How to Adjust Your Headlights

If you have ever cursed an oncoming driver because their lights were blinding you, or noticed that your lights tend to illuminate the tops of roadside trees instead of the road, there is a good chance that you are dealing with misaligned headlights.

Correct headlight alignment is extremely important for vehicle safety. Properly aligned headlights not only light up the road, they help illuminate road signs and any animals that might jump out onto the road. Driving with misaligned lights is dangerous, and they should be adjusted as soon as possible.

Luckily, adjusting your headlights is a pretty easy fix that most people can handle in their driveway or garage. However, newer vehicles that have halogen or high-intensity bulbs should be taken to a professional for proper alignment.

Part 1 of 3: Reasons headlights need to be adjusted

In most cases, headlights simply slip out of adjustment over time. In fact, most headlights will need to be adjusted every few years. Here are a couple of reasons your headlights may be pointed at the sky:

Reason 1: Too much weight. One of the most common reasons that headlights are not shining on the road or are blinding oncoming drivers is due to excess weight in the trunk or cargo area. This will push down the rear of the vehicle enough to tilt the front of it up, along with the light beams.

• If you frequently haul large loads you may want to consider load-leveling air shocks, which will fix the issue. Costs will vary but expect to spend a few hundred for shocks and installation. These shocks automatically pump more fluid into the rear shocks in order to maintain ride height when the vehicle is weighed down.

Reason 2: Worn shocks. Much like hauling a heavy load, worn shocks can lead to headlights that are aimed too high. As shocks wear out they sag and if it is the rear shocks that are sagging, the front end of the car will be pointed higher than normal, throwing off the headlights. While adjusting the headlights will fix this problem, replacing the shocks is the better option.

Reason 3: Car was hit. If someone taps the front end of your car with their vehicle, it is possible the headlights will be knocked of alignment but there will not be any visible damage to your vehicle.

Part 2 of 3: Checking the alignment of your lights

It is fairly simple to check the alignment of your lights. All you need is a flat surface, a wall to project the lights on, a tape measure, a carpenter’s level, screwdriver and some tape. Here are step-by-step directions on how to verify your lights are aligned.

Step 1: Prepare the car. In order to make sure the car is properly leveled when aligning the lights make sure all the tires are properly inflated, the vehicle has at least a half tank of fuel and there is someone sitting in the driver’s seat. This will ensure that the vehicle is leveled and is reflects common driving conditions when the measurements are taken.

Step 2: Park the car. Find a flat level surface with a wall in front of it and park the vehicle about 10 to 25 feet from the wall or garage door with the lights aimed at the wall. This distance is optimal as it recreates common conditions out on the road. If you have a flat driveway, the garage door should work well, otherwise consider the ground floor of a parking ramp as it is usually flat, dark and has a wall.

Step 3: Level the car. Push down all four corners of the vehicle up and down a few times to settle the suspension and make sure the shocks are level.

Step 4: Measure the lights. Use the tape measure to measure from a fixed point on each of the headlamps down to the ground. The measurements should be within a half inch of each other. This will verify the suspension is not sagging on either side, which would throw off the measurements.

Step 5: Turn on the headlights. Turn on the lights but do not use the fog lights or high beams. Use the tape to mark both the horizontal and vertical centerlines of the headlight beams.

Step 6: Measure the lines. The centerlines should not be any higher than 3.5 feet above the ground. Use the carpenter’s level to verify the centerlines from each headlight are even. If the lines are not even, lower the higher mark to the level of the lower one.

Step 7: Back up the car. The car should now be backed up so it is sitting exactly 25 feet from the wall. This should not be estimated, use the tape measure so the vehicle is exactly 25 feet away.

• While 25 feet is standard for most vehicles, the specifications do vary by automaker so be sure to check your owner’s manual for details. Regardless of the recommended distance, accuracy is key so carefully measure the distance with a tape measure.

