Headlamps, Checking Adjustment

Headlamps, Checking Adjustment

Basically all procedures describing headlight adjustments and checks apply for all countries. National guidelines or regulations of the country must be observed.

Checking and Adjusting Conditions

• Tire pressure must be OK.

• Lenses must not be damaged or dirty.

• Reflectors and bulbs OK.

• Vehicle must be properly loaded.

Load: Vehicle must be loaded with one person on the driver's seat, weighing 75 kg, otherwise vehicle must be empty (curb weight).

The curb weight is the weight of the vehicle ready for operation with completely filled fuel tank (at least 90%), including the weight of all equipment items carried for operation (e.g. spare wheel, tool, vehicle jack, fire extinguisher etc.).

If the fuel tank is not at least 90% full, adjust the weight as follows:

- Read fuel level from fuel gauge. Calculate additional weight needed using the following table. Place extra weight in luggage compartment.

Tank Filling Table

Example: 8-cylinder engines

If the fuel tank is half full, place a weight of 100 lbs (45 kg) in the luggage compartment.

• For additional weight use containers filled with water. A container filled with 5 liters of water weighs approximately 11 lbs (5 kg).

Vehicle must be rolled for several meters or the front and rear suspension must be bounced several times so that the springs settle.

• Vehicle and headlamp adjuster must be on a level surface. Refer to operating instructions for headlamp adjuster.

• Vehicle and headlamp adjuster must be aligned.

Make sure the headlamp adjuster is about 30 cm in front of headlamp.

• Inclination measure must be set.

Inclination measurements are stamped in "%" at top of headlamp. Headlights must be adjusted according to this information. Percentage information is based on a projection distance of 10 meters. For example, with an inclination measurement of 1.0% (on vehicles with headlamp range adjuster), this converts to 10 cm.

Headlamps, Checking using New Test Screen without 15° Adjusting Line

- Start the engine.

- Switch low beams on.

• Horizontal light-dark border must contact hyphenated line - 1 - on test surface.

• Break-away point - 2 - between left horizontal part and rising part on right of light-dark border must run vertically through central point - 3 -. The bright core of the light beam must be on the right of the vertical line.

• To make it easier to find break-away point - 2 - cover and uncover left half of headlamp (as viewed when looking forward) a few times. Next, check low beam again.

• After correct adjustment of low beams the center point of the main beam must lie on the center mark - 3 -.

• For the previous test screens with 15 ° setting line, adjust for new test screen. To avoid incorrect settings, ignore 15° setting line.

- If the headlamp adjustment is not OK, adjust headlamps:

Ellipsoid headlamps, adjusting

Vehicle level, adjusting, refer to => [ Vehicle Level, Adjusting ] Adjustments

• Observe testing and adjusting conditions.

Adjusting screws on left headlamp

Allocation on right side is a reversed image.

1 Height/lateral adjustment screw
2 Height adjustment screw

- To adjust height, turn adjustment screws - 1 - and - 2 - with same number of revolutions.

- To adjust laterally, turn only adjustment screw - 1 -.

Headlamps, adjusting (gas-discharge lamps)

• Observe testing and adjusting conditions.

• (VAS 5051) with VAS 5051/5a

• With gas-discharge headlamps, interrogate DTC memory, erase it and then perform basic setting before each manual adjustment using the adjusting screws.

• (VAS 5051) connected with diagnostic cable 5051/5a, Vehicle On Board Diagnostic (OBD) and vehicle system "55 - Headlamp range control" selected.

Display on (VAS 5051):

- In selection - 1 -, click on the diagnostic function "04 - Basic setting".

Display on (VAS 5051):

1 Enter display group

- Enter "001" in for "Display group 001" in button field - 2 - and confirm by pressing Q button.

Display on (VAS 5051):

1 Basic setting
2 Display group 1
3 Wait

- Activate basic setting by pressing "Activate" button.

• The headlamps move into adjustment position.

Display on (VAS 5051):

3 Headlamps, Adjusting

• The headlamps are now in alignment position.

• The basic setting 1 switches control off and "Headlamps were not adjusted" is saved in the DTC memory.

Adjusting screws on left headlamp

1 Basic setting
2 Display group 1
3 Headlamps, Adjusting

- Activate basic setting by pressing "Activate" button.

Display on (VAS 5051):

3 Control position learned

• The control module has now learned this position as the control position.

• The DTC memory entry ("Headlamps were not adjusted") is erased and control is resumed.

- End "04 - Basic setting" function by pressing the ▾ ▾ -button.

- Press the "06 - End output" button.

Fog Lights

Inclination figures:

• Fog lights 20 cm

- Check whether upper light-dark border touches adjusting line and runs across entire test screen width horizontally.

- Remove air intake grille in lower part of bumper - arrows -.

- Remove height adjusting screw - arrow -. Lateral adjustment is not possible.

• Left fog light is shown in illustration. Adjusting screw on right fog light is arranged symmetrically.

Other Additional Headlamps

Accessory auxiliary headlamp systems must be checked and adjusted according to the guidelines valid for them.