Headlight Lamp Adjustment

[Silverware]

I have used the search facility but not really had much success.

Can anybody tell me how to adjust :-

Dipped headlights - height

Main Beam - height

Photos would be great if anybody could

[octavia5]

Dont know if you can adjust them seperately but assuming you have standard projector lights simply look behind the headlamp units and it is obvious how to adjust the whole unit up/down and sideways via the large white adjusters

Edited 15 September, 2009 by Octavia5
added info

[Gizmo]

I assume the LE has xenons?

If it does then you also need VCDS to set them.

[Silverware]

I assume the LE has xenons?

If it does then you also need VCDS to set them.

Nope, standard units

[Evening Star]

Just take it to the garage and get them to do it, they should have a targeting board so to ensure that it's spot on.

It might cost a few quid to do, but at least you know that it's been set by an approved dealership & technician, that way if there's any problem with the old bill then you can tell them & if they give you some paperwork that they are correctly set.

[Silverware]

All I want to do is put the car in front of a wall and tweak them down a touch.

[skomaz]

With the bonnet open you can see two hex nuts one above the other on each dipped beam light fitting, these adjust the horizontal and vertical position of the projector lens, this is the same for both halogen and xenon bulbs, you don't need to mess with these unless you intend to fiddle with the dipped beam alignment.

behind the main beam at the rear of the light fitting nearest the centre of the car you will see the white nylon nut that keeps the fitting in place, directly underneath this there is a single upward facing hex nut, this is what adjusts the up/down position of the main beam. This screw adjusts the entire main beam unit - that's the bulb and the surrounding reflector.

In my case the main beams needed four full turns plus one quarter turn clockwise (IIRC) to bring them down to the right level.

[Silverware]

With the bonnet open you can see two hex nuts one above the other on each dipped beam light fitting, these adjust the horizontal and vertical position of the projector lens, this is the same for both halogen and xenon bulbs, you don't need to mess with these unless you intend to fiddle with the dipped beam alignment.

behind the main beam at the rear of the light fitting nearest the centre of the car you will see the white nylon nut that keeps the fitting in place, directly underneath this there is a single upward facing hex nut, this is what adjusts the up/down position of the main beam. This screw adjusts the entire main beam unit - that's the bulb and the surrounding reflector.

In my case the main beams needed four full turns plus one quarter turn clockwise (IIRC) to bring them down to the right level.

Thanks, spot on

To you know which one does height for dipped beam??

[mountainandsea]

Thanks Skomaz,

I was just about to ask the question when you gave me the answer! My dipped beam is spot on, but I could use the main beams to guide aircraft in to Aberdeen at the moment!

Ian

[skomaz]

Thanks, spot on

To you know which one does height for dipped beam??

Damn - can't remember - but you should be able to tell if you park facing a wall - just adjust one at a time by one full turn and see which way the pattern moves. If it's the wrong way just put it back one full turn. My instinct would say the botom one...

[Mohamed Nassar]

on my car 2009 facelift new shape octavia

the 2 screws back the dipped beam , adjust vertically only

one adjust the light beam , while the second move the lens as a whole

my dipped beam is xenon

no screws is changing the horizontal position

[Silverware]

Damn - can't remember - but you should be able to tell if you park facing a wall - just adjust one at a time by one full turn and see which way the pattern moves. If it's the wrong way just put it back one full turn. My instinct would say the botom one...

Top one does height, bottom one does sideways.

I have adjusted the dip and main beam down a little, just need to see how it looks when it is dark a bit later tonight.

[k.young]

Thanks Skomaz,

I was just about to ask the question when you gave me the answer! My dipped beam is spot on, but I could use the main beams to guide aircraft in to Aberdeen at the moment!

Ian

I have the same problem with my main beam. Anybody got the solution to this ???

