Make sure you don't bend pins when putting in headlight assembly
#1
Make sure you don't bend pins when putting in headlight assembly
Just a note to everyone that the design of the headlight assembly connector is NOT foolproof. It IS possible to bend a couple of the pins when sliding in the assembly and then (at least for me, when the "outer" set of 2 pins is bent) the main headlight bulb and the turn signal will no longer work. I straightened out the 2 pins and all is well.
I've taken out and put back the headlight assemblies for the 996TT and my previous 986 a number of times and so I am familiar with the process. I was not heavy handed when I did it today. Nevertheless 2 pins were bent.
How did I notice? It was convoluted actually. I had what I thought was a burnt out headlight bulb. When I replaced the bulb I had noticed that a small wire going to the igniter had come loose (came off of the spade connector; it was just friction fit). I thought it might have come loose when I was taking the cover off the assembly. No matter. I reconnected the wire, swapped in a used but known-good-bulb for the one that I thought was defective and was dismayed to find that the known-good-bulb also didn't work. Well, maybe the used bulb was indeed dead. Swapped in another used-but-still-working-previously good bulb. Again, no joy. Started to think it was a bad igniter. Made a note to check to see if I could obtain just the igniter part of the assembly. Started driving the car and noticed the signal light was not working (fast blink). Coincidence? I took off the headlight assembly and tested the signal bulb with a multimeter. Bulb was good. THEN looked at the electrical connector of headlight assembly and saw that 2 of the pins were bent. Straightened them and then both the headlight bulb and turn signal bulb was working again.
I've taken out and put back the headlight assemblies for the 996TT and my previous 986 a number of times and so I am familiar with the process. I was not heavy handed when I did it today. Nevertheless 2 pins were bent.
How did I notice? It was convoluted actually. I had what I thought was a burnt out headlight bulb. When I replaced the bulb I had noticed that a small wire going to the igniter had come loose (came off of the spade connector; it was just friction fit). I thought it might have come loose when I was taking the cover off the assembly. No matter. I reconnected the wire, swapped in a used but known-good-bulb for the one that I thought was defective and was dismayed to find that the known-good-bulb also didn't work. Well, maybe the used bulb was indeed dead. Swapped in another used-but-still-working-previously good bulb. Again, no joy. Started to think it was a bad igniter. Made a note to check to see if I could obtain just the igniter part of the assembly. Started driving the car and noticed the signal light was not working (fast blink). Coincidence? I took off the headlight assembly and tested the signal bulb with a multimeter. Bulb was good. THEN looked at the electrical connector of headlight assembly and saw that 2 of the pins were bent. Straightened them and then both the headlight bulb and turn signal bulb was working again.
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