Your vehicle’s ride height can be subtly altered by suspension issues or a large cargo load, which may also cause one or both headlights to move. A accident or hitting a road danger also can shift a light assembly and misalign your lights.
One technique to verify if headlights are accurately focused is to park the vehicle on a level surface and beam the headlights on a garage door or wall 25 feet ahead (other automobiles may require a different distance) (some cars may require a different distance). For the majority of vehicles, the top of the low beam that shines on the wall should be at or just slightly below the height of the center of the headlight lens. You can anticipate that the light pattern will be lower on the driver’s side to avoid blinding other cars and higher on the passenger’s right side to highlight traffic signs. This should help you determine whether the beams on both sides are pointed in the right directions.
Another approach is to park the car five feet from the wall and then mark the wall’s vertical and horizontal light beam centers with masking tape. Move the vehicle back 25 feet. The light beams should be around the same height both vertically and horizontally with the help of the tape line.
For adjusting headlight height, vehicles typically feature a screw or bolt on the headlight assembly. Some vehicles additionally include a screw for adjusting horizontal aim. A bubble level is also included in some cars to aid in modifications.
Without taking apart components like the battery, you might not have much room or even be able to reach the adjusters on some vehicles. Additionally, the vehicle must be perpendicular to the surface you’re shining the headlights on, be on properly level ground, and have no damage to the suspension system, flat tires, or baggage that would impact the ride height.
The owner’s manuals of many vehicles offer scant or no advice on headlight aiming. When in doubt, ask a repair company to inspect. A dealership may check the headlight aim and align it for free if the car is still under the basic warranty.
View the video below for a visual representation of everything mentioned above. And make sure to clean your headlights periodically.
In This Article...
Why are the headlights on my Nissan Altima dim?
The low-beam headlights on 2013–2018 Nissan Altima vehicles are allegedly too dim for owners to drive at night, according to a class action lawsuit.
The Nissan Altimas’ halogen headlights feature reflecting parts that are supposedly flawed. Headlights lose their brightness when the reflective surface ages. When this occurs, police may stop moving vehicles to check the headlights.
Nissan is accused of being aware of the headlight issues since at least 2013, but failed to alert customers. Nissan doesn’t provide free replacement parts; instead, customers must pay up to $1,200 for costs associated with the headlamp assemblies.
The reflector cup inside the assembly supposedly cannot survive the heat produced by the halogen light bulbs and loses its capacity to reflect, which is why customers claim that changing the headlight bulbs does not solve the issue.
The projector cup’s reflecting coating burns off, leaving behind burned material that eventually covers the headlights’ lens and weakens the beam.
The headlight assembly is sealed, which makes it impossible to remove the haze or replace the reflector cup. Additionally, the seals fail to protect against moisture, which can harm the cups.
How much does it cost to replace the headlight component on a Nissan Altima?
Nissan Altima headlight bulb replacements typically cost between $195 and $239. Labor costs are estimated between $56 and $71 while parts are priced between $139 and $168.
Can I change the headlight bulb on my own?
Thankfully, changing a headlight bulb is a rather simple procedure. You’ll need the following supplies: Alcohol wipes and tissues; a new light bulb or bulbs; make sure you obtain the proper kind for your car (your local auto parts store should be able to match a bulb with your make and model) (to clean and hold the new bulb)
Can you swap out your own headlight cover?
Many people choose to replace their own headlamp covers in order to save money. If money is not a concern for you, hiring a professional is usually simpler.
DIY
Pros:
- Less expensiveYou won’t need to worry about labor expenses.
- FasterThere are no waiting periods like at auto repair shops.
Cons:
- You may mess up and cause damage
- You might not correctly attach the cover.
Auto shop
- It is correctly replaced the first time.
- They have all the necessary instruments at their disposal for your individual vehicle’s headlight cover demands
- greater expense
- You’ll be without a vehicle for one or two days.
Do headlights get changed at O’Reilly car parts?
While you wait, at no cost to you, our parts specialists can swiftly and easily change wiper blades because they are experts at changing headlamp and taillight bulbs.
What do the screws for headlamp adjustment do?
To raise the lights, spin the screw on the top of the light housing in a clockwise direction. To lower the lights, turn the screw in a counterclockwise direction. You should set the headlight so that the top of the brightest portion of the light beam shines squarely on or just below the center of the tapeline on the wall.
How do you check headlamp alignment?
You must first determine whether the headlamp alignment is correct and whether it has to be adjusted. This can be done in a few simple steps.
Remove any extra weight first, such as objects in the boot, as these could cause your reading to be off. You should also ensure that your tyres are inflated to the manufacturers recommended pressure. Once parked, keep your vehicle around 60 cm from any walls or garage doors.
Now you can turn on the headlights, making sure they are not set to the beam or the fog light settings but rather the regular option. On the wall, the headlights will appear as a circle. Use two pieces of tape or a pencil to draw a plus symbol on the wall. Both lines should run horizontally from side to side and vertically from the top of the circular to the bottom. Where the two lines meet in the middle is the centre of your headlights.
Use a tape measure to make sure the plus signs’ centers are the same height. If they aren’t the same height, you might need to lower one plus sign.
Once youre happy with your marks and theyre both the same height, reverse your automobile so its approximately eight metres from the wall. If the middle of your headlights still fall within your marks, then you dont need to make any alterations. You must readjust your headlights if they are dropping above, below, or to the side of the plus symbols.
How far should high beam headlights be visible?
High beam headlights should be used at night, whenever you’re unable to see enough of the road ahead to drive safely.
Even the most seasoned drivers may find nighttime low visibility frightening. Why is nighttime driving riskier? A driver’s acute vision—which includes depth perception, color identification, and peripheral vision—is responsible for 90% of their reactions, all of which are significantly impaired at night. Headlights with high beams shine at an angle, illuminating the road 350–400 feet in front of the vehicle, or about twice as far as low beams. When you travel at highway speeds at night, low beams may only provide you a second or two to react to a problem. (Remember that 68 mph equals around 100 feet per second.)
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High lights can help keep you safe but, if used improperly, they can also put other drivers in risk. All states have laws requiring you to dim your high-beam headlights whenever there is a risk of blinding other drivers. In general, high beam headlights cannot be utilized within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle or within 200 to 300 feet of a vehicle you are following. The exact distance varies from state to state.
At 25 feet, how high should your headlights be?
The front of your headlights should be 25 feet from the aiming wall map you’ve built. Turn on your lights: Switch off any overhead lighting and turn on your car’s headlights to check that they are pointed in the same direction as the reference.
How far should your high lights shine?
A brilliant glow is produced by high beam headlights that can be seen up to 350–400 feet in front of your car. That roughly equals the length of a city block. High beams are excellent for nighttime driving in rural areas or on dimly lit roads because they are pointed directly in front of you.
High beams aren’t the best option for city driving, either, as their brightness and location can lead other vehicles up to 150 meters away from you to get blinded.