1988 headlight

[Gregoryb]

So I will start by saying yes I know this topic has bee brought up tons of times but mine seems a bit different than I have read.

I live in Minnesota and I took my 88 coupe into service Monday and had to take it home in snow and freezing rain Tuesday when I was warming it up I popped the lights one opened and one went up a little less then half way I got lucky I did this a few times it would go up half and go down then finally it went up.

i got home put the heat on thought it was frozen but nope the same thing 😡

when up in half way mode you can grab it and it’s stuck with about 1 inch of play like I said it goes up and down fine to that half way point.

Any advice to start with would be great.

 Thanks 

[Ronnie]

Open the hood and find the knob that can be used to manually raise the headlights. That knob is on the end of the shaft in the motor that opens the doors. Then have someone turn on the headlights while you watch the knob turn.

 

If the knob keeps on turning when the headlights stop going up, it means the headlight motors need to be rebuilt by installing new plastic bushings in the gearbox and/or crankarms. This is most likely your problem.

 

If the knob stops turning when the headlight stops going up it is likely that something is binding in the headlight door mechanism. 

 

 

[Gregoryb]

Thanks I’ll give it a snoop tonight.

maybe the dealership left a wrench under the hood😂

[Gregoryb]

I just got home and no assistance popped the light up by hand working manually all the way up and goes down fine but as soon as you go automatically it stops half way 

[2seater]

You need a helper to watch the spinning knob to test as Ronnie suggested. Which light is it? There are sometimes issues with a headlight wire breaking inside the insulation from flexing which affects the bulb but shouldn’t bother the operating motor.

[Gregoryb]

After getting tires it’s working now I got a code b482

[2seater]

58 minutes ago, Gregoryb said:

After getting tires it’s working now I got a code b482

According to the FSM, that has to do with the anti lock brake system pressure???

[Jim Dear]

I purchased the kits from East Coast. The first instruction is to "manually raise the headlamps". I'm focusing first on the passenger side as that's the side that does nothing. When I spin the manual turn knob under the hood (it spins pretty freely), nothing at all happens. It stays locked shut. I've tried it with ignition on or off. Driver side works fine, though I'll do that side, too. Just wanted to start with the passenger side. Hints? I'm sure there's some easy trick I'm overlooking and making this harder than necessary.

[DAVES89]

The How to is in the "How to" on the tabs at the top of the page. Good luck.

[Jim Dear]

Thanks Daves89. I did see that. It's a fabulous "How To"... but I'm turning the knob plenty and pulling up pretty hard on the door and it won't budge. Not an urgent project as we don't drive it in the dark. Maybe I'll wait until next winter when I can take a slower approach. This site is a great resource. This is far from my first "classic" car or first challenge, but I've not previously owned any with pop-up lights, so there's always a first to tackle anything. That always goes the slowest as you're always afraid of breaking something made of unobtainium.

[Ronnie]

Remove the plastic cowl from over the radiator so you can see what's preventing the headlight from coming up. You can probably remove the linkage from the crankarm with the cover removed if needed.

 

[DAVES89]

The only thing I will add to the How To is that I remove the top bolt holding the reinforcing plate next to the headlight motor and push it away from the motor to give me clearance to get at the motor arms.