Dealer doesn't believe that headlights can be adjusted

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by kettledrum, Jul 1, 2009.

  1. kettledrum

    kettledrum Member

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    I have a 2006 with the standard halogen headlights, which I have a suspicion are out of alignment.

    I've just taken my car in and asked if they could check the headlights to see if they are out of adjustment, and three different people in the service department have insisted that the headlights cannot be adjusted. I know this is not true based on what I've read in a few threads on here. I also know the 2004 owner's manual had a section on adjusting the headlights, which was omitted from later owner's manuals.

    I would do it myself, but I figured that it would be best left up to the techs to check it out and know what the specs are for headlight aim.

    What can I do to prove that the headlights can be adjusted? Is it in the service manual? I unfortunately don't have one.

    If it is indeed in the service manual, does anyone have a page reference for this that I could point out to the techs? Or does anyone have any other suggestions??
     
    #1 kettledrum, Jul 1, 2009
  2. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    The headlight can only be adjusted vertically.
    Is your headlight aiming too high or too low?
     
    #2 bedrock8x, Jul 1, 2009
  3. kettledrum

    kettledrum Member

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    It appears to be too high. I was going to leave the determination up to the experts, but being they say they are not adjustable, they're not even looking at it.
     
    #3 kettledrum, Jul 1, 2009
  4. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    If they claim the headlights can't be adjusted, would you trust that dealership with even an oil change, let alone anything complicated?

    There have been a few threads on adjusting Prius headlights

    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-technical-discussion/58653-headlight-allignment-2.html

    Near the bottom of this thread, I posted a pdf of how to manually DIY aim headlights

    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...hooting/62906-manually-adjust-headlights.html

    Also

    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...ooting/60424-how-does-one-aim-headlights.html

    I really don't see how you can bugger it up any worse than the dealership who claims "can't be adjusted." Follow the above, give it a try

    Good luck!
     
    #4 jayman, Jul 1, 2009
  5. yardman 49

    yardman 49 Active Member

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    Jay:

    There's another thread where the OP has a 2010 with LEDs that the dealer says can't be adjusted. I don't believe that, either.

    Never mind oil changes, I wouldn't even trust them to check the tire pressure. :mad:
     
    #5 yardman 49, Jul 2, 2009
  6. kettledrum

    kettledrum Member

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    So I went back in this morning in cooler weather to try to reproduce the noise from the CHS water pump under T-SB-0087-08, but with no success. Very frustrating to say the least. I'll try again at the next service interval...wherever it is that I end up taking my car to.

    Anyway, while I was there the tech had a printout from the TIS website that detailed the headlight adjustment. This is quite a difference from their repeated previous statements when they said that the headlights were not adjustable. The tech said he would have to show this to all of the other guys in the shop. I asked if I could get a copy of that printout and he didn't want to do that, saying that he isn't even supposed to show it to me in the first place. Oh well. I can get the same info if I pony up the $$ for it.

    Based upon what I saw, one of my concerns seems to be by design. There was a diagram showing that the right side is supposed to be higher than the left which I found interesting. Based upon seeing that diagram and being that other people flashing their lights at me happens infrequently, I'll let it go.
     
    #6 kettledrum, Jul 2, 2009
  7. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

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    The right side headlight is aimed higher and towards the right to illuminate the side of the road better.
     
    #7 firepa63, Jul 2, 2009
  8. icarus

    icarus Senior Member

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    Moronic dealers!

    Icarus
     
    #8 icarus, Jul 2, 2009
  9. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    Frank

    No doubt. I can only imagine the tire pressures after they got done with it: 80, 22, 65, 34
     
    #9 jayman, Jul 2, 2009
  10. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    Have you tried following the instructions from the links I posted? It really is simple enough to adjust the headlights yourself.
     
    #10 jayman, Jul 2, 2009
  11. kettledrum

    kettledrum Member

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    I've read them, but haven't attempted an adjustment myself yet... Will have to find the time!

    Thank you for pointing me in that direction!
     
    #11 kettledrum, Jul 3, 2009
  12. lenjack

    lenjack Active Member

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    This dealer knew better. He just didn't want to bother with it.
     
    #12 lenjack, Jul 5, 2009
  13. Shu

    Shu New Member

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    I had a mechanic at a San Antonio, TX Toyota dealership tell me the same thing, that the headlights on a 2005 Prius could not be adjusted. I will try the procedure provided on this post myself.
     
    #13 Shu, Apr 23, 2013
  14. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    If you mark the small adjuster wheel with the gear teeth with a dab of white paint it is much more easy to tell how far you have moved them. A phillips screw driver works but is a bit hit and miss. I found the security bolt type key available at hardware stores a perfect tool for the job. The one shown below was made by Chubb.
    key.JPG

    John (Britprius)
     
    #14 Britprius, Apr 24, 2013
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