How I Fixed My Headlamp Levelling Motor - Updated

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YOG

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
2,502
Location
West Sussex
My LH headlamp levelling stopped working, but I could still hear the motor running continuously whilst headlights were on. This is how I repaired it. Guide is for LH headlamp, but RH is basically the same.

The problem appears to have been caused by top 2 swivel push-fittings becoming tight and adjusting rod shaft pulling from its locating clip.

Switch dipped headlights and ignition on (without starting engine, so lights warning buzzer doesn't go off). Now, set interior headlamp adjusting control to number “4”so that dipped beams are at their lowest level. Wait a short while for adjustment to complete, then turn dial to its highest setting and quickly get out of car and listen to each headlamp to see if both motors are running. A correctly functioning motor will stop running when the headlamp reaches its new level, whilst a continuously running one can probably be repaired as follows. No motor noise at all may mean either electrical problems, faulty motor or something broken – not covered here:

The reason for setting at highest level will be apparent later, but what it does is fully extend the adjusting rod (white in 1st pic):

Open bonnet and remove 2 Torx (T30)/Flat Blade screws locating grill and pull upwards to unclip:

Remove Torx (T30)/Flat Blade screw securing headlamp top bracket:

Remove Torx (T30)/Flat Blade screw securing headlamp base and then rotate securing bracket to release unit:

Pull headlamp unit forward from car. Disconnect wiring harness and pull off headlamp drainage tube. Remove unit from car. In cold weather, leave unit indoors to warm up “Plastic”, so that clips are more pliable and don’t break during disassembly:

Release 4 of these clips and remove front lens from housing:

Release 2 “wire” clips at rear and take off cover from housing. Remove connectors from main and dipped bulbs. I removed the bulbs as well, not absolutely necessary, but makes it easier to work on later:

At front of housing (near bottom) is a lever (left of silver Torx screw in pic). This releases lens unit from motor levelling rod. Push lever to side whilst pulling lens assembly forward just enough to release it:

At top, pull 2 swivel push-fittings from their sockets to remove lens assembly from housing. You will need to pull firmly, as it takes some force. This part of headlamp unit swings backwards/forwards to lower/raise beam.
Lens assembly removed, showing 2 swivel push-fittings.
These are the top 2 pivots and sockets which I lubricated
:
At the bottom of the following picture in the centre, you can see the "socket" that the "ball" end of the adjusting rod clips in.
I lubricated this ball and socket as well, because it can also get "tight/stiff" like the top 2 and in an extreme case could pull apart
:

Housing with motor:

Unplug multi-connector from motor (Be careful not to damage wiring). Remove 2 Torx (T20) screws and pull motor from housing:

Motor removed (locates on 2 “pegs”):

Motor front:

Motor (Rear):

Gently lever the 4 locating tabs on the cover at the rear and remove:

Cover removed from motor.
There was very little lubricant on cogs, so I applied a small amount of thin silicone grease on mine:

I also put a light coating on adjusting rod shaft:

Before replacing rear cover, I reconnected multi-connector to motor and housing connector to wiring harness, then operated headlamp levelling switch a few times to distribute grease. After disconnecting again, I applied another coating of silicone grease to cogs and adjusting rod shaft and some to top 2 swivel push-fittings and sockets, prior to reassembling headlamp unit.

After connecting the wiring harness and drainage tube, test the lights and headlamp levelling are working before final assembly.

If you’re going to do this repair, it’s probably better to do both headlamps at the same time, even if one seems OK.

31st March2013 - Update "Dreek" on PumaPeople posted the following:
"Job done, thanks for the great guide (so good i managed without the pictures!) and help.
In the end I had to remove the PCB from the headlamp adjustment motor assembly, desolder the potentiometer and spread its fingers a little to make better contact, before reassembly and test. I was able to diagnose the specific fault detail by reconnecting the motor assembly into the headlamp assembly with its lid removed (in the car) and applying pressure to the potentiometer wiper while it jumped around - when I did this the motor stopped chattering and settled into a stable position. Bit fiddly (borrowed a magnifier from the wife's crafting gubbins) and you need to be able to solder properly, but it's doable.
Finally, lubricating the headlamp locking mechanism with wd40 made refitting much easier.
Replacement eBay part on order anyway - it's only an hour's job now I know how.
Thanks again for the help; this forum is going to save me a fortune in garage costs!"
 
