Headlight issue

[Daz]

Gents

 

 

i have just noticed a problem with my passenger headlight. It looks like the main been part has dropped inside and is angled downwards.

 

 

Has anyone got any ideas, they will be appreciated.

[Windymiller]

 Can’t offer any direct ideas, but have you thought about taking the lamp housing out of the car, then open up the 2/3 access points (on the unit) that enable bulb changes. 

 

Through these apertures you you might be able to see and remedy the issue..... ??

 

If youve never removed a lamp before you should have a ‘box spanner’ type tool in your mini-tool

kit (in the frunk, in a plastic box, behind the removable compartment on the rear facing bulkhead). 

 

There will be YouTube videos on how to do it - it is unnerving when you hear the ‘crack’ as it unlocks (you’re not breaking anything), but go with it ??

Edited October 19, 2018 by Windymiller

[Daz]

Thanks. Had a good look on utube last night. Removing the light seems simple. Cant find much detail about inner parts of light.

 

Had a look around at how much new light is. If  I understood correctly RHD lights are £800 each and LHD are half the price. 

 

Hopefuly its fixable.

[Beanoir™]

I’ve never heard of this.  They’re not xenon lights are they? No self levelling motor failed and stuck in the downward position? 

 

The units can be opened up, normally involves some heat to melt the butyl rubber a bit so the front lens can be removed.  

 

If it can’t be fixed from the rear of the unit then I’d probably give it a go before buying a new one, as they are expensive.  

 

I know @Equinox has managed to open them up successfully, see his thread here: 

 

[Daz]

Not taken them out yet. Job for today.  I'm hoping its something like an alignment screw gone off the end of its adjustment and just needs screwing back together.

[Bushman]

Hi Daz. from memory, once you,ve popped out the headlight unit and removed the rear cover (4 rusty self tappers) you should see the adjusting mechanism, one of which is a balljoint and socket, this may have popped out. whilst in there, its worth getting some Vaseline  on the adjustment linkages and threads, including the rear o-ring and self tappers on the back cover. hope this helps mate.

[Daz]

Busham. Thanks spot on took the headlight out very easy and really well engineered. Opened up the cover and it appears that previous owner had over adjusted and adjust until the top joint had pulled out of the alloy casting. All back now. When I get sometime and it's dark I need to just check the headlight alignment. 

 

Phew didnt fancy spending £800 on a new light. 

 

Enjoy the meet tomorrow. Looks like the weather could be kind.

[Bushman]

cheers Daz, well done mate,  find a blank brick wall, park about a metre away and put your dips on. use a piece of chalk to mark the horizontal anti dazzle lines on both lights. the left hand edge (about a third of the total line), should kick up at about 25 degrees to light up the kerb.. using the bricks as a horizontal guide, your chalk lines should be level. if not, its easy to pop the unit out, do a small adjustment then pop back in. you are supposed to be able to do this in situ by going through grommeted holes in the inner wings inside the Frunk but I found it an arse.

[Daz]

Appreciate the advice. I'll give it ago next weekend. Won't get chance this weekend.

[MaskedAnkle]

I had the "drooping lens" problem. Followed this advice, and fixed it up just fine.