head lamp opening/closing problem

[chief916]

I have a 1999 coupe that started having problems with the head lamps opening and closing uncommanded. That was 4 months ago, now the lamps will not open or close unless I crank them up or down manuelly. There is power to the head light beams. I went through and ohmed out all the fuses on the vehicle but got nothing. I think I narrowed it down to a headlamp control module which is situated just under the right headlamp. Not being an electronic genius, I really have no way of knowing if this is the problem. I went to the dealer parts department and they told me they do not keep them in stock but can get one in in about 24 hours for a nice price of $281.00. Well......this gets me to thinking, just how bad do I want my head lamps to go up and down at the flick of a switch???? Could I not purchase a set of C6 headlight assemblies for a reasonable price and replace the motors and lamps for ones that stay exposed all the time. When I researched all the components and prices involved with the C5 headlight system and the cost associated with replacing everything over time, to be honest with you...it was considerably more than I wanted to pay. I love this car and its performance and its sheer unadulterated horse power, but if this is gonna nickle and dime me to death on head lamp parts, I'am thinking maybe a Cadillac STS might be a better choice. I sure hope one of you gear heads out there got some good advice for me. It would really be greatly appreciated. Thanks for anything you may have to offer.

 

[TheSearcher]

Count your lucky stars that your car isn't a Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini or other exotic. $281 probably wouldn't pay the tax for a fix on another sports car.

I budgeted $200 a month for repairs and maintenance on a little Triumph Spitfire and had trouble staying in budget for necessities.

Lock those babies in the up position if your're not willing to spend the money to fix them.

Any 11 year old car will nickel and dime you if you drive it everyday. Buy a new one with a warranty and you can avoid those repairs for a while. New ones run real good.

 

[napacruzerC5]

The C6 assembly would probably not fit in the C5 headlight openings plus it would not have the correct angle. There are vendors out there that specifically sell replacement assemblies for C5s which are not retractable but could be an expensive mod and I haven't seen one that I like yet.

 

[chief916]

Count your lucky stars that your car isn't a Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini or other exotic. $281 probably wouldn't pay the tax for a fix on another sports car.

I budgeted $200 a month for repairs and maintenance on a little Triumph Spitfire and had trouble staying in budget for necessities.

Lock those babies in the up position if your're not willing to spend the money to fix them.

Any 11 year old car will nickel and dime you if you drive it everyday. Buy a new one with a warranty and you can avoid those repairs for a while. New ones run real good.

Thank you for putting the cost factor into perspective for me. The true fact is that I very seldom have driven it but given the fact that I did have it and enjoyed it all these years, I'm just gonna have to suck it up and do what needs to be done. Thanks again for your input.

 

[Junkman2008]

Have you bothered to pull the codes and allow the car to tell YOU what is wrong with IT? You can do it while sitting in the car with no tools.

Can't do that with a C6.

In all reality, this car is not that expensive to keep running considering what it will do. Proper trouble-shooting will help you resolve most problems easily and not buying parts from the dealership will really ease the load on your wallet.

 

[chief916]

Thanks Junkman. I did pull the codes about a month ago and went through the manuels but there were no codes specific to headlamp operation. I will pull them again tomorrow and see if anything else is in there. I think I should get a code everytime I cycle, or try to cycle, the headlamps. Will keep you posted.

 

[Junkman2008]

You could be looking at one or two problems concerning this. The most common is the stalk. The headlight module can be an issue too but is not the most common with this problem. The stalk can be removed and serviced by you if you are on a budget. Check out this thread. I explain the RR process in detail.

 

[chief916]

headlight actuator control module

You could be looking at one or two problems concerning this. The most common is the stalk. The headlight module can be an issue too but is not the most common with this problem. The stalk can be removed and serviced by you if you are on a budget. Check out this thread. I explain the RR process in detail.

Thanks Junkman, I went in and pulled out the Headlight actuator control module and sure enough the back seal was cracked on it and popped open. It was full of green slime and corrosion. Looking on the internet now to find the best price on a replacement. I figure the part will run anywhere between 250 and 300 bucks. I tried America Corvette but they didnt have anything like that in stock. You wouldnt happen to have any ideas on where else to look would you. Either way, much thanks to you and everyone else who put a thread in.

v/r
Chief

 

[Junkman2008]

... You wouldnt happen to have any ideas on where else to look would you. Either way, much thanks to you and everyone else who put a thread in.

v/r
Chief

As a matter of fact, yes I do Chief. Check out the guys at Corvette Recycling. They have just about every used part you can think of for the C4-C6. Watch the video on their home page. It will give you an idea of how big their operation is.