How To Properly Aim The Headlight and Foglight - Full Tutorial, by dial2fast on YouTube. 5 min 40 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 40 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Park on flat, level ground about 25 feet from a wall. Point the car straight at the wall and set the tire pressures.
Measure the height from the ground to the center of each headlight. Put a strip of tape on the wall at each height.
Turn on the low beams and stand to the side of the car. Check where the top edge of each beam hits the wall.
Cover one headlight or unplug it, then adjust the other using the screws or knobs on the housing. Aim the cutoff about 2 inches below its tape mark.
Repeat for the second headlight. Recheck both beams and make small changes until the cutoffs sit level with each other.
Switch on the high beams and check they point straight ahead. Adjust only if they clearly aim too high or too low.
For fog lights, mark their center height and aim the top of the beam 3 to 4 inches below that mark, lower than the low beams.
Take a short test drive on a dark road. Stop and fine tune any beam that lights treetops or blinds oncoming drivers.
Tips and common mistakes
Check the adjustment screws before you start; some cars need a 12 inch screwdriver to reach them.
Keep the car loaded as you normally drive, because weight changes the beam angle.
Do not touch a new bulb with bare fingers; oil can shorten its life.
Never stare into the lights while they are on.
Questions
How far should the car be from the wall?
About 25 feet on flat ground. More distance gives a clearer cutoff but makes the marks harder to read.
Where are the headlight adjustment screws?
Usually on the back or top of the headlight housing. Check your owner's manual because the location and tool vary by car.
Can I aim fog lights the same as headlights?
No. Fog lights should sit lower and point down more, so they light the road without glare.
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.
