head light problem

**guy** · 09-08-2006, 04:48 PM

i have a 2001 ws6 last week i pushed my lock/unlock button on my keyless entry remote and my head lights went up and down and my driver side motor stays running for about 10 seconds before it shuts off. now its doing it all the time could it be the motor or the relay that mounts on the side of the fuse box under the hood or any thing else.need help thanx.

**0rion** · 09-08-2006, 08:05 PM

Do a search for healight motor. There's tons of threads on the subject. Basically the gear is stripped.

**bostonbruins34** · 09-09-2006, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by guy

i have a 2001 ws6 last week i pushed my lock/unlock button on my keyless entry remote and my head lights went up and down and my driver side motor stays running for about 10 seconds before it shuts off. now its doing it all the time could it be the motor or the relay that mounts on the side of the fuse box under the hood or any thing else.need help thanx.

The plastic gear inside the motor is stripped. Common problem. I found a brass gear on e-bay for $39. Took about 45 minutes to pull the thing apart and replace and has worked perfect!! Finding a motor is great but you would pay a ton for a new motor $200+..A used one still around $50-$100 and there is no guarantee it will not develop the same problem 'cause the gear from the factory is plastic. What ever you do don't get the repair kit some guy has on e-bay for .99 cents 'cause it is only the bushings...This is the one I got ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1993-...QQcmdZViewItem)

**T/Ajammer** · 09-09-2006, 08:46 AM

Why would his headlights go up and down when he hits the remote door lock button? A stripped gear would account for the motor running on, but I don't see that causing the headlamps to open in the first place.

**yzfgirl** · 09-09-2006, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by T/Ajammer

Why would his headlights go up and down when he hits the remote door lock button? A stripped gear would account for the motor running on, but I don't see that causing the headlamps to open in the first place.

Yeah I don't know why the headlights freak out when the gear goes bad, but it just does. I had to go about a week with it like that before I could get it fixed and it was annoying as hell. People around me when I would set my alarm were like "wow, when most car alarms set they just make a beep, yours throws a fit!" Mine happened before I found this site so I ended up getting it fixed for about $350. Next time I am doing it myself and getting the brass gear.

**shady milkman** · 09-09-2006, 09:04 AM

the gears are stripped..but still have some teeth left..so the lights go up...its how the gears and motor works..i'm no expert..but the motor shuts off when there is a certain amount of resistance. (when the gears open the lights up all the way and can't push anymore.) so thats why the motor is still running and the gear can't get enough resistance becuase its slips when some of the teeth are worn. but thats a horrible explaination..i hope someone will explain better. I hope this answered your question

**bostonbruins34** · 09-09-2006, 10:24 AM

The answer I got from a G.M. tech is that the same current that causes your fog and running lights to flash when you lock/unlock/alarm the car goes to the headlights also. Because the stripped gear is at the '"bottom" of the cycle there is no resistance the lights go up and down, just like they were turned on and off (like the fog/running lights do). That awful sound is the gear getting to the bottom of the cycle and grinding against the teeth that are stripped. It will stop after a few seconds because that is the timeout. Your regular headlights clamp down just like that but because all the teeth are intact there is no grinding...Your headlights want to go up when you unlock/lock/alarm the car all the time but because the gear teeth are intact the headlight does not move.