How to Adjust Your Xenon Headlights

To avoid causing unnecessary blind spots on the road and to have a safer driving experience, it is very important that xenon headlights are properly calibrated to give optimal results. The process is not particularly complicated, but accessing the headlights will vary a little depending on the model of car that you have.

Xenon headlights are becoming increasingly common these days since they are several times brighter than normal light bulbs. For your safety, and for the safety of other drivers, they need to be adjusted correctly before driving.

Step 1-Preparations

First, find a large flat wall. Also, the ground in front of it needs to be flat. There needs to be plenty of space in front of the wall. Park the car approximately 3 feet in front of the wall. If you don’t have any place like this at your home, you may need to find a parking spot which has a building next to it. Basically, anywhere where you have a large flat surface in front of a wall will do. To get more accurate results, it is also a good idea to have a full load in the car. Have a couple of people sitting in it and even an average amount of equipment in the trunk. The weight inside the car does have a considerable influence on the angle of the lights.

Step 2-Taking the Measurements

Measure the area between the bulb of one of the headlights to the wall of the building in front. Place the yardstick parallel to the ground and the line between the headlight and the wall should be completely straight. Where the yard stick meets the wall, place a marking using the masking tape. For the next headlight, do exactly the same thing. With the masking tape, make a cross formation in front of each headlight. These will act as your targets which will help you to adjust the angles of the headlights as required.

Step 3-Testing the Headlights

The next step is to test the headlights. You know that if the car is parked 3 feet in front of the wall, the light beams should hit the crosses that you have marked. To continue, reverse the car approximately 25 feet so it is 28 feet away from the wall. Turn the car off, but be sure to leave the headlights on. If the light beams do not hit the crosses that you marked, then the headlights need adjusting.

Step 4-Adjusting the Headlights

If the headlights need adjusting, you need to open up the hood of the car. Find the screws behind the bulbs in each headlight. The precise location and how to adjust them does, however, depend on your car. The screws will always be in the same general location, however. Use the screws to adjust the beams by raising them or lowering them as required. Make sure that the beams of the light hit the markings on the wall.