Everyone keeps FLASHING ME

[VXorado]

Okay... get your mind out of the gutter, its not the fun Mardi Gras flashing but the more irritating headlight flashing.

About a month ago I installed the Sylvania SilverStar Ultra headlight bulbs because my VX headlights were very dim. Now everytime I drive at night, I get people flashing their headlights at me. Once I don't "dim" my lights (because I can't), people will get mad and blind me with their brights... its getting quite annoying :madb:.

Does this happen to anyone else? It doesn't seem right that my headlights would be that bright, i'm thinking about putting the old bulbs back in and living with the night blindness

[Grif]

Check your headlight position adjustment? If you can't put your lights on low beams, maybe you can adjust the aim lower so they don't shine directly into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

[VX crazy]

Umm flash them your high beams so they know you have your low beams on.......and you need to check and see if they are adjusted too high and lower the beam.

[VXorado]

How do you adjust the positioning? They seem to light up the sky a too much, maybe they do need to be adjusted :_confused.

[crotchrocket]

theres 2 adjustment bolts on the top of each light

[crotchrocket]

tada



Original post by: Grant Eaton


Work in a well-lit place; outside on a nice day is best. If you follow these instructions, it should only take you about 8-12 minutes to do both headlights.

1. Replace both 10 AMP headlamp fuses with 15 AMP ones. The fuses are in a box on the left-side of the engine compartment. Have a clean rag and some moist paper towels on hand to clean up the messy bulb grease you'll get on your hands when removing the old bulb. The clean, dry rag works best as the bulb grease is impervious to practically every detergent. Note: replacing the fuses is optional. Some drivers have had fuses blow when using high wattage bulbs with the high beams -- use your own judgment.

2. Start with the passenger side first, as it has a lot more room. There is a plastic 3-prong wire connector that plugs into the base of the headlight; this must be removed first. To remove it, wedge you fingers in between the sides of the plastic connector and the rubber boot that surrounds it (a bit tricky if you have big fingers like me). Squeeze the sides of the plastic connector and it should slide off easily. If it doesn't slide right off with little effort, you're probably not squeezing the sides in the right spot (they need to be squeezed at the very back, close to the base of the bulb).

3. Now slip the rubber boot off. The lightbulb will be exposed. It's held in place by a thin "springy" wire clip. You must be VERY CAREFUL at the point to avoid damaging the wire clip--a new headlight assembly is $300 (per Tone). To remove the wire clip, gently push in, down, and out on the right-hand side of the clip. This will "unlatch" the clip from the headlight lens frame; the clip then swings out towards your left (like a little door), freeing the lamp so you can remove it. Pay attention to the orientation of the lamp when you remove it, specifically the metal bulb collar with the three prongs on it. Notice how two of the three prongs face down, and one points directly up.

4. Put bulb grease on the 3 prongs on your new lamp. Be sure not to touch the glass as the oil from your hands will shorten the bulb's life. Bulb grease is available at Schuck's in a tiny tube in the section where they sell rearview mirrors, glue, and stuff like that. It's not required, but it will help prevent long-term corrosion (which ruined several bulb connections on my 1991 Amigo).

5. Put the new bulb into the headlight. The "collar" of the bulb should have 3 tiny metal prongs that stick out to the side; the edge with 2 prongs should rest on the bottom of the headlight assembly, while the edge with the single prong should point to the top of the assembly. This ensures that the bulb is seated correctly.

5. Now put the rubber boot back on (first making sure that it doesn't have dirt inside). Snap the boot down over the bulb and make sure it's secured in place. The boot orientation/rotation is important; one side must face down. Read the imprinting on the surface of the boot to determine which side goes up.

6. Plug in the connector to the bulb. Test the headlight.

7. For the other side, simply unsnap the air filter lid (if you still have a factory airfiter box) which will give you barely enough room to perform the replacement. If you have big hands, you may want to have a (careful) child or a small-handed friend replace the bulb for you. Either that, or unbolt the entire air filter assembly as some have done -- but that seemed like too much work for me, so I did it with the box in place.

[VXorado]

theres 2 adjustment bolts on the top of each light


Thanks, I'll go check it out right now...

[VXorado]

:jump: Okay so I found a screw on the backside of each headlight (below the white plastic cap and next to the rubber boot), if you turn it clockwise it will adjust the lamp position down, vice versa for counterclockwise.

