failed mot on headlight allignment

[hipwell]

So just failed mot because my nearside headlight is sky high.

The control on the dash next to the cruise control switch doesnt seem to work on either side which says both motors are nackered possibly?

Is there a way to manually adjust the xenons?

 

[jimjim150]

The xenon adjusters on the 182s are automatic - there is a load sensor on the rear beam, haven't seen one with a manual control? :S

You can adjust them manually using an allen key on the back of the head light, round white bit of plastic.


I had a cup headlight fail beacuse of this, the manual adjustment carriage in the headlight had snapped and I needed a whole new casing.

 

[hipwell]

Yeh ano I thought they were automatic but just noticed the switch next to the cc and tc buttons

Where is the Allen hole to adjust?

 

[Dunn]

As far as im aware, its not an MOT fail because the tester is supposed to adjust the height of the bulbs unless you refuse to let the tester do so

always been the case whereever i have been

 

[Gally]

There are 2 holes above the headlight.

So the garage failed it and didn't adjust it? What kind of pikey garage does that?

Oh and you've probably been driving around blinding people for months. 2 seconds adjusts your lights.

 

[hipwell]

Yeh Ano I thought that but he said he didn't have the tool lol.

Any reasons why they wouldn't be auto adjusting?

Also what is the nob for next to the cc switch if they are automatic?

 

[Gally]

Sorry, he didn't have the tool? As in he didn't have a philips/torq screwdriver in his garage?

Auto adjusting means very little if your headlights aren't aligned!

 

[hipwell]

Ano that's wat I thought lol.

Ohright, so how can I test if the auto is actually working now I've alligned them properly?

Also can anybody shed any light on the nob next to cc button? I took the panel off and it does appeared to be wired up so must Do something lol

 

[Dunn]

the headlight leveller is on the rear beam

just make sure your headlights are set correctly and go back and demand a free retest tbh

dont worry about the auto leveller its only used to adjust when weight is applied in the boot or towing

it doesnt correct them if they are out of allignment

 

[Turkish]

EDIT: Beaten to it ^^


The only auto part is levelling in as much as they use the sensor on the rear beam to work out the stance of the car depending on load. If you think of cars with halogen lights it's effectively replacing the little dial you have on the dash for when you have a boot full of heavy junk.

The aim left to right and also up and down for a car in its normal unloaded state is still all done by hand using the adjusters on the back of the headlamp unit. There are no doubt plenty of 1*2's kicking about with their lights all over the shop thanks to changing suspension parts and not adjusting the lamps afterwards to compensate for the beam being in a different position to it's standard state.

 

[montana]

my OHs alfa got picked up on this at MOT time, however they didnt actually fail it, i think they suspended it on the VOSA system somehow, until i fitted a replacement motor to the headlight and took it back, they then checked it was 100% and then passed it.

I assume the Xenons have a auto levelling motor fitted to them like the Alfa?

 

[hipwell]

Yeh it all sorted now went back down after I'd corrected the level and he passed it for me.

Yeh I understand that they should auto level depending on load but does nobody know what the nob is for by the cc button ? On my old 1.2 this adjusted the level of the lights but it doesn't appear to do anything in the 182.

Thanks.

 

[Turkish]

Dash illumination/brightness......

 

[hipwell]

Haha never realised that in a year of owning the car lol.

Thanks guys all sorted now anyway