If you have ever experienced an oncoming driver who’s lights were blinding you or noticed that your lights tend to illuminate the tops of roadside trees instead of the road, there is a good chance that you are dealing with misaligned headlights.
Correct headlight alignment is extremely important for vehicle safety. Driving with misaligned lights is dangerous, and they should be adjusted as soon as possible. Properly aligned headlights not only light up the road, but they also help illuminate road signs and any animals that might jump out onto the road.
Luckily, adjusting your headlights is a pretty easy fix that most people can handle in their driveway or garage. However, newer vehicles that have halogen or high-intensity bulbs should be taken to a professional for proper alignment.
It is fairly simple to check the alignment of your lights. All you need is a flat surface, a wall to project the lights on, a tape measure, a carpenter’s level, a screwdriver, and some tape. Here are step-by-step directions on how to verify your lights are aligned.
Step 1: Prepare the car.
In order to make sure the car is properly leveled when aligning the lights make sure all the tires are properly inflated, the vehicle has at least a half tank of fuel and there is someone sitting in the driver’s seat. This will ensure that the vehicle is leveled and is reflects common driving conditions when the measurements are taken.
Step 2: Park the car.
Find a flat level surface with a wall in front of it and park the vehicle about 10 to 25 feet from the wall or garage door with the lights aimed at the wall. This distance is optimal as it recreates common conditions out on the road. If you have a flat driveway, the garage door should work well, otherwise consider the ground floor of a parking ramp as it is usually flat, dark and has a wall.
Step 3: Level the car.
Push down all four corners of the vehicle up and down a few times to settle the suspension and make sure the shocks are level.
Step 4: Measure the lights.
Use the tape measure to measure from a fixed point on each of the headlamps down to the ground. The measurements should be within a half inch of each other. This will verify the suspension is not sagging on either side, which would throw off the measurements.
Step 5: Turn on the headlights.
Turn on the lights but do not use the fog lights or high beams. Use the tape to mark both the horizontal and vertical centerlines of the headlight beams.
Step 6: Measure the lines.
The centerlines should not be any higher than 3.5 feet above the ground. Use the carpenter’s level to verify the centerlines from each headlight are even. If the lines are not even, lower the higher mark to the level of the lower one.
Step 7: Back up the car.
The car should now be backed up so it is sitting exactly 25 feet from the wall. This should not be estimated, use the tape measure so the vehicle is exactly 25 feet away.
Now it’s time to make the adjustments to get your lights shining down on the road, where they belong.
Step 1: Find the adjustment screws.
The first thing you need to do is locate the adjustment screws on your vehicle. In many cases, it will be necessary to remove the trim ring from the headlight. Most adjustment screws are located on the top and side of the light housing. They should be clearly marked.
Step 2: Adjust the headlights individually.
If possible, having another person sitting in the driver’s seat that can turn the lights on and off will be a big help. The headlights should be adjusted one at a time. Put a rag or towel over a chair in front of the light you want to block. Covering the light assembly directly can damage the plastic lens – it can get too hot if fully blocked.
Step 3: Adjust the vertical field.
The screw on the top of the light housing should be turned clockwise to raise the lights and counterclockwise will lower the light. The headlight should be adjusted until the top of the most intense part of the light beam shines directly on or just below the center of the tapeline on the wall.
Step 4: Adjust the horizontal field.
The screw on the side of the light housing should now be turned to get the right/left adjustment correct. Adjust the lens so that the most intense part of the beam is to the right of the vertical line.
Step 5: Check manufacturer guidelines.
It is always a good idea to check the manufacturer’s guidelines when adjusting headlights, as there may be very precise specifications that should be followed. This is especially true with the brighter headlights on new vehicles.
Step 6: Test your results.
It’s time to get the vehicle out on the road to make sure the headlights are adjusted properly. This step is important because if you have done the adjustment incorrectly the headlights could be further out of adjustment. Check them on dark road so you can properly judge the adjustment. If they are still not properly adjusted repeat these steps until they correct.
Source of the article: www.yourmechanic.com
by Mark Vallet on January 20, 2016
Keywords: Adjust headlights, Headlight aiming, Headlight adjustment guide, Headlight alignment, Proper headlight adjustment, DIY headlight aiming, Car headlight alignment, Aligning headlights