87 accord Lxi, drove fine for years, but we had a problem with the headlights shorting out once, mechanic told my parents that the flip-up headlights were designed poorly, and that when they flip up and down they can pinch a wire and ground out a power somewhere.

Car ran fine for >5 years

always had a small electrical leak, like battery would die if you left it without running for more than a week.

few weeks ago the alternator went out, replaced that (it checked bad too) and then battery a week after that, (replaced, checked bad)

now after it ran fine for a few weeks I was driving with the headlights on (and the failing battery, and the headlights went out, i hit the brights, they came on, then they went out, then the battery light came on, and the car started to act like it was going to die, just barely got home.

now with a new battery, and thew new alternator, and no headlights, the car will start just fine, run just fine, but there is still a battery light, and the headlights are burnt out. I tested the battery cables for contunuity without a battery present, and they provide a CLOSED CIRCUIT, so there is a short somewhere (unless the radio clock is enough to do that, but i tested on my truck and it isn't on that)

any ideas where the short might be, or what I could do?

thanks
MIKE

 

most likely the short is behind 1 of the headlite buckets,,,,,,,you need to remove head lite, remove bucket cover, look at the wiring harness ,,i am sure it is cut at some place shorting it to ground , repair the wiring, make sure u give it enough slack and fasten it properly out of the way when the bucket goes up and down ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i have seen dozen of these ...common problem with 86-89 accords..

 

OMG I KNOW IT SUCKS, but i've been looking for a while, bulbs out, and can't find where it is, i don't even put the buckets down anymore, just leave them up all the time to avoid this, (but other people have driven my car)

as far as bucket cover, which part is this, and if its the main housing, it seems like there is a bolt out the outside that I can't get to, or dont know where it is, I got the 2 on the top, and the one on the bottom, but the thing wont come out.
ideas?

 

u got to remove the little phillip screws ,, i think u can get to 2 with the headlite down and the other with headlite up do not remove the big 12mm bolts ,, once cover is off, remove the screws and take headlamp out as well thus u have a real good view of the harness,,look at the wiring harness carefully i am 90% sure the problem is there like i said it is a very common problem

 

ok, i got the black shrouds off, is that what you are talking about, and leave the body-colored part bolted down? i'll be taking a look tonight, what should I do about where the harnesses swing around and clip to the back of the vertical plate (lights up) can i pop that clip or something?