R50/53 Correct headlight aiming?
3rd Gear
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
Mystery Solved! THIS COULD HELP YOU TOO!
I bought my daughter an '03 CVT for her 16th birthday ('03 MC VR/W CVT "Nigel") and was going through it fixing, cleaning, polishing, waxing, etc.
I couldn't get the passenger side headlight aimed... always too low, no matter how much I turned the adjusting screw... I asked lots of questions on this thread and others, all of you gave the same advice: it's easy, it's those two black screws with the slotted hex head, just a little turn goes a long way, etc.etc.etc.
I knew I wasn't that stupid, although I can imagine all of you thought I was, and I began to wonder myself, when I just couldn't get this headlight aimed, if I really was that stupid. How hard could this be?
Today I decided I was going to get to the bottom of this if it killed me. Here's what I found, maybe it will come in handy for others sometime in the future:
I was turning the correct aiming screw. On the end of the aiming screw there's a ball... it's molded into the end of the screw just as the whole screw is molded plastic... the ball end of the screw (which you can't see unless you start taking stuff apart) fits into a white plastic socket (the old ball & socket assembly!!!). The socket is part of the headlight assembly that moves. Moving the screw in and out, WHEN THE BALL END IS CORRECTLY SEATED IN THE SOCKET, causes the headlight to move up and down (or right & left if you're adjusting the other screw). My problem was that the ball end of my adjusting screw had come out of the socket! Screw the screw in far enough to pop the ball-end back in the socket, and VOILA! everything works like it should. Turn the screw now and the headlight aim goes up and down!
I don't know what idiot before me messed with this headlight, but I'm guessing they unscrewed the screw far enough to pull the ball-end out of the socket unknowingly... probably when they changed the light bulb, which I discovered they installed upside down (it wasn't seated properly in it's correct spot).
I feel much better now.
P.S. I liked my daughter's MC so much I bought myself one from someone I found on this website. Very cool all the way around.
I couldn't get the passenger side headlight aimed... always too low, no matter how much I turned the adjusting screw... I asked lots of questions on this thread and others, all of you gave the same advice: it's easy, it's those two black screws with the slotted hex head, just a little turn goes a long way, etc.etc.etc.
I knew I wasn't that stupid, although I can imagine all of you thought I was, and I began to wonder myself, when I just couldn't get this headlight aimed, if I really was that stupid. How hard could this be?
Today I decided I was going to get to the bottom of this if it killed me. Here's what I found, maybe it will come in handy for others sometime in the future:
I was turning the correct aiming screw. On the end of the aiming screw there's a ball... it's molded into the end of the screw just as the whole screw is molded plastic... the ball end of the screw (which you can't see unless you start taking stuff apart) fits into a white plastic socket (the old ball & socket assembly!!!). The socket is part of the headlight assembly that moves. Moving the screw in and out, WHEN THE BALL END IS CORRECTLY SEATED IN THE SOCKET, causes the headlight to move up and down (or right & left if you're adjusting the other screw). My problem was that the ball end of my adjusting screw had come out of the socket! Screw the screw in far enough to pop the ball-end back in the socket, and VOILA! everything works like it should. Turn the screw now and the headlight aim goes up and down!
I don't know what idiot before me messed with this headlight, but I'm guessing they unscrewed the screw far enough to pull the ball-end out of the socket unknowingly... probably when they changed the light bulb, which I discovered they installed upside down (it wasn't seated properly in it's correct spot).
I feel much better now.
P.S. I liked my daughter's MC so much I bought myself one from someone I found on this website. Very cool all the way around.
Last edited by Goodwood; Apr 19, 2008 at 01:51 PM. Reason: punctuation
5th Gear
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 752
Likes: 1
From: Emmitsburg, MD
Unfortunately I don't have a pic, but I'll try to describe it to you.
Each headlight has two adjustment screws. They look like a hexagon that extends about 3/4 inch from the back of the headlight housing. There is a slot cut across the hexagon so you can use a straight blade screwdriver to turn them. Loosen to raise the light. The INBOARD screw is for up/down and the OUTBOARD screw is for left/right.
Take it out on a dark country road and make some adjustments! These adjustments are very sensitive. Most likely much less than a full revolution will do the trick.
Every MINI owner I've helped with this has said, "Wow! Now I see what the big deal is about xenon headlights!!" (or words to that effect)
I've heard all the BS and hype about how precisely the factory aims these lights but I don't buy it. I aim my lights well below where they annoy other drivers and have DOUBLED the effective range of them over the factory adjustment. Call me cynical, but I think the factory aims these things drastically low because they figure that most of the targeted audience for premium cars with xenon headlights live in an urban setting with abundant streetlights where headlights are just to let other drivers see your car at night. Proper headlight aim is the best "free mod" you can do.
Rawhyde
Each headlight has two adjustment screws. They look like a hexagon that extends about 3/4 inch from the back of the headlight housing. There is a slot cut across the hexagon so you can use a straight blade screwdriver to turn them. Loosen to raise the light. The INBOARD screw is for up/down and the OUTBOARD screw is for left/right.
Take it out on a dark country road and make some adjustments! These adjustments are very sensitive. Most likely much less than a full revolution will do the trick.
Every MINI owner I've helped with this has said, "Wow! Now I see what the big deal is about xenon headlights!!" (or words to that effect)
I've heard all the BS and hype about how precisely the factory aims these lights but I don't buy it. I aim my lights well below where they annoy other drivers and have DOUBLED the effective range of them over the factory adjustment. Call me cynical, but I think the factory aims these things drastically low because they figure that most of the targeted audience for premium cars with xenon headlights live in an urban setting with abundant streetlights where headlights are just to let other drivers see your car at night. Proper headlight aim is the best "free mod" you can do.
Rawhyde
Jim
2nd Gear
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: Hollywood, California
P.S. Clutchmasters Stage IV flywheel/clutch kit = AMAZING!!!
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 70
Likes: 5
From: MI
When I went to replace my H7 highbeam bulbs today, I found one of the old bulbs not quite clipped in all the way. The three hokie tabs that hold the bulb in don't seem the easiest to engage, so I'll be this could have happened to the person from this 2 year old post.... just wanted to add this tidbit for future searches.
BTW, I put in Philips E-treme Power +80 bulbs. They have truly impressive output for a legal bulb. Highly recommended.
http://www.amazon.com/Philips-X-trem...6785639&sr=8-1
2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
I just properly aligned my headlights using the guide available at Daniel Stern (as I have with all prior cars) and it made a tremendous difference for the short little trip I went on last night.
I had to mess with both left/right and up/down.
I had to mess with both left/right and up/down.
1st Gear
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 31
Likes: 2
I know this is an old thread, but I see no mention of adjusting the Day Time Running Lights. My xenon low beam and high beam adjustment is fine. I'm assuming the two adjustment screws are for the the low & high beam xenon lights. What about the DTRL? The left one just doesn't look correct.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Kevdog
Electrical
17
Jun 4, 2016 02:20 PM
theateist
R56 :: Hatch Talk (2007+)
3
Sep 16, 2015 07:22 AM