Passenger headlight won't move along with the dial.

iamaiun · Sep 17, 2009, 09:18 PM

Hi,
I'm pretty sure this is not covered yet and is not a repost but if it is, I'm sorry.
I just recently blacked out my headlights and i noticed when I moved the headlight dial, my passenger headlight wouldn't adjust, it would remain stationary, while the driver headlight moved up and down perfectly.
Has anyone had a similar problem, and how can I go along and fix this?
Thanks ahead of time.

rogue · Sep 17, 2009, 09:37 PM

Did you recheck your connections at the headlight?

iamaiun · Sep 17, 2009, 09:40 PM

The headlights work fine. Highbeams, indicator and signal lights. It just won't move along with the dial.

xPRimNT · Sep 17, 2009, 10:42 PM

When you painted it, did you remove the internals to paint them?

The motor connects to the internals by a little "ball" joint, so you need to make sure that is properly seated. If the electronics are fine, it's probably this mechanical connection.

iamaiun · Sep 17, 2009, 10:56 PM

I basically only removed the bulbs, the wires connected to the bulbs and the power box I think. I didn't mess with anything from the inside. Could you explain where the ball joint is located in more detail? I want to know for sure before I have to take my bumper off again and my light.
Thanks.

xPRimNT · Sep 18, 2009, 12:08 PM

Wow, I actually have pretty damn good pictures of this!

Now, first off, I'm not saying that this is necessarily your problem. However, it is a potential reason in why your level switch isn't causing movement of the passenger side. You may not even have to take the bumper off, you might be able to get the closest bulb out, get a gloved finger in the housing and pull the internals towards the back of the housing towards the ball.

Here is the outside of the housing, with the motor circled. This is the location of the ball joint, as the motor essentially just pushes the ball in or out depending on the setting.

Now, the internals. The connector on the internal component is a yellowish clip (mine is slightly damaged in this photo, the light was salvaged from a crashed car and repaired) that snaps over the ball (circled but slightly out of focus).