headlight/electrical problem
09-11-2002, 07:19 PM
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headlight/electrical problem Allright, this may be sort of long but im trying to be as descriptive as possible.
MAIN PROBLEM...... alright my headlights flip up when they shouldn't and go right back down and the left sides motor keeps running like it is still trying to shut it....
SYMPTOMS...... Pulling out of drive way this morning i fliped the lights to on, ment to go to fog lights, turned them off so the lights would go down and started making funny noise.... well played around for a few minutes and learned that when i turned on just my fog lights my headlights would flip up and go right back down and make a funny sound, left side, for about 3-6 seconds.... Ok got to school about a 1 hour drive got out pressed the keyless lock button and headlights flipped up and back down and there was the sound. ok went in, few hours later came out unlooked car with keyless remote and headlights flipped up and down and made the sound. ok thought it had something to do with foglights turned the foglights off, the switch under the light switch, and problem was still there......
Ideas would be helpful here.
EDIT::::: one other thing, if i have the door open and push the inside look button the same thing happens as with the keyless..
Car is a 99 WS6
MAIN PROBLEM...... alright my headlights flip up when they shouldn't and go right back down and the left sides motor keeps running like it is still trying to shut it....
SYMPTOMS...... Pulling out of drive way this morning i fliped the lights to on, ment to go to fog lights, turned them off so the lights would go down and started making funny noise.... well played around for a few minutes and learned that when i turned on just my fog lights my headlights would flip up and go right back down and make a funny sound, left side, for about 3-6 seconds.... Ok got to school about a 1 hour drive got out pressed the keyless lock button and headlights flipped up and back down and there was the sound. ok went in, few hours later came out unlooked car with keyless remote and headlights flipped up and down and made the sound. ok thought it had something to do with foglights turned the foglights off, the switch under the light switch, and problem was still there......
Ideas would be helpful here.
EDIT::::: one other thing, if i have the door open and push the inside look button the same thing happens as with the keyless..
Car is a 99 WS6
09-11-2002, 10:50 PM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem Sorry this does not sound like a diy repair. If it envolves the keyless entry decoder module & key fobs you'll be goin' to the dealer. I've seen various bird lighting probs and are easy to diagnois. You have to have the proper tools/information. You can guess & throw parts at it but that will get more exspensive than taking it in for the repair.
09-12-2002, 01:42 AM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by jacs:
<strong>Allright, this may be sort of long but im trying to be as descriptive as possible.
MAIN PROBLEM...... alright my headlights flip up when they shouldn't and go right back down and the left sides motor keeps running like it is still trying to shut it....
SYMPTOMS...... Pulling out of drive way this morning i fliped the lights to on, ment to go to fog lights, turned them off so the lights would go down and started making funny noise.... well played around for a few minutes and learned that when i turned on just my fog lights my headlights would flip up and go right back down and make a funny sound, left side, for about 3-6 seconds.... Ok got to school about a 1 hour drive got out pressed the keyless lock button and headlights flipped up and back down and there was the sound. ok went in, few hours later came out unlooked car with keyless remote and headlights flipped up and down and made the sound. ok thought it had something to do with foglights turned the foglights off, the switch under the light switch, and problem was still there......
Ideas would be helpful here.
EDIT::::: one other thing, if i have the door open and push the inside look button the same thing happens as with the keyless..
Car is a 99 WS6</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The plastic gear inside your headlight motor is stripped. You can do one of 3 things: 1) go to the dealer, if under warranty and have them replace the motor. It will solve all the wierd problems your having.
2) If not in warranty, pay for it yourself.
3) There's a procedure, which I have successfully done that allows you to fix it for free. Its not that hard. See, the plastic gear has teeth all the way around. But only half of them are used, the other side never gets touched. You flip the plastic gear, put it back in and your done. STOP using your lights now if you want to try this because the more you let it grind for 3-6 seconds, the more teeth you will chew up.
Go here for complete instructions, scroll all the way to the bottom and do the last set of instructions. You can even buy a metal replacement gear from this guy if you want. If you buy it then do those instructions.
http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/
Good luck.
<strong>Allright, this may be sort of long but im trying to be as descriptive as possible.
MAIN PROBLEM...... alright my headlights flip up when they shouldn't and go right back down and the left sides motor keeps running like it is still trying to shut it....
SYMPTOMS...... Pulling out of drive way this morning i fliped the lights to on, ment to go to fog lights, turned them off so the lights would go down and started making funny noise.... well played around for a few minutes and learned that when i turned on just my fog lights my headlights would flip up and go right back down and make a funny sound, left side, for about 3-6 seconds.... Ok got to school about a 1 hour drive got out pressed the keyless lock button and headlights flipped up and back down and there was the sound. ok went in, few hours later came out unlooked car with keyless remote and headlights flipped up and down and made the sound. ok thought it had something to do with foglights turned the foglights off, the switch under the light switch, and problem was still there......
