3200 Headlamp advice

Ian3200

Ian3200

Member
Messages
847
Top Tip!
Read the user manual on your car, so that when you ask your kind man that services your car to improve the headlamps, you're not left embarrassed that you didn't realise they had height adjustment ffs!
I had not seen, in the 18 months of ownership, the handy dial that was adjusted as if I had a ton of cement in the boot!

Yes, my headlamps were pointing at the ground, and a roll of the thumb would have meant I could have seen where I was going at night during that time! ...saved me a few quid!
 
Contigo

Contigo

Sponsor
Messages
18,376
I need to check the adjustment on mine as think one is out and cannot be adjusted, not sure what that means!
 
safrane

safrane

Member
Messages
16,905
So most modern cars have headlight adjustment of one sort or another.

Basic System - Utilises a manual rotor switch, usually near the light switch, to activate electric motors attached to the headlight unit adjusting the beam up or down. This adjustment compensates for fixed loads in the car esp in the boot or rear seats.

Self Levelling Suspension - Usually to the rear suspension on larger cars and particularly estates. compensates for heavy loads in the rear and keeps the whole car level despite the load being carried. This also keeps the head light beam at the correct level.

Self Levelling head lights - Normally fitted to cars with factory HID/ Xenon units, as it is a CE (Conforms to EU regs) requirement. This is a more complex system as it not only compensates for load but also for handling characteristics such as pitch and dive caused by acceleration / braking. These are linked to the suspension and an ECU that then adjusts instantly the pitch of the beam from the head lights. As this has a number of sensors and links it contributes significantly to the cost of factory HID units which are in the high hundreds or over a grand.
 
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