Newbie With Celica Mk5 Popup Trauma

[Coopdevil]

Hi All,

First time caller etc. etc.

I've recently bought a Mk5 Celica (UK spec, 1990, FWD, Manual) after some [insert favourite vulgarity of choice] in a white van decided that stopping and looking at T-junctions was for other people and t-boned my Mk2 MR-2 causing me to have to exit the mister two from the drivers window. I saw the Celica for £900 while I was waiting for the insurance money (the MR-2 was a writeoff )and I thought "hmmm... same engine, FSH, I'll have that".

Anyway, I've a problem with the O/S popup which was working fine until last week. It will retract no problem but won't come up without manual winding. The light itself comes on OK and I guess the motor is fine since it goes down. (N/S is fine). I got underneath her this weekend (steady!) and had a look up into the void and found an unconnected bundle of wiring that terminates in either a 6 or 8 piece connector. It's not plugged in to anything but I have no idea where it could go since visibility is not too good and I couldn't find anywhere for it. My car has neither aircon nor front fogs so I suppose this might be redundant wiring in the loom but you never know. Does this ring bells with anyone?

I spoke to a mechanic relative and he suggested that the popup motors might be on a two relay system that reverse the polarity across the motor dependent upon whether you are raising or lowering them. He suggested finding them and swopping them around since he thought it sounded like a blown relay. I don't have a Haynes manual (yet) so if this is the case (and he admits he was guessing) does anyone know where these relays might be?

Apart from this slight fly in the ointment I am incredibly impressed with both my Toyotas. The MR-2 had 138,000 miles on her, the Celica has 152,000 and both are more reliable and better put together than the Ford Puma I was delighted to get shot of at 27,500 miles. I reckon that 150k in one of these is like 75k in a Ford or Rover.

Thanks for any help

Coop

[daktari]

Welcome to TOC coop.

Not sure about the connectors you mention, but there`s a plastic cover over the slam panel just forward of the radiator . If you whip this off and pop the headlights up you`ll get a better view of whats what. Prob still need a torch in this murky weather.

Hopefully it might be a corroded connection or something equally simple. Cant be too much wrong as you say, the motor is ok. Good luck.

[mikeb]

Welcome to the TOC.

Mine has a couple of spare connectors (at least one is for the air con). It is located at the back of the radiator, near the alternator. Not sure what connectors you might have found, but I am pretty sure that if a whole connector was not plugged in to the lights, you would not have up or down.

The up/down action is controlled by a relay, so if down works it indicates that the motor is OK. I have a service manual with a wiring diagram for the headlights. The only trouble is that it is very fine print, so it might not scan very well. Let me know if you want a copy, and I will see what I can do.

There was someone in the MR2 section talking about a blue headlight control box, and it was just behind one of the headlights. I don't recall seeing one on my celica, but I have never hunted it down.

[Coopdevil]

Thanks Chaps, (Daktari- same colour as mine!)

Mike that sort of confirms my suspicions. As it happens I won an auction on eBay yesterday for a Haynes manual for the Celica so when that arrives I can attack the problem again and find the relay. I know the service manuals are much much better as I had a proper BL dealer's manual for my Triumph TR7 and it was superlative but hopefully the Haynes might be OK for this job.

I think I remember that blue box in my MR2.

Cheers,

Coop

[mikeb]

I have the Hayne's manual. It has the wiring diagram you need.

Goodluck.