If you’re an aggressive driver, you may be used to seeing middle fingers and brights flashed at you, but for most of us, those responses from other drivers can be quite alarming. If it’s happening at night, it might be because you are blinding other people with the way your headlights are aimed.
Even the most expensive cars with the neatest headlights will eventually need to have their eyes adjusted. It’s not just a safety issue for you, where seeing the road ahead is kind of important. It can be a safety issue for other drivers as well because a misaligned headlight can end up shining right into oncoming traffic.
The Drive’s editors have had to adjust the headlights on a variety of different vehicles throughout the years and are here to help you understand the why and how of doing it yourself. It’s far from the hardest task you can take on, and you won’t even need any fancy tools.
Let’s dive in.
Throughout time, the bumps and bangs that come with daily driving can knock your headlights off-kilter, causing them to wander away from an alignment that actually helps you see in low-light conditions. When this happens, you’ll need to adjust the headlight units, which are enclosed and mounted on either side of your vehicle’s nose.
Modern headlight enclosures are separate from the body of your vehicle and are mounted with screws. There are also adjustment screws on the headlight units that allow vertical and horizontal adjustment. Using a fixed point on a wall, vehicle owners can aim their headlights using the adjustment screws and some simple measurements.
At some point, it’s likely that all headlights, regardless of the technology behind them, will need adjustment. Even self-leveling or adaptive headlights can end up out of line from time to time. The adjustment process may be slightly different for modern LED units, or those with self-adjustment features, but there will eventually come a time when even the most advanced headlights will need to be adjusted.
A good way to know if your headlights are out of alignment is if other drivers are constantly honking or flashing their brights at you. Even without annoying every other person on the road, you can tell if your headlights need adjustment by looking at the road ahead of you. Are both lights aimed forward to illuminate the road, or are you flashing lights into every house you pass as you drive through your neighborhood? If one light isn’t hitting the road in front of you by being aimed too high, too low, or to one side, it’s time to adjust your headlights.
Estimated Time Needed: 30-60 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner
Vehicle System: Lighting systems
Take this job seriously and make sure you get it right. You’re not just making your own life easier at night, you’re reducing the chances of blinding or distracting another driver.
Grab this equipment before you start.
Organizing your tools and gear so everything is easily reachable will save precious minutes waiting for your handy-dandy child or four-legged helper to bring you the sandpaper or blowtorch. (You won't need a blowtorch for this job. Please don’t have your kid hand you a blowtorch—Ed.)
You’ll also need a flat workspace, such as a garage floor, driveway, or street parking. Check your local laws to make sure you’re not violating any codes when using the street because we aren’t getting your ride out of the clink.
Let’s get started with the simple stuff first.
If you’re a packrat, or just love to carry around a week’s worth of clothing and supplies in your car at all times, you’ll want to remove as much unnecessary weight as possible before beginning this process. If your trunk is full of old motor oil containers (we hear you, classic VW owners), take them out so that your car’s stance is as level as possible.
It’s also important to note that some vehicles have interior controls to level or adjust headlight settings. If your vehicle has a separate interior system for adjusting headlight position, make sure it’s in a neutral or middle setting to aim the lights properly. Consult your service manual for specific instructions on your vehicle.
You can do this test in front of a garage door, or any solid wall (though textured garage doors might have surfaces that could distort the light). Light-colored surfaces and solid surfaces (not brick or stone) will give you the best results here. Park 10-15 feet away from the wall and make sure that your car is parked on a level of a surface as possible. Performing this test while parked on a hill or a bumpy surface won’t do much good.
Turn on the vehicle’s regular beam headlights. Don’t activate high beams or fog lights for this test. Using your tape, form a cross in the center of each headlight beam on the wall. It’s normal for the driver’s side light to be slightly lower than the other. This is to avoid shining lights into oncoming traffic as the car travels down the road.
This is one situation where your trusty eyeball measurements are going to yield poor results. Use your tape measure to scope out a distance that is exactly 25 feet from the wall. As you’re backing up, try to do so in a straight line.
You’ll want to block one headlight while adjusting the other. Use a tarp or old sheet so that you can focus on one light at a time. If it’s helpful, you can have a friend sit inside and turn the headlights on and off to help you get the right aim for each unit.
Try to test the lights out in a non-threatening environment, such as an empty parking lot or a quiet street. Drive slowly and observe your headlights’ positioning. If one or both lights are out of alignment, you’ll need to repeat this process.
You’ve got questions, The Drive has answers!
A: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the distance illuminated by low beam headlights is about 160 feet. Modern LED and HID lighting systems may perform differently, but you’re not going to be able to blast out light hundreds of feet ahead of you without grabbing a few middle fingers or a ticket along the way.
A: High beams reach quite a bit further than low beams, at between 300 and 400 feet. Again, your headlights may perform better or worse, depending on the features of your vehicle.
A: When your car is parked 25 feet away from the wall you’re using to align them, use a tape measure to find the distance from the ground to the center of the light beam. Then measure the distance from the ground to the center of your headlight unit itself. The area illuminated should be around the same height as, or even a bit lower than, the headlight unit.
Some vehicles have a nifty level built right in so that you can visually observe the position without having to park and measure.
A: If your headlights are dim, there could be a few things going on. You may have a failing bulb or lighting unit, which will require a repair or replacement, depending on the type of light. Your battery or alternator could be failing and not delivering the correct level of power to each light.
Or, your headlight lens may just be dirty or cloudy. As cars age, the plastic that is used in headlight housings can become tarnished, yellowed, or cloudy looking. You can clean it up using a simple headlight restoration kit.
We’re here to be expert guides in everything How-To-related. Use us, compliment us, yell at us. Comment below and let’s talk! You can also shout at us on Twitter or Instagram, here are our profiles.
Jonathon Klein: Twitter (@jonathon.klein), Instagram (@jonathon_klein)
Tony Markovich: Twitter (@T_Marko), Instagram (@t_marko)
Chris Teague: Twitter (@TeagueDrives), Instagram (@TeagueDrives)
Cerakote Headlight Restoration Kit
Craftsman 25-ft Tape Measure
ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape
Craftsman Phillips Head Screwdriver
Got a question? Got a pro tip? Send us a note: guidesandgear@thedrive.com