Part 3 of 3: Adjusting the lights

Now it’s time to make the adjustments to get your lights shining down on the road, where they belong.

Step 1: Find the adjustment screws. The first thing you need to do is locate the adjustment screws on your vehicle. In many cases, it will be necessary to remove the trim ring from the headlight. Most adjustment screws are located on the top and side of the light housing. They should be clearly marked.

• If you cannot locate the screws, check your owner’s manual.
• It should be noted that some manufacturers have located the adjustment screws in the engine compartment behind the headlight housing. It may be necessary to remove the battery or even the coolant reservoir to reach the screws. In some cases, it may pay to have a professional do the work.

Step 2: Adjust the headlights individually. If possible, having another person sitting in the driver’s seat that can turn the lights on and off will be a big help. The headlights should be adjusted one at a time. Put a rag or towel over a chair in front of the light you want to block. Covering the light assembly directly can damage the plastic lens - it can get too hot if fully blocked.

Step 3: Adjust the vertical field. The screw on the top of the light housing should be turned clockwise to raise the lights and counterclockwise will lower the light. The headlight should be adjusted until the top of the most intense part of the light beam shines directly on or just below the center of the tapeline on the wall.

• It can be somewhat difficult to determine the middle of the most intense part of the beam but in general, there should be very little of the overall beam above the line.
• The lights should be turned off while adjusting the screws and then turned back on to determine if the adjustment was successful or further adjustment is needed.

Step 4: Adjust the horizontal field. The screw on the side of the light housing should now be turned to get the right/left adjustment correct. Adjust the lens so that the most intense part of the beam is to the right of the vertical line.

Step 5: Check manufacturer guidelines. It is always a good idea to check the manufacturer’s guidelines when adjusting headlights, as there may be very precise specifications that should be followed. This is especially true with the brighter headlights on new vehicles.

Step 6: Test your results. It’s time to get the vehicle out on the road to make sure the headlights are adjusted properly. This step is important because if you have done the adjustment incorrectly the headlights could be further out of adjustment. Check them on dark road so you can properly judge the adjustment. If they are still not properly adjusted repeat these steps until they correct.

How to Clean and Restore Headlights

Even owners who regularly clean and maintain their vehicles are not immune to wear on their headlights. As the vast majority of headlights are made of plastic, they require different care than other exterior surfaces of your car. Plastic headlights are especially prone to scratching and discoloration and will otherwise deteriorate more quickly than the rest of your car. This is why knowledge of proper cleaning techniques for headlights is important for keeping vehicles in tip-top condition.

Note: Glass headlights are susceptible to their own unique problems. If your headlights are made of glass (which is most often seen on vintage models) you should leave anything beyond a standard washing to a professional because there is a risk of causing further issues without the proper knowledge and tools.
Taking proper care of your headlights is much more than cosmetic, as damaged lights also present a serious safety issue. Even dirty headlights, an easily remedied problem, greatly reduce night-time visibility for drivers and also increase the glare seen by others on the road. The worse the headlight damage, the great the incidence of accidents occurring from poor visibility.

There is more than one method to restoring headlights to like-new condition, so you need to visually assess your headlights' appearance, first with the headlights off and again with them on, because the degree and angle of illumination can affect what damage is visible.

It is also advisable to do a quick cleaning with soapy water and a sponge or cloth, followed by a rinse, before inspecting your headlights to ensure you don't confuse dirt with more serious damage. Once clean, look for stubborn grit and grime, a hazy appearance, yellowing on plastic, and obvious cracks or peeling. The types of problems you note will determine how you should clean or restore them.

Part 1 of 4: Standard wash
A standard wash is just as it sounds. You can opt to wash your entire vehicle or just the headlights. This method removes surface dirt and particles that can mar the appearance of your lights and the amount of illumination they provide during night driving.

