When I turn the headlights on, the actual lights illuminate, but they don't pop up. No, the motors are not spinning. However, after tapping the LH manual wind **** that light pops up, but I have to manually wind the RH light up. When I switch the lights off, they both wind themselves down.

I've done a search, found the wiring diagram IN COLOUR and studied it (early T/A complete with Isolation relay). Now, ALL three relays on the car (LH, RH and ISO) look identical and have identical plugs. Are they relays identical?

I took the RH relay (the one where the motor showed no signs of life) and put it in place of the Iso relay. Behold! there was no actuation of the relay, no clicking etc. So am I right in thinking that the relay is broken?

I know I'll probably be buying the good old headlamp repair kit sooner rather than later (thanks Lon!), but I should at least have clicking relays first yes?

Cheers,
Mark.

 

Hello Mark,
Yes you are correct in your assumption that if you swap a relay from a known bad area to a known good area and the good area doesn't work, then it is a bad relay. To further test your assumption, put the relay from the left side on the right side and see what happens.

 

LOL!

Thanks Trickster! Shopping time for a new relay

Mark.

 

OK New relay has highlighted a further problem. The headlight pops up ok, but the the relay begins clicking, on off with a couple of seconds in between. Whilst this is happening the manual wind up wheel get hot. So do I need the new gear/repair kit sooner rather than later, or is something else causing the motor to not shut off properly?


Cheers,
Mark.

 

So that we're all on the same page:

 

The only thing that will cause the relay to cycle rapidly is the wiring from the isolation relay or failing isolation relay (contacts or diode). I've been through this on a couple of ThirdGens and a couple tons of Fieros.

 

OK, so for now, could I swap the new relay in place of the Isolation relay and then use THAT relay for the headlight motor? Or am I being really dumb?
Sorry... I was thinking that maybe when the actuator switch senses enough torque it closes, but then the motor shuts down which then causes the arm to back off the stop thus causing the system to power the motor back up?

Cheers,
Mark.
One day, maybe just one day I'll have all the car's systems working the way I want them!!

 

That could happen at the motor(s), but the relay should not chatter as a result. It seems that you may have a motor relay that is cycling, and when it does, the motor will try to comply and run in the direction the relay is commanding. That would tend to heat up the motor. If you can prevent the relay from chattering, the headlight motor should settle down as well. Meter the coil voltage at the relay that is chattering/cycling, and see if the problem is with that relay or the circuit that drives it.