jdunmyer
Posts: 53
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 10:18 pm

headlight adjustment

If I have a full load, IE: 4 adults, oncoming traffic flashes their lights at me; from reflections on buildings when I turn a corner shows why. The low beams are aimed too high. With only 2 people in the car, the adjustment appears to be JUST low enough.

Where is the adjustment, and which way do you rotate it? I'd like to give it a bit "lower" setting.

Am I the only one with this problem?
djhodny
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2017 5:19 pm

Re: headlight adjustment

I had the same issue. Thankfully, adjustment is really easy. There is a white plastic Philips head adjustment screw under the hood behind each headlight. They're just behind the metal frame piece that runs diagonal, behind where that diagonal frame pieces are connected to the sides / fenders. They have a Philips head recessed within a hexagonal head - I think for using an Allen wrench. Turn counter clockwise to lower the headlight.
GernBlanston
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2017 12:28 am

Re: headlight adjustment

One of the complaints that Consumer Reports or some such had was headlight glare. I was getting flashed occasionally at night, so I lowered mine. Parked 25 feet from the hangar door, put 2 pieces of painter's tape up so that the bottom of the tapes touched the top of the light spots on the door,then lowered each headlight exactly one inch. Wow. I can see better at night (all those photons are on the road instead of out in space) and haven't been flashed once since then. I am a headlight geek and think more about, and spend more on, headlights than I probably should (put E-codes and leveling motors on my '03 Golf, and finally settled on Osram all-weather bulbs.)
Sorry, forgot to measure the height of the tapes before I threw 'em out, but one inch lower than they were from the factory.
If it's not foggy
and your foglights are on
you are a doofus.
GetOffYourGas
Posts: 1181
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 5:25 pm
Location: Syracuse, NY

Re: headlight adjustment

GernBlanston wrote:I am a headlight geek and think more about, and spend more on, headlights than I probably should
This, plus your signature, is a new one to me. Hey, there are much worse things to geek out about. Headlights are probably one of the most underrated parts of a car. Being able to see well at night can literally mean the difference between life and death!
~Brian

EV Fleet:
2011 Torqeedo Travel 1003 electric outboard on a 22' sailboat
2012 Leaf SV (traded for Bolt)
2015 C-Max Energi (302A package)
2017 Bolt Premier
2021 Mini Cooper SE Signature+
GernBlanston
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2017 12:28 am

Re: headlight adjustment

GetOffYourGas wrote:
GernBlanston wrote:I am a headlight geek and think more about, and spend more on, headlights than I probably should
This, plus your signature, is a new one to me. Hey, there are much worse things to geek out about. Headlights are probably one of the most underrated parts of a car. Being able to see well at night can literally mean the difference between life and death!
Yeah, they're fairly important. :D
If it's not foggy
and your foglights are on
you are a doofus.
boltage
Posts: 451
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 4:50 am

Re: headlight adjustment

GernBlanston wrote:One of the complaints that Consumer Reports or some such had was headlight glare.
It was IIHS that said that the headlamps made too much glare.
GernBlanston
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2017 12:28 am

Re: headlight adjustment

boltage wrote:
GernBlanston wrote:One of the complaints that Consumer Reports or some such had was headlight glare.
It was IIHS that said that the headlamps made too much glare.
I stand corrected. Lower 'em an inch and see what you think.
They are odd for HIDs in that they have a little lump in the middle rather than
the razor-sharp, arrow-straight cutoff that you usually see. That's the issue I think.
If it's not foggy
and your foglights are on
you are a doofus.
Zarugby
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:44 pm

Re: headlight adjustment

Thank you for the great advice, last night was the first time I was driving at night with my Volt and had three people flash me. I have just now adjusted the lights about 1” down, and... wella! :D
SlyPig
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:03 pm

Re: headlight adjustment

So I got my Bolt in November 2020. I noticed that I was getting flashed at by cars coming the other way quite often. When the dealership asked me to bring in my car for it's 1st free service (whatever that means) I asked them to check the lights and see if they were too high and adjust down a little. I think the tech went too far the other way because now, when I'm on a unlit road, my lights are too low and I can barely see far enough ahead to be safe.

I'd like to know what the height should be. Can someone with the correct alignment and height stand in front of their car on level surface and measure and report back what they find?
SparkE
Moderator
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2016 5:53 am
Location: SF Bay Area

Re: headlight adjustment

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