I have read all the threads and they talk about two, black plastic screws at the back of the headlight housing. I have a 2009 MC and the only screws I can find are inside the wheel well to the right and left or the removable access disk. I can see no markings indicating that they adjust the lights. Could somone please pint me in the right direction?

Jim

 

xenons?

i used white screws that can easily be seen inside the engine bay...they have an allen head with a phillips screw head inside of that

 

Thanks, I believe I have seen a white screw in there, but I think I only saw one. It was to the inside rear and on a flat ledge next to the housing. I don't remember seeing anything that identified it in any way. I'll look again in the morning.

Jim

 

Missed the first part of your post. I have a Non-S with standated headlights.

Jim

 

ohhh. no clue then lol... unless you have similar white plastic screws

 

If your close to your dealer they can adjust these very easily. There were some sort of markings they had on a wall that they adjusted to.

 

Just be warned some dealers charge for this.

 

I honestly thank all for their responceses.

I have posted this question on three forums and nobody has told me how to make the adustment. I guess this is one of those things that is not done at home.

I now have an idea about it and if it works I will post a detailed report just fort the record.

Jim

 

Really? That was never even discussed. The adjustment just seemed to be something that was wrong from the factory and needed to be fixed.

 

I finely figured it out, made the adjustment tonight and am a happy camper. Just for the record:

STANDARD HEADLIGHTS: There is a white (or off white) screw, with a hex top and a phillips head recessed down inside the hex. It is on the inboard side of the housing and easy to see. (I have read that the self leveling lights have two of these, but I only found one). The screw is finely geared and takes several complete turns to make any adjustment at all. (I was thinking that "Fine" meant small turn did a lot which is not the case). Six turns and all was well.

Hope this help someone else.

Jim

 

glad to hear it got done!

i can vouch for the fine screws. I adjusted mine over the course of a 150mi trip at night... kept stopping and turning till perfect

 

Good idea. I'm sure I will still need some fine adjustment, so I will keep the allen set and the flashlight in the car for awhile. Easy to stop and make a few truns here and there.

Jim

 

I had my first night drive on a back road and mine seem a little low vs my wifes MINI. Just to confirm before I start turning things I have Xenons so we are talking about the white screw at the bottom of the housing that is no where near the head light projector at the top of the housing? Also which way to bring them up?

 

White screw, with a hex top and a phillips head recessed down inside. Clockwise to go up. It will take several turns before anything happens.

Jim

 

Here is an explanation of why many of us think the lights are aimed low. It has to do with the way the aiming procedure is done.

Head light aiming procedure.

1. Place weight in drivers and passenger seats (i think it is 150LBS each)
2. Place weight in rear of car. (i think it is 200-250 LBS)
3. Bounce car by pushing up and down on each corner of car to level suspension.
4. Aim lights to Federal Standards.

What this does is aim the light for a close to fully loaded car. That way when the car is fully loaded the lights do not aim to high.

What this does cause is that when the car is driven with only one front passenger the rear of the car sits higher than when the lights were aimed making the aiming low.

Now many of us only drive with one or two people in the car and rarely with the rear loaded up with 200+ pounds of stuff. So should it be aimed as they do probably not, but they do it that way to meet the federal laws so when the car is fully loaded the lights are not aimed high.

BTW not all dealers follow the recommended aiming procedures, some do it with out the weight. This makes it more realistic to the actual normal drive habits.

The link below shows the basics of how to aim headlights to the right level per the federal law.

Do with it what you will.

http://www.coolbulbs.com/HID-VISUAL-...-PROCEDURE.pdf

 

Interesting and that could well explain what is happening. Mine are adjusted to suite me now, the dealer met the federal standard and all is well.

Jim

 

schatzy62 how does the auto level of the HID lights play into all this I thought they adjusted to load.

 

I can't say for sure, as I don't have the auto adjust type lights, but it stands to reason that if they are adjusted as Swiss Miss says, then then too low is two low and they will auto adjust to the low position.

Jim

 

My understanding is that they do to some extent but if the main level indicator is out of place by adjusting the screws to aim them to low then there will still be a problem.

Unfortunately i do not have a level driveway to test them on and find that when i start the car on the incline even if i have the back of the car jacked up the auto level Xeon headlights are always correct when the car is then taken to a level surface.

Now with that statement I must also say this. If i start the car and then check the level of the lights against the back of the car in front of mine then shut the car off and lift the back up some the lights do not return to the same level line. they shine lower. if i put weight in the back of the car then they shine higher. So what kind of leveling they acrtually do i am not sure.

 

supposedly the self leveling thing goes off a sensor located on the control arms??...i guess it depends on thier angle??

so by jacking up the back of the car one would assume that their light would be lower (like you said) as your probably not really compressing the suspension, just 'unleveling' the car itself... maybe they adjust on dips and such while driving??

i've not noticed anything, except i adjusted them up and now i can see

 

The only time the lights auto adjsut is when they are first turned on. the adjustment function is disabled after about 20 seconds. Or so says the wiring schematics.

 

Does the Screw Head turn independent of the Hex Head? Which one needs to be turned for the adjustment?

 

They are one and the same. It is just one screw with two ways to turn it. I used a hex wrench as there was less chance ow stripping it.

Jim

 

Super easy! Recommend to all!

Ahhhhh, that's much better.

 

I just did mine 2.5 turns up and I can see a lot better and so far no one has flashed me.