Passenger Headlight Illuminates, But Won't Come Up

[HijackTheLeft]

So last night, I noticed my passenger headlight wasn't up. The light comes on, but it doesn't pop up. I had my girlfriend turn the lights on while I was at the light, and I can hear the motor working, and the light even pops up about a half inch before it drops back down. I can pick the the light up freely, like it's not even attached to the motor. I don't know how the whole assembly works, but it feels like it's gotten separated from the motor somehow, like it's "off track."

I've done some research, but most other peoples' problems seem to have been electrical. Mine seems to be more mechanical. Does anyone have any suggestions?

btw, I have a 90 S13 Coupe.

Thanks!

[nifares240]

it probably froze from the weather. try using the manual turn screw, and see if the lights pop up.

[Klits562]

turn the knobs on the motor (they may be covered with a plastic top) to manual lift the light, if it doesnt move then i would say it probably came off the arm for the motor, which i've never heard of happening outside of car accidents.

If you want you can have someone pop your working headlight up while you watch and study it, then look at your busted light and see if you can see if anythings wrong.

Same time post

[HijackTheLeft]

I didn't realize there was a manual screw. Thanks guys, I'm gonna go check on that.

[Klits562]

neither did i untill i saw my friend do it when my headlights wouldnt popup(they still dont)let us know how it goes

[HijackTheLeft]

The white plastic piece that connects the arm on the headlight to the motor is broken. It's just cracked so the arm doesn't sit in it. Definitely going to need a new one. Shouldn't be too hard of a job, but I seriously doubt I'll be able to get one from Autozone. Pretty sure it's going to be a dealership part. :\

There's no way I'll be able to get one tonight, and the local Nissan dealership's parts department isn't open on weekends, so it looks like I'm going to have to go the weekend like this. Has anybody ever rigged their headlight to stay up without being attached to the motor? I was looking for some way to try and get it to stay up, and I couldn't find much to work with.

[HijackTheLeft]

Sorry for the double post, but... duct tape ftw.

I'm still open to other solutions though. Duct tape doesn't hold up to well in the cold.

[S13BoostMonster]

jbweld that s*** until you can get the part

[Klits562]

dont jb weld it, its gonna be a b**** to replace if you do.Also dont go to the dealer its gonna cost a crap load and i cant even imagen they would have the part, i know 100% if they do they are gonna have to order it, but idk if they would even be able to order it from anywere.go to the junkyard or find someone near you or even far away whos parting out there car and just get the arm from them im sure it would be cheap as hell, alot cheaper than from nissan.if you cant find someone whos parting out, or cant find one at the junkyard make your own. Its just the arm right?

[HijackTheLeft]

It's not the arm, it's the plastic piece at the end of the arm. It's shaped like:

| | \o/ <-- that part of it is curved like a U

The top part, where the arm goes into it, is cracked. I know for a fact that there aren't any at the junkyard. In the 5 years I've had the car, I've never once seen a 240 of any year in either of the local junkyards I know of.

I'll look around to see if anybody's parting one out. I hadn't thought of that. I'm still going to price it at the dealership though. Maybe I'll get lucky

The duct tape held for it's maiden voyage of about 12 miles, so it might be ok for the weekend.

[Klits562]

you can try removing the arm and then(this where jb welding comes in. Remove the plastic part thats broken and jb weld it together nice and strong and then put it all back together, that way you dont jb weld the arm to the part thats broken.

[HijackTheLeft]

Yeah, but then they'll be permanently in the up position. What's weird is that the arm seems like it would have been too long to fit into that plastic piece anyway. I tried to fit back into the what's left, but it was too long. Maybe there's a fair amount of pressure on it when it's all assembled, I don't know.

[Klits562]

i doubt it, if i remember the piece the arm attaches too is oval shaped so maybe your trying to attach it when the oval is farthest from the arm or to close to the arm either way do you get what im saying?

also thats why i said remove the part the arm attaches to and jb weld it back together then put the arm back it when the jb weld dries that way they wont be jb together

[HijackTheLeft]

Ooohhh, ok, I got it now. I thought you meant JB Weld the whole thing together. That makes sense though. I misunderstood you the first time. I'll give that a shot.

[HijackTheLeft]

Ooohhh, ok, I got it now. I thought you meant JB Weld the whole thing together. That makes sense though. I misunderstood you the first time. I'll give that a shot.

[S13BoostMonster]

how did it work out for you? whatd you end up doing?

[HijackTheLeft]

I went by the Nissan dealership, and they want $60 for it, as expected. I'm going to look and see if I can find somebody parting one out, and if I can't do that, I'm just gonna JB Weld it. I was just a little concerned about the JB Weld setting correctly in the ridiculously cold weather we've been having. I guess if all else fails, I can just run an extension cord and a hair drier outside. :\

As for right now, it's still duct tape holdin it down. And doing a damn fine job, I might add.

[juse]

duct tape does indeed fix everything