You're a Top bloke, thats fantastic, this could save people loads on replacing the whole lights!

Can a mod sticky this?
 
Excellent guide Rick :eek:k:

No need to "sticky" it Ross, it's already in the "How To Guides" section along with all the other guides. ;)
 
nice guide

am i being thick i cant actually see what you did to fix it? i need to do this as my left hand one if playing up
 
If you look at the top of the first picture, you can see the two pivot points that were "tight/stiff" and needed lubricating. This is the part of the headlamp unit which swings backwards/forwards to lower/raise the beam.
At the bottom of the first picture in the centre, you can see the "socket" that the "ball" end of the adjusting rod (second picture) clips in. I lubricated this ball and socket because it can get "tight/stiff" like the top two and in an extreme case could pull apart.
 
Excellent guide. Well done.

I have to admit both my 1.7 and FRP developed this fault.

I cured it by the simpler, cheaper and easier method. I just had the things disconnected and reset the beams to a fixed effective level.

I am not in the habit of carrying paving stones in the boot. And even if I was the Puma lights are so poor nobody notices.
 
You my friend are an absolute legend!

Just failed my MOT for the offside light not adjusting. With this photo guide it took no more than 10 mins to completely dismantle the headlight.

It was not the pivot point that was the problem, but the motor itself not working.

-----------POSSIBLE FIX FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE NO SOUND COMING FROM MOTOR-----------

It seems that wear and tear means that the brush for the slider (see 2nd from last pic on main post) actually wears through the pcb and takes off all contact with metal (would have taken a pic but forgot while it was in bits).

Simple and botched fix to get you through an MOT until you can source a cheap replacement motor / headlamp on ebay...

Take off the slider's cover carefully.
Check the pcb that the slider runs on against a lightbulb.
Then the botch... gently bend the brushes sideways so that they will run along a nice clean bit of circuit.


As the motor has been under extreme pressure for a while, it is pretty much knackered, runs at half the speed of the other light, but will get me through the MOT tomorrow which is the important part. New damaged headlamp chassis on the way from ebay which will end up as a donor.
 
I'm suprised it failed because the adjuster motor didn't work as they can be adjusted manually - which is how my MOT tester sorted mine - and I'm guessing a lot of testers don't even know that they are electric too. I know it can be a fail for not having the lights at the correct height but not for the actual adjusters to be faulty :?

Hey ho, at least you've fixed the faulty one but I'd set the height of it against a wall to make sure it's aligned with the good one - if that makes sense...lol, as he could still fail you again if they're not. Most 'decent' testers would just sort it and be done but others like to pi$$ you about and charge you for the pleasure!! ;)
 
Another issue i have found;

If the motor doesnt work it can be because a solder connection on the motor / pcb has burnt out....

while you have the whole thing apart check all the solder joints; some are really crap from the factory, add a little more solder or re-solder any that are going brown / burning out.

personally i have disconnected mine and adjust them manually now...
 
I tried this today but couldn't get the lense assembly off from the housing, the swivel push fittings were too tight and I couldn't pull it out. Any ideas?
 
Going to try again in the morning, would really appreciate some advice on seperating the lens assembly from the housing with regards to the swivel push fittings or i'll have to buy another light to pass my mot!
 
Bugger. I thought only the drivers side was meant to adjust... Guess I better get the passenger side fixed :/
 
I've added the following information to my first post:

31st March 2013 - Update "Dreek" on PumaPeople posted the following:
"Job done, thanks for the great guide and help.
In the end I had to remove the PCB from the headlamp adjustment motor assembly, desolder the potentiometer and spread its fingers a little to make better contact, before reassembly and test. I was able to diagnose the specific fault detail by reconnecting the motor assembly into the headlamp assembly with its lid removed (in the car) and applying pressure to the potentiometer wiper while it jumped around - when I did this the motor stopped chattering and settled into a stable position. Bit fiddly (borrowed a magnifier from the wife's crafting gubbins) and you need to be able to solder properly, but it's doable.
Finally, lubricating the headlamp locking mechanism with wd40 made refitting much easier.
Replacement eBay part on order anyway - it's only an hour's job now I know how.
Thanks again for the help; this forum is going to save me a fortune in garage costs!"
 
hello,i live in holland with my puma 1.7,great car, but there are very few in the scrap yards,my question is for the headlight ajustment motor can i use one from another ford or masda 121.my MOT or in holland APK is up in 2 weeks.thanks.
 

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