Home  |  Forums  |  914 Info  |  Blogs
 
914World.com - The fastest growing online 914 community!
 
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way.
Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
 

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

 
 Reply to this topicStart new topic
> Headlight doesn't go up, but it goes down
era vulgaris
post Sep 20 2015, 07:20 AM
Post #1


J is for Genius
***

Group: Members
Posts: 982
Joined: 10-November 13
From: Raleigh, NC
Member No.: 16,629
Region Association: South East States
Out driving last night, and my driver's side headlight wouldn't go up when I pulled the headlight switch so I had to manually crank it up with the thumbwheel on the back of the headlight motor. But to my surprise, it went back down by itself when I turned the headlights off.

Is this an issue with the relay, the motor, or something else?

I rarely drive at night, but prior to this the headlight on that side used to wink (go up and down twice) when I turned the headlights on. Not sure if that was a related issue.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
mepstein
post Sep 20 2015, 07:36 AM
Post #2


914-6 GT in waiting
***************

Group: Members
Posts: 19,257
Joined: 19-September 09
From: Landenberg, PA/Wilmington, DE
Member No.: 10,825
Region Association: MidAtlantic Region
The motor only spins in one direction so if it goes down, the motor is good.
User is online!Profile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
era vulgaris
post Sep 20 2015, 07:53 AM
Post #3


J is for Genius
***

Group: Members
Posts: 982
Joined: 10-November 13
From: Raleigh, NC
Member No.: 16,629
Region Association: South East States
That's good to know! I'm guessing maybe an issue with the relay then. Someone once told me that the winking was due to a bad relay, but I thought it gave the car character so I never did anything about. Maybe it finally failed. I'll put it on the test bench and see if it activates or not.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
BeatNavy
post Sep 20 2015, 08:03 AM
Post #4


Certified Professional Scapegoat
****

Group: Members
Posts: 2,924
Joined: 26-February 14
From: Easton, MD
Member No.: 17,042
Region Association: MidAtlantic Region
QUOTE(era vulgaris @ Sep 20 2015, 09:53 AM) *

That's good to know! I'm guessing maybe an issue with the relay then. Someone once told me that the winking was due to a bad relay, but I thought it gave the car character so I never did anything about. Maybe it finally failed. I'll put it on the test bench and see if it activates or not.

Mine does the same thing (winks) and I also like the character it adds (which I find amusing). A complete failure is less amusing, however. Let us know what you find.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Dave_Darling
post Sep 20 2015, 05:03 PM
Post #5


914 Idiot
**********

Group: Members
Posts: 14,982
Joined: 9-January 03
From: Silicon Valley / Kailua-Kona
Member No.: 121
Region Association: Northern California
The relay powers the motor; if the motor spins then the relay is likely good.

The headlight switch might have a problem, or the wiring from the switch to the headlight motor assemblies. Or maybe even one of the microswitches inside the assembly which say that the light is up or down.

--DD
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
bandjoey
post Sep 21 2015, 10:05 AM
Post #6


bandjoey
****

Group: Members
Posts: 4,925
Joined: 26-September 07
From: Bedford Tx
Member No.: 8,156
Region Association: Southwest Region
My Winking was cured with all the grounds being cleaned. Never hurts to try. Might be why they didn't go up. I took off the wires and it was gray under there, not bright metal

Hope that helps
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
sfrenck
post Sep 21 2015, 10:35 AM
Post #7


Member
**

Group: Members
Posts: 492
Joined: 28-February 10
From: Wilmington, DE
Member No.: 11,411
Region Association: MidAtlantic Region
I had problems like that - turned out my wiring was melted thru in various spots between the fuses and the headlight motors.

Replacing the wiring fixed it.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
mepstein
post Sep 21 2015, 10:54 AM
Post #8


914-6 GT in waiting
***************

Group: Members
Posts: 19,257
Joined: 19-September 09
From: Landenberg, PA/Wilmington, DE
Member No.: 10,825
Region Association: MidAtlantic Region
QUOTE(sfrenck @ Sep 21 2015, 12:35 PM) *

I had problems like that - turned out my wiring was melted thru in various spots between the fuses and the headlight motors.

Replacing the wiring fixed it.

Scott - I think I had similar issue when mice got a wire or 2. Right?
User is online!Profile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
era vulgaris
post Sep 21 2015, 12:18 PM
Post #9


J is for Genius
***

Group: Members
Posts: 982
Joined: 10-November 13
From: Raleigh, NC
Member No.: 16,629
Region Association: South East States
So I cleaned the grounds at the headlight. Nothing.
Then I cleaned the three contacts in the multi-pin plug. Bingo! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

EZ PZ fix. Headlight works perfectly, although sadly it no longer winks. But I'm very glad I didn't have to replace any parts!
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
mepstein
post Sep 21 2015, 02:07 PM
Post #10


914-6 GT in waiting
***************

Group: Members
Posts: 19,257
Joined: 19-September 09
From: Landenberg, PA/Wilmington, DE
Member No.: 10,825
Region Association: MidAtlantic Region
my old car used to wink. I liked it. Maybe we could developed a mod to do it if we want.
User is online!Profile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
era vulgaris
post Sep 21 2015, 03:41 PM
Post #11


J is for Genius
***

Group: Members
Posts: 982
Joined: 10-November 13
From: Raleigh, NC
Member No.: 16,629
Region Association: South East States
The easiest way would be to splice in an additional spst switch into the wire that goes from the relay coil to ground. Then you could control the winking, and do it anytime you wanted to without the headlight turning off.
Add a switch for each side, and then you could control both of them independently.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
sfrenck
post Sep 22 2015, 06:02 AM
Post #12


Member
**

Group: Members
Posts: 492
Joined: 28-February 10
From: Wilmington, DE
Member No.: 11,411
Region Association: MidAtlantic Region
QUOTE(mepstein @ Sep 21 2015, 12:54 PM) *

QUOTE(sfrenck @ Sep 21 2015, 12:35 PM) *

I had problems like that - turned out my wiring was melted thru in various spots between the fuses and the headlight motors.

Replacing the wiring fixed it.

Scott - I think I had similar issue when mice got a wire or 2. Right?


Right - just where the wires went through the firewall they were melted / eaten and were intermittently touching other things.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
EdwardBlume
post Sep 22 2015, 06:36 AM
Post #13


914 Wizard
**********

Group: Members
Posts: 12,338
Joined: 2-January 03
From: SLO
Member No.: 81
Region Association: Central California
QUOTE(era vulgaris @ Sep 21 2015, 11:18 AM) *

So I cleaned the grounds at the headlight. Nothing.
Then I cleaned the three contacts in the multi-pin plug. Bingo! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

EZ PZ fix. Headlight works perfectly, although sadly it no longer winks. But I'm very glad I didn't have to replace any parts!

I love happy endings! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
« Next Oldest · 914World Garage · Next Newest »
 

Reply to this topicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 

Display Mode: Standard · Switch to: Linear+ · Switch to: Outline

Track this topic · Email this topic · Print this topic · Subscribe to this forum

- Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 8th May 2024 - 05:05 PM
Invision Power Board v9.1.4 © 2024  IPS, Inc.
All rights reserved 914World.com © since 2002
914World.com is the fastest growing online 914 community!
We have it all, classifieds, events, forums, vendors, parts, autocross, racing, technical articles, events calendar, newsletter, restoration, gallery, archives, history and more for your Porsche 914 ...