1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

headlights go up...

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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 12:54 AM
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headlights go up...

hi....ok strange problem...my headlights pop up...but then wont go down...i have to do that manually...are there any easy simple things i should check...like is there a seaperate fuse for up and down??

anything would help.
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 01:10 AM
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check the fusible links under the hood. might be the bottom one. i used to have that problem too.
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 01:10 AM
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it maybe your switch...u know the one close to ur shifter...it maybe be broken or disconnected it happend to me and i was going crazy untill i figured it out.. i was like im such a dumb a$$
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 01:48 AM
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also the little plastic bearing covers at each end of the moving arm that turns the light up, they tend to deteriorate and fall out
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 06:25 AM
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Mine has a simialar problem. I hooked the battery up and they went up and wont go down. Would this be the same problem as described?
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 08:50 AM
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rotaryenginepete
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it could be, mine had this problem sometimes but not always when going back down. after i replaced those plastic bearing peices they were fine. here's a pick of what i am talking about. these really effect the motor because if they are bad, the friction is too strong for the motor to over come and raise the light.
Attached Thumbnails headlights go up...-n5-7a.jpg  
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 10:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Doubleohsmurf
it could be, mine had this problem sometimes but not always when going back down. after i replaced those plastic bearing peices they were fine. here's a pick of what i am talking about. these really effect the motor because if they are bad, the friction is too strong for the motor to over come and raise the light.
Where did you get thoseplastic pieces? Does Mazda still stock them? Just curious, I have one missing, everything works fine except for the "clunk" when the lights go down but I foresee trouble. Thanks!
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 10:24 AM
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What year? Is it blowing a fuse? If both will not go down, it's not the plastic pieces unless both arms came off at the same time, unlikely. I recently had a simular problem and learned a lot about this system. First, the down motion for the dash switch and the light switch are the same circuit. The up motion for the dash switch takes somewhat of a different path than the headlight switch, I guess this is so you have two ways of getting your headlights on, safety. If the dash switch brings them up and down, but the headlight switch does not, then your problem is the headlight switch circuit, which is tied to all exterior and interior lights. If you have a shorted light wire, you should be blowing a fuse. If no fuse is blowing, the path for down is: 12volt power to the headlight switch to the dash switch to the head light motors. So you could have a wire off on the dash switch or the switch could be locked open, which would not allow you to lower the headlights or your headlight switch could be bad, which might not allow power to the down motion. I spent all day tracking my problem down, the problem was a shorted dash light wire, however I was blowing a fuse? Get you a repair manual, they only cost around $15, make sure it has a wiring diagram in it. Try to eliminate items, plus post as much info as you can.

Blueraven
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 10:29 AM
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Change your 'Headlight' fusible link at the driver's strut tower.

This is a well-known problem when you get the 'up-but-not-down' headlight lid problem.

The metal retractor and lift rods will still work fine with broken plastic ends, they will just make a lot of noise and the lights won't aim correctly. The wiring is probably fine, since the Fusible Links are there to protect the wiring circuit, and the headlight retractor motors are probably fine as well, since these rarely ever go out.

Do the simple thing first and you'll be amazed. HTH,
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 10:40 AM
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Instead of buying the plastic pieces, you can just buy new arms for pretty cheap from VB.
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 10:45 AM
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wicked...thanks...now that i think about it (duh on me) i dont have the dash switch in....im going to try that, then the fuseable link...thanks for the idears!
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 10:49 AM
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From: Winnipeg MB
and the little plastic busshings are part numbers

999520618 and 999400602
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 11:08 AM
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rotaryenginepete
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From: Navarre, FL / Spokane, WA
buy parts at mazdatrix.com
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 02:07 PM
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cool....ok im silly, i re-installed the headlight up/down switch and that solved my problem...exactly what i wanted...a quick easy fix. thanks guys.
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 05:14 PM
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The simple things in life is what makes all the hard ones seem less difficult!!!!!

Blueraven
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Old Jul 31, 2004 | 06:24 PM
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He fellas I found a fuse that fits in where the Links go it works fine. Just wondered if any of you have seen these?
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Old Aug 1, 2004 | 09:59 AM
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From: Jackson MI USA
Hey Leif , Put a set of louvers on the back end of the car to balance the headlight drag. still there ? Bob
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Old Aug 2, 2004 | 06:41 PM
  #18  
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From: Winnipeg MB
are you still selling them...sorry...i had an exam last week and it has messed me up...did you decide what you wanted for them?
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Old Aug 3, 2004 | 03:28 AM
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Hi!
I have the almost the same problem.My righthand side(driver side) light goes up fine,but wont go down again.
Can anyone help,how i can test the wiring harness on the motor,and the relay ?
Thanks!
Karis
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Old Aug 3, 2004 | 07:33 AM
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First check the linkage to see if the headlight is binding on the down motion. Next remove the connector from the passenger side and determine which wire goes hot on the down motion. I believe the connectors are the same for both sides. Then go to the driver's side connector and check to see if the voltage is there at the same place for the down motion. If the voltage is there, then it's the motor or connection. If the voltage is not there, you will have to start tracing the wire up to the point that it splits off to the passenger side. According to the wiring diagram there is one wire that comes out of the dash switch that sends power to both headlights on the down motion, the headlight switch wire goes through the dash switch before it goes to the headlights and it splits somewhere after it leaves the switch. Just so you know this is not the case for the up motion, there are two separate circuits for the dash switch and headlights switch for the up motion. So in other words if one goes down and one does not, it's either a headlight motor problem, linkage problem or a broken connection between the headlight motor and where the down power wire splits to the passenger side. As I recommended leif, get yourself a repair manual with a wiring diagram.

good luck,
blueraven
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