How To Adjust Headlight Beam Height

[nhcowboy28]

probably eventually ditch the car.

Your gonna ditch the car because someone doesn’t want to turn a #2 screwdriver to adjust them? It takes 5 minutes. Don’t waste time at the dealer. Thow Some masking tape on your garage door measured at the same height as your headlights centerline. Adjust as needed. Drive around. Make more adjustments.

And Merlin js incorrect, there are a number of us where the beam was too low out of the factory. So was my Ford Explorer. And moustang. And stinger.

 

[Stinger Girl]

Your gonna ditch the car because someone doesn’t want to turn a #2 screwdriver to adjust them? It takes 5 minutes. Don’t waste time at the dealer. Thow Some masking tape on your garage door measured at the same height as your headlights centerline. Adjust as needed. Drive around. Make more adjustments.

And Merlin js incorrect, there are a number of us where the beam was too low out of the factory. So was my Ford Explorer. And moustang. And stinger.

Ok, "ditch" was a bit strong of a word. But when something's aggravating me daily, yes, eventually I'll get rid of it.

Hopefully the dealer will adjust them. Because right now that's what I'm stuck with, unless someone knows a shop in the Cincinnati area that's familiar with Stingers (I don't have a garage and I don't have or want the skill to do much of anything to a car).

 

[Manaz]

Honestly, any half-competent shop mechanic should be able to figure this out. For the sake of let's say 30 minutes of shop time, you can have better aligned headlights.

 

[nhcowboy28]

Ok, "ditch" was a bit strong of a word. But when something's aggravating me daily, yes, eventually I'll get rid of it.

Hopefully the dealer will adjust them. Because right now that's what I'm stuck with, unless someone knows a shop in the Cincinnati area that's familiar with Stingers (I don't have a garage and I don't have or want the skill to do much of anything to a car).

It’s a number 2 Phillips.

It doesn’t require the dealer to electronically adjust (which apparently they can as well).

But they will align it to the OEM. Which is too low.

Seriously. It’s a screwdriver. Come on people.

 

[Ozstung]

Even I adjusted mine with my 2 left hands. It's very easy. Theres a thread around here somewhere I used , I'm pretty sure Nhc28 had some input to from memory?

 

[MerlintheMad]

Even I adjusted mine with my 2 left hands. It's very easy. Theres a thread around here somewhere I used , I'm pretty sure Nhc28 had some input to from memory?

Lol. This IS that thread. But @nhcowboy28 is a "newcomer" to the thread like me. ​

 

[SKStinger]

I've enjoyed where this thread has gone.

Honestly, if you can change a light-bulb, you can adjust headlights. They even give you a diagram above each of the holes that tells you left vs right or up vs down and which way to turn. It could not be easier.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I did it: What did you do to your Kia Stinger today?

It only took two trips, one to Lowe's, and the shank was too fat (barely); then to O'Reilly's and that screwdriver was perfect.

 

[itguy61]

Well I decided I had adjusted the headlights a bit too high and decided to lower them a bit. I had used the wrench and air box removal method and it was not that bad but did not feel like hassling with it. Stopped by Home Depot to get a longer screwdriver with a skinnier shaft. Talk about easy. Took me all of five minutes to raise both. Won't be removing airbuses again, so easy to adjust this way.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Wait, you had them a bit too high. And you raised them?

Last week I lowered mine back a bit too. But I haven't gone out driving at night yet to compare.

 

[itguy61]

Uh, I guess I mis spoke. They were too low from the get go. I raised them and decided it was a bit too high. I lowered them about an inch at 20' last night. Realized I wasted time and energy pulling the airboxes not to mention having to buy the ratcheted wrench. I did notice you have to get the screwdriver in just right or it does not do anything. Once that is done easy peasy.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Uh, I guess I mis spoke. They were too low from the get go. I raised them and decided it was a bit too high. I lowered them about an inch at 20' last night. Realized I wasted time and energy pulling the airboxes not to mention having to buy the ratcheted wrench. I did notice you have to get the screwdriver in just right or it does not do anything. Once that is done easy peasy.

Yep. Don't just insert the driver and start twisting: make sure, first, that it is fully seated in the head down there; we can only go by feel. Be careful and slow. Be like a surgeon.

I originally raised mine c. 2" at c. six feet away. And now they are closer to one inch raised above OE height at c. six feet away. (When I had trouble getting back to sleep last night in the wee hours, I almost went out to test my headlights height; but "reason" prevailed, so I still don't know if I like it any better where I have it right now.)

 

[MerlintheMad]

Last week I lowered mine back a bit too. But I haven't gone out driving at night yet to compare.

Okay, so I tried out the readjustment and found it quite satisfactory. Without any hard measurements in any of this, here's a recap: OE beam height on the wall c. six feet away; raised beams c. 2". Then I lowered them back down c. 1": so, that's raise the OE beam height c. 1" on a wall c. six feet away.

They still reach out there quite a bit further, but when I am behind someone I can see the dark band above the beams is overlapping with their side mirrors, i.e. I am not blinding the driver in front.

 

[5tinger]

I don't understand how you guys are adjusting it with a screwdriver.
There is no screw on the u/d funnel . I see a white plastic screw on L/R but that one cannot be adjusted.

 

[nhcowboy28]

I don't understand how you guys are adjusting it with a screwdriver.
There is no screw on the u/d funnel . I see a white plastic screw on L/R but that one cannot be adjusted.

It isn’t a screw. More like teeth that are slightly exposed to the adjustment tube. And the sides of the Phillips head engage as you turn.

This isn’t ours but gives you an idea.

The edge of the Phillips will slightly touch the teeth of a large gear. Hence it takes a lot of turns to make any adjustment.


It’s pretty common on most cars to have this method of adjustment.

 

[5tinger]

It isn’t a screw. More like teeth that are slightly exposed to the adjustment tube. And the sides of the Phillips head engage as you turn.

This isn’t ours but gives you an idea.

The edge of the Phillips will slightly touch the teeth of a large gear. Hence it takes a lot of turns to make any adjustment.

View attachment 28393
It’s pretty common on most cars to have this method of adjustment.

hmmm perhaps a thin and long Philips screwdriver is required?

 

[Ozstung]

hmmm perhaps a thin and long Philips screwdriver is required?

Exactly you need from what I read earlier a No.#2 Phillip's head probably 6" to 8". The thinner the better.

 

[pdmit]

Is there a separate adjustment for the high beams as they shine a spot way up in the trees but low beam is ok

 

[MerlintheMad]

I think that 8" long is the minimum reach.

Exactly you need from what I read earlier a No.#2 Phillip's head probably 6" to 8". The thinner the better.

Is there a separate adjustment for the high beams as they shine a spot way up in the trees but low beam is ok

Aren't your lights different from US trims? The LEDs only have the one adjustment. I don't know, but I've always assumed that high beams are in relation to where the low beams are adjusted. So if you move your low beams up, the high beams will also go up. Interesting question.

 

[pdmit]

I have adjusted low beams up and down and but didnt make a difference