Miata Mailing List: May 1999, Message #88

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Greetings:

I'm hoping someone here will have some tips for me.

I have a '91 Miata with a right headlight motor that at this point will
not retract.  For at least three or four years prior, occasionally the
right headlight would not retract when I switched the lights off.
However, after a period of time I would return to the car and the light
would be down.  Sometimes the headlight would stay up and suddenly
retract on its own as I was driving.  But at this point the light does
not retract unless I crank it down manually.

I mentioned the problem to the dealer whenever I had the car in for
service and of course they could never replicate the problem.  The
dealer now tells me that I have to replace the motor.  The new motor
will cost me $260 and with labor $340 to replace.

I have not been able to find a replacement headlight motor anywhere on
the web.  Is this something I will have to buy from the dealer or find
in a wreck lot?

This does not seem to be a big problem with the car.  I have only seen
one other Miata out here with a stuck headlight.

Thanks for your help!

bryan