Re: Headlight Motor Alternative Fix

Coo! That wasn't your day then

Going back to the motor, it's a bit chicken and egg with what goes wrong with the resistor and the securing clip. If the resistor fails then the motor doesn't know when to stop and drives the screw jack down until the resistor clip becomes detached. Equally if the clip on the resistor becomes detached first then it has the same effect and the screw jack just drives down until it gets jammed. So check the clip and the resistor range to see which is the cause

You can connect it and check it's working before finally inserting back into the headlight

Re: Headlight Motor Alternative Fix

I've just bought a replacement motor for my headlights so as soon as I get it I'll make a guide with pictures detailing how to remove all the bumper and bits to get to the headlights and replace the motor. It's easy but it's always nice to have a few pictures showing how to do it.

It's only right after the amount this thread has helped me and saved me in money!

Re: Headlight Motor Alternative Fix

You really don't need to remove the bumper, that's hard work especially if you're on your own. Removing the wheel arch liner only takes 10mins

Just remove the wheel then remove these 3 front screws and a few similar ones to the rear, not forgetting the one under the door sill!

Then it's off, it's very light


Then you'll have all the access you need but take the liner right out, don't mess about with trying to squeeze past it, as you want to get both hands in there

Re: Headlight Motor Alternative Fix

I've just wasted 3 hours of my life fighting with the left headlight on my stilo.

The motor is permenantly running and pointing the lights up. Pressing the button in the car makes no difference.

I was trying to clean the contacts on the back of the bulbs to see if that would help but after reading this I realised I was wasting my time.

Anyway I read that removing the inner wing would aid access, however on the JTD there's a dirty great intercooler in the left wing, is that not in the way?

Plus why are people buying ford parts to replace the motor?

The air filter change was a pain in the rear as well.

Ministry of cr*p design strikes again!

Is fiat just trying to make back in servicing costs what's it not making on the sticker price of the car?

Re: Headlight Motor Alternative Fix

I took the whole front bumper off to take my headlights out, (I had to do both of my motors) one was broken and the other had popped out thus pointing the reflector upwards.

Its not to difficult to take the bumper off, can have mine off in about 10 mins now. If your only doing one its probly easier to try and gain access by taking the wheel arch lining off.

The reason a few people are mentioning using ford parts is that the ford mondeo uses the same headlight motor pcb so you can swap your old faulty pcb out for a new one without having to fork out for a new motor from fiat, got my new motor from ebay for £7 which was a ford mondeo one cant remember which mk though.

Have a good read over this thread it has all the information in for you to fix your problem.

This website is good aswell as it shows you what is probably wrong with your headlight motor and how to test it (Recommended to me by someone in this thread).

Good Luck!

Re: Strange Noise

jmac said:

This was my first thought, that one of the motors was trying to run, but previously I have noted that when using the lamp leveller, the nearside lamp moves but the offside one doesn't. It could be that the motor is now getting power and trying to drive by itself, therefore the noise I am getting, I will have to investigate further. Do you know exactly where the offside motor is situated, ie is it easy to get to?

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Its going to be a bit awkward, take headlight bulb replacement as an example.

But I think its easiest from under the wheelarch, either side. Passenger side is more awkward. Dont know exactly where the motor is but it wont be far from the light unit.

Re: Strange Noise

jmac said:

Thanks for that, looks like it will be the usual stripping down half the car to get access to a simple component!

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Drivers side (UK car) is easy, its good practice TBH for when any bulbs go.

Second time I did it took me 20 mins from start to end.

Jack up safely, wheel off, remove wheelarch liner. Slacken off the washer bottle nuts, remove one and tilt it away, access is quite easy that way. Drivers side is hampered by the battery tray etc but look in the Stilo guides its well covered in there.

Re: Strange Noise

Does anyone know if the headlamp leveling motors are controlled through a fuse and, if they are, where the fuses are located? If so I am just going to remove the fuse as I have never had a need to use the levelers.

Re: Strange Noise

You will find they're very useful if you ever carry a heavy load in the boot.

Plenty of people have repaired them - with a bit of lube and relocation many are sorted without cost

Re: Strange Noise

Yes Argo, I understand what you are saying, but for a quick fix just now I need to know about disconnecting through a fuse. I will look at it when/if the weather up here in Scotland ever improves, it is no fun working out in the cold and rain, and with the dark mornings, and early dark nights, coming along very soon I want to use my headlights without a) having to listen to the noise, and b) damaging the motor / mechanism if I leave it as it is.

