Headlights won't work

100

Asked by 91fireformula Jun 20, 2013 at 12:27 PM about the 1991 Pontiac Firebird Formula

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

My car's headlights won't pop up or
light up. There is no sound when I hit
the switch. I thought harness, but
harnesses aren't a wear-out item.
Any ideas?

10 Answers

545

Check the switch, the fuse, and the relays. If one os those things isn't obviouse then try the following. All cars with pop up headlights have a manual override. (near the headlight actuator, usually a littel thumb cap crank thing) If you manually crank the headlights up, then you can leave them there and turn them off on as needed or they may go down when you turn them off again. If they go down its probobly a relay, if they do nothing its probobly the switch or a fuse. It's doubtfull its the harness or the actuator itself, then it would probobly be one light that was being bad not both...

6 people found this helpful.
100

Thanks for the answer, but I manually put up one headlight and the lights won't even come on. Neither will the tail lights. I turned the switch off and they would not go down. Where to go from here?

1 people found this helpful.
199,785

Have you checked the fuses and relays. Also check that your frame and block grounds are good, tight and clean.

2 people found this helpful.
199,785

This is for an 86. might be similiar to yours. Each light has a separate relay that should be mounted to the inner fender near each light. They are approx an inch square. There is also an isolator relay for both lights mounted on the radiator support. To get to it, the stock air cleaner box will have to be removed. The relay looks identical to the individual relays...but it's not the same internally.

7 people found this helpful.
20

My 86 trans am lights won't go up but if I manually crank them up and hit the off switch they will go down so I'm going to look into the relay on both lights thanks guys very helpful

2 people found this helpful.
90

On the 2002 firebird with pop up lights where are the fuses to check on the lights that won’t pop up when you turn the switch.

9 people found this helpful.
10

Drive my 86 firebird into a crick. Swerved to mis a dear. Headlights turn on/flip up but won't go down unless I crank em down manually.

1 people found this helpful.

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