!@#$ing HEAD LIGHTS!!!
03-18-08, 12:04 PM
#1
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!@#$ing HEAD LIGHTS!!!
i bought an FC and the headlights were up when i picked it up and when i drove it home and parked it, i noticed that the eyes didnt shut. i turned the **** thats the "cleaner" light switch to flip the lights up and down and i get nothing. I checked all the fuses and they were good. i unplugged the CPU (driver side kick panel) and still didnt work. when i try to turn them manually, i'll turn the **** a few times but then the motor kicks in and spin them back. i can't even spin them enough to a point where they close. any suggestions? i've searched and tried different solutions but i still can't get my headlights to go down..
03-18-08, 12:30 PM
#2
You have a manual light motor switch right above you main headlight switch. Check that it is not up! The lights will go up with the motor switch up and go down with the switch turned down. The headlights will come up and down on automatically with the motor switch set to the down position. If you really need them down you can remove the light motor fuse and manually put them down by turning the manual ****...
03-18-08, 01:16 PM
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Engine, Not Motor
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Take it back to the person you bought it from and make them fix it. 
It's unsafe for them to sell a vehicle with unpredictable headlights.
That said, if you want to fix it yourself, your first stop is the FAQ to download a copy of the FSM, which contains full wiring diagrams. From there you can check the plug at the headlight motors with a meter and determine if the issue is with the switch. The headlight switches have a number of strange failure modes, though I can't say I've ever seen one fail with the lights up before.
Dumb question, but you DID turn the headlights off with the large **** at the bottom right, correct?
It's unsafe for them to sell a vehicle with unpredictable headlights.That said, if you want to fix it yourself, your first stop is the FAQ to download a copy of the FSM, which contains full wiring diagrams. From there you can check the plug at the headlight motors with a meter and determine if the issue is with the switch. The headlight switches have a number of strange failure modes, though I can't say I've ever seen one fail with the lights up before.
Dumb question, but you DID turn the headlights off with the large **** at the bottom right, correct?
03-18-08, 02:43 PM
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just to make sure because chris boots post was a little hard to follow. did you check the headlight switch thats above your main lights switch. if that is switched to constantly up then your headlights won't go down.
03-19-08, 12:43 AM
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Take it back to the person you bought it from and make them fix it. It's unsafe for them to sell a vehicle with unpredictable headlights.
That said, if you want to fix it yourself, your first stop is the FAQ to download a copy of the FSM, which contains full wiring diagrams. From there you can check the plug at the headlight motors with a meter and determine if the issue is with the switch. The headlight switches have a number of strange failure modes, though I can't say I've ever seen one fail with the lights up before.
Dumb question, but you DID turn the headlights off with the large **** at the bottom right, correct?
It's unsafe for them to sell a vehicle with unpredictable headlights.That said, if you want to fix it yourself, your first stop is the FAQ to download a copy of the FSM, which contains full wiring diagrams. From there you can check the plug at the headlight motors with a meter and determine if the issue is with the switch. The headlight switches have a number of strange failure modes, though I can't say I've ever seen one fail with the lights up before.
Dumb question, but you DID turn the headlights off with the large **** at the bottom right, correct?
yup i did. i'm guessing its probably the switch? anyone know what the price of the switch is at the dealership?
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03-19-08, 09:58 AM
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03-19-08, 01:01 PM
#13
www.mazdamark.com
He rebuilds switches....though currently his system is down his system is down (BANA BANNA NA BANA BANNA NA)
He said he will offer it again soon is some post I saw recently.
He rebuilds switches....though currently his system is down his system is down (BANA BANNA NA BANA BANNA NA)
He said he will offer it again soon is some post I saw recently.
03-19-08, 02:07 PM
#14
Your best bet is to just find someone who is doing a part out and ask them for that switch. I personally have never seen on fail. I believe that all 2nd ge switches have the same contectors. the only difference was that the ***** are slightly differnet on s4 and s5 cars. But the ***** pop off so you could put a s5 **** on a s4 switch and be good to go. or you can just find out whats wrong with your switch and rebuild it your self. i've had to do that with 3 wiper switches now and they all now work perfectly.
03-19-08, 04:58 PM
#15
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IF this car has Theft protection, then try this link: https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ght=headlights
It takes but a few minutes to see if this is the problem. Just reach down to the CPU, I said CPU not ECU, and pull its elect plug off. Then try the headlights once more. It sounds silly at first glance, but look at the light schematic and you can see how this can be a problem in the CPU.
If the lights go up/down now with that plug off the CPU, then just cutting or depinning one single wire at the CPU connector fixes all.
