How to Adjust a Car's Headlights

The angle of your headlights can be adjusted on many cars via screws on each headlamp assembly. Although this is most accurately done with a professional headlight-adjuster kit, you can also do it at home with just a screwdriver.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Car Manuals
• Screwdriver Sets

1. Park your car on a level surface with the front facing toward a wall or garage door.

2. Find the adjustment screws. The screws are located on different places on different models, but they are frequently on the side and on the bottom of the headlamps. On many models, there will be smaller screws that hold the headlight into the assembly, and 2 larger screws for horizontal and vertical adjustments. Some cars may only have one screw for both the vertical and horizontal adjustment.

3. Turn the headlights on.

4. Make note of the light they cast on the wall or garage door. They should be facing evenly straight ahead.

5. Loosen or tighten the adjustment screws slightly with a screwdriver to lower or raise the beam.

6. Repeat with the other headlight.

7. Turn the high beams on and repeat if your car has a 4-headlight system (2 high beams and 2 low beams).

Tips & Warnings

• Your headlights may not be adjustable. Check your owner's manual for more information.
• Some newer cars have a small level within the headlamp assembly, making it easier to get an accurate adjustment.

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[hopper]

on 1/26/2007 fill up the gas tank. and sit in the car. the beam should always go downwards a little. (same goes for "monster cars"!)
While driving slowly backwards the beam at the wall should move downwards.

on 11/22/2005 On the lower inside corner of the headlight housing is a 5/16 hex head holding a washer (about 1") that has teeth facing away from the hex head. To raise the beam, (standing in front of the car, facing the rear), use a long screw to move the washer teeth down. Pushing the teeth on your left down lowers the beam. Pushing the right side down raises the beam. Follow all the other hints by parking on flat surface facing garage door so you can line up the beams.

on 2/12/2007 The technical legal specification in the USA for headlight height adjustment is 2.1" below the center at 25 feet and the right to left adjustment should be centered at 25 feet.

The best aiming procedure is here:

http://www.autooptiks.com/aiming.html

on 11/22/2005 On level ground, put your vehicle in front of a wall as close as possible. With tape, put 2 crosses on the wall that correspond with the vertical and horizontal center lines of both headlights. Back up 25 ft., keeping the vehicle centered with your crosses on the wall. Turn on headlights. Low Beams should be hitting the lower right sections of the crosses. High Beams should split the cross hairs. Turn the horizonal and vertical adjusting screws (located at the headlights) to make adjustments.

on 11/22/2005 On a level surface, park your vehicle 25 feet back from a wall. Measure distance from the ground to the headlight center, then measure that same distance up on the wall. Use tape for a level line on wall. Center of beam should line up with that line.