How to Adjust Headlight Level BMW! | E90 E92 328i 335i M3, by IzzyE46M on YouTube. 3 min 10 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 10 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 6
What you need
Steps
Park on level ground about 25 feet (7.5 m) from a flat wall or garage door. Set the tire pressures and unload heavy cargo so the car sits at its normal ride height.
Switch on the low beams and put a strip of masking tape on the wall at the top edge of each beam cutoff. This gives you a reference to compare against.
Open the hood and find the adjustment screws on top of each headlight housing. On an E90 or E92 they take a 6mm hex socket.
Fit a 6mm Allen or hex socket on a 1/4 or 3/8 inch ratchet onto the vertical adjuster. Turn it in small quarter turns and watch the cutoff move on the wall.
Keep turning until the beam sits at the height you want, then note which direction raised it. Set the second headlight so both cutoffs match.
Switch to the high beams and check they still light the road ahead. Take a short drive on a dark road and lower the beam if oncoming drivers flash you.
Tips and common mistakes
Aim the low beam cutoff slightly below the height of the headlight so it does not blind oncoming traffic.
Make one small adjustment at a time, because a quarter turn moves the beam more than you expect.
If an adjuster feels stripped or will not turn, stop before you break the housing.
Recheck the aim after fitting a new bulb or after any suspension work.
Questions
How do I know which screw adjusts the height?
The two adjusters control up and down and left and right. Turn one a little and watch the wall; the one that moves the cutoff up and down is the height adjuster.
Can I adjust the beam without a wall?
A flat wall or garage door at about 25 feet works best. Without a reference the beam is easy to set too high.
Do I need to remove the headlight?
No. On the E90 and E92 the adjusters sit on top of the housing and you can reach them with a ratchet and 6mm socket once the hood is open.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