Re: Strange Noise

You have to remove front bumper, and to take the whole headlight out. Removing the cable connector is a bit tricky, you need to push a little gadget with a flat screwdriver, which will free the connector.

Backside of the headlight is now easily accessible. You must take out the circuit board, but watch for the motor and headlight connection. You have to twist it a little on the side, and it will loose the headlight gently. When a board is removed, there is a little posister (variable resistor) with a little nose sticking out of it, verticaly, with which it was connected with a moving part of headlight (mirrors&lamps). It is either broken, either the resistor needs a little WD-40 or some other contact spray for cleaning the contacts. This little variable resistor is the only way the system knows what is the position of the headlight, so if it is dirty or broken, the motor turns forever.

Mine left headlight motor is also broken, I tried to fix it, but not with success. It was broken and dirty, I fixed both, but still has some issue. I will have to recheck it. I just disconnected that motor from the power source, so it doesn't make a bigger mess.

Re: Strange Noise

Thanks for that nidza, I will try that. The strange thing is that if I switch the headlights on/off 2-3 times the noise stops, so it may only be a bad/dirty contact.

Re: Strange Noise

Hi jmac...just so you know I did not have to remove bumper to get at either of my light motors ech is held in by 2 phillips head thin bolts once you have found and undone these with a little force they pop out a locating pin better if you can hold steady the moving part of lens and when pulling the motor out put a slight angle on the motor, the nearside needs wheel arch cover removed to gain upwards access to headlight and motor but drivers off side is easier and access from above down to back of light is ok and I have a big paws, replaced mine by modding ford mondeo/fiesta ones that are made by the same parts company just had to swap over the pins and switch the electrical connections I did post instructions if you do a search, mine were doing the ratcheting noise and beyond repair so was a cheaper fix if you have trouble finding fiat light motors.

re: Headlight Leveler Motor Fix

Thanks Argo for adding all this info, very informative. This has to be one of the best Forums around for people wanting to help each other.

Headlight Level Motor's

Hi guys,

I hope you can help. My driver side headlight adjuster seems to have gone a bit crazy and its whizzing away as soon as I turn the headlights on, but for some reason the light is now pointing well too high and its blinding everyone on the road! The dash adjustment switch does not do anything the light just stays where it is, i.e. pointing at the moon!!

So, what’s happened to my lights and how I am going to fix it? I see that people how replaced the motor with ford ones, is this the best thing to do? If i take the headlight unit out (i.e. by taking the bumper off etc) and find the motor is beyond repair can i just fix the light in the correct (0 possion) place?
Also, just looking at the pics from Decks and i cant seen what’s actually wrong with the one in the first pic? Also can you test them out of the car before fitting them?

What actually moves is it the bulb or the light unit?

Cheers guys!

Re: Headlight Level Motor's

Hi guys,

I’m thinking the best way will be to disconnect the motors all together and then just us the manual headlight alignment. I see the headlight has 2/3 white sticks which I assume adjust the headlight up/down and left/right. Which one does which? I don’t want to mess up the left/right when it only needs to come down a bit. If anyone has any photos that would be great.

Cheers
Matt

Re: Headlight Level Motor's

I seriously wouldn't mess with the basic alignment settings :shakehead:

Can you not stick/jam the motor in the '0' position ?

Personally I'd fix the motor

Re: Headlight Level Motor's

Argonought said:

Can you not stick/jam the motor in the '0' position ?

Click to expand...

Would love to mate, but dont know how! Anyone got any advice?

Re: Headlight Level Motor's

MF-Racing said:

Hi guys,

I’m thinking the best way will be to disconnect the motors all together and then just us the manual headlight alignment. I see the headlight has 2/3 white sticks which I assume adjust the headlight up/down and left/right. Which one does which? I don’t want to mess up the left/right when it only needs to come down a bit. If anyone has any photos that would be great.

Cheers
Matt

Click to expand...

yup its those sticks. after removing the stupid motors, take it to an mot garage. they should align it for you for a nominal fee

well thats what i did anyway, and noone has complained about my xenons yet :slayer:

those motors are bloody expensive for what they are :bang:

Re: Headlight Level Motor's

OzMoSiS said:

yup its those sticks. after removing the stupid motors, take it to an mot garage. they should align it for you for a nominal fee

well thats what i did anyway, and noone has complained about my xenons yet :slayer:

Click to expand...

You've got Xenons - for which auto leveling is mandatory (amongst other things)

...but you've disabled your manual leveling system completely