Drivers Side Head light will come up, but not go down

[vex]

Recently replaced the external relay (that should tell you year of the car) for the drivers side headlight. The head light can now come up when told by the switch, but does not go back down (which is an improvement over what it used to be). What should I test and how should I test it?

[FerociousP]

On my SA, I had a corroded wire in the connecter. I don't know exactly how it works, but It looks like it reverses polarity through the relay connections to bring it down and the trigger ground (or power) doesn't have a good connection.

Take a look at the FC-02 connector (R/Y)

[vex]

So I may have isolated where my issue is:

Everything after the relay seems to be in good working order. However everything prior to the relay has something up. I checked continuity on both the passenger and driver side. I have continuity between 3 points on the working passenger side, but no continuity between any of the points on the driver side (See F22 and F23)

[FRED]

Early series four had two headlight retract relay located on the left and right hand side of the engine bay. Swap the two items and see if the problem traveled with the swap.

Location shown in the attached jpg. out of the 87 FSM.

Second jpg just shows the left side retract relay, the right side retract relay is in the same area on the other side of the car. Behind the headlight assy and the afm/air filter will be in the way.

[FRED]

Seems you'd go to the Red/Blue and the Red/Yellow with the meter and make sure batt voltage shows up when you go UP/Down respectively.

If you have voltage there then check the gnd point. Problem is the left and right side relays share the same power wire and the same gnd wires with no connector inbetween the source of power/gnd. So I'd have said like I just did......swap relays and see if the problem travels.

You did not mention what wire is open in your earlier post. Seems a person could pull both relays out and ohm out b/t the two relays to prove there's no problem. But I'm more than less not a ohm out person given there's so manyways a ringout can mislead someone (simple light bulb filiment in the circuit over looked etc).

I believe more or less in checking the voltage where it should be and checking the gnd points.

I've had one of these relays fail and it was internal corrosion. Pulled/cut the relay cover off and sanded the contacts and it worked..........for a couple of weeks........then bought another used one from the wrecking yard.

[vex]

Originally Posted by FRED

Early series four had two headlight retract relay located on the left and right hand side of the engine bay. Swap the two items and see if the problem traveled with the swap.

Location shown in the attached jpg. out of the 87 FSM.

Second jpg just shows the left side retract relay, the right side retract relay is in the same area on the other side of the car. Behind the headlight assy and the afm/air filter will be in the way.

The problem does not migrate. It stays with the drivers side. I replaced the relay with a new unit.

Originally Posted by FRED

Seems you'd go to the Red/Blue and the Red/Yellow with the meter and make sure batt voltage shows up when you go UP/Down respectively.

If you have voltage there then check the gnd point. Problem is the left and right side relays share the same power wire and the same gnd wires with no connector inbetween the source of power/gnd. So I'd have said like I just did......swap relays and see if the problem travels.

You did not mention what wire is open in your earlier post. Seems a person could pull both relays out and ohm out b/t the two relays to prove there's no problem. But I'm more than less not a ohm out person given there's so manyways a ringout can mislead someone (simple light bulb filiment in the circuit over looked etc).

The relays are in good working order. The issue is prior to the relays.

I believe more or less in checking the voltage where it should be and checking the gnd points.

I've had one of these relays fail and it was internal corrosion. Pulled/cut the relay cover off and sanded the contacts and it worked..........for a couple of weeks........then bought another used one from the wrecking yard.

The relay I replaced was corroded. The unit I replaced it with is brand new (from the dealership).

[LunchboxCritter]

How do you know the issue is before the relays, and not the motor itself?

If you need a motor let me know I just removed mine for a east bear replica light conversion, and have no use for either of the motors.

[vex]

Read above. If the connectors that come from the switch to the relay are not behaving identically and one of the headlights is not behaving correctly but still functions (IE it will come up and move) the issue must be someplace before the relay. The motor itself is operable and has no damage to it, which means that there is nothing blocking the physical movement of the motor. Since the motor comes up under electrical power the brushes and electrical connections are intact. This leaves the issue prior to the relay.

[vex]

So... any thoughts?

[FerociousP]

1) Actual Gremlins

2) you park your car on an Indian burial ground

3 (most likely)) Underpants Gnomes