Materials Needed

• Bucket
• Mild detergent
• Soft cloth or sponge
• Warm water

Step 1: Prepare a soapy water bucket. Prepare a soapy mix in a bucket or similar container using warm water and a mild detergent like dish soap.

Step 2: Begin washing your headlights. Soak a soft cloth or sponge in the mix, then gently rub away grit and grime from the surface of your headlights.

Step 3: Rinse the car. Rinse with plain water and allow to air dry.

Part 2 of 4: Comprehensive cleaning
Materials Needed

• Painter's masking tape
• Polishing compound
• Soft cloths
• Water

If you observed hazing or yellowing on your headlights during your inspection, there is likely some corruption of the polycarbonate lens. This requires a more comprehensive cleaning, using a specialized cleaning product, known as a plastic polishing compound, to repair.

Polishing compounds are generally inexpensive and are virtually the same across brands. They all contain a fine abrasive that sloughs away imperfections on plastic surfaces without leaving scratches behind, much like a very fine sandpaper. In the case of yellowing, the further action of sanding your headlights' surface may be necessary if a more detailed cleaning does not fix the issue.

Step 1: Block off the surrounding area with tape. Tape off the areas surrounding your headlights because the polishing compound can damage paint and other surfaces (such as chrome).

Step 2: Polish your headlights. Put a dab of polishing compound on your cloth, then firmly rub the cloth in small circles on your headlights. Take your time and add compound as needed - this will likely take 10 minutes per headlight.

Step 3: Wipe and rinse excess compound. Once you have thoroughly polished your headlights, wipe any excess compound off with a clean cloth, then rinse with water. If this has not corrected the problem for yellowed lights, sanding will be necessary.

Part 3 of 4: Sanding

For moderate damage to the polycarbonate lens of plastic headlights, which results in a yellow tinge, sanding out the abrasions that cause this appearance will be necessary to achieve a like-new look. While this is something possible to do at home with kits containing the necessary materials available at most auto parts stores, you may want to ask a professional to help with this more difficult and time-consuming procedure.

Materials Needed

• Painter's masking tape
• Paste car wax (optional)
• Polishing compound
• Sandpaper (1000-, 1500-, 2000-, 2500-, up to 3000-grit)
• Soft cloths
• Water (cool)

Step 1: Protect surrounding surfaces with tape. As with a comprehensive cleaning, you will want to protect the other surfaces on your vehicle with painter's masking tape.

Step 2: Polish your headlights. Use the polishing compound on a soft cloth in a circular motion on your headlights, as described above.

Step 3: Start sanding the headlights. Beginning with your roughest grade of sandpaper (1000-grit), soak it in cool water for approximately ten minutes.

Firmly rub it in a straight, back-and-forth motion across the entire surface of each headlight.

Tip: Be sure to keep the surfaces wet throughout the procedure by periodically dipping the sandpaper in your water.

Step 4: Continue to sand from roughest to smoothest grit. Repeat this process using each sandpaper grade from roughest to smoothest until you have finished with the 3000-grit paper.

Step 5: Rinse off the headlights and let dry. Rinse all of the polishing compound off of your headlights with plain water and allow to air dry or gently dry with a clean, soft cloth.

Step 6: Apply car wax. To protect your headlights against further damage from the elements, you can then apply a standard car wax to their surfaces with a clean cloth, using circular movements.

• Afterwards, wipe your lights with another clean cloth.

Part 4 of 4: Professional resurfacing or replacement
If your headlights have cracks or peeling, it is possible to reduce the damage using the sanding method described above. This will not, however, completely restore them to pristine condition. Cracks and peels indicate serious damage to the polycarbonate lens of your headlights, and this will require professional resurfacing (at the bare minimum) to achieve a like-new look. For more extreme damage, replacement may be your only option.

The cost of resurfacing headlights can vary greatly, depending on the make and model of your vehicle. If there is any doubt as to whether the condition of your lights merits professional resurfacing or replacement, contact one of our certified mechanics for advice.