Headlamps gone south

[dave1850]

On the way home tonight in the 2005 CDTT ConSETourer I noticed that the headlamps were less effective than normal. A quick look-see showed all the bulbs working ok but the dip beam angle had lowered itself. The dash rheostat didn't have any noticeable effect to raise the beam.

Does anyone know if these dipped beams are self adjusting, and what the problem might be? Is it a common fault? I've only recently acquired the car my first tourer having had 5 years trouble free saloon-version motoring.

thank you
Dave

[Martynp]

While you are waiting---
If you feed into search at the top of the page, headlight adjustment, you will see many previous posts on the subject.
One thread has 90 posts!

No experience of your problem myself, so will not confuse you with half memories on the subject

[kiowa]

Have you got xenon headlights or standard bulds as xenon are auto levelling were as standard bulds are manual

[dave1850]

How would I tell if they were Xenon bulbs?

[kiowa]

How would I tell if they were Xenon bulbs?

Xenon headlights not bulbs.If they are xenon headlights there will be "XENON" in white letters on the black plastic on the inside the headlight

[HarryM1BYT]

How would I tell if they were Xenon bulbs?

It is pretty obvious if you have - the colour is very white and when you first turn them on, they will rapidly change colour/ light output as they warm up - a bit like a florescent light really or a CFL.

[Jake]

On the way home tonight in the 2005 CDTT ConSETourer I noticed that the headlamps were less effective than normal. A quick look-see showed all the bulbs working ok but the dip beam angle had lowered itself. The dash rheostat didn't have any noticeable effect to raise the beam.

Does anyone know if these dipped beams are self adjusting, and what the problem might be? Is it a common fault? I've only recently acquired the car my first tourer having had 5 years trouble free saloon-version motoring.

thank you
Dave

Hi Dave,

Big giveaway on Xenons - do you have headlight washers?

On my mk2 ZT the adjustment mechanisms in the headlights had come apart. In short, the plastic gearing that adjusts the beam had come detached from the metal shaft that's attached to the adjuster on top of the headlight.

Depending on how technically minded you are, we dismanted the units, glued and pinned the gearing to the adjustment shaft and re-assembled.

All this came about at MOT.

Hope this helps,

Jake

[dave1850]

Thanks for the replies. Looking through the previous threads it would seem that it's common for one or other side to fail because of chafed wire but not both. There's no mention in the handbook of a fuse for the headlight motors. So not sure what would cause them both to fail simultaneously. Any suggestions welcome!

Wil look in the daylight to see if I can adjust them manually.

Thanks also - I suspect xenons as the light is very white.