HeadLights going up and down randomly

Check the connectors from the headlight motors to the main wiring harness for corrosion, moisture and/or a broken connector. The passenger side headlight on my '90 did that until I replaced the connector. Actually had to replace the motor just to get the connector since my local dealers claimed I could not buy the connector alone. Fortunately it only cost me $10 for a pair of used motors.

Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata

"Jazk" wrote in news:BtxSg.21118$ snipped-for-privacy@reader1.news.jippii.net:

Patience may work. I headed home one night around 8 weeks agao and the headlights came on but did not pop up. I turned them off and on a couple of times but no fix, they remained on but down. I pushed the dash button and they did pop up but when I pushed the button again they remained up so I drove home.

When I got home, I turned off the lights and they went down exactly as they should have and have never failed again.

I think it was GREMLINS!

Well, their ideas are best. And will most likely help. But take a minute to check out your main battery cable. The mounting bracket for that battery puts an awful lot of tension on the negative cable, so it's quite possible that has frayed or torn (like it did on mine!) I first noticed it when the lights started acting up. Think about it, a quick look will do the trick!

Cheers, Nick

If shorted, those lights surely can dance up and down.

Leon

Jazk wrote: >

Here's my idea.

By any chance did you get your car used? If so it's remotely possible that some poor sould died in it. Sellers sometimes don't tell you details like this. But now your car is haunted.

If this is the case, however, your situation is not so bad as it seems though, because, first and foremost, Miata owners - passengers, even! - are all very very good people, so you need not worry about any evil or sinister intent on their ghostly part. Probably they just deeply felt that they've got to zoom-zoom a bit more before they're off to their Heavenly reward.

How frustrating it must be! All night long awake, faintly glowing, in the driver's seat. Your ectoplasmic fingers pass right through the key, your ectoplasmic left foot can not depress the clutch.

It's down to you, the living driver, to free them from their Earthly bond. For mercy's sake. Only you can satisfy that last compulsion which chains them to this mortal plane. Go, go, go, make them ghosts go fast.

Yours WDK - snipped-for-privacy@ij.net

Haha, that was pretty good. :-)

Pat - you wouldn't want my ghost in your miata

Maybe you mean if "intermittently open" rather than shorted? Shorts necessarily blow fuses, melt wiring, or kill batteries.

-- Larry

Hi John,

The Mazda MX-5 Club of the Netherlands has done some investigation on this subject in the past. It seemed that the light-switch behind the steering wheel was the culprit. The neccessary lubrication spreads and runs in years and together with some dust etc. causes to make of break a connection to the lampmotor. So, remove your steering wheel and switches circuit board and clean everything. After that, apply a small amount of lubrication to the joints. Eveything should be working fine then...

Success!

Jeroen Feelders

-- The Silver Striped 91B Crystal White Miata -

MX-5 Club of the Netherlands Technical and Websitecommission Member - Meguiar's Clinics

Short-circuit between leads. Not power to ground.

Leon