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92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away?

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Old Aug 12, 2005 | 12:02 PM
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92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away?

92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away. Sometimes they pop up as soon i flip the switch. Sometimes it takes them 20 seconds to 2 minutes to flip up. Once i can get them to pop up, i can turn them off and on, and they work just fine. The actual headlights turn on but wont pop up.

Just wondering if this is normal with the 92, if it is a bad connection, bad switch, bad headlights.
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Old Aug 12, 2005 | 01:02 PM
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jamessr's Avatar
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From: Cape May, New Jersey
Car: 92 Firebird
Engine: 5.0L V8
Transmission: 700-R4
Well to be honest I think a switch would just go out rather than have intermittent problems.

Also I think the Headlight door module is solid state equipment. If you're having issues like you've discribed, it may be faulty relays or soemthing in there. best thing is check out a junkyard and swap out that box bro.


located
Driverside mounted on the firewall.
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Old Aug 12, 2005 | 08:30 PM
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From: Hacienda Heights, CA
Car: 90 RS 'Vert, 88 IROC-Z, 88 Firebird
Engine: 305 ci tbi, 305 ci tpi, 350 ci tpi
Transmission: WC-T5, WC-T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.45, 3.27, 3.27
More than likely the problem can be solved with my TDS 209280 Deluxe Headlight Repair Kit. The other common thing that can fail is the headlight control module which is a black square plastic box with the word "GUIDE" molded in the upper right hand corner. It is located on the firewall between the brake booster and the wiper motor.



Lon Salgren
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Old Aug 12, 2005 | 10:07 PM
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Nice kit but dont know if i need it.

Does the headlight control module make both headlights pop up at the same time? I dont think there is anything wrong with the headlights or motors. I dont have one headlight not turn on or anything like that. Just about 5% of the time the headlights will not pop up right away.
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Old Aug 12, 2005 | 11:07 PM
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lonsal's Avatar
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From: Hacienda Heights, CA
Car: 90 RS 'Vert, 88 IROC-Z, 88 Firebird
Engine: 305 ci tbi, 305 ci tpi, 350 ci tpi
Transmission: WC-T5, WC-T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.45, 3.27, 3.27
It can. It can also cause just one to fail. Remove the connectors from it and spray them with electrical contact cleaner. If it is always both headlights It could also be the switch.

Lon
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Old Aug 15, 2005 | 10:36 PM
  #6  
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From: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Car: '83 Firebird S/E
Engine: The Chevy 305. with carburator
Transmission: 700R-4
Had the same problem with my '83. Drove me crazy. Had the switch out; had everything apart. Turns out that the relays (near the battery) had their pull-in coils wire-wrapped to the connection posts. A dab of solder on each did the trick. The relays had been glued shut at the factory, and are now held together with black tape.

Seth
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Old Aug 16, 2005 | 01:11 PM
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From: Colorado
Car: 1991 TransAm GTA 350
Engine: 350 SBC TPI
Transmission: 700R4
I have a 91 which is identical to your 92, the controller on the firewall near the brake booster will get confused from time to time. I disconnect both connectors and reconnect it and it will work fine for anywhere from two weeks to six or more months. It usually freaks out after I have set with the doors open and run the battery lower than I should have. Try disconnecting then reconnecting it, it won’t fix your problem but if it goes away for a while it might well give you an idea of where the problem lies.
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Old Mar 11, 2008 | 04:40 PM
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From: Kansas City, KS
Car: 92 WS6 Trans am convertible
Engine: ls 6.2
Transmission: 4l80
Axle/Gears: 2.73's
Re: 92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away?

Originally Posted by jamessr
Well to be honest I think a switch would just go out rather than have intermittent problems.

Also I think the Headlight door module is solid state equipment. If you're having issues like you've discribed, it may be faulty relays or soemthing in there. best thing is check out a junkyard and swap out that box bro.


located
Driverside mounted on the firewall.
i have a similar problem myself, my pass. side head light comes on but will not flip up. i know its not the motor. (tested the motor by itself and it works fine) need help
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Old Mar 11, 2008 | 09:43 PM
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From: Lowell, Michigan
Car: 1988 Trans Am, 2005 Sierra 2500
Engine: Vortec 357
Transmission: Built TH700R4 with 26-2800 Stall
Axle/Gears: GM 10 bolt 3.73 Posi
Re: 92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away?

when i flip my headlight switch the passenger side comes up fine, but the left will go up n down so sometimes wont come up at all. then when i turn them off after getting both off they will come up like nothing is worng. motor or electrical prob?
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 11:51 AM
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Re: 92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away?

I have a 92 firebird as well...mine only has one light pop up too. I can manually raise it and it works fine but that is annoying. I have heard to replace the "pucks" inside the motor. You may want to google that one.

I do have a question for the group though...when I turn on my "P" parking lights half of my light switch, the headlight(s) still pop up...they should not do this right?

Any help sent my way is appreciated too...thanks
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 12:13 PM
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From: Stamford, New York
Car: 80 SE/TTA;88 T/A GTA;86 T/A
Engine: 4.9L Turbo; LT1; empty
Transmission: TH350; T56; empty
Axle/Gears: 3:23 disk; 4:10 disk ; 3.42 disk
Re: 92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away?

that problem right there they will say to use the rebuild kit above to re-do the bushings. Do NOT ask how that will fix it as noone actually has found a response (i've read a lot of these posts). They don't know why, but it works 99.99% of the time.

As far as the headlight waiting to pop up...make sure there are no obstructions...my headlight bezel is a little un-aligned with the front bumper, catches it, and will not go up unless i move the bumper out of the way from holding it. Doubt it's your problem, but you never know. Good luck!
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 06:56 PM
  #12  
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Re: 92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away?

ok, so i just fixed my lights that were acting up. I saw on another website that sell replacement parts for 4th generation lights give a quick and cheap fix for 3rd gens. You use 1/2 inch reinforced tubing that you can get at Lowe's or home Depot. You cut 3 pieces 1/2 inch long and replace them where the "plastic pucks" once were. They fit perfect and the light is fixed and goes up and down perfectly. Only cost was 75cents for a foot of tubing.

anyway, I wanted to pass this along because it was a life saver.

Good luck to you and thanks for the help!
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 08:31 AM
  #13  
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From: florida
Car: 89 firebird
Engine: 2.8 mpfi
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: stock
Re: 92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away?

Originally Posted by Firebat
92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away. Sometimes they pop up as soon i flip the switch. Sometimes it takes them 20 seconds to 2 minutes to flip up. Once i can get them to pop up, i can turn them off and on, and they work just fine. The actual headlights turn on but wont pop up.

Just wondering if this is normal with the 92, if it is a bad connection, bad switch, bad headlights.
sounds like your headlight control module is going out next time when thay dont come up pop the hood and tap it if thay come up than thats your problem
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 08:57 AM
  #14  
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From: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: 92 Firebird Headlights sometimes dont pop up right away?

Headlight motor relay on the firewall....1 relay box controls both, with 2 different circuits, from 86 or 87 up. Early 'birds had independent relays up by the radiator wall.

My driver's side was doing the same thing. For weeks & weeks, it would work fine. Then one time, it wouldn't. But hit the speed bump in my apt. complex 20 feet away from my parking spot, and the "bump" would cause it to come up. Or I could pop the hood, hit the relay box once with my hand, & not real hard.

I took the one out of my 89 GTA parts car, and haven't had a problem since, so it was the relay, no doubt.

Opened my 87 box, and found some dirty/corroded leads on the relay inside. Cleaned them up, and it's good as new now.
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