Headlights: Can I lock in up position?

[DanC]

I hope I'm not repeating a question that's been answered before. I searched in vain, but couldn't find anything on this.

My C3 had a vacuum switch that could hold the headlights in the "up" position for cleaning, bulb replacement, winter operation, etc.

I haven't found anything in the owner's manual for my '93 that will do the same.

Is there such a thing?

Thanks,

 

[DRTH VTR]

On my C5, there is a knob on each motor that can be turned to manually open the headlights. If the C4 is similar, You can put the lights up manually.

 

[Tuna]

There is a knob on the back of the motor that can be used to manually rotate the headlights to the up position. As long as you don't activate the headlight switch to turn the headlights on, they will stay in whatever position you manually placed them in.

If you do turn on the headlights, when you turn them off, they will close.

Is this the kind of info you're looking for? Or is there an underlying reason that we don't know?

 

[DanC]

That's exactly what I wanted to know. No underlying reason, just looking for information to service or clean the headlights without having them on.

On my 76, the owner's manual suggested leaving the headlights in the "up" position during winter weather to prevent problems with icing/snow preventing them from coming up when needed.

I guess that may be one reason why headlight gears get torn up.

Thanks for the quick answers.

 

[DRTH VTR]

Again, I don't know about C4's, but the C5 headlights also stay up when you turn on the headlights, then turn them back to the parking lights position without turning the switch all the way off. That is an easy way to keep them up for cleaning, etc.

 

[jester]

Turn the headlights on and then back to parking light position and they will stay up. They don't close until the parking lights are also turned off. Of, course if you want them open without the parking lights on, then you would need to use the manual knob as described above.

 

[Robertwav1]

Figured this might be worth mentioning. I used to turn headlights on my 93 for cleaning. Turn off the the headlights but leave the parking lights on. This is convenient and works just fine. Problem is the warning chime is going off the whole time. Well....mine bit the dust. Had to remove dash to replace and it was expensive. What a PITA. I now use the manual method for cleaning.

 

[militant_x]

When i bought my 86 the lights were locked in the up position, the guy thought the motors were dead, i thought the motors were dead... Unitll i plugged in some wires by the front of the car.

So im guessing you can just unplug them, unplug the motors with the lights in the up position and they wont go back down. (im pretty sure)

-chris

 

[Rich96c4ce]

On '96s, start the engine, turn the headlamps on, then turn to the parking position, then turn the engine off, then turn the parking lamps off, it I remember correctly. I think this leaves the headlamps up, but no lights or warning chimes on.

 

[DanC]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the replies. Lots of useful tips to accomplish this.

Since I just got this car and won't be driving it during the winter, I curious what do you year-round drivers in the snow belt do?

On the 76, it actually states in the owner's manual to leave the headlights up to prevent ice and snow from locking them shut.

It would seem Chevrolet missed the boat on the electric drive headlights. Wouldn't an iced up headlight wipe out the motor or geargbox?

Thanks again for the insight.

DanC