Let’s face it: incandescent and halogen headlight bulbs are outdated. LED headlight bulbs are long-lasting replacements for outdated designs; they can even last the life of your car! If one of your headlamps has burned out or you’re ready to upgrade to LED bulbs, we have a step-by-step tutorial that will show you how to align them properly. That’s right, it’s not as simple as “plug in the bulb, and you’re done.” It’s crucial to know how to adjust headlights not only when you replace them but also if you’ve had any maintenance work done to your car that may have thrown off the alignment. Misaligned headlights can be caused by various factors, including too much weight in the back of a vehicle, lift kit installations, accidents, and damaged shocks.
Headlights that aren’t correctly positioned can glare into other drivers’ mirrors, impairing their eyesight. Correct headlight adjustment is vital for various reasons, including your safety and ability to see signs or obstructions on the road. If you follow the steps below and consult your owner’s handbook, you can be confident that your headlights will perform what they’re supposed to do without endangering other drivers or yourself.
Step by step guide to adjust LED headlights
- Both of your headlight lenses should be cleaned.
- Drive as near to a flat wall or surface as possible.
- Make sure you’re parking on flat ground. Shake the vehicle to make sure the suspension system is in place. Inflate all tires to their allotted psi capacity and have someone sit in the driver’s seat for more exact adjustments. Also, ensure the petrol tank in your vehicle is at least half full.
- Mark the distance between your headlamp centers with two vertical tape lines if your vehicle permits for horizontal adjustments. These lines are necessary for projector headlamp and beam cutoff point alignment. Make a second set of tape lines for the other headlight. Set the line at the same height from the ground as the other line if one headlamp is burned out and you’re using two distinct horizontal tape lines. You can use this measurement to plot the vertical tape lines on the wall by measuring the distance between your headlamp centers. When installing your new LED headlights, these lines will serve as a guide.
- From the wall, reverse your vehicle 25, staying as straight as possible. Your owner’s manual may specify a different distance.
- If necessary, disassemble your headlight assembly, remove the old bulbs, and replace them with new LED bulbs. For exact information on how to replace your headlight bulbs, consult your owner’s handbook.
- Check your headlight relays to ensure they are in great working conditions. If they aren’t or are starting to wear out, replace the bad headlight relays.
- Depending on your vehicle, you may need to adjust your headlight beam before or after reinstalling the assembly. The instructions in your owner’s manual will show you how to adjust the beams. Adjust each headlight such that the beam’s top edge is the same height as your horizontal line (s). Use the vertical tape lines to align your headlights with adjusting horizontally or providing two light cutoff points.
Driving at night appears to be tricky because there is little light to see clearly. LED headlights have greatly decreased this problem because of their ultra clear white light and strong beam. However, you should take the extra step of cleaning your headlight lenses regularly using a headlight restoration wipe.
