How to Aim Your Headlights

As your car ages, the aiming of your headlights becomes off-kilter due to driving vibrations, suspension sag or a host of other issues. Here is how you check your headlight aim: pull up to a wall and tape along top of the reflection above each headlight. Then pull your vehicle back 25’ – your beam should still be level with the tape on the wall. If you find that your beams are no longer level with the tape on the wall, then they are either pointed too high or too low. Too high and you are blinding oncoming drivers and aren’t seeing the road in front of you. Too low and you aren’t casting enough light down the road. Check your owner’s manual for the location of your adjustment screws and adjust each light housing accordingly. Also be sure to make sure the beam from both housings is level with the tape.

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Author

Hans Angermeier has produced over 100,000 videos showing drivers how to fix things on their cars. He has broad expertise on basic repair procedures covering the majority of cars on the road.