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Fabia failed mot.. headlamp aim too high.. £300 to rectify?

cocat2517
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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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Posted

Hi,

My Fabia ('04) just failed its MOT as the headlamp aim on one side is too high and on the other side it's too low.

 

How do you adjust the headlamp aim to fix this? The internal adjuster is working fine as I just tested it, for the MOT is was set to high (not sure why I had it on high). When I use the interanl adjusting I can see the lights move up and down on the garage wall and I can here the electric motor on each side whirring away.

 

The guy I spoke to reckons the motor that adjusts the aim can't be replaced separately and that I will need new headlamp units on both sides, which with parts and labour will be about £300! 

 

I thought the aim could be adjusted with screws on the back of the unit then adjusted further (up & down) via the internal adjuster?

 

£300 seems like a lot of money for what I thought was an easy fix?!

 

Thanks,

Pete

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gfwc Experienced

gfwc

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Posted

Can be rectified in less than 5 minutes.

If you run out of adjustment on the back then you can loosen the screws that are retaining the headlamp and move it into a position where the angle is correct and then tighten them.

Park up infront of a wall at night and do it then.

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devonutopia Grand Master

devonutopia

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Even if the motor lug piece has snapped off in the "low" headlight causing it to point way down, you can pick up a reasonable spare complete headlight from a scrappy for £40 tops.  I wouldn't be shelling out for new ones. :)

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softscoop Mentor

softscoop

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What a load of rubbish!

 

Adjust them with the manual adjuster on the back of the headlight so they are both level with each other on the garage wall.

 

After they're both level, if they go up and down together when using the internal adjustment wheel then nothing is wrong and the garage is trying to make a packet for themselves.

 

The adjustment motors simply pop out and can be replaced within 5 minutes.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-FABIA-HEADLIGHT-LEVEL-ADJUSTMENT-MOTOR-2005-6Y0-941-295-/121570513500?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c4e2ad25c

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sepulchrave Mentor

sepulchrave

Posted
Posted

Hi,

My Fabia ('04) just failed its MOT as the headlamp aim on one side is too high and on the other side it's too low.

 

How do you adjust the headlamp aim to fix this? The internal adjuster is working fine as I just tested it, for the MOT is was set to high (not sure why I had it on high). When I use the interanl adjusting I can see the lights move up and down on the garage wall and I can here the electric motor on each side whirring away.

 

The guy I spoke to reckons the motor that adjusts the aim can't be replaced separately and that I will need new headlamp units on both sides, which with parts and labour will be about £300! 

 

I thought the aim could be adjusted with screws on the back of the unit then adjusted further (up & down) via the internal adjuster?

 

£300 seems like a lot of money for what I thought was an easy fix?!

 

Thanks,

Pete

 

Put simply; they're trying it on.

 

Go elsewhere and never go back, get a fresh MOT from someone reputable or somewhere that only does MOT's and not repairs or ask them to adjust your headlamp aim before testing.

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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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What a load of rubbish!

 

Adjust them with the manual adjuster on the back of the headlight so they are both level with each other on the garage wall.

 

After they're both level, if they go up and down together when using the internal adjustment wheel then nothing is wrong and the garage is trying to make a packet for themselves.

 

The adjustment motors simply pop out and can be replaced within 5 minutes.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-FABIA-HEADLIGHT-LEVEL-ADJUSTMENT-MOTOR-2005-6Y0-941-295-/121570513500?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c4e2ad25c

 

These adjustment motors, are they separate to the ones that are used by the internal adjuster on the dash?

 

Halfords (thats the garage that did the MOT) reckons these can't be bought separate.

 

Also, the MOT expires tomorrow, so I'm very limited in my options as I'll need the car friday.

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softscoop Mentor

softscoop

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Posted

The adjustment motors are used when you alter the level using the dial inside the car to compensate for extra weight being in the back.

 

The adjuster wheel should be set at 0 with nothing in the car. The beam can then be adjusted on the headlight using the allen head bolts so that it is level.

 

When you have anything heavy in the back, adjust the wheel to a lower position, and your headlights will lower the beam so you're not blinding anyone else.

 

 

I'd personally never go to Halfords for an MOT. They charged my in laws £40 to change a headlight bulb for an MOT!

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Jigger72 Experienced

Jigger72

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Posted (edited)

Not sure if it's the same but the level adjuster inside the lamp on my Superb Mk I was broken and I had to get a new headlight – sealed unit and all that. I got a non-OEM unit though so it was £70 instead of the £250 that Skoda were charging.

 

As for buying from a scrappy, be aware that the lens might not be quite the same colour as you might hope, i.e. it will be a dirty yellow brown that can't be cleaned because it's on the inside. I speak from experience :D

Edited by Jigger72
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sepulchrave Mentor

sepulchrave

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Posted

Like I said, the garage is trying to pull your pants down, since it's Halfords you can complain to a manager and ask them to adjust your headlights BEFORE testing it, you can show them where the adjusters are now!

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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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Yep, just found and adjusted them myself with an allen key, both manual adjusters are working fine.

 

So both manual adjusters are working and the internal electric one are working.  Not sure what they think the problem is then, but my wife (car expert in our family) will be heading there after work to speak with them, there's no way I'm paying £300 now.

 

Cheers for the help & advice, I'll post back with how it goes.

 

Pete

Edited by PeteJC21
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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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Fair enough halfords not having a clue, but skoda garage not knowing there are manual adjusters? Did she speak to the cleaner? :D

She spoke to a guy called Mr Tibbles and there was a lot of purring going on, that's all I know. :)

She's taking the car down to Halfords shortly, see what they say. They have it booked in Thursday morning for the work & retest, but I might whip it to a Skoda place or somewhere else beforehand to get them to adjust the aim & confirm it's adjustable.

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VWD Mentor

VWD

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Posted

Fair enough halfords not having a clue, but skoda garage not knowing there are manual adjusters? Did she speak to the cleaner? :D

Sounds like the title for a new comedy "some garages do have them". Not just half rods or Skoda, I'd include one Ford bloke in with that. Had to pass a Ford place on one job, so boss asked me to take his van and get headlight lamp changed. In it went, no fault found, but on tghe way out, I noticed lighting problems. Parked it in yard, and apprentice sidled over " headlamp out sir". We suspect the bloke had  left ignition off and only checked side lamps.

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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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They reckon the manual adjusting screws on both sides aren't working problem and the beams can't be lowered enough for mot standard?

They put it on the ramp and showed my wife (who is a qualified mechanic herself) and she agrees with them. I still can't help but feel something isn't right. But strange both sides failing?

Edited by PeteJC21
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sepulchrave Mentor

sepulchrave

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Posted

This is nuts, the electric adjustment lowers the beams so much that you can't see where you're going if the car is unladen, there is also rough adjustment where the lower outer securing bolt goes, the bracket can be moved allowing the headlamp to move up or down.

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Steamfan Collaborator

Steamfan

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Posted

I would never never use a high profile national company, remember Kwik Fit getting bad press a few years back, I use a small indy garage run by two  young lads who know there onions.  When my MOT was due last year it failed on a broken osr spring the tyres were just legal and the rear discs were thin they said. Had a cambelt (Gates) + water pump, spring fitted plus a new MOT for £230.00 all in with the tyres discs an advisory. I shudder to think what Halfords would have charged ... 3 or 4 times that amount ?

 

I got new wellies two weeks after and fitted mint discs (£10) from local scrap yard.

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