Aiming headlights after replacement

[DemianM]

I have just finished replacing a damaged headlight, and now I have to reset the code with vag com for the leveling to work. Then, with vag com, you must lock the headlights so that you aim them against a wall.

My question is, does anyone have the specs on the service manual on aiming the headlights? How many cms off the floor should the beams be?

Thanks in advance!
Demian

 

[alfiejts]

The official answer is a 1% downward angle - as per the "1%" label on the headlight housing itself....

Firstly, measure the distance from the floor to the centre of the headlight (lets pretend its 50cms)

So, if you park the car 10m from a wall, they should be 1% lower than "level".
1% of 10m is 10cm.

So the beam should then be 10cm lower than the "level" height of the beam.

i.e. 50cm-10cm = 40cm.

If you park the car 15m from the wall, 1% = 15cm so the height should then be 50-15=35cm.

Don't forget to check the real headlight height yourself first.

Also, the headlights should be levelled with nothing in the boot, half a tank of fuel, the driver in the driver's seat and the manual levelling (if fitted) on the highest setting.

If any of those factors aren't the same (i.e. fuel level different or other weight in the car, you might need to adjust the option slightly).

Or - you could go for my preferred "trial and error" option.... (which find works just as well...)

Park the car on a level road in a place where there is another car in the distance, facing you across the road (ideally 100-150 yards away).
Use a cloth to cover the headlight beam of one headlight, so that you only see one beam at a time...
Adjust the beam of one headlight so that the reflective number plate of the car facing you just lights up (so that your beam is just shining up to the level of the number plate).

Then swap the cloth over and do the other headlight the same way.

That way, you know both headlights are at the same level, shine a good distance but don't dazzle oncoming traffic.

I've used that method every time I've swapped headlights or changed cars and its always produced good results and passed the MOT test as being within official tolerences...

 

[Ash2341]

Cheers for this......i need to do this on my car as its shining way too high at the moment. Thanks for the post mate.

Ash

 

[DemianM]

Thanks a lot!! I never knew what the 1% meant on the headlight!

On the bixenon A3s, you must use vag com, and set the controller to learn the correct height, so you must aim the headlights while using vag com, the it adjusts itself.

 

[NHN]

On all factory xenons, not just bixenons you must set it into mot mode then manually adjust the headlights to mot spec, just slide by an mot bay, slip them a fiver & set mot mode get them to check the levels & then when done just turn mot mode of, simple & completely to road legal heights, trust me done myself few times.

As for learning the correct height, it doesnt learn this, all you're doing is saying please set the motors to a middle of road position or whatever audi have set as the position for the motors when manual adjusting, then it just auto adjusts the heights dependent on car level via sensors after you've adjusted the heights manually.

The levelling system never learns anything mate, sorry its not that complex & you'd think even with the adaptive bixenon like mine swinging left/right they would be able to auto switch to europe driving sides etc, no way hoozay you also have to lower them to what is known as tourist mode in vag, this just lowers the beam & also to add there are different part numbrs for each country even if they're adaptives, audi in there wisdom didnt think maybe we should make one type of adaptive headlight that can be used for any country & just have them adjust via coding, far to sensible, lets double our costs & make different ones for different countries, idiots.

I see so much money can be saved in developement & manufacturing if they just had a bit more thought in the processes.