Chrysler Repair: 90 Fifth Avenue Headlight buckets, side kick panel, headlight buckets

Question
I see several older Chryslers that have the head light bucket doors always open, whether lights off or on. Always assumed vacuum or similar system failure. Mine tonite would only open half way and after trying several times both would barely open at all.  No doubt there is a vacuum issue here since both doors barely open.  This car has 73k, but set allot prior to my purchasing last december.

Where do I look to resolve this issue without going to the dealer?

Thanks,

Kyle  

Answer
Hi Kyle,
The door are operated by an electrical motor and gear drive located centrally behind the grill (not vacuum). A long rod extends in either direction to pivots that move the doors. The pivots at both sides of the door should be lubricated to prevent excess stress on the gear drive. Exactly why your doors are not opening could be:
too much friction at the door pivot points
damaged gear drive
defective electric motor
defective body computer (which controls the motor, located on the passenger side kick panel/cowl)
For immediate use of the lights:
There should be a flap on the top of the radiator covering panel that allow you to access by hand the gear drive where you will find a knob that when you turn it will manually control the doors. So that will temporarily allow you to open the doors. You can disconnect the electrical motor via a plug disconnect nearby. That will put your car in the always open condition so you can drive it at night.
To access what is wrong:
I would lube the pivots, then listen to the sound of the motor while observing the motion of the doors (have a helper operate the headlamp switch). If the motor continues to spin when the door stop moving then it may well be that the gears are stripped. If the motor and the doors seem to work in unison, then the gears are o.k. and the issue is whether the motor is not operating for its full range or not. One possibility is that the doors are not mechanically centered in their range of motion (close too far therefor don't open far enough). There is an adjustment for that.
If you like, I can xerox copy and send you the pages from the '90 shop manual that show the system and some of its adjustments/removals. So you will need to get into it to inspect what is going wrong, possibly going to a pull-it-yourself wrecking yard for parts. Give me a postal address for the pages.
Roland