Headlight Levelling Fault

[Speed_Chaser]

Hello guys!

I've been experiencing problems with headlight levelling. I took my headlights apart to paint the chrome bits inside. I am not using headlights often but I did not notice any problems at that point. I also lowered the car so the lights were aimed a bit low. I decided to go to the specialist and get the beam aligned. The guy turned the white screws a bit and told me they are fine now. I drove out and noticed some clicking noise at the parking lot, I thought it was engine or gears but then the sound seemed to stop. At night I decided to test the alignment and switched the lights on. The beam was just couple of meters in front of the car, lowest position I guess. I stopped and apparently heard the clicking sound again. I noticed it was left levelling trying to get even lower but unable to do that. I pulled the wire off in order to cut the electricity from actuator. Drove home, started testing. Tried levelling the lights from inside the car using levelling switch. I adjusted it to lowest and then to highest and both lights vent to normal position they are supposed to be. After that right headlight stopped responding and stayed in that position. Left one kept responding, i put it again to lowest and it started to make that sound again, then to highest and everything seemed to be fine. After a while I noticed the left light moving on it's own, a bit down, then again up to reach the previous position. I switched the lights off and on and sometimes they stayed in the set position, sometimes started moving on their own. When I got lucky and they did not start to auto-adjust I left them that way. However after leaving the car for a while like that I noticed the beam was slowly falling down. Not adjusted by actuator engine, just seemed there was nothing to hold it in that position. However this happened slowly, took maybe 2 minutes and was nearly not noticeable. Finally the beam falled to lowest position. I adjusted it manually using white screw to highest position and also using switch inside the car by adjusting it to lowest than to highest to make the beam as high and possible. After that I switched the lights off and pulled off levelling wire connected to headlight and also the switch inside the car. After that the beam stayed up without auto-adjusting and also without slowly falling on it's own.

After lowering the car and painting the lights I went to MOT and the guy said nothing about levelling. So I suspect this might have happened when the guy adjusted the levels higher. Is it possible he did something wrong? I was watching him all the time and he just opened the bonnet, put headlights on and adjusted the screws. What could be the cause if not his actions?

Cheers!

[atex]

Regarding that clicking noise, I needed to replace the headlights' levelling motors (I'm using HID lamps). It helped.

Also I disassembled the old motors on purpose to see what was inside and possibly to see what was wrong with them. I found it having some rust and dirt inside. I think it was because my headlights were leaky (used to have water drops inside). The headlights were repaired (a garage was asked to do it). No water inside the headlights so far.

I'm enclosing pictures of the disassembled motor together with the assembled motor.

[Speed_Chaser]

Cheers for the information, this is extremely helpful. Think I should open up mine too and see what's inside. Is it possible to remove them without braking anything, so that it would be possible to reinstall them again after fixing (if fixable). Also is it possible to order new ones separately, without ordering the whole new headlight units?

[atex]

Yes it is possible to take the motor apart and put it back without damage. It will be required to take out the whole headlight also. It is possible to buy the new motor, part number 89050199, separately (no need to buy the whole headlight). Also it would be possible to find it in a scrapyard. Probably the motor is repairable, however I was not lucky with that.

[Speed_Chaser]

Ok I see, thanks a lot one more time. Have to take it apart and see what can be done.

[fredzefisher]

Hello everyone!

I am new to the forum and have just failed my MOT on an 05 Avensis D4D T-spirit Estate. The nearside headlamp motor has failed and the garage want £200 +VAT to fit a new headlamp. I can see motors on a well known auction site(!) but my friendly local mechanic has just gone on holiday! I am fairly handy with a toolkit but can anyone tell me how to swap motors. I have heard it is a headlight out maybe even bumper off job. Is it easier to replace the whole headlamp....?

Many thanks in anticipation

fredzefisher

[Speed_Chaser]

Hello! It doesn't matter if you change the headlamp or motor. You will have to remove bumper and headlight. If you change motor you will have to pull old one out and insert new one, but it's not more difficult than changing a bulb. If you know how to take the motor out it's not necessary to remove the headlight. When I did it for a first time I removed everything to see how it all works and how to twist the motor in order to not to brake anything.

[fredzefisher]

Brilliant - many thanks - as it is, I have just had a closer look and it is actually the headlight bracket which has broken so it needs a new headlight after all. (funny how the MOT garage said it was the motor and not the light bracket) I just was not wanting to remove the bumper but hey ho.

Thank you for your reply

[Speed_Chaser]

What do you mean by headlight bracket? I suspect it might not be the actual cause you failed. If he said it was levelling motor, then it most probably is. Try pointing your lights on the wall and turn the levelling roll inside your car. See if the light beams go up and down or not.

I am having another problem, maybe someone could help. One of the motors was really collecting water so I changed it. Now both work as they should but there is a problem between manual levelling from headlight and levelling from inside the car. When I adjust headlights to normal level and try to spin the roll inside the car to change level, it seems like it cannot get hold of something and motor spins freely without adjusting the lights. When I adjust lights manually to higher position (almost disturbing for another drivers) and then spin the roll the lights adjust as they should, to even higher position. So when manual setup is at lowest to middle the roll inside the car does nothing. When manual setting is somewhere between middle and highest then the lights can be adjusted from the inside. What could be causing this issue?

[fredzefisher]

No, the bracket hlding the light to the body has snapped so the light is out of line - the motor is working fine but because the light is set out of line low and left, the motor cannot bring it up to where it needs to be. I will have a good look at the light when I pull it tomorrow and see if I can help on your problem,

Thanks

[Speed_Chaser]

Ok cheers, I will be waiting. I am sure that there is some workaround possible for you to do though. Correct the position using zip ties or something. And then you can also use manual adjusters at the lamp unit (left-right, up-down) to make the light beam aligned same way as it is on the other side, if you won't run out of adjustment zone of course because those screws cannot be turned forever, there is a limit of course.

[Speed_Chaser]

I talked to Toyota mechanic today and he suspected the levelling motor has been inserted incorrectly. There is a "ball" at the end of motor which has to be inserted into something inside the light. Does anyone have any pics or something? I just would like to get them right at once the next time I open up my car without braking anything :)