Headlights play a crucial role in lighting your path during nighttime and weather conditions where visibility is affected. However, those brightly shining bulbs aren’t going to be helpful if they aren’t aimed correctly—something that many drivers often neglect after buying a vehicle. The truth is, even the most expensive car with the neatest headlights eventually requires its eyes to be adjusted to prevent blinding other motorists. Remember, you aren’t safe if you can see the road ahead clearly, but other drivers don’t because your headlights are shining right into their eyes.
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What Does it Mean To Adjust Your Headlights?
If you’re an avid traveller or truck driver, chances are you probably encounter bumps and bangs in your daily driving, which can knock off your headlights, causing them to wander away from alignment. When this happens, you need to adjust the enclosed headlight units mounted on either side of the vehicle’s nose.
Modern headlight enclosures are separate from your vehicle’s body and are mounted with screws. You can get adjustment screws on the headlight units that allow horizontal and vertical adjustments. Using a fixed point on the wall, you can aim your headlights using the adjustment screws.
Do All Headlights Need Adjusting?
At some point, headlights will need adjusting regardless of the technology behind them. Some vehicles will need adjustments after a year or two, while others can go up to five years, depending on the type of vehicle and how you use it. For instance, your F150 headlights are likely to need adjusting or replacement more frequently if you drive your truck in rugged terrain more often or use it for towing. Even the adaptive or self-levelling headlights occasionally go out of line and require adjustment. The adjustment process can differ slightly for units with self-adjustment features or modern LED units.
What Causes Headlights To Go Out of Alignment?
There are a number of factors that can cause your headlights to go out of alignment and shine incorrectly. One of the major causes is a frontal collision. When your vehicle hits a pole, animal, stone, tree, or other objects when driving, the headlights can get unbalanced. Similarly, the rough roads that cause your vehicle to move or vibrate violently can lead to headlights going out of alignment. This is more common when the car hits a pothole or a road hazard.
How Do I Know if My Headlights Need to…
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