The PO must have adjusted my lights way up for some reason. It may be a good idea for most lifted VXs to adjust the lights down slightly to provide more road coverage. Just a thought :winky:

Sorry Moncha if you have to move this to the troubleshooting section, I just wanted to share my "flashing experience" and I didn't think there was an actual fix.

[VX KAT]

Here's the TSB on Headlight aiming for '99 & '00s.
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/vx/headlightaim.gif

[VXorado]

Here's the TSB on Headlight aiming for '99 & '00s.
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/vx/headlightaim.gif


Thats perfect, Thanks

[crotchrocket]

hmmm, must be different to the JDM lights!

[rowhard]

Thats perfect, Thanks

glad you found it, don't crank them down too far, just enough to stop the flashing. If you happen to have any fog around any night, that is one of the best, non shop manual way to adjust them. Just lay a blanket over one and adjust the other and vice a versa. Also might be a case of shimming (i.e.; a washer under one of the lower mount bolts to adjust left/right.

I run the HID's and do not have a problem with flashers

[Sprey]

Yea we have bolts :S on your jdms like Cr said.

Hmm i need to adjust mine ever since lifting the Vx its felt like i lost light coverage.
Ill prob adjust mine down a bit or get my mechanics to do it at my next Wof ( like a Mot)

[crotchrocket]

takes 2 mins with a small socket, just park facing a wall / garage door and one does the bottom, one does the top adjustment so a combo of the two should do it. I had to adjust mine a suprising amount after he lift

[Ldub]

Here's the TSB on Headlight aiming for '99 & '00s.
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/vx/headlightaim.gif

I believe this is the same, just easier to view, at least on my putr...:smilewink

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=15003&highlight=headlights

[johnnyapollo]

JDM light is completely different with forward facing bulbs - US lights have rearward facing halogens that rely on the reflector.

-- John

[JAMAS]

I am working on trying to adjust my headlights as I type this......

The up and down is easy to adust....but of course, that wasnt my problem.

My VX has a lazy eye (headlight) so I am trying to refocus them left to right.

Any suggestions on how to make this happen?

I am keeping my fingers crossed that someone with knowledge of this is watching the forum this evening.

[pbkid]

jamas- ive searched and searched for horizontal adjustments on mine and never had luck.....

unfortunately i ended up shimming mine with washers :(

maybe there is something im missing though

[JAMAS]

jamas- ive searched and searched for horizontal adjustments on mine and never had luck.....

unfortunately i ended up shimming mine with washers :(

maybe there is something im missing though

That would really suck if there was no easy way to adjust that since the up and down adjustments couldnt be easier.

[pbkid]

i've read something somewhere that said that there was an adjustment on the bottom of the light. but i was never able to find it :( (then again who knows how heard i searched...)

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

I have the same issue with the panzies who think your lights are too bright....just do what I do...give them a warning blip of your brights and if they return that with their "full on brights" than hit them with your PIAA Fogs (okay...my weapon of choice) whilst holding in your "passing signal" brights.

Brings them too their knees with burned out retinas...which does them the favor as they now are no longer light-sensitive..lol.

P.S.---I know its them that has the problem because I get this with my mustang too which is stock with no bulb upgrades & headlight alignment checked @ inspection time..........panzies!

P.S. #2----If you're worried about this escalading into road-rage on their part...don't be...anyone that upset about brightness is a panzie and will run home and hide with their momma before even thinking about retribution.....wussie panzies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JAMAS]

I have the same issue with the panzies who think your lights are too bright....just do what I do...give them a warning blip of your brights and if they return that with their "full on brights" than hit them with your PIAA Fogs (okay...my weapon of choice) whilst holding in your "passing signal" brights.

Brings them too their knees with burned out retinas...which does them the favor as they now are no longer light-sensitive..lol.

P.S.---I know its them that has the problem because I get this with my mustang too which is stock with no bulb upgrades & headlight alignment checked @ inspection time..........panzies!

P.S. #2----If you're worried about this escalading into road-rage on their part...don't be...anyone that upset about brightness is a panzie and will run home and hide with their momma before even thinking about retribution.....wussie panzies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Wow.....do tell us how you really feel....:):)