Ideas would be helpful here.
EDIT::::: one other thing, if i have the door open and push the inside look button the same thing happens as with the keyless..
Car is a 99 WS6</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The plastic gear inside your headlight motor is stripped. You can do one of 3 things: 1) go to the dealer, if under warranty and have them replace the motor. It will solve all the wierd problems your having.
2) If not in warranty, pay for it yourself.
3) There's a procedure, which I have successfully done that allows you to fix it for free. Its not that hard. See, the plastic gear has teeth all the way around. But only half of them are used, the other side never gets touched. You flip the plastic gear, put it back in and your done. STOP using your lights now if you want to try this because the more you let it grind for 3-6 seconds, the more teeth you will chew up.
Go here for complete instructions, scroll all the way to the bottom and do the last set of instructions. You can even buy a metal replacement gear from this guy if you want. If you buy it then do those instructions.
http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/
Good luck.
09-12-2002, 11:17 AM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem any more ideas??? or has someone had these problems before, oh yeah i was wrong about the key in the ignition, i tried that again and it didn't pop up and go back down.
09-12-2002, 05:11 PM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem going to try it in 2 days, when i get a break from school...
has anyone else had same exact problem and had it fixed this way
has anyone else had same exact problem and had it fixed this way
09-12-2002, 05:17 PM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem yep it is the headlight motor gear. Just do the flip because a new motor is like $280. Mine would go up and down when I set the alarm also. you motor is trying to go to the stop point, but it can't get there and keeps running until it times out. Do the fix on that link above. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
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09-12-2002, 05:24 PM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem When I spoke with a GM tech at the dealer, he said the headlight motors can make a few non-related items on the car act up. At least things that you wouldn't think were related.
Get the metal gears if you have the money, your headlight motors should last forever.
Get the metal gears if you have the money, your headlight motors should last forever.
09-13-2002, 12:12 AM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by jacs:
<strong>any more ideas??? or has someone had these problems before, oh yeah i was wrong about the key in the ignition, i tried that again and it didn't pop up and go back down.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Did you try the gear flip?
Thats what the problem is.
<strong>any more ideas??? or has someone had these problems before, oh yeah i was wrong about the key in the ignition, i tried that again and it didn't pop up and go back down.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Did you try the gear flip?
Thats what the problem is.
09-13-2002, 09:27 AM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem I have the same EXACT problem. You absolutely described any and every problem I have been having with my lights. I posted on this a few weeks back, but no chance to try the fix yet. Reply or drop me an email when you try the gear swap/flip, and let me know how it turns out. Thats crazy that the same stuff is happening, with the keyless entry, the locks, and the grinding like the headlight wants to continue to go down farther. Good luck!
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09-17-2002, 09:58 AM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem Is it me or is everybody getting sick of GM's ability to make a pop-up headlight that works??? <img border="0" alt="[Banging Head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" />
09-18-2002, 06:30 AM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by EXTREME RACING T/A:
<strong>Is it me or is everybody getting sick of GM's ability to make a pop-up headlight that works??? <img border="0" alt="[Banging Head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Its that damn plastic gear. Now they have a metal replacement gear for it though. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />
<strong>Is it me or is everybody getting sick of GM's ability to make a pop-up headlight that works??? <img border="0" alt="[Banging Head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Its that damn plastic gear. Now they have a metal replacement gear for it though. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />
09-18-2002, 06:24 PM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem Here's the link for the metal gears.
http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/
I just finished doing the "quick fix" on my '00 WS6. Yes, it effects the locks & anything to do with lights & fogs, until you fix the gear.
The "quick fix" is about 10 minutes per side, but will only last so long since you are just moving the worn spot to the up position instead of the down position.
If anybody wants help with this just email me ,,, I got pics from doing mine.
<small>[ September 18, 2002, 06:25 PM: Message edited by: M3EATER ]</small>
http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/
I just finished doing the "quick fix" on my '00 WS6. Yes, it effects the locks & anything to do with lights & fogs, until you fix the gear.
The "quick fix" is about 10 minutes per side, but will only last so long since you are just moving the worn spot to the up position instead of the down position.
If anybody wants help with this just email me ,,, I got pics from doing mine.
<small>[ September 18, 2002, 06:25 PM: Message edited by: M3EATER ]</small>
09-27-2002, 07:10 AM
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Re: headlight/electrical problem Couldn't this also be the headlight motor actuator? I ask because I had the same problem with mine, and when I took it in to the dealership, they replaced that ($229), and the problem was fixed. It was warranty work though, so even if they lied, it didn't cost me anything. Just my $.02
