Firebird Headlights--ALL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS REGARDING HEADLIGHTS GO IN HERE
04-02-2008, 08:46 AM
#322
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Where Could I find the fuse for it? Just in the fuse box, nothing crazy?
04-02-2008, 11:10 AM
#323
The fuse box under the hood. The taller of the 2. There's a fuse for the left side and one for the right. Mine will get out of synch when I have to change the gear or something. Usually I just have to flip the switch a few times and it will sort itself out.
What year is your car?
The headlight controller is a flat sided thing that clips onto the fuse box. Look at post #299 for a picture. You might want to unplug it and check for corrosion on the terminals and then plug it back in real good.
What year is your car?
The headlight controller is a flat sided thing that clips onto the fuse box. Look at post #299 for a picture. You might want to unplug it and check for corrosion on the terminals and then plug it back in real good.
04-02-2008, 11:28 AM
#324
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The fuse box under the hood. The taller of the 2. There's a fuse for the left side and one for the right. Mine will get out of synch when I have to change the gear or something. Usually I just have to flip the switch a few times and it will sort itself out.
What year is your car?
The headlight controller is a flat sided thing that clips onto the fuse box. Look at post #299 for a picture. You might want to unplug it and check for corrosion on the terminals and then plug it back in real good.
What year is your car?
The headlight controller is a flat sided thing that clips onto the fuse box. Look at post #299 for a picture. You might want to unplug it and check for corrosion on the terminals and then plug it back in real good.
I'll try what you put up later (I'm just on lunch now). Thanks for all the help so far, its much appreciated.
04-02-2008, 08:59 PM
#326
Do you have a buddy with a TA or firebird? Swap the Control Module for the headlights and see if it still does it. If yours is then fixed and his does the winking, then you know you need a new Control Module. If nothing changes, you've eliminated the Control Module.
When the car is off and you use the fob to lock the doors, do the headlights move at all?
Have you done any work at all to the headlights or motors recently?
Did you inspect the linkage? Are any of the plastic stops damaged?
Do the headlights go all the way down and all the way up or do they stop at a slightly different position?
When the car is off and you use the fob to lock the doors, do the headlights move at all?
Have you done any work at all to the headlights or motors recently?
Did you inspect the linkage? Are any of the plastic stops damaged?
Do the headlights go all the way down and all the way up or do they stop at a slightly different position?
04-02-2008, 10:28 PM
#327
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Do you have a buddy with a TA or firebird? Swap the Control Module for the headlights and see if it still does it. If yours is then fixed and his does the winking, then you know you need a new Control Module. If nothing changes, you've eliminated the Control Module.
When the car is off and you use the fob to lock the doors, do the headlights move at all?
Have you done any work at all to the headlights or motors recently?
Did you inspect the linkage? Are any of the plastic stops damaged?
Do the headlights go all the way down and all the way up or do they stop at a slightly different position?
When the car is off and you use the fob to lock the doors, do the headlights move at all?
Have you done any work at all to the headlights or motors recently?
Did you inspect the linkage? Are any of the plastic stops damaged?
Do the headlights go all the way down and all the way up or do they stop at a slightly different position?
04-03-2008, 12:38 AM
#329
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Sounds like fun <_<. I'll take a closer look tomorrow, maybe I can superglue something into position, or I'll call around.
04-11-2008, 02:21 PM
#331
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Read through the sticky and haven't found an answer to my headlight issue. Have a 97, and one headlight comes up almost all the way. Long story short, the pivot point on the headlight broke. I've been trying to get the nut and bolt off and find a washer to put on it and rig it up to the headlight assembly somehow, but can't get the bolt out, I know it's a torx bit but I'm having a hell of a time getting anything in there. Any suggestions or tips?
04-11-2008, 02:50 PM
#332
You'll probably need to post a pic so we can see what is actually broken.
As far as getting the bolt out, I use a 10mm wrench and then the torx head built into a 3/8 drive socket. I then use about a 10" or longer extension and a ratchet. The angle is tight, but you can usually push the torx in and hold it there while you use the wrench to actually loosen the nut.
I'm no stranger to that routine.
As far as getting the bolt out, I use a 10mm wrench and then the torx head built into a 3/8 drive socket. I then use about a 10" or longer extension and a ratchet. The angle is tight, but you can usually push the torx in and hold it there while you use the wrench to actually loosen the nut.
I'm no stranger to that routine.
Read through the sticky and haven't found an answer to my headlight issue. Have a 97, and one headlight comes up almost all the way. Long story short, the pivot point on the headlight broke. I've been trying to get the nut and bolt off and find a washer to put on it and rig it up to the headlight assembly somehow, but can't get the bolt out, I know it's a torx bit but I'm having a hell of a time getting anything in there. Any suggestions or tips?
04-11-2008, 03:11 PM
#333
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Trouble Okay, My passenger headlight has came up on its own while driving down the road twice so far. When I tried to lower it the second time it wouldn't go down
. I noticed whenever I hit my keyless entry my right headlight comes up and down. also my right light comes up when I turn on my fog lights. I can manually lower my passenger light by turning the ***, so does this mean my gear is not stripped? and why is my light coming up with the keyless entry and fog light switch. Please help!!
