After having my springs replaced i've noticed one of my headlights is sitting a bit high.

 

They are oem hid's so my guess is the link between the lights and suspension isnt back at its default position. Can this be fixed by adjusting it in vcds or does it need to be taken apart and re-fitted?

Your Xenons will need recalibrated with VCDS. This happened to me a while ago when I had new front lower arms fitted.....the level sensor attaches to the front left lower arm and by removing it and reattaching it, the self levelling went 'out of range'. Not only were my Xenons aiming slightly high, but I noticed the auto level function had stopped working too. 

 

I scanned it with VCDS, and an error about Xenon range was stored. To fix it I parked the car on a level surface got out of it (important) and ran the Xenon recalibration program in VCDS. The headlight aim went back to normal after that and the auto levelling worked normally again. 

thanks mate, my auto level has stopped working too.

 

I've got a mate with vcds but also will be replacing the front shocks as one is leaking so i'll wait till thats done

thanks mate, my auto level has stopped working too.

 

No problem! 

 

I've got a mate with vcds but also will be replacing the front shocks as one is leaking so i'll wait till thats done

 

Yeah, good call. 

 

Although I did wonder at the time, that if the battery had been disconnected before the sensor was removed and reconnected after it was reassembled, would it have put the Xenon range out?......I'm thinking it might not have, but who knows.   

Put it on vcds today. No luck getting them alligned so looks like it will have to be done manualy.

Couldnt find the xenon recalibration programme, did use section 55 tho

I think the recalibration program is in basic settings - 04 then in the drop down list select adaptation/adjustment.

 

You then click the on/off/next buttons and the Xenons reset to their centre positions......remember to have the car on a level surface and don't sit in it when you do the recalibration.  

Can't you just adjust them using the screws? I also had mine fracked by the dealer when they resprayed the bumper, were way low, went back and they "aligned" them way too high, so I just did it myself and now they're perfect. No VCDS involved.

Can't you just adjust them using the screws?

 

If they were standard headlights, then yes. But Xenons are self levelling and require a slightly different approach to beam alignment problems. 

 

If the Xenon recalibration program doesn't work, then (assuming the level sensor has been reconnected properly) adjusting the screws would be the next step.

 

The Xenons have to be put into 'adjustment' mode before you start adjusting the screws, otherwise you risk completely messing up the self levelling.  

The arm on the rear sensor can also flip the wrong way so that it reads out of range, that happened on my old 8P A3, it did stop you putting the lights into setting mode.

Very odd. When i drove home they appeared to have sorted them selves out and did the sweep when i turned them on.

Will have to keep an eye on them and see how the lights do on the mot later this month

Result! 

 

Was there a fault code stored? If there was, clearing it may have cured the fault.

well, it was all a bit confusing really.

 

Initially there wasnt a code. We followed a guide on the ross-tech site but it was for adjusting them manualy.

Looked at a few things in the section for the lights but couldnt get anyware. So we gave up the the drivers side pointing up and them not doing the sweep.

 

Went inside and when I drove the car home about an hour later it did the sweep and the drivers light seemed to be correct. I've love to know what we did lol

If they were standard headlights, then yes. But Xenons are self levelling and require a slightly different approach to beam alignment problems. 

 

If the Xenon recalibration program doesn't work, then (assuming the level sensor has been reconnected properly) adjusting the screws would be the next step.

 

The Xenons have to be put into 'adjustment' mode before you start adjusting the screws, otherwise you risk completely messing up the self levelling.  

 

Do you have some official source on this or is it hearsay? I adjusted them on several cars (including mine, all xenons) by the crews alone and they were fine. No errors on VCDS either. I thought of doing the VCDS dance, but in the end, why bother. Of course, I'm not talking about a few turns of the screws, not screwing them all the way in/out.

Edited 6 August, 201312 yr by jmf

Do you have some official source on this or is it hearsay? I adjusted them on several cars (including mine, all xenons) by the crews alone and they were fine. No errors on VCDS either. I thought of doing the VCDS dance, but in the end, why bother. Of course, I'm not talking about a few turns of the screws, not screwing them all the way in/out.

 

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/cars/xenonalignment.html

 

I have heard of people getting away with small adjustments without putting the lights into adjustment mode.

Right, I know that page, but it says

 

"This procedure cycles the motorized headlamp adjusters to their center position so that the beams can be adjusted. This does NOT align the headlamps by itself. You still need to manually adjust the headlamps via the adjusting screws as referenced against a suitable aiming target."

 

My understanding is that unless something messed with the leveling sensor, adjusting them from the screws will be fine. It's also what I did when I replaced the springs.

I always thought if you just adjusted them without putting the lights into the centre position, there is a danger the auto level will move them back to the pre adjustment position. 

 

The factory repair manual would be the place to look for a definitive explanation, but I don't have one. 

 

At the end of the day, if you adjusted yours on the screws alone and they stayed adjusted and they still auto level, they're fine.