Headlight issue on GS 300
Guys, I think i am losing it.....I adjusted the low beams only......first i adjusted the deep hard to find bolts, i turned them in whatever direction made them go up (i had marked the spots on a wall in my garage)....turning the bolt just at the top of the housing (easy to find low beam adjuster) seemed to make no difference at all...
I will have to test it out tonight to see what the heck i did, maybe the direction did change i just dont see it because of ATF ?? why would vertical adjustment make a diff with horizontal adjustment ?? By the way I never did see the horizonatal indicator for the low beam...
I will have to test it out tonight to see what the heck i did, maybe the direction did change i just dont see it because of ATF ?? why would vertical adjustment make a diff with horizontal adjustment ?? By the way I never did see the horizonatal indicator for the low beam...
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,201
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
I'd just recommend adjusting at night with a flash light and your long phillips screwdriver on a dark level street.
I mainly just adjusted my verticle adjustment and hardly touched my horizontal.
Mine are perfect for my eyes at night...
Careful not to adjust to high, b/c by doing so you will raise the minimum threshold and your lights will only self level to a point... (they will only go so low, if you raise the threshold to high....)
I mainly just adjusted my verticle adjustment and hardly touched my horizontal.
Mine are perfect for my eyes at night...
Careful not to adjust to high, b/c by doing so you will raise the minimum threshold and your lights will only self level to a point... (they will only go so low, if you raise the threshold to high....)
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 226
Likes: 2
From: CA
I decided to take the path of least resistance. When I took my car in for my 5k oil change (now using Mobile1 syn) I told the service manager that the low beams setting was so low that it not only negated the idea by Lexus of providing a superior HID lighting system for safer driving, but that I considered it a safety hazard for me the Lexus driver. I asked him what was more important, my ability to see far enough ahead to avoid running into something or the possible inconvenience my beams would impose on other drivers. I also said if Lexus was so concerned about other drivers then why did they bother to install HID low beams in the first place. He thought about it for a second or two and then said he would have the service people readjust the beams. Now I can see were I'm going at speeds exceeding 30 MPH. The difference in beam projection down the road is like night and day compared to the original setup. Now I feel a lot safer driving at night and have good illumination at freeway speeds. Also, noticed an increase in peripheral (side) illumination especially on the passenger (curb) side.
Last edited by HotShotEng; Dec 23, 2006 at 06:38 PM.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,201
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
I decided to take the path of least resistance. When I took my car in for my 5k oil change (now using Mobile1 syn) I told the service manager that the low beams setting was so low that it not only negated the idea by Lexus of providing a superior HID lighting system for safer driving, but that I considered it a safety hazard for me the Lexus driver. I asked him what was more important, my ability to see far enough ahead to avoid running into something or the possible inconvenience my beams would impose on other drivers. I also said if Lexus was so concerned about other drivers then why did they bother to install HID low beams in the first place. He thought about it for a second or two and then said he would have the service people readjust the beams. Now I can see were I'm going at speeds exceeding 30 MPH. The difference in beam projection down the road is like night and day compared to the original setup. Now I feel a lot safer driving at night and have good illumination at freeway speeds. Also, noticed an increase in peripheral (side) illumination especially on the passenger (curb) side.
I told my service advisor almost the same thing as you did, they checked adjusted and told me "they are within proper specs".....I did adjust them tonight and wow what a difference, I feel safe again not having to go back and forth between lows and highs....BTW I only adjusted using the vertical adjustment and did not touch the horizontal on the lows and it worked great !!
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 226
Likes: 2
From: CA
I told my service advisor almost the same thing as you did, they checked adjusted and told me "they are within proper specs".....I did adjust them tonight and wow what a difference, I feel safe again not having to go back and forth between lows and highs....BTW I only adjusted using the vertical adjustment and did not touch the horizontal on the lows and it worked great !!
Maybe you need to find a dealership that cares more about you than what Lexus policy dictates. After all, loyalty is a two-way-street. If a dealership wants you to be a loyal customer, then they in turn need to be loyal to you. I think this is what they used to call reciprocities. Quaint concept that I adhere to and occasionally remind service providers of with remarkable success. Credo: The service provider's most important boss is not anyone within its organization, but the client (us) that avail ourselves of their service. Enough raving (but I do feel better having vented).
Pole Position
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 298
Likes: 0
From: CA
It was very evident last night when I drove through an empty street with minimal lighting that my headlights were aimed kind of low. I'm probably going to adjust them slightly higher later this week. All I want is to illuminate perhaps 20 feet further. I guess there'll be a lot of trial and error.
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It was very evident last night when I drove through an empty street with minimal lighting that my headlights were aimed kind of low. I'm probably going to adjust them slightly higher later this week. All I want is to illuminate perhaps 20 feet further. I guess there'll be a lot of trial and error.
Pole Position
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 298
Likes: 0
From: CA
Thanks EyeKutr, I'll give it shot once I get back in town. I'll have to stop by Home Depot for a long philips screwdriver tomorrow. I think that I'll raise the beam by 1/2" to 3/4". I only want 20-40 feet at most extra. I don't want to run the risk of blinding oncoming traffic.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 2
From: MA
I see this is an old thread but hoping i can get somebody back for a tip. Am one of those who the dealer has refused to adjust aim because they are in spec. i even tried asking for them to be put on the high end of spec range but got nowhere. Was advised that it's just different and i need to get used to it. it's too low especially the low beams. Thanks to the sticky was able to get the engine covers off and quickly found the bolt a (horizontal) adjustment for low beam. marked the cog wheel so i could tell how much i was adjusting. i read that i might not have to even adjust that one anyway but it was good to see how the cog worked etc. how in the heck do you get to the bold b (vertical) adjuster? it's waaaay back in there. i know you need a long screw driver but i can't even figure out how to get on the cog. have looked at the manual diagram a lot of times. appears there is a channel or guide to slide the screwdriver down to get to that back one but i just haven't been able to see where that is on my car. Maybe i'm looking at the diagram with the wrong orientation or something, there are limited reference points in the diagram. I just don't see the way to get a screwdriver on that back cog. hoping somebody would have a tip that will jolt my perspective on it. thanks in advance.
Last edited by ecount00; Nov 18, 2007 at 10:23 AM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,736
Likes: 3
From: NY
Just stick a long screwdriver down that channel. The cog is at the very end of that channel. Then all you need to do is turn CCW to adjust the beam up or CW to lower the beam.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 2
From: MA
Thanks. was having trouble finding the actual channel that is pictured in the manual. i thought i was seeing the back cog adjuster but whatever that was, it wasn't the cog adjuster after all. was trying to get it all figured out in daylight so i wouldnt fumble around at night when i would be trying to do the actual adjustment and locked onto the wrong target. when i looked around under there one last time at night before giving up, actually saw it. flashlight was much more effective illuminating the crevices at night than it was during the day duh.
Last edited by ecount00; Nov 19, 2007 at 04:38 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 14
From: GA
Someone (who has it) should post the service manual sheet with the proper specs and adjustment procedure. It would be helpful to see if in fact the cars which are being complained of are actually within specs according to the book or not. Techs may very well be rough guessing it without taking the time to look up the exact measurements of the beam as it is beamed out on a wall in front of the car.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 14
From: GA
Just to be certain, I'm referring to the service manual for the techs which should have some sort of diagram of how the light should look when beamed onto a wall in front of the vehicle. IMO the best way to really check the alignment of headlights and because it does not rely on the on vehicle guides.