Diagnosing Headlight Covers that won't go down

[El Dee Bee]

I finally got mine to work and there is a good troubleshooting procedure in the shop manual. But 1st U must make sure that the plastic gears are not disintegrated in the motors. If so then get the repair kit from TDS - Top Down Solutions. Look at his website - his name is Lon Salgren.

The next thing to do is copy the troubleshooting instructions in Section 8A-102 of the manual, which gives a schematic of the Headlight Doors. The module that controls it is large w ~ 10 wires coming out of each side and it is on the firewall just left as U R looking @ the master cylinder. I got no input into this module, so as I suspected before, it was the headlight switch on the dash.

To replace this switch, U remove the ~ little module just below the HL switch, which has the dimmer on it - 2-7 mm screws. then U can get at the 2 screws under the main plastic panel that goes around all of the dash instruments, and there are ~ 8-10 more screws holding it on, including the one behind the right black pass side plastic panel, which Jan larsson told me about. I didn't remove that one, and was able to pull the whole panel out enuf to get @ the HL switch out from the left of the drivers side of this panel. It has 3-7mm screws also.

Anyway - now I can close the HL covers. I would suggest that U long term owners pick up this switch before we can no longer get it.

 

[PhillyTurboSix]

If I don't firmly push the off on my headlight switch they will stay up. I just have to make sure I firmly push off and they seem to close every time. I only use them maybe 3 or 4 times a year. Thanks for the post as I think I'll pick up a switch now! We'll make this one a sticky!

 

[Jan Larsson]

Correct switch (black and gray) is long gone ... new replacements are all black and have differnt writing on them.

The switch can be taken apart and the contacts cleaned and bent slightly to make it work like new again ....

Mine is like yours Jim I have to push hard on it to close the headlights ... will take it all apart one of these days ...

Glad you got yours sorted El Dee Bee !

 

[PhillyTurboSix]

Jan what was the GM part number for that switch? Mine are not that bad in fact most times they go down but if I just make sure I use firm pressure when turning them off I never seem to have an issue. Let me know that number I'll see if I can do some magic!

 

[Jan Larsson]

Jim, just look at the box with that new NOS OEM switch you got in my pile of stuff at your house .... failing that this is the part number you should be looking at 1995294 .... not tried VPI they might have some ???

 

[PhillyTurboSix]

You have to give me that site again Jan. I was going to look at the box on the way out the door today and forgot! I called collectors out in cali and they just have aftermarket ones in stock.

 

[El Dee Bee]

Correct switch (black and gray) is long gone ... new replacements are all black and have differnt writing on them.

The switch can be taken apart and the contacts cleaned and bent slightly to make it work like new again ....

Mine is like yours Jim I have to push hard on it to close the headlights ... will take it all apart one of these days ...

Glad you got yours sorted El Dee Bee !

Yes, Jan, mine used to work when I pushed hard on the bottom of the switch, but then finally wouldn't do it anymore. It's nice to now that we can also repair the switch. But I wonder if eventually we might "work-harden" and break the tangs by bending back & forth a few times ?