newbish question - popup headlight fuse?

[deathsled]

oh I can put them up and down, just as long as the headlight switch on the turn signal stalk isn't on. Once the headlights are "on" then the button on the dash doesn't do anything any more and the stalk switch doesn't raise or lower them. Guess I didn't mean to say they were "stuck" earlier.

[Steve '92ES]

So, when you get into the car you push the pop-up button, the lights flip up, then you turn the headlights on.
To get them down you turn the headlights off, then pop the button again and they go down.
While they are on, hitting the button does not lower them, nor does shutting off the headlights no matter what position the pop-up button is in.
Let me ponder on that for a bit....

[deathsled]

yup, you got it exactly lol, and I only got that far after swapping a couples fuses. I'm thinking there might be more that don't look blown but are. Hopefully I can pick up some fuses tomorrow and just replace everything.

Also while I was in there, I found a wire connected to the 25amp engine fuse that runs all the way to the fuel pump hahaha. God I hope that's not the power wire and is just tripping the relay or whatever. Either way, I'm gonna be ripping that out and hotwiring the pump properly.

[Steve '92ES]

Hmmm. Well after a bit of pondering and a couple beers I have a theory but it sounds like you might be onto something.
FWIW where's what I got...
In simple terms the pop-ups are pretty simple. When you turn the headlights on the headlight switch connects power to the UP input of the ETAC, cycling the lights up. When you shut the headlights off the switch kills power to the UP input and switches it to the DOWN input. Easy enough.
Now add the pop-up button. The button is between the DOWN leg of the headlight switch and the DOWN input of the ETACS.
When the headlights are off pushing the button re-routes the power from the DOWN input of the ETACS to the UP input. Pushing it again switches power back to the DOWN input, closing the lights. Again, easy enough.
What would happen though if you were missing the UP signal from the headlight switch, either because the switch broke or there's a break in the wiring? Turning the lights on wouldn't raise the pop-ups, because it's broken. But because it also killed power to the DOWN side the pop-up switch wouldn't work either (remember, the pop-up switch re-routes the DOWN signal to the UP input). The only way to raise the lights would be with the pop-up switch when the headlight switch is off. Once the lights are on the pop-up button would be in-active. With this scenario the reason the lights don't go down when you shut the lights off is because you have the pop-up button in the "UP" position. If this is the problem then you should be able to raise the lights with the pop-up button, turn the lights on, pop the button back out, then when you shut the lights off they should close automatically.

Am I getting close or do I need more beer?

[deathsled]

you were spot on there. I just went outside and tried it. Pushed pop up button to put lights up, turned on headlights, pushed popup button again (no change), turned off the lights and the doors went down too.

I've also noticed that the auto off function isn't working. Like, when I open the door after cutting the car off the lights aren't turned off. I've read about the "auto off" module that is behind driver's side seat belt panel causing some headlight issues too, I wonder if that could be the issue.

[Steve '92ES]

Well the bright side is you can probably rule out the pop-up fuse, the ETACS, the pop-up motors/switches, and the pop-up button. I'll have to dig around for the auto-off diagrams, they aren't in my '91 manual. In the meantime at least you have a way to use the lights...

[deathsled]

and now if I can get the reverse lights to come on I can pass inspection! haha

[deathsled]

lol so I was off getting some new fuses and I had the fuse box cover with me so i made sure I got the right ones, and I just noticed that the Engine fuse is supposed to be a 15A. The one in the car is 25A, lol, and I assume that is because it's also powering the fuel pump now.....gotta fix that lol