[dadu]

All ECE (E-code) headlamps can be adjusted visually and accurately.

Talking about Safari headlamps they are E4 headlamps; look on the outer side of the headlamp for the E4 marking.



In Safari beam levels can be adjusted only vertically, i.e. the beam can be adjusted up/down and not horizontally (left/right) as that’s a fixed assembly on the body.

To do the adjustment, the Safari should be at unladen weight and at your normal driving tyre pressure.



Now find a level ground that has a vertical wall at the end and length equivalent or more than the sum of length of the Safari + 25 ft, basically you need to park the Safari 25 ft away from this vertical wall. The wall will be used for projecting the headlamp beam levels.

You will need to make horizontal marks on the wall and floor and I would suggest using the electrical tape for it. Measure a distance of 25 ft straight from the wall and mark this position on the floor. Align the front of the Safari bumper with this mark.

Switch on the low beam and goto the wall and mark a horizontal line at a height of 78 cms from the ground level just in the axis of the beam projected by your right headlamp. You can ask someone to stand in front of the left headlamp while you do so(otherwise the beams will mix). Perform the same task for the left headlamp too.

Note: Do not cover the other headlamp with a paper or cloth, these are plastic assemblies and you risk overheating of the assembly.

Key things to pay attention to before you start adjusting the levels:
- Your dashboard headlamp adjustment leveling switch should be at "0"
- You headlamps should be at Low beam
- Anytime you decide to change your bulbs, alloys/tyre profile, you need to follow these steps again



Now open the engine bonnet of Safari and start adjusting the leveling assembly using a cross head screwdriver so that the projected beam is just above the horizontal mark on the wall.

Rotate the screwdriver clockwise/ anti-clockwise till you see the beam level moving on the wall and inline with the marking you did earlier on the wall.

Do it with a light hand as you need to rotate a pulley type grooved lever inside, it’s not a tight screw.

Adjust one headlamp at a time with a person standing infront of the other one, to prevent the beams from mixing.



ECE headlamps follow a path horizontally and then the beam bends upwards with most of the light spread below this path as shown in the above illustration.

After adjusting a low beam headlamp in the low beam mode, do not attempt to readjust it in high beam mode. All low beam headlamps should be adjusted on the low beam only, the high beam adjustment automatically stands corrected if the low beam adjustment is correct.


:: PDF file is attached for printing and reference.

[Jaggu]

A very good post with all the right details. To safely cover the other head lamp, use a wet cotton cloth which is all porous (old), it works

[Maverick1977]

Is this applicable for other cars also?

[dadu]

Originally Posted by Maverick1977

Is this applicable for other cars also?

Its applicable to all European E-code (ECE) headlamps, check the marking on your headlamp if its E"X", its applicable with only one major difference, which is the height at which you should you mark the horizontal line on the wall.

The headlamp axis height should be provided in your manual along with the beam levels required too, otherwise you should follow the ECE standards.

[gpa]

A very informative post I was travelling in my colleague's Safari a few weeks ago (as part of a car pool) and noticed that the lights were horribly focussed as a result of a shunt. This will help for sure.

Thanks dadu!

Cheers,
gpa

[rjstyles69]

I remember there was a thread by fellow member DRC or someone else discussing the same. Methinks the leveling screw works similar in all cars(atleast the newer generation). I had done this on the baleno too.

[HappyWheels]

Thanks for the very useful information, Dadu!

[sidcruise79]

Thanks a lot Dadu. you really are a lifesaver.

[aaggoswami]

@Dadu : Excellent information.

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Methinks the leveling screw works similar in all cars(atleast the newer generation). I had done this on the baleno too.

On adjustable headlamps ? Our Baleno is with adjustable headlamps, but the focussing, both vertical and horizontal is bad. Low beam needs vertical adjustment and high beam needs both vertical and horizontal.
If this is applicable to adjustable headlamps baleno too, then I can atleast make vertical adjustment.

[dadu]

Originally Posted by gpa

A very informative post I was travelling in my colleague's Safari a few weeks ago (as part of a car pool) and noticed that the lights were horribly focussed as a result of a shunt. This will help for sure.

Thanks dadu!

Cheers,
gpa

This will correct the levels at unladen, you need to use the headlamp leveling switch once loaded as per below for Safari:

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

On adjustable headlamps ? Our Baleno is with adjustable headlamps, but the focussing, both vertical and horizontal is bad. Low beam needs vertical adjustment and high beam needs both vertical and horizontal.
If this is applicable to adjustable headlamps baleno too, then I can atleast make vertical adjustment.

Yes you can on the same leveling headlamps. Open the hood and you will find a screw atop the headlamp assembly. I used the star screw on this to adjust the length of the light throw.

[NandanRM]

Hi to all

A very much required thread at a very suitable time for me as you will find out below

Due to an accident had to change headlights and wanted to put those brighter lights or ones with the white light outputs (not those ones on the Skoda and all but regular bulbs with cutouts ) on my Indigo CS. So at the time of the fitting of the new assemblies at TASS ( Worli, Mumbai) i had them replace the regular ones with Phillips.

Now they did so but the Focus is all haywire and horror of horrors they have no fixed way to tackle this problem at all. I drive Thane Mumbai late nights and even out of town and some times do have to drive in the night to reach a scheduled stop and i am stuck with these unfocused headlamps

So fellow BHPians any idea where else i can get the lights focused professionally as i do not want to mess it up as these assemblies are no great shakes i.e the mirror coating is easily damaged

Thanks in advance

Bye to all

[gpa]

Dadu,

Yeah, this switch was set at '0' as there were only 2 of us in the vehicle and I noticed this after I moved from the rear seat to the front after dropping off a few people.

The problem was that the alignment had gone out of focus after the shunt when the headlamp assembly was replaced. Your guide will help sort out the problems.

Thanks,
gpa

[aaggoswami]

We have Oct 05 Baleno. I am not able to spot any such screw . I am posting a few pictures.

1) I think the images I have posted are of the screw that hold the headlamp. Or is this the screw I have to work on ?

2) Is it that the entire assembly has to be taken out of the body and then do some setting and put it back ? This is against common sense I know.

3) Is it something that I am missing ?

Please help me as currently the headlight setup helps me to see at the most 10 mtrs. ahead in high beam at 0 in the adjuster.

[trrk]

Hi,

Though don't remember the source now, long back I have read about this procedure.

The only change here was to go close to the vertical whall and mark the centre of the two headlights and put a + there.

The low beam should be adjusted to fall in the lower left quadrant.

Procedure same for all cars. Some cars do have vertical / horizontal adjustments.