. I noticed whenever I hit my keyless entry my right headlight comes up and down. also my right light comes up when I turn on my fog lights. I can manually lower my passenger light by turning the ***, so does this mean my gear is not stripped? and why is my light coming up with the keyless entry and fog light switch. Please help!!
04-11-2008, 03:33 PM
#334
The controller brain has to sense a jump in current to know the lights are locked into position (dumb design). When the gear gets stripped the headlight doesn't send that signal and the controller gets confused about whether that light is up or down. When you press the key fob (and you have the parking lights set to blink) it makes the headlight controller act wierd and it will raise, then lower the headlights. My guess is it's trying to re-establish it's knowledge of the headlight position.
I know when they are out of synch, turning the switch on and off a few times will cause the headlights to synch back up. I just can't say how the brain works. It's a complex little unit.
I don't know how your headlight popped up while driving, though. Are you saying it locks in the upright position or just pops up part way? If part way, then the arm linkage (which is supposed to be pressed firmly to the white plastic blocks) may have slipped past the block and allowed the linkage to get out of whack. The motor turns that arm in about a 270* arc. If it gets past the white stops into that unused 90* area it causes all kinds of wierd issues.
Inspect the linkage arms to the motor and find the 2 plastic white stops and watch it while hitting the key fob button. It sounds like your left light is fine, so watch and compare the 2 linkages.
I know when they are out of synch, turning the switch on and off a few times will cause the headlights to synch back up. I just can't say how the brain works. It's a complex little unit.
I don't know how your headlight popped up while driving, though. Are you saying it locks in the upright position or just pops up part way? If part way, then the arm linkage (which is supposed to be pressed firmly to the white plastic blocks) may have slipped past the block and allowed the linkage to get out of whack. The motor turns that arm in about a 270* arc. If it gets past the white stops into that unused 90* area it causes all kinds of wierd issues.
Inspect the linkage arms to the motor and find the 2 plastic white stops and watch it while hitting the key fob button. It sounds like your left light is fine, so watch and compare the 2 linkages.
04-12-2008, 11:57 AM
#335
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You'll probably need to post a pic so we can see what is actually broken.
As far as getting the bolt out, I use a 10mm wrench and then the torx head built into a 3/8 drive socket. I then use about a 10" or longer extension and a ratchet. The angle is tight, but you can usually push the torx in and hold it there while you use the wrench to actually loosen the nut.
I'm no stranger to that routine.
As far as getting the bolt out, I use a 10mm wrench and then the torx head built into a 3/8 drive socket. I then use about a 10" or longer extension and a ratchet. The angle is tight, but you can usually push the torx in and hold it there while you use the wrench to actually loosen the nut.
I'm no stranger to that routine.
04-12-2008, 06:28 PM
#336
I figured you must have something really wonky for it to do what you said it did. That whole assembly is a big cast piece of aluminum. I think your just going to have to replace it. That probably means buying a whole headlight from a salvage yard. a half assed repair like with string is going to give you a lot of problems.
They can be expensive. If you know someone who can weld aluminum, they can weld you a little piece to close the hole and then you can grind the hole to the proper size.
They can be expensive. If you know someone who can weld aluminum, they can weld you a little piece to close the hole and then you can grind the hole to the proper size.
Last edited by JasonWW; 04-12-2008 at 06:34 PM.
04-12-2008, 08:14 PM
#337
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I figured you must have something really wonky for it to do what you said it did. That whole assembly is a big cast piece of aluminum. I think your just going to have to replace it. That probably means buying a whole headlight from a salvage yard. a half assed repair like with string is going to give you a lot of problems.
They can be expensive. If you know someone who can weld aluminum, they can weld you a little piece to close the hole and then you can grind the hole to the proper size.
They can be expensive. If you know someone who can weld aluminum, they can weld you a little piece to close the hole and then you can grind the hole to the proper size.
04-20-2008, 03:43 PM
#338
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I tried to do the temp fix and I couldnt get the motor shaft off of the headlight elbow after I took the nut off. It is rusted to it. I sprayed everything under the sun and no luck. After about 30 min of no luck I just put it back together. What can I do to get it off?....this car is about to **** me off and Im real close to trading it...I have had it 3-4 months and have put about 2500-3k in repairs that should not be necessary if the dealer wasnt a lying *******
Last edited by Adam013085; 04-20-2008 at 07:58 PM.
04-20-2008, 11:44 PM
#340
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we gave it quite a bit of pressure. I was afraid we were gonna bend the arm and mess it up totally or break the motor. We were beating on it pretty good and it didnt budge....Guess ill try it again another day. Guess I might as well try to beat the **** out of it cuz its basically broken now. I guess I cant really do much worse other than having to replace the whole assembly....Sure hope the temp fix works lol. Of course I looked and my pass side isnt near as rusty.