Technical Headlight alignment issues

[Austin09]

I have an issue with my passenger side headlight being out of alingment. It is noticeably pointing high and to the left, such that other drivers are flashing me. The drivers side is perfect.
I had the back cover off today to see if the bulb had been dislodged but everything seems to match the drivers side so i'm a bit baffled why it is pointing so high. How do you adjust them and please don't tell me the battery tray needs to come off since i've just put that bu**er back on

 

[Argonought]

Headlamps don't realign themselves (unless you've hit something or someone's recently changed a bulb) so if it's simply pointing too high then it's most likely to be a problem with the dashboard motorized adjusting system.

If so then have a Search as there are many long threads on this topic and how to resolve it.

 

[Austin09]

It could be a pothole thats dislodged it. When i changed the bulb i had to fix the headlight motor, and i'm sure its working still as i did a check the other day. For some reason though the headlight still point in the sky despite the headlight adjument being on 0, 1, 2 or 3. The drivers is the same and the reflector and headlight unit seems to be the same. The bulb is seated correctly, although i suppose it could be upside down or is that not oging to make a difference?

 

[Argonought]

I can tell you from bitter experience it's very easy to fit a bulb wrong - and it's not always that obvious when driving either (mine even passed an MoT)

Examine the beam shinning on a wall no more than 10 ft away and compare each side. Make sure the cut-off is clear and sharp for both dipped beams.

 

[Austin09]

I can tell you from bitter experience it's very easy to fit a bulb wrong - and it's not always that obvious when driving either (mine even passed an MoT)

Examine the beam shinning on a wall no more than 10 ft away and compare each side. Make sure the cut-off is clear and sharp for both dipped beams.

Thanks. I did that before writing this post against my garage door and the left one is all out of alingment. Its facing high and to the left. Its almost like its not dipped at all. I suppose i could try turning the bulb upside down although i don't think this will sort it. I can't see anything visably different from the drivers side and the headlight motor is working i just checked (had to fix that after changing the bulb!!)

If i can't do it without removing the battery tray then i'm just going to have to hope it passes the MOT but i very much doubt it will like this!!

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Potholes shouldn't cause this issue if the bulb has been installed correctly, equally it can only be properly installed correctly one way.

My advise would be remove the bulb, take your time and visually inspect that your putting it in correctly.

It shouldn't need to be forced in either, it should just simply 'slot' into place

Jon.

 

[Andy90]

Can you not manually adjust it? Some cars have an allen key slot just above the headlight which manually adjust the bulb. Not sure if this is true for the stilo. Will look later....

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Can you not manually adjust it? Some cars have an allen key slot just above the headlight which manually adjust the bulb. Not sure if this is true for the stilo. Will look later....

It doesn't adjust the bulb, its adjusts the whole housing, which is why it is important the check the bulb is correctly seated. As previously mentoned headlamp units don't just move themself, so its important to find out why the unit is miss aligned before fiddling with it

 

[Andy90]

It doesn't adjust the bulb, its adjusts the whole housing, which is why it is important the check the bulb is correctly seated. As previously mentoned headlamp units don't just move themself, so its important to find out why the unit is miss aligned before fiddling with it

Ah kk fair point.

 

[Austin09]

It doesn't adjust the bulb, its adjusts the whole housing, which is why it is important the check the bulb is correctly seated. As previously mentoned headlamp units don't just move themself, so its important to find out why the unit is miss aligned before fiddling with it

I checked when i had the battery tray out and removed and reinserted the bulb. Its all seated fine and i can see why since the bulb is the correct way up also. It could be the motor wasn't working since when i just came back from a journey it is now doing what it did before when it broke, a whining noise of the motor permanently turning and nothing happening. Just like before the adjusment 'nipple' has come out of the thread. Since it is such a pain to remove the headlight and fix again this time i'm considering getting a new motor entirely but Fiat do want a lot.

Looks like its wheel arch lining off and bumper off AGAIN!! Where is the best place to get the headlight motors? I'm going to try ebay but they might go wrong after a while like mine has.

