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Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

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  #1 (permalink)  
Old 05-18-2006 | 07:58 PM
JCM298's Avatar
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Default Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

Last week the dealer installed new headlights in my wife's 2004 Crossfire because the old ones had fogged up. Last night was the first night driving we'd done since the install.

The low beams were worthless. The left light showed about 10 feet of road. I had to use the high beams just to travel about two miles. What used to be a straight line along the top of the lights is now a reversed "Z", with the left part of "Z" a lot lower than the right.

I searched in this forum and pg 44 of the owners manual is mentioned. My manual shows that pg 44 refers to engine break-in and exhaust gas safety tips. I checked the service manual I downloaded, thanks to woody, and can find nothing.

My owners manual shows how to aim the lights on pages 216 & 217. On page 216, it refers to finding the "0" indicator. I've looked at both light housings and can't find either "0". What am I doing wrong?

On page 217, there are directions on how to adjust the lights.

1. Open hood & remove inner wheel well panel to access the headlight rear cover.

Question: Since there is no panel and the rear cover is in plain sight, what and why would I remove it?

2. Remove the headlight rear cover fasteners and remove the cover.

Question: Where is the cover? The rear of the headlight holder/housing is in plain sight.

3/4. Refers to adjustment screws and they are in plain sight.

4. Turn the adjustment screws until both "0" indicators are aligned as shown.

Question: Where are the "0" indicators?


I don't want to take it back to the dealer for a number of reasons.

I miss the good old cars that merely required a dark stretch of road and a screwdriver to adjust lights.

Thanks for your help.

John
 

Last edited by JCM298; 05-18-2006 at 08:17 PM.
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Old 05-18-2006 | 11:11 PM
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Default Re: Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

They're adjusted. I took it over to my daughter and son-in-law's house and compared the lights to those on their car, a 2004, but bought about a year before ours.

Neither of them could figure out what the "0" was nor where it was located. They couldn't figure out why the wheel-well panel had to be removed, either. The area behind the light housing is identical to mine.

After dark, I did it the old fashioned way. I took it to a dark stretch of road and twisted the adjusting screw until the lighted area looked good. I then took it to the back of a large store and checked the height against the blank wall. As a final step, I drove it in traffic on a two lane road. Other driver's did not "flash" their lights and I was able to see.

Just as a precaution, I marked the head of the adjustment screw with a magic marker and kept track of the turns I made as I was making the adjustment. It was no harder than adjusting the sights on a gun.

I still have no idea what the "0" indicator is.

John
 
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Old 07-26-2012 | 01:29 AM
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From: Cincinnati, OH
Default Re: Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

SO... I just installed HID's and my lights aim is way off. Where are these screws that you are mentioning?
 
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Old 07-26-2012 | 07:39 AM
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From: MOFN, AL, 70 miles from George
Default Re: Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

Originally Posted by tennisman33
SO... I just installed HID's and my lights aim is way off. Where are these screws that you are mentioning?
The last post was in 2006.

I only know of vertical adjustment for our headlights. It is controlled by turning a long, white plastic **** protruding from the back of the headlight housing. Read through this Sticky:

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tructions.html

it will apply to HID's as well as halogen bulbs. Are yours way off? If so, you may not have properly seated the bulb in its little socket-it is a PITA.
 
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Old 07-26-2012 | 07:50 AM
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From: Central South Carolina
Default Re: Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

Originally Posted by maxcichon
Are yours way off? If so, you may not have properly seated the bulb in its little socket-it is a PITA.



What Max said, I would bet $ the bulbs aren't seated correctly.
 
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Old 07-26-2012 | 09:06 AM
James1549's Avatar
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From: Cincinnati ( Delhi )
Default Re: Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

There is a horizontal adjustment on our lights. Just a bit tougher to get to. One for low beam and one for high beam on each light.



I have better pics, just didn't have time to do a total search of my gallery.
 

Last edited by James1549; 07-26-2012 at 09:11 AM.
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 07-26-2012 | 09:19 AM
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From: MOFN, AL, 70 miles from George
Default Re: Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

James, under the white 90 degree cap?
 
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Old 07-26-2012 | 09:23 AM
ala_xfire's Avatar
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From: Lineville, AL
Default Re: Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

Originally Posted by maxcichon
James, under the white 90 degree cap?
Yea, but those caps are a biatch to get out ......
 
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Old 07-26-2012 | 09:52 AM
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From: Cincinnati, OH
Default

Sounds great! Thanks for your help! Been bugging me since I installed them night before last!



Originally Posted by maxcichon
The last post was in 2006.

I only know of vertical adjustment for our headlights. It is controlled by turning a long, white plastic **** protruding from the back of the headlight housing. Read through this Sticky:

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tructions.html

it will apply to HID's as well as halogen bulbs. Are yours way off? If so, you may not have properly seated the bulb in its little socket-it is a PITA.
 
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Old 07-26-2012 | 01:09 PM
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Ontario
Default Re: Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

Originally Posted by maxcichon
James, under the white 90 degree cap?
Here's James excellent post on the subject.
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...djustment.html
 
  #11 (permalink)  
Old 04-16-2021 | 01:33 PM
SpideyKrist's Avatar
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 5
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From: Utah
Default Re: Questions re: Headlight aiming/adjustment

Thanks for this. I thought I'd have to buy a new headlight but not anymore.
 
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