Headlights...

[Lewis_Spurs]

I've mentioned this before and got no replies, but its really starting to annoy me. When driving at night my dipped beam is really poor, and compared to my mates virtually identical clio it is still bad. Even when on full beam it doesnt compare. Without spending loads on a xenon conversion kit, which people on here have previously suggested its not worth getting, is there any way to improve my lights?

 

[-Leigh-]

Have you tried changing the bulbs?

 

[JoedotwasT5phy]

As above & are they adjusted correctly?

 

[McBunny]

£75 for the hids4u pro kit at the mo

 

[Lewis_Spurs]

change the bulbs to what though? cos when i changed one of them its made no difference.
passenger side headlight needs sorting, i dont think its fixed in properly. will up a pic of it shortly

EDIT:

its not flush like the other, and theres clearly a gap at the bottom. its quite visible when driving at night, looks like theres a line where its cut off almost.

 

[McBunny]

its not been crashed has it

 

[Lewis_Spurs]

its not been crashed has it

hmm... come to think of it i did have someone come across and clip me on that side quite a while a go now. think its easy enough to sort out?

 

[McBunny]

depends open teh bonet and see if any of teh tabs where it mounts are broken

can you move it around by harnd ?

 

[Lewis_Spurs]

looks fine to me... but i dont really know what i'm doing lol

yeah it can move around when touch it.

 

[McBunny]

the other tabs my be broken then

 

[Lewis_Spurs]

would it be possible to see if they are easily? and where would i be looking?

 

[Henry]

bunch of things to check:
- as already noted, headlamp alignment and bulbs
- cleanliness of lens (don't look too bad)
- cleanliness of reflectors (presume they're sealed units so, if you've discolouration/muck on the reflectors, might need new lamps)
- check wiring/earth as can affect performance

 

[Lewis_Spurs]

bunch of things to check:
- as already noted, headlamp alignment and bulbs

what bulbs? and how would check the alignment?

- check wiring/earth as can affect performance

how do i do this also?

 

[Henry]

just any (new) bulbs; you could ask a garage to check that the alignment is within MoT specs or you could try adjusting them yourself against a wall to see if raising them helps. you obv. run the risk of unknowingly adjusting them above the MoT threshold if you try that though. i don't know how they adjust - could check Haynes

to check the wiring, i'd trace the lighting loom from the bulb plug to try and find the earthing point - it's probably not far away (inner wing may be) - if the earthing point is at all corroded, that could be affecting the lamps. multimeter might also help identify any wiring probs

 

[Lewis_Spurs]

nothing too easy then... will have a look tomorrow in the light. car very recently just passed its mot though.