Headlight that sticks...

[Sean Roth]

Sometimes my left front headlamp unit does not extend or retract when lights are turned on or off.

If I give it a little pressure it will move. What is the common cause of this?

SF Roth

[saabfast]

Starting point for most headlight problems is cleaning the connectors in the engine bay behind the lights and the earth point adjacent.

Alan
Saab 9000 Stg 1 (now passed to son for his family car)
Saab 9000 2.3 FPT Auto (now gone that others might live)
Saab 9000 2.3 LPT Auto
'81 TR7 DHC

[alc59]

I bought an aerosol can of contact cleaner and used an old toothbrush and it worked for me.
Good luck.
Al

[Sean Roth]

Those ideas seem like they would help if the motor was not getting electrical power, but if I tap on my headlights they will retract. Seems like something is binding sometimes.

SF Roth

[dursleyman]

Sounds to me like it must be a bad contact in the motor or its wiring that is affected by you tapping it. If it was just binding I would expect some other symptom like something getting hot or a blown fuse.

Russ

1980 TR7 Sprint DHC
Dursley
UK

http://tr7russ.blogspot.co.uk/

[g4zur]

Hi Sean
I had the same problem as you.
The replies were 100% correct in my case, Clean all connections WELL including the earth connections.
After which my headlights perfomed as they should, Good look.
Regards Gareth.

G.P.Albrighton

[saabfast]

Its a peculiartity of the cars. When I got mine out of hibernationn last year one headlight did the common dance (cycling up and down). Cleaned the contacts in the connector and it was fine. Its also a very easy first step, and is normally followed by cleaning of the switch in the dash. Only then do you think about resorting to the internals of the lamp.

Alan
Saab 9000 Stg 1 (now passed to son for his family car)
Saab 9000 2.3 FPT Auto (now gone that others might live)
Saab 9000 2.3 LPT Auto
'81 TR7 DHC

[Sean Roth]

Sounds good, thanks for all of the replies. I will clean those contacts.

Sean

SF Roth

[Workshop Help]

It will also benefit you to generously oil the hinges of the headlight bucket.

Mildred Hargis

[Vino79TR7]

You understand everyone is not suggesting cleaning the contacts for the relays behind the driver head light...those relays are for the AC. the head light relays are behind the panel in the glove box.

I'd recommend disconnecting one connection at a time then clean them and reconnect before going on to another connection...on a 79 TR7 the wires are not the same color.

but before that...I'd take some WD40 or something similar and lube all moving parts.

TR7s are very simple straight forward cars...before getting to fancy with a solution try a simple solutions...like lubing joints. after all your car is 30 yrs old...factory lube can't be expected to last a life time.

[UKPhilTR7]

I have the same situation with my lights too, mine is the drivers side. Sometimes it will stick and sometimes it will not. It all depends on how it is feeling on the day. Turning the lights on and off usually sorts it out though. I like to think that the car is winking at le rather than playing up. Gives me a little smile when it happens thinking of it this way [:)][:)]