so the other day my headlight wouldn't come up, so I pull it up manually. Now the damn thing works, but as soon as it goes down, when it gets all the way down it makes this awful racket and the **** you turn to pull it up manually keeps turning for about 4 to 5 seconds. does anyone know how to fix this?

 

Sounds like your sheared the teeth of the gear. You need a new one.

 

Not necessarily true. Take it from a Pontiac guy.

Remove the headlight trim (3 screws).
Unbolt the actuator arm (one nut holds it to the motor).
Pull the actuator arm off of the motor shaft (note the flat spot on the shaft and arm).
Using the manual raise/lower ****, turn the motor 180 degrees so that the flat spot is on the other side. The shaft will have turned a full 180 degrees.
Reinstall the actuator arm and nut, and reinstall the headlight trim.

Voila, it's done. The headlight motor uses one large gear, but it only uses one half of it. Rotating the shaft 180 degrees will engage the unused side of the gear.

 

if not your can always buy some replacement gears. It is alot cheaper than buying a almost $400 motor. I had a buddy of mine make me some new ones ones a c&c machine out brass but if you dont have that option of doing this i think they are only $40. I cant quit remember whice company sells them but i know that they are made and people do sell them. good luck. At least yours doesnt have the load noise mine was making because mine wouldnt stop spinning ang grinding because it didnt have any pressure against the motor to stop it.

 

Joe's Method works good, it is on Brent Franker's site. You can only do it once though, next time you will have to get a new gear. He sells brass gears on his site too.

 

just drive in the dark like a man


lol

 

if i stripped the gear.. wouldn't the headlight come up or down at anytime? because mine will come up and then go back down but when it goes back down and is all the way down the manual **** to take it down manually keeps spinning

 

Not sure of the mechanics involved, or exactly what you're saying, but your gear is stripped. It is a very, very common problem on Pontiacs.

You have two solutions -

Rotate the gear 180-degrees (like I mentioned in my first post). This will fix the problem, but if it happens again you'll need a new gear (dealer will ONLY sell you the entire motor - very pricey!).

OR

Buy a brass gear from Brent Franker. Haven't been on his site in awhile, so you might just want to do a search.

 

someone correct me if i'm wrong but i think i remember readin that only half of the gear is used...if the teeth are gone you can flip it, but once that side is gone you'll have to get a new gear....but why not just replace the plastic gear with a brass one, while you got it apart to prevent it from happening again....

 

Did you even read any of the posts.

 

because when you are doing the 180 degree mod, you aren't physically opening the motor case. you are simply using the manual **** to rotate the gear and that little metal guide key (it looks like a rectangle with rounded off corners) 180 degrees so that you are using the other half of the gear. once you remove the nut that holds the headlight arm and the arm itself you'll see the key i'm referring to. all you have to do is manually turn the headlight motor with the **** so the key is in the opposite position it is now (will look like its in the same position) then you put the arm back on and the bolt. its really pretty simple.

 

If you are still a bit uncomfortable about changing to a brass gear you can get replacements from AdvanceAuto for around $140/each with a lifetime warranty...

--Alan

 

but if the gear is stripped the headlight wouldn't move up or down would it when you turn the lights on? correct?

 

mine still worked it just made a noise when it went back down because that was the part of the gear that was bad.

 

awesome thats the answer I was looking for! thanks.