Even if the car does not have theft protection, try it anyway. Cost nil.
It takes but a few minutes to see if this is the problem. Just reach down to the CPU, I said CPU not ECU, and pull its elect plug off. Then try the headlights once more. It sounds silly at first glance, but look at the light schematic and you can see how this can be a problem in the CPU.
If the lights go up/down now with that plug off the CPU, then just cutting or depinning one single wire at the CPU connector fixes all.
Even if the car does not have theft protection, try it anyway. Cost nil.
03-19-08, 06:22 PM
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yeah i saw that thread and tried that. i disconnected the CPU and it didnt make a difference. the car does have theft protection but it doesnt really work. the "SECURITY" light glows but i don't really see it working.
03-19-08, 06:42 PM
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I'm sure the FSM has a section on checking out the retractors.
If it were me, I'd just pull ONE of the headlight retract plugs off. One meter lead to a known ground and the other to the Red/Blue (RL) pin in the plug. If the **** is UP, then you should have approx 12vdc. Then move to the other wire, the Red/Yellow (R/Y) and see if it also has approx 12vdc. Shouldn't.
Then do just the opposite. LIghts to DOWN and the voltage should be just the opposite of the above. And voltage on only one of the two wires.
Messing around like that should tell you what the light switch is putting out. In fact you might just disconnect both retract plugs when doing this, THEN connect one of the plugs back up and see if things change. With both plugs off the output of the switch should read the right voltage on the right wire.
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...0&d=1199547810
If it were me, I'd just pull ONE of the headlight retract plugs off. One meter lead to a known ground and the other to the Red/Blue (RL) pin in the plug. If the **** is UP, then you should have approx 12vdc. Then move to the other wire, the Red/Yellow (R/Y) and see if it also has approx 12vdc. Shouldn't.
Then do just the opposite. LIghts to DOWN and the voltage should be just the opposite of the above. And voltage on only one of the two wires.
Messing around like that should tell you what the light switch is putting out. In fact you might just disconnect both retract plugs when doing this, THEN connect one of the plugs back up and see if things change. With both plugs off the output of the switch should read the right voltage on the right wire.
https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...0&d=1199547810
Last edited by HAILERS; 03-19-08 at 06:48 PM.
03-19-08, 07:20 PM
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Seems to me your going to find there is never a 12vdc to the Down wire. It seems like the Retract Relay might be locked to one position no matter what you do with the switch.
So if you never get the 12vdc to the Down wire at the headlight retract motor, suspect the Retract Relay is bad. I've never replaced one and have no idea what part number is involved.
The way that relay works, is that when you go to full ON with the headlight switch, you put a ground on that relays coil thru a diode. The power is already there on the relays coil, so the relay pulls in and the relays internal contacts *make* and feed power to the UP. If those contacts are frozen in the UP positon, then there's nothing going to happen when you go to off, even though you have removed the ground to the retract relays coil.
Or that relay could have a pemanant ground on its coil. That can happen thru a failed Theft unit outputting a gnd all the time. But you checked that by removing the CPU's plug.
IF I had that light switch apart, I'd plug it in and prove that retract relays coil to see if there is a gnd on it all the time ..or not. Shouldn't be there all the time.
It's too hard to tell someone how to check out a light switch online. But I'd check it out before I replace the thing. Wrecking yard if you need one. No way I'd spend over fifty even for a new one. Wreck yard should be ten to fifteen bucks max imho.
So if you never get the 12vdc to the Down wire at the headlight retract motor, suspect the Retract Relay is bad. I've never replaced one and have no idea what part number is involved.
The way that relay works, is that when you go to full ON with the headlight switch, you put a ground on that relays coil thru a diode. The power is already there on the relays coil, so the relay pulls in and the relays internal contacts *make* and feed power to the UP. If those contacts are frozen in the UP positon, then there's nothing going to happen when you go to off, even though you have removed the ground to the retract relays coil.
Or that relay could have a pemanant ground on its coil. That can happen thru a failed Theft unit outputting a gnd all the time. But you checked that by removing the CPU's plug.
IF I had that light switch apart, I'd plug it in and prove that retract relays coil to see if there is a gnd on it all the time ..or not. Shouldn't be there all the time.
It's too hard to tell someone how to check out a light switch online. But I'd check it out before I replace the thing. Wrecking yard if you need one. No way I'd spend over fifty even for a new one. Wreck yard should be ten to fifteen bucks max imho.
Last edited by HAILERS; 03-19-08 at 07:29 PM.
03-19-08, 07:37 PM
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Here's a thread by SEADAWG who had a similar problem: https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...adlight+switch
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