You might have misaligned headlights that require adjusting if you’ve been in an accident or changed your headlight bulbs. It’s good that you’re taking action to fix this because misaligned headlights are dangerous. So, how to adjust your headlights?
It’s easy, just level the vehicle, measure the lights, back the car away from the wall, adjust the vertical field, adjust the horizontal field, and perform a road test.
Please read on for more detailed information.
Things You Should Know
- The center points of each light on the wall should be marked with tape after you park your car in front of a flat wall.
- To see how your lights relate to the center of each + sign on the wall, step back 25 feet (7.6 m).
- Open the hood and check the tops of each bulb for adjustment screws. As necessary, turn these screws to correct your headlights.
- When the area below the horizontal line is lit up and the bright spots are evenly spaced across each +, the lights are on.
How to Adjust Your Car’s Headlights?
Level the Vehicle
Verify that the vehicle is level before adjusting the headlights. To do this, make sure the tires are inflated properly, and empty the trunk or cargo area of any extra weight. When your gas tank is half full, it’s also a good idea to adjust the headlights. If at all possible, have a passenger sit in the driver’s seat to simulate the weight you would feel while nighttime driving. Place the vehicle on a level surface 10 to 15 feet away from a dark garage door or wall, with the headlights pointed in that direction. Once the shocks have been leveled out by bouncing the car on all four corners a few times, check that the headlights are level by measuring the distance from the ground to each one.
Measure the Lights
The vehicle is now level, so turn on the headlights. Just use the low beams, not the high beams or fog lights, as those can give you an inaccurate reading. With masking tape, mark the headlight beams both vertically and horizontally on the wall. A cross should result from this. Measure the lines (cross) to ensure that they are even using the taped marks. If they are uneven, take note of the measurements and lower the highest center line marker until it is at the same height as the lowest center line marker. Make sure that these center lines are no more than 3.5 feet off the ground.
Back the Car Away from the Wall
Make sure you back the car up to the wall by measuring it with a tape. Headlights should be turned off. You should now make your adjustments. To access the headlight adjustment screws, remove the trim rings from each of the headlights. Both the horizontal adjuster and vertical adjuster should have marks. Consult the owner’s manual if you need help locating any of these features. You can then adjust each headlight separately using a screwdriver in and the adjustment screws. Keep in mind to cover one headlight with a heavy object or piece of fabric while adjusting the other; if both headlights are shining up against the wall, it may be challenging to tell which one is which.
Adjust the Vertical Field
Have someone sit in the driver’s seat to turn the lights on and off while you make your adjustments, if you can. Turning the screw or bolt on the vertical field in a clockwise direction typically raises the lights while doing so in a counterclockwise direction lowers them. Check the owner’s manual though, as your model may operate differently. The center tape line you marked on the wall should be at or just below where the headlights’ brightest portion of the beam should land when adjusted.
Adjust the Horizontal Field
Apply the same procedure you used for the vertical field to the horizontal one. When the headlight beam’s brightest portion is just to the right of the vertical line of the tape, carefully turn the side screws or bolts. Once you’ve made your tape marks on the wall, you can check to see if both headlights are aligned sufficiently closely. Up until they appear to be the right way, keep making any necessary adjustments.
Perform a Road Test
Test the alignment on the road at night after any headlight adjustments have been made. Simply test drive the vehicle and make note of any issues. Then, make any necessary adjustments. The headlights on your car can be easily adjusted. To ensure your beams are precisely where you need them to be, follow suggested instructions and test the alignment as you go.
See: How to Replace a Headlight Bulb?
What Does It Mean to Adjust Your Headlights?
Over time, the knocks and bangs of daily driving can cause your headlights to stray from the alignment that actually improves visibility in low light. You’ll have to adjust the headlight units, which are enclosed and mounted on either side of the nose of your car, when this occurs.
Modern headlight enclosures are mounted with screws and are separate from the body of your vehicle. The headlight units have adjustment screws as well, allowing for both vertical and horizontal adjustment. Vehicle owners can use the adjustment screws and some straightforward measurements to aim their headlights using a fixed point on a wall.
Do All Headlights Need Adjusting?
No matter the technology used to make them, all headlights eventually need to be adjusted. Occasionally, even adaptive or self-leveling headlights will become out of alignment. Even the most cutting-edge headlights will eventually need to be adjusted, though the procedure might be slightly different for contemporary LED units or those with self-adjustment features.
How Do I Know If My Headlights Need to Be Adjusted?
If other drivers are constantly honking at you or flashing their lights at you, that’s a good indication that your headlights need to be adjusted. You can tell if your headlights need adjusting by looking at the road in front of you, even if you don’t want to annoy everyone else on the road. Do you have both lights pointed forward to illuminate the road, or do you drive through your neighborhood flashing lights into every house you pass? It’s time to adjust your headlights if one light is too high, too low, or to one side and isn’t shining on the road in front of you.
FAQs
How Far Should Your Headlights Shine While on Low Beam?
The distance that low beam headlights illuminate is roughly 160 feet, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Although the performance of contemporary LED and HID lighting systems may vary, you won’t be able to blast out light hundreds of feet in front of you without picking up a few middle fingers or a ticket along the way.
How Far Do High Beams Shine?
With a range of 300 to 400 feet, high beams are much more telescoping than low beams. Once more, the features of your vehicle may affect how well or poorly your headlights perform.
How High Should Your Headlights Be Aimed?
Use a tape measure to determine the separation between the ground and the light’s beam’s center when your car is parked 25 feet from the wall you’re using to align them. then calculate the distance from the center of the headlight assembly to the ground. The area that is illuminated ought to be roughly at the same height as the headlight assembly or even slightly lower.
Some cars come equipped with a handy level so you can see the position without having to park and measure.
Final Words on Headlight Adjustment
Driving safely is made possible by properly aimed headlights. Anyone can adjust their headlights at home with this simple technique. You should consult your owner’s manual before adjusting your headlights, though, as every vehicle is unique and some manufacturers have different specifications. Also keep in mind that, depending on your vehicle, you might need to adjust your high beams or fog lights separately. The same method of adjusting can also be used to aim these lights.
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