Tech-Tip - Controlling the Popup Headlight Doors...

by: Ron Dittmer

Winter ice and repeated night driving stops, can cause premature headlight motor failure. If you drive your Fiero in the winter, or routinely make numerous stops during the coarse of an evening, you may be interested in adding a switch to control the headlight door motors. Adding this switch will give you the option of lowering the headlights on demand.

This modification is foolproof, meaning the lights could never be "ON" with them in the closed position. It functions the way you would expect Pontiac to design it, as if it came from the factory that way. This modification is very easy to make.

The modification works as follows. With your new (added) switch in the "ON" posit cr. all operates normal, like no modification at all. With the switch in the "OFF'' position, the system operates like this. Starting with the headlights down and off, put the new switch in the off position. Turn the headlights on, and the doors open with lights on, just like you are accustomed to. Turn lights off, and the lights go off, but doors stay up. Flip the added switch "ON", and doors go down, and the lights stay off.

The Procedure.

Remove the headlight/instrumentation dimmer switch plate. On the headlight

switch itself, the white wire on the bottom of the connector, requires the

added switch to be "In Line".

I got a small black rocker switch which measured just over 1/2" square, and mounted it just to the left of the instrumentation dimmer switch, on that front plate. Try finding a flush mounted switch small enough and black in color, in a rocker style, rather than the typical lever style. Radio Shack does not offer the style that I used which looks factory original. DigiKey at 1-800-344-4539 has one for $7.32, part number CKN2002-ND, from C&K Components Inc. part no. UllJ51ZQE22.