[mountainandsea]

Hi K,

I adjusted the main beam height using the hex nut at the rear of the light unit. I've now adjusted the dipped using the upper of the two hex nuts on the front on the light unit. I guess it's now just a case of tweaking until I get it where I'm happy, but it seems to be a vast improvement (especially on the main beam)

atb

Ian

[skomaz]

I have the same problem with my main beam. Anybody got the solution to this ???

See Post No 7 above!

[Manske]

Thanks for the tips. I'll be traveling to Europe on Thursday. I'll try to adjust the left dipped (and main if poss) beam to get them lower and avoid blinding people. Should be better than sticking gaffer tape.

[psycholist]

You can convert the lights from a standard beam (Higher at the left) to a flat beam (No bias to either side) by moving a small shutter inside the lamp unit. There are instructions to do this around this forum. Basically you slide the light unit out, remove the cover that protects the electrical connections to the bulbs, remove the bulb under the cover so you can see into the light unit and then use a small screwdriver in a slot in a square black plastic block that sits outside the reflector to move the shutter so it covers the curved section of the hole in the metal plate within the light that the bulb shines through. Takes a couple of minutes to do and no need to fiddle with height settings to get a legal light setup.

[Evening Star]

According to the manual I've downloaded you have the "Travel Mode" setting on Maxidot if you have Maxidot fitted.

Here you can activate / deactivate the mode “tourist light”. This mode makes it possible to drive in countries with opposing traffic system, driving on the left/right, without dazzling the oncoming vehicles.

The headlight swivel function is deactivated when switching on this mode.

[Manske]

Thanks for helpful replies.

I don't know how to get the lights unit out just yet so I'll have to read up on that.

Is Maxidot a type of cockpit unit? Or the computer in it? I'll have to look for "travel mode" that seems the easiest solution, or visit my Skoda dealer.

Please bear with me, I just own this car less than a week only!

Cheers, Manske

update:

I don't think I have "travel mode" I only have a half-size info display between rev counter and mph. Perhaps it is only the Superb II owners that have it?

I'll have to read up on removing the headlight unit to find the smalll adjustment screw. I'm supposed to get an electronic manual soon.

Suddenly gaffer tape seems an attractive option...

Edited 13 October, 2009 by Manske

[psycholist]

To take the light unit out open the bonnet, undo the white plastic nut at the back of the light unit (It's near the top of the light on the side nearest the centre of the car). Then there's a hockey stick shaped hook on the side of the light that you pull towards the centre of the car to allow the light to slide out. There's a locking tab you have to either lift or push down (I can't remember, it'll only move one way) before the hook will slide. The light slides forward a centimeter or two once you pull the hook out and then you can remove it completely from the car.

[gregoir]

Turning the white socket headed thingy anti-clockwise lowers the main beams. I checked up against the garage doors and stuck on postits(on door) at the top of the beams. Lowered both sides ~ width of the postits. Sorted for me.

Dipped beams are adjustable using the thumbwheel on the dash.This does NOT adjust the main beams.

Edited 9 November, 2009 by gregoir

[blueR36]

Bump , does anyone know what the flat headed black screw is for?, it is at the top rear

[bertie1249]

Don't want to hijack thread, but why do you need to put it on the VCDS if you've got xenons?? Mine has xenons and the dipped beam is too low and needs adjusting.

[Wardy]

I have a bump for this thread too! The adjustments mentioned above my Skomaz - are these all done at the back of the main unit, or do you need to take the back off the unit, like you would when changing a bulb? Cheers

Don't want to hijack thread, but why do you need to put it on the VCDS if you've got xenons?? Mine has xenons and the dipped beam is too low and needs adjusting.

For xenons there's a setup mode that can be accessed within VCDS. This to stop the xenon motors self-adjusting while you're in the middle of trying to adjust them! While it's true that factory xenons are self-levelling, they need to be set in the correct range of movement first. Which is what the setup mode is for. Hope that helps, and make sense :yes:

[stever750]

The main beam adjust on my 2006 pre FL Octavia is clockwise to raise the beam.

Somewhow they had ended up at the bottom limit after a visit to the garage.