Firebird Headlights--ALL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS REGARDING HEADLIGHTS GO IN HERE
Originally Posted by 04Yukon
I have an 01 trans am...when I engauge or disengauge keyless entry headlights come up then down and make a roaring noise . The noise only comes from left headlight drivers side? Both lights come up though! Any idea? Is it the same thing I am seeing here about gears?
Thanks,
Tiffany
Thanks,
Tiffany
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Frankfort, IL
Flip up Head light problems 98 Ta I have a 1998 Trans Am. Just this weekend i started having problems with the flip up lights. I first noticed a grinding noise after turn the heads lights off and they flip down; the sound is comming from the left head light motor. For some reason it keeps running for about 30 seconds after it flips down. The left light still flips down and up at the same speed as the right so its not lazy or anything like that.
Before this problem if i just turn the parking lights on (from all off) the lights would not flip up. As soon as i turn the switch to head lights they would flip up. But now the lights flip up when I turn on just the parking lights, never did that before.
Also now the lights flip up and down when I arm or disarm the alarm system. They never did that before.
Could the left head light motor be causing these problems, or is it a bad relay or mabey both ? Please help !
Before this problem if i just turn the parking lights on (from all off) the lights would not flip up. As soon as i turn the switch to head lights they would flip up. But now the lights flip up when I turn on just the parking lights, never did that before.
Also now the lights flip up and down when I arm or disarm the alarm system. They never did that before.
Could the left head light motor be causing these problems, or is it a bad relay or mabey both ? Please help !
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 566
Likes: 0
From: Hendersonville
I am having the same problem in my third gen and it turned out not to be the motor but it was the door headlight module. I found a used one for bout $70 but a new one is $300 but i don't know if the 4th gen has the same setup, if it does that is what it is
The gear on that headlight has stripped, you can either buy a brass replacement (fixes problem permanently) or do the free fix by turning the gear to where the plastic still has teeth (the gear doesn't turn full circle when opening or closing headlights). Very common problem, especially if your headlights pop up every time when arming or disarming alarm.
You can find more info by doing a search on stripped gears.
Best of luck!
You can find more info by doing a search on stripped gears.
Best of luck!
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Frankfort, IL
Originally Posted by kdstang
Very common problem, especially if your headlights pop up every time when arming or disarming alarm.
Best of luck!
Best of luck!
Thanks for the info guys !
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Teching In
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Richardson, TX
Take kdstang's advice my 02 had the exact same symptoms as yours, the gear was stripped, did the free fix which lasted 2 months, then it started all over, put a motor in it and everythings back to normal.
Look at my sticky at the top of this forum...........
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177470
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177470
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Frankfort, IL
Right now I'm thinkin that the Head light door control module is bad. That module controls the up and down motion of the head light doors. It is located on the side of the fuse box closest to the head lights under the hood. I'm thinkin that if that module goes bad and causes the door motor to run too long it will strip the gears out; and I think that is what is causing me head light to flip up when i only turn on the parking lights and/or arm/disam the alarm. I'm gonna try changing the module 1st, if i can find one, and I'll let you guys know.
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,452
Likes: 3
From: somewhere that doesn't get snow
Right now I'm thinkin that the Head light door control module is bad. That module controls the up and down motion of the head light doors. It is located on the side of the fuse box closest to the head lights under the hood. I'm thinkin that if that module goes bad and causes the door motor to run too long it will strip the gears out; and I think that is what is causing me head light to flip up when i only turn on the parking lights and/or arm/disam the alarm
its the gear in the motor itself... a bad gear WILL cause the headlgiht doors to go up when the foglights come on or when the alarm is activated... ive had this happen 3 times on my 95, twice on the drivers side headlight and once on the pass side.. there is something that confuses that computer when the motor gear is bad, and it causes the headlights to come up when the fogs come down.. ill bet if you reverse the motor, it will either 1. go away totally, or 2. the doors stay down when the fogs come on, but when you turn the headlights on, the motor grinds (whereas right now i bet it only grinds when the headlight door gets into the down position)
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Frankfort, IL
ok you guys were right. Head light motor gear. all i did was take the lift arm off the motor and turned the motor by had 180 degrees and put it back together. Thanks guys for the help. Also for inquiring minds a new motor is 70 bucks plus a 20 dollar core at pep boys.
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Frankfort, IL
Man WTF !!
Head light door motor worked great for 1 day. Lastnight if fucked up again !! ohh well I guess I just have to fork out 70 bucks for a new one. I hate doing **** twice. oh well **** happens.
Head light door motor worked great for 1 day. Lastnight if fucked up again !! ohh well I guess I just have to fork out 70 bucks for a new one. I hate doing **** twice. oh well **** happens.
I don't think there is a nylon replacement gear. The entire housing is replaced if stock.
This is from the part # thread in Gen. Maintenance and Repairs thread:
Firebird headlamp actuator (motor) (93-97), LH = 16516653
Firebird headlamp actuator (motor) (93-97), RH = 16516654
Firebird headlamp actuator (motor) (98-02), LH = 16524229
Firebird headlamp actuator (motor) (98-02), RH = 16524230
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....4&postcount=21
This is from the part # thread in Gen. Maintenance and Repairs thread:
Firebird headlamp actuator (motor) (93-97), LH = 16516653
Firebird headlamp actuator (motor) (93-97), RH = 16516654
Firebird headlamp actuator (motor) (98-02), LH = 16524229
Firebird headlamp actuator (motor) (98-02), RH = 16524230
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....4&postcount=21
