Headlight alignment

[Gaz]

Drove the Superb in the dark for the first time since its MOT.  It failed the MOT on the alignment being too high.  Now the dipped beam is about 12' in front of the car and they're not even level.  Muppets, grrrrrr 

 

It's so short it actually feels quite dangerous.

 

Just read that it should really be connected up to diagnostics before they're adjusted, but given the MOT centre wouldn't have done this I presume I'm okay to just manually adjust them up to somewhere half sensible?

 

Gaz

 

 

 

 

[Gizmo]

This is why they are now too low, if you adjust OE xenons without VCDS hooked up then when they are fired up they will adjust themselves to the lowest position, IIFC they can even adjust themselves too far so the adjustment comes off the headlights.

[Gaz]

Marvellous    Thanks Martin

 

So, knowing my luck, if they're on the threads, they'll be teetering on by 1/8th of a turn and just not quite enough for me to tell what direction they're going in.

 

Do you happen to know which way is up - I'll take a pot shot at clockwise, but would much rather be sure.

 

Ta

 

Gaz

[Gizmo]

It’s been a few years since I have adjusted MKI headlights, but I too would guess clockwise will raise them.

 

This may help:

(O/S headlight)

[dieselV6]

Counter-clockwise raises them on mine.

[Gaz]

Job done - clockwise for up on mine.

 

Ridiculously hard to find a flat, unlit car park, or empty road around here 

 

Gaz

[dieselV6]

Guys, unless the headlights changed during the first FL (when the rear split seats were added), are you sure you are adjusting the up/down screw (the one in the outside corner of the car) and no the left-right screw in the middle? I am 100% sure it is counter-clockwise on mine, I have to move them after every MOT as I drive flat beam mostly (Europe) and need them as close to 0deg elevation as possible.

[Gaz]

Yep, definitely clockwise for me, and yes, the dipped adjuster - one on the left in Gizmo's picture.

 

Unless of course you're holding the adjuster still and rotating the car

 

Gaz 

[dieselV6]

I'll have to double check when I'm back at home, but I'm pretty sure the car was stationary during adjustment :p

[dieselV6]

Clockwise does raise them, indeed, on the outside bolts. I was in fact adjusting the middle (combined azimuth/elevation) one after each MOT, because that's the one MOT guy always turns down with a statement "they needed lowering"    Hard to argue that my car's headlamps are switched to flat beam all the time between MOTs. After another look at the casing in my car, I recall setting both azimuth and elevation last time I had headlamps off the car, which was a few years back. Anyway, gave me an excuse to recheck aim before next trip.

 

By the way, when driving with flat beam, even -0.1deg elevation does not seem to bother anyone, while "normal" beam at -0.5deg/-0.5deg azi/elev does get noticed, i.e. sometimes people flash. 

Edited 14 July, 2014 by dieselV6