 

[A3jeroen]

Use search. Best price is for a VAG (VW or Skoda) part.

gr J

 

[Austin09]

Thanks guys i'll see what i can find on ebay unless anyone has one for sale on here?

I would far prefer to get it shining in the correct position manually and then disconnect the motor because quite frankly i'm never ever going to adjust the headlights!! I don't remember from when i took mine apart, but does the motor move the reflector or the bulb? I'll probably just fix the bulb in position somehow and disconnect the bloody thing. Taking the bumped off for the 4th time since i've owned the car isn't something i want to experience again!

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I checked when i had the battery tray out and removed and reinserted the bulb. Its all seated fine and i can see why since the bulb is the correct way up also. It could be the motor wasn't working since when i just came back from a journey it is now doing what it did before when it broke, a whining noise of the motor permanently turning and nothing happening. Just like before the adjusment 'nipple' has come out of the thread. Since it is such a pain to remove the headlight and fix again this time i'm considering getting a new motor entirely but Fiat do want a lot.

Looks like its wheel arch lining off and bumper off AGAIN!! Where is the best place to get the headlight motors? I'm going to try ebay but they might go wrong after a while like mine has.

These are two seperate issues that will probably be causing your problem. I assume your not refering to the nipple that the motor goes into, but one of the ones that the black/creme adjusters go into?

 

[Austin09]

These are two seperate issues that will probably be causing your problem. I assume your not refering to the nipple that the motor goes into, but one of the ones that the black/creme adjusters go into?

I'm not sure to be honest. Before i took apart the motor itself, and the issue was the screw thread of the cream plastic with the nipple of the end was damaged and came out of the thread at the end so the motor was just turning and the thread wasn't taking. It is probably a repeat of this, so would be easier to replace if i can find a cheap enough motor or i'll clean up the thread again. I'd rather not do any of that and certainly if i can just fix the bulb in the right position so i'm not blinding other drivers then disconnect the motor then i'm happy. I don't know how to go about doing that though since i can't see why it is shining so high in the first place.

Hope thats made sense

 

[A3jeroen]

IIRC the motor moves the reflector. Are you 100% sure you connected the "nipple" of the motor to the headlight? Otherwise the reflector is now pushed into the wrong position.
With a short screwdriver you should be able to remove or mount the screws without removing the complete batterytray. Removing the cover should make just enough room.

gr J

 

[Austin09]

IIRC the motor moves the reflector. Are you 100% sure you connected the "nipple" of the motor to the headlight? Otherwise the reflector is now pushed into the wrong position.
With a short screwdriver you should be able to remove or mount the screws without removing the complete batterytray. Removing the cover should make just enough room.

gr J

Ok i'll try do that and see if i can get at the motor tomorrow. Thanks a lot

 

[Deckchair5]

When people are flashing you lots then it's much more likely that they are looking directly at the bulb which is awful for them and means the bulb is not hidden out of sight behind the reflector. As Argo has already said, it's surprisingly easy to mount the bulb wrongly in which case the aim will be way off too


Have a look in the front and make sure the bulb IS immediately behind the circular reflector like this

 

[Austin09]

When people are flashing you lots then it's much more likely that they are looking directly at the bulb which is awful for them and means the bulb is not hidden out of sight behind the reflector. As Argo has already said, it's surprisingly easy to mount the bulb wrongly in which case the aim will be way off too

View attachment 80955
Have a look in the front and make sure the bulb IS immediately behind the circular reflector like this

Thanks Deckchair, i think its seated correctly since its exactly the same as the drivers side is fine. I also removed and refitted after noticing the problem. I'd like to fix the reflector in the right position and disconnect the motor. I'll photograph mine and see if you can make sense of my problem.

 

[A3jeroen]

Ok i'll try do that and see if i can get at the motor tomorrow. Thanks a lot

You need to hear a really loud click before you screw it in.

Good luck!

gr J