Headlight adjustment screws have no effect (1 Viewer)

[dsalni]

Hello everyone,

searched for the particular issue i'm having, but haven't been able to find the answer.

I just bought an '03 LC and noticed that the passenger side headlight beam is pointing way lower than the driver's side. After popping the metal caps off the adjustment screws (they looked untouched) and turning the screws, i wasn't able to get any kind of movement from the headlights. Tried both sides just to compare. Is it common for some internal parts to strip or break, thus one not being able to adjust the lights? Is there any way around this?

thanks in advance!

 

[nissanh]

Do you have an OEM headlight? front glass should say KOITO if it is OEM.

 

[dsalni]

Do you have an OEM headlight? front glass should say KOITO if it is OEM.

yep, just ran out and checked - both OEM KOITO headlights

 

[gregnash]

For my 98 I noticed that much slower and deliberate movements yield changes whereas faster turning seems to do nothing.

 

[vman07]

are you sure projector is not moving with turns of adjustment screw? There is a side-to-side screw and up-and-down. I put a piece of tape on garage and measured projector cut-off versus piece of tape...

 

[dsalni]

are you sure projector is not moving with turns of adjustment screw? There is a side-to-side screw and up-and-down. I put a piece of tape on garage and measured projector cut-off versus piece of tape...

yeah, absolutely zero movement. was doing this in front of a closed garage door - with the beam pattern landing right on a horizontal pattern on the door.

 

[DTCsk8er]

Might be worth throwing the headlight in the oven and seeing what is broken.. could be that the adjuster is stripped or broken.

Do both adjusters not work?

 

[nissanh]

Apply some WD-40 to the thread and the adjuster area. If those are non-OEM, forget about adjusting, those adjusters are garbage. OEM should work. I still have OEM headlights on all my toyotas and yes, the adjuster is bit tight if not used, but with some lubricant, it will start moving. Do it slowly. Let the lubricant to do its job.

 

[neoworm]

Definitely put some lubricant on it and then work it in and out slowly and just a little at a time. Eventually increase the speed and apply more lube if necessary. After a few seconds or minutes, depending on how stiff it is, you should see some results.

 

[Luke111]

You do not need to bake and open your lights. If your lights have this combinations adjuster on the back remove it and you'll expose the individual metal tab adjusters for the low and high beam. If anything is stripped it's the plastic gears inside the combination adjuster. Disregard the instructions on the second picture but that lower tab will adjust the height on the low beam projector

 

[dsalni]

You do not need to bake and open your lights. If your lights have this combinations adjuster on the back remove it and you'll expose the individual metal tab adjusters for the low and high beam. If anything is stripped it's the plastic gears inside the combination adjuster. Disregard the instructions on the second picture but that lower tab will adjust the height on the low beam projector


View attachment 2228365

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thanks for that! mine's an '03. same headlights as in your photos?

 

[dsalni]

I realize the photo is of a non-oem headlight, but the overall design is identical. Looks like we might be talking about different headlights?

You do not need to bake and open your lights. If your lights have this combinations adjuster on the back remove it and you'll expose the individual metal tab adjusters for the low and high beam. If anything is stripped it's the plastic gears inside the combination adjuster. Disregard the instructions on the second picture but that lower tab will adjust the height on the low beam projector


View attachment 2228365

 

[gregnash]

Think the design changed slightly for 1998-2002 and then 2003-2007 years. the one you have @dsalni is like mine on my 98.

 

[dsalni]

well, so far it looks like i'll be doing some baking this weekend

 

[gregnash]

@dsalni To ask a dumb question, but you did check to ensure that your bulbs are installed properly, yes? I thought mine were completely jacked when I was driving Alita home from picking her up from the PO. The headlights were pointed at the ground about 25' in front of the truck or so, WAAAAYYY too low.

The PO had given me some cheapo Amazon HID bulbs and told me he tried to install them but then figured out he needed a ballast to drive them, not stock wiring, etc. and thus just put the old bulbs back in. I figured two things happened; 1.) bulbs were probably old and in need of replacements, and 2.) they may have smudges and finger grease all over them causing them to yellow and dull, so I ordered new fresh Philips Nighthawk bulbs.

Go to install and the PO hadn't installed properly, basically just shoved the bulbs in the housing so nothing was aligned, or install properly! Literally had to break the backing of the DS bulb because he had jammed it in, in such a way that it was not gonna come out.

 

[Clunky]

@dsalni To ask a dumb question, but you did check to ensure that your bulbs are installed properly, yes?

That was my first thought as well. If the light isn't properly seated, then it won't adjust either.

 

[dsalni]

That was my first thought as well. If the light isn't properly seated, then it won't adjust either.

yeah, checked that as well - no luck.

ended up baking and taking the light apart. with some slight persuasion i got the threads to grip and move the reflector up/down. just documenting this here for anyone with similar issues and looking for answers in the future. baked for about 6-8 min @ 320-350 degrees.

 

[gregnash]

Hell... now that you have it apart you might as well just go for the HID Retrofit and get stellar lighting!

 

[Wombat Oz]

I am in the same boat. The adjusters, done at any speed do not change the position of the reflector. Would someone post the instructions for baking the headlights so I can get the open to repair please.