way of knowing when the light was fully down. And when i turned the switch to turn on just the driving lights the headlights came up but the headlights themselves were not on. And the second i replaced the gear the problem went away and didnt happen again
05-31-2012, 07:44 PM
#12
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaffney, S.C.
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When one of the headlight gears goes bad, the motor continues to run a few seconds after to headlight door closes because there is not "stop" detected. That stop is what signals the headlight control module to switch power off to that motor (the stop causes the motor to increase current momentarily which the control module detects). Power to the motor does turn off after a few seconds of run-on due to some other timing circuit is my assumption.
So when no stop is detected, the headlight control module becomes confused. The headlight switch provides the CLOSE signal to the headlight control module only when the switch is OFF, so if the control module is confused, turning the switch to PARKING removes the OFF signal and the control module uses that as if the headlights were previously ON (i.e. keeps them raised)
So when no stop is detected, the headlight control module becomes confused. The headlight switch provides the CLOSE signal to the headlight control module only when the switch is OFF, so if the control module is confused, turning the switch to PARKING removes the OFF signal and the control module uses that as if the headlights were previously ON (i.e. keeps them raised)
05-31-2012, 08:55 PM
#13
Your problem IS the gear, but new gears don't always work. If you are in Latvia, you may have a better time and faster resolution by replacing the entire motor.
If you have to wait for gears to be shipped to you and they don't fix the problem, (some times the motor becomes detached from the gear body, which strips the gear) then it will take you longer to fix while you wait to get a motor.
If you have to wait for gears to be shipped to you and they don't fix the problem, (some times the motor becomes detached from the gear body, which strips the gear) then it will take you longer to fix while you wait to get a motor.
05-31-2012, 09:10 PM
#14
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaffney, S.C.
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can go to advanced or auto zone to get the gears usually within a day or so same goes for a motor and either way you win by ordering gears. Buy the gears if they fix the problem then your in good shape and if they dont then you order new motors and replace the plastic gears in the new motors and you wont have to worry about this happening again. And if gears fix it youre looking at 90 bucks for the 2 repair kits vs over 400 bucks for a pair of new motors. If i were you id go ahead and buy the gears now and see if that solves your problem. Like i said a local chevy dealer or parts house can have the motors or the gears in a matter of a few days tops. The last time i ordered a headlight motor i went at around 9 that morning to the chevy dealer ordered the motor and they called me same day before they closed to tell me it was just delivered. But even if you go with new motors i would still get the gears because if you dont chances are later down the road youre gonna have a repeat of this issue
06-01-2012, 02:47 AM
#16
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaffney, S.C.
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes that is a plastic gear like what these motors already have in them and will fit. It will probably fix your problem as long as the gear hasnt seperated from the motor housiing like stated earlier. Its up to you but regardless of how much the car gets driven id replace it with the brass ones and be done with it for good but to answer your question yes the DORMAN 42400 will work
06-02-2012, 05:48 AM
#17
I just cannot understand how the hell can you design electrical system in such a way that when gears on one of the motors go bad, it starts flipping headlights every possible moment... I've searched a bit and found you can turn plastic gear and it might fix the problem temporarily, I'm gonna try that so my car doesn't act like $300 worth piece of sh*t for the 2 weeks while I'm waiting for the gear...
06-02-2012, 06:06 AM
#18
Found this and it explains everything perfectly...
http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/index.htm
http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/index.htm