Anybody know how to adjust the headlamps (halogen) on a new Octavia?

They are set too low for me even on the highest setting on the switch!

Are they actually too low or are they set to meet legal requirements?  It could be they're set wrong from the factory, you'll dealer or any MOT test station should be able to check them.

I am sure they are set to meet legal requirements but there is a range you can set them to within those requirements. I just want to raise them a bit!

One X 7mm Allen key is all you need.... Or it might be a 6 or 8 or 5mm as I can't remember.

Looking down on top of the headlight there will be two Allen keys sockets (white plastic normally). One will move the lights up and down, the other left to right. They might be labeled R-> or <-L / U or D or not at all so find them during the daylight as they can be hard to locate in the dark as they can be recessed in small holes..

Wait till it's dark (obviously) find a flat wall or garage door to shine your lights on whilst parked on a flat road. Stand to the side of your lights & one by one move them up just a fraction, a cm or two on the wall only. Then, take it for a drive and see where it your lights cut across the back of a car in front (middle of the boot / just under the number plate is good). If not to your liking then adjust them again by the same small margin. 1 cm of lift at 10m from the wall means maybe 20cm at 50m (example, I haven't done the exact math but it is something similar) etc so do not make large alterations in one go or move them left to right. That can get you many many flashes if done incorrectly.

Alternatively and rightly so, your first port of call should be your dealer or an MOT centre. Ask them to adjust the lights to the max allowed upper threshold setting (+5% bracket I think). I like my lights higher than is the norm, so had the lights in my Golf Mk5 set a fraction higher than it came set at. Never failed an MOT or had other road users flash me, and left me happier with the light pattern.

Now if only I could raise my Xenons a few degrees from their resting place in my VRS! They are always a little low for my liking even though they are so much brighter than all my previous halogen equipped automobiles!!! There might be a way with VCDS but I don't have it and there is no one local to me to visit just to find out. I think they are self levelling so when the boot is loaded they level lower than when it's empty. Still toooooo low for me, but still safe so I can't complain too much.

Blahde2 - I take it your lights are in tourist mode whilst in Germany? If so the beam pattern is altered and results in a lower beam pattern.

On 31/10/2014 at 08:59, 999rigger said:

Anybody know how to adjust the headlamps (halogen) on a new Octavia?

They are set too low for me even on the highest setting on the switch!

 

On 31/10/2014 at 09:05, Neily03 said:

Are they actually too low or are they set to meet legal requirements?  It could be they're set wrong from the factory, you'll dealer or any MOT test station should be able to check them.

 

On 31/10/2014 at 09:12, 999rigger said:

I am sure they are set to meet legal requirements but there is a range you can set them to within those requirements. I just want to raise them a bit!

 

On 01/11/2014 at 00:12, blahde2 said:

One X 7mm Allen key is all you need.... Or it might be a 6 or 8 or 5mm as I can't remember.

Looking down on top of the headlight there will be two Allen keys sockets (white plastic normally). One will move the lights up and down, the other left to right. They might be labeled R-> or <-L / U or D or not at all so find them during the daylight as they can be hard to locate in the dark as they can be recessed in small holes..

Wait till it's dark (obviously) find a flat wall or garage door to shine your lights on whilst parked on a flat road. Stand to the side of your lights & one by one move them up just a fraction, a cm or two on the wall only. Then, take it for a drive and see where it your lights cut across the back of a car in front (middle of the boot / just under the number plate is good). If not to your liking then adjust them again by the same small margin. 1 cm of lift at 10m from the wall means maybe 20cm at 50m (example, I haven't done the exact math but it is something similar) etc so do not make large alterations in one go or move them left to right. That can get you many many flashes if done incorrectly.

Alternatively and rightly so, your first port of call should be your dealer or an MOT centre. Ask them to adjust the lights to the max allowed upper threshold setting (+5% bracket I think). I like my lights higher than is the norm, so had the lights in my Golf Mk5 set a fraction higher than it came set at. Never failed an MOT or had other road users flash me, and left me happier with the light pattern.

Now if only I could raise my Xenons a few degrees from their resting place in my VRS! They are always a little low for my liking even though they are so much brighter than all my previous halogen equipped automobiles!!! There might be a way with VCDS but I don't have it and there is no one local to me to visit just to find out. I think they are self levelling so when the boot is loaded they level lower than when it's empty. Still toooooo low for me, but still safe so I can't complain too much.

 

On 01/11/2014 at 11:07, Black_Sheep said:

Blahde2 - I take it your lights are in tourist mode whilst in Germany? If so the beam pattern is altered and results in a lower beam pattern.

 

Hi, what's the outcome? Is the beam fixed now? I went to the dealer's who tried a couple of things around via a computer, but nothing's changed. What else should I do? I can't see at night, at all 😕