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ericvv



Member Since: 02 Jun 2011
Location: Near the Jet d'Eau
Posts: 5816

Switzerland 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
Headlamp levelling motor issue
For several years now I have the left hand side headlamp levelling motor not working well. These little electric motors move the headlamps up and down in totally 4 height positions (0->3). The right hand side motor is working very well, you can clearly distinct the light beam dropping a step with each move of the switch. While the left hand motor works, it barely moving the headlamp down.
I always thought that it was a malfunctioning motor, years ago it was already replaced once on my request, but no real improvement. Today the truck was at dealer to replace the LEDs by my original Wipacs, and they noticed that a plastic piece to which this motor is connected has melted, causing the levelling motor, even if it properly functions itself, to not effectively do its job of lowering the headlamp to positions 2 and 3.
This plastic piece melting seems a very rare occurrence, so no stock with our importer, but a UK factory order. Also made a temporary fix for now until the piece arrives.
Question, never read about such failure on here, anybody had something similar happen, and what could be the cause?
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o
https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I
https://vimeo.com/201482507
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw
Post #482082 14th Dec 2015 2:48pm
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rallysteve



Member Since: 10 Feb 2014
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 2222

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 110 Td5 DCPU Keswick Green
Think the part you are after is STC4029 and it seems quite available and cheap in the UK if that is any help.

If at some point the wiring has been damaged to the motor it could try to default to its lowest position (lower than setting 3) which it does if you disconnect the switch. If the headlight body has prevented the lamp from getting to that setting the motor will have no doubt been trying to move at every time the ignition has been switched on which could have generated a fair bit of heat (until the motor burnt out).

Steve 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread
Post #482111 14th Dec 2015 4:37pm
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ericvv



Member Since: 02 Jun 2011
Location: Near the Jet d'Eau
Posts: 5816

Switzerland 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
Just back from picking truck up from dealer. Have to correct myself, the plastic part was not melted, but fissurated due to the electric motor putting force on it after it got out of correct position. Wonder if this all happened when 4 years ago I replaced my Wipacs by EVOs. (Which are a different shape in the back and heavier too), Just a thought.
The plastic part indeed is a cheap one, it is on order. Right now dealer has put in the new motor already and they have made a temp fix to the plastic part allowing the headlight to move up and down already. With a new plastic part it should all be like new again.
My Wipacs are back in, and quite happy to see the standard frontal view again. These big Wipac halogen eyes look much more in check with the classic look of the truck I find now.
And as they are Wipac clear cristal, plus the upgraded H4 bulbs available from Land Rover, and with the Landreiziger loom sending the full 13.5/14.0V from the alternator to the lamps, the light production is quite satisfactory I think.
Happy. Thumbs Up
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o
https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I
https://vimeo.com/201482507
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw
Post #482138 14th Dec 2015 5:45pm
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ericvv



Member Since: 02 Jun 2011
Location: Near the Jet d'Eau
Posts: 5816

Switzerland 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
Steve, you are correct. The offending part was STC4029. Took more than a month to arrive from Solihull. Dealer replaced it today, and finally both headlamps move perfectly up and down in the same 4 synchronized steps again. I saw the broken part, it was fissurated on the very bottom of the circular area where the electric motor sits.
They also adjusted my driver door stay while it was there, so the door does not swing closed anymore by itself. Thumbs Up
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o
https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I
https://vimeo.com/201482507
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw
Post #505254 16th Feb 2016 6:40pm
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rallysteve



Member Since: 10 Feb 2014
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 2222

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 110 Td5 DCPU Keswick Green
Glad you got it sorted Thumbs Up 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread
Post #505317 16th Feb 2016 9:10pm
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Peter Td4



Member Since: 23 Oct 2010
Location: Antwerp, Belgium
Posts: 227

Belgium 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HCPU Santorini Black
Eric, thanks for putting down your experience on how this failed Thumbs Up
Always interesting to know Laughing Peter,

Defender 110 StaWa - Td5
Defender 110 HCPU - Puma
Defender 90 Soft Top - Td5
Post #506610 21st Feb 2016 9:34am
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