Problem with headlight and security system.

[TransAmMan]

ok this is a huge annoyance and I defintely can't afford to send it to GM to get it fixed. A few certified mechanics that haven't looked at it have been baffled.

It seriously just started doing this out of the blue. No trama nothing.

When I lock or unlock my car using the keyfob the head lights pop up and then go back down and the passenger side headlight motor keeps running and makes this horrible grinding noise. It also does it when the car automaticly turns on the security system.

This is so fucking annoying and embarrasing. Please help.

[got-a-ls1]

you need to replace your headlight gear.

[TransAmMan]

ok but why is my security system making my head lights pop up? It has never done that before.

[DrMilhouse]

aftermarket security or stock security?

[TransAmMan]

Stock.

[DrMilhouse]

I have no idea then. Sorry.

[quicky06]

i have 99 rs v6 camaro and the fog lights flash when the security turns on. if that helps

[kronik]

try the website projecttransam.com, the guy goes in to great detail on why it does this and sells a part to fix it for $43 without having to buy a new motor for $200-$300, I am about to have to do this and everyone with our cars will eventually have this problem

[kronik]

by the way he tells you how to fix it for free, but it will eventually wear out again. so it would be better to by the metal gear he sells and not have to worry about it anymore

[DrMilhouse]

That kind of help is why I absolutely love these sites.

[TransAmMan]

I really don't think it's the gear at all. It pops up perfectly fine. It has to do with the security system.

[DrMilhouse]

Damn... there's some crazy amounts of info on that site. What a guy for putting it all together.

I don't think it makes a whole lot of sense at first for it to be the gear causing all the problems, but then again... this is GM we're talking about.

I'd say scroll down to #3, try the fix or the replacement gear since you'll need it at some point anyway.

clicky

[Jeff2002WS6]

It is the gear that is causing your problem. Basically when you put your headlights down the right side motor continues to run because the gear is striped so even though it hits the stop, the motor never stops to signal to the BCM that it has. It only stops after a programmed 'time out'. If you notice in GM cars with the headlights the pop up that if you have the lights up and then switch to parking lights the lights still stay up. The BCM is still giving the 'stay up' signal. If you put them down then go to parking lights before they go all the way down they will go right back up because the never saw the down complete set. So basically, your BCM is waiting for the down complete bit to be set and never saw it but timed out your right headlight motor. When you lock and unlock your security it flashes you parking lights which is the same as turning them on normall with the switch as far as the BCM is concerned. So, your lights fo up then back down when they are done flashing. Hope that helps.

To test what I'm saying you should be able to go to your car right now and turn your switch to parking lights and you headlights will pop up.

[TransAmMan]

your right. When I turn on the parking lights they do pop up.

[DrMilhouse]

When you arm/disarm your car, your parking lights come on. Sounds like the gear is still the likely culprit.

[TransAmMan]

yeah I'm going to buy one of those cnc'd brass gears and pray that fixes everything. If it's a eletrical problem. I'm Fucked.

[fateswebb]

dude I just now fixed the same problem for free.

there is a turn knob (with a rubber boot covering it remove the boot with pliers) that allows you to raise the light manually so you can take it apart. then you take off the 3 screws holding in the plastic bug cover. then you just take the screw off of the lever that lifts the light, turn the manul lift knob so that the motor turns 180 degrees and then put it back together. took me like 15 minutes total. this uses a new section of the gear. Interesting that when I used the alarm the first time it raised the lights and shut them, without the grinding, and then after that it no longer raises them. It didnt know before that the light was down. since the gear was stripped the motor didnt know it was down. I am glad I did this, because it was free, and sure it might break again on the other side, but this side lasted 5 years, so maybe the other side will last some too.

Dude if you just go out there and look at it, you can fix it pretty easily. Check that site that they gave you too, since there are picture of the whole thing explaing how to do it. It is not electrical problems it is the gear. I had the same symptoms as you.

FatesWebb