HOW TO

Watch as our experts give you best practice advice and invaluable tips as they walk you through both common and complex jobs.

From servicing to inspections and repairs, you’ll find the guidance you need in our library of videos below.

How to check your headlight alignment | Masters of Motion

1 min read

How to check headlight alignment

Share Resource:

Maintenance Solutions How to Technicians 1 min read

Resource Highlights

No driver wants to be dazzled by oncoming headlights when they’re on the road. Adjusting the vehicle’s headlights correctly should prevent this from happening, but in case you need a refresher, we’re here to help.

Learn how to check headlight adjustment with this handy how-to guide from the technicians at Delphi. We’ll take you through the process and answer some questions such as:

How to align headlights on a left-hand drive vehicle
Why headlights need to be aligned in a certain way for safety reasons
What can prevent you from getting the correct measurements.

How do you manually align headlights?

Depending on the vehicle, there will be different ways to adjust the headlights. Some vehicles require manual adjustment using the adjustment screws for both horizontal and vertical.

Other cars require the additional use of a diagnostic tool, to first place the headlights in an adjustment or calibration mode.

Is headlight alignment part of the UK MOT?

Yes, headlight alignment is one of the checks that technicians make on cars as part of their MOT. During the MoT, the headlights will be checked for vertical and horizonal alignment, and checked to ensure that both headlights have the same brightness and color output.

How long does headlight alignment take?

The time it takes to perform a headlight alignment depends on a number of factors such as what make and model of car you’re working with – there may be different ways to move the headlights around, and some are easier than others.