At 06:34 PM 11/10/00, Doug M wrote:
The car is an '87 and I've never had any headlight problems before.  I went out tonight and when I got to my destination my headlights did not go down.  They turned off but would not fold down (and yes, the car was still turned on).  On my way home I noticed that they were pointing a little skyward. Maybe that's why I was flashed three times.  While driving I flicked them off then on, and once again all was normal. When I got home they retracted just fine.  Any helpful hints? What could be loose?


Could be an electrical problem - that circuit is VERY complex! - or could be mechanical. Check the tightness of all of the fasteners on the retraction
mechanism, etc.

As an aside - it bears repeating that there is a possibility of a potentially serious problem with the headlamp linkage on ANY 928.

Open the hood (bonnet to some of you). Look in front of the radiator/condenser on the left side of the car (the right side as you are facing the front of the car) and locate the headlamp retraction motor, which is a rubber-covered cylinder about the size of a drink can. Attached to the motor is a crank, and fitted onto that crank is a flat linkage bar that runs down to the headlamp actuation bar. This flat link bar should be retained at each end by a metal clip, commonly called an "E clip", from its shape.

If the top E-clip is missing, the headlamps could unexpectedly retract at any time. That could ruin your night!

If the bottom E-clip is missing, the same thing could happen. In addition, if the link bar comes off and you then turn the headlamps on, the link bar
can very easily be driven thru the A/C condenser and radiator, destroying both.

Either result is drastic and expensive, and one is potentially fatal. Quite a reaction to a missing fifty cent clip!

I would suggest that you consciously form the habit of looking at the clips every time that you open the hood.

Wally Plumley
928 Specialists

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If possible use these locking clips: