Headlight Adjustment

[dbanker]

dbanker . . . 1. Halogen bulb type headlights have two adjustment screws located on the top of each headlight housing. Adjustments are made by turning two screws on the headlight housings


two screws? my car is an 01model. I know of the vertical screw, but where is the other one?

thanks

Each screw is located on the lateral sides of the headlight housing. The screws for the vertical adjustment are located towards the outside of the headlight housing (towards the corner lens). My '99 had a grey plastic cover over each of these which I had to take off in order to access them. They stick out a good inch or so. The horizontal screws are are located at the opposite side of the headlight housing and are also lower towards the ground in perspective to the vertcal screw. This one takes a little searching to find...

[bassthrive]

Which way do you turn the screw to adjust vertically upwards? Clockwise or counter-clockwise? My drivers side light is "lazy" and it points down at the ground close to the front of the car.

[Peter]

its supposed to point lower for oncoming traffic.

[WTF??]

I did mine last nyte w/o even knowing this thread coming up haha

but the clockwise turn will make the headlight beam go down

turning my knob was a b*tch cuz they were hella tyte!

[bassthrive]

How many turns of the screw does it take to see a significant change in height? My lights dont look like they are moving at all after 3-4 turns. I have no idea how anyone can turn these with a screwdriver, there is zero clearance behind the headlights, in my 2000 at least. I had to use a 8mm wrench.

[WTF??]

I have no idea how anyone can turn these with a screwdriver, there is zero clearance behind the headlights, in my 2000 at least. I had to use a 8mm wrench.

Uhh.. I used my bare hands?! Its hella tight... but just work at it and youll see a difference in height

[bassthrive]

Allright, im really confused now. The vertical adjustment (thats UP and DOWN) is not the gray plastic covered screws. It's the silver 8mm nut at the back of the headlight with a quarter sized washer type thingy with a bunch of teeth around the edge. My headlights are now level but i have another problem. After spending a half hour turning the gray plastic covered screws, which I now believe to be horizontal adjustments (thats LEFT and RIGHT), both my headlights are pointed too far right and light up the shoulder as I drive. Now I forget which way I originally turned them to make them go that way and I dont have the time to play around with rotating these screws (which is a very slow process with a wrench) so if someone knows from experience or has a service manual and can tell me which direction to turn the screws to point the lights a little to the left, your help would be greatly appreciated.

[bassthrive]

FINALLY GOT IT!

"This sh*t's chess, it aint checkers!!!"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

On the back of each headlight housing are two 8mm bolts.
One is located low on the housing toward the radiator and has a gear-type washer. Turning this bolt clockwise will bring either light down, turning counter-clockwise will bring either light up.

The second set of bolts extends from the housing an inch or so and is located toward the corner lights. On my solara the bolts were covered by a gray plastic cap which I popped off with a flathead screwdriver. Rotating this bolt clockwise will turn the beam right, turning counter-clockwise will aim the beam left.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I encourage anyone that needs to aim their headlights to try this and double check the accuracy of my directions. Once they get double checked Ill post a DIY article. And remember to keep your lights a little down and to the right so you dont blind oncoming drivers.

- Paul

[WTF??]

FINALLY GOT IT!

"This sh*t's chess, it aint checkers!!!"

^^Talk about perserverance good job bassthrive!!

mines in check!