I reached in through the window to turn the park lights to check a tail light bulb and turned on the headlights by mistake on 82 TA so instaed of letting them go all the way up like a dummy I flipped them back off. Well the drivers side went down but the pass side went all the way up. Now it stays up all the time. I can manualy crank it down then when I turn them on they both go up but the passengers side will not go down under power, it like their out of sync or somthing. Did i just fry the ability to close under power. If any one else has had this problem and can help please let me know.

 

There is a fuseable link running along the frame at the bottom of the drivers side inner fenderwell. It'll look like two small loops of wire sticking out of the wire loom. Right about even with the A arm at the opening to the wheel well. Pretty close to the steering shaft I think. One of them is most likely blown. When this happens the relays supply the power to raise the headlight assembly but not lower it.

I suppose it's a safety feature incase something binds them???

Anyway, thats the exact symptoms of that fuseable link being blown. I took the motor apart, swapped relays and I don't remember what else to figure this out about 10 years ago on an '82 Bird. Crank it down by hand, raised fine, crank in down again, raised fine, over and over... Cut the insulation off the fuseable link, twisted it back together and it worked again.


Hope this helps!

 

man thats the same thing wrong with my friends car!!! the headlights go up but to get them down they need to be cranked down.. now i know what to check..

because we checked the switch, the relays and everthing worked properly.. i will check his this weekend.. hopefully just the fuse is blown and this will solve that problem and we can get his car inspected...

 

Thanks for the info i will try it tonight when i get home.

 

Guy's I have a similar problem as well. I have had a slow deterioration of my head light actuation for about two years. I have to press on the head light switch with considerable force to either open or close the head light doors. Just recently I turned on the head lights but when I turned them off the doors will not close no matter how hard I press. However, the head lights themselves operate normally. Is this the head light rocker switch going bad or is it something else? Do I need a new one or can I dissassemble my switch bend out a prong or somthing and fix it my self. How much should a new switch cost?
Thank you in advance.

 

you guys are sort of lucky compared to me. My lights turn on, but won't go up! after you put them up manually, they will go down when the switch is turned off. Can anyone help me out?

 

I hope to try the fuseable link tonight , I will advise what happens.

 

Check the adjustment of the lower end limit switch on the suspect headlight motor. These are torque-actuated limit switches, and can get out of adjustment. This switch should close as soon as the headlight motor starts to raise the lamp assembly.

 

I'm not sure what you drive. Mine is '86 T/A

My problem was that the lights would go up, but would not go down. My fix was: I WILL ASSUME THAT ALL YOUR ELECTRICAL TESTS ARE GOOD: After trying used motors (they ended up having the same problem, worked good on the bench, but under load they would go up and not down) I took off the original motor electrical hatch cover. Inside is a removable module that houses the brushes. Remove the module that the brushes are attached to, it slips right out. Clean out any motor dust, check for broken housing pieces from the motor housing. Clean, clean, clean. Now gently squeeze the brushes together, make sure you have usable brushes left (you will see what I mean once you are in there) now put it all back together. It seems that after wear, the pressure of the brushes gets weak and good contact is lost.
Mine was done about year ago and they still work fine. The speed that the doors work was even faster after the repair. The actual removal of the motors was the worst of the job and can take some time. The work on the motors themselves was the easiest. Alot cheaper then buying new, and with used, you never know how they will work until they are installed and under load. Unfortunately the module that the brushes are attached to is no longer available. A electrical motor shop can probably put new brushes on if the ones you are working with are shot.
My GM chassis manual, as well as Haynes has an exploded view of the brush assembly. If anyone needs the picture let me know and I'll get it and attach to this thread......Have fun....

 

I put in the fuseable link last night and it worked!! headlights go up and down thanks to everyone who offered advise

 

Guy's thanks for the Idea's. When I have some time I am going to try them and see what works. I am suprised no one thinks it is my switch in the dashboard? It seems that would be the only component that would be affected by the amount of pressure I apply to it?

 

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