Hi guys,

Urgent help / advice needed if possible.

My car failed MOT today for "Nearside front headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect [1.8.a.1b]". Apparently the passenger xenon headlight is shining towards oncoming traffic. I had the MOT carried out by a private garage and they didn't know how to adjust the lamp. They advised me to seek a Ford garage to get it adjusted.

Is there a way I can adjust this headlamp myself? My current MOT expires in 2 days so I really am in the brown stuff here.

I really try to avoid my local Ford garage as they truly are thieves.

Any help and advice is really appreciated.

James

The headlamps can be adjusted up/down & left/right with the adjuster screws on the back of the headlamp body - they're light beige in colour, you can see one at the top rear of the headlamp, on the Mk2.5 the second adjuster is hidden down at the rear of the headlamp. They take a 7mm hex key to turn them or a screwdriver if needed.

If alignment is correct but the lamp still fails the MOT them perhaps there's an issue with the Xenon lamp or it's high/low beam shutter?

beam image obviously incorrect , thats not to high/low too far left or right, so no amount of adjusting will fix it im guessing

.sounds like a lamp issue

I have just tried the screws and the light beam does seem to move the left which is what I need. I'm taking it to Halfords tomorrow I think to get them to check it out. Really hoping I don't need new lamps.

Surely there must be a way to make the adjustment.

http://m.wikihow.com/Adjust-Car-Headlights

Update - Ford have repaired this. £80 diagnostic and repair.

The setting needed to be changed from LHD to RHD.

One cannot change these settings without plugging in at Ford I believe. With regards to the Xenon (HID) lights anyway.

So how did it pass last year ? Lamps dont change by themselves.

my ford garage adjust my head light for me if out when doing the mot free of charge

So how did it pass last year ? Lamps dont change by themselves.

Funny thing is, I didn't own the car when it had it's last MOT 12 months ago. It was a motorway undercover police car back then. Strange how that MOT was previously passed.

Funny thing is, I didn't own the car when it had it's last MOT 12 months ago. It was a motorway undercover police car back then. Strange how that MOT was previously passed.

all copers are bent you know

all copers are bent you know

Does that include me then?

Copers are bent Stoney. You are a copper so you are ok

Sent via the 'Clacks'

GNU STP

Does that include me then?

your the worst of the lot :P

Does that include me then?

yes. no it was a joke my late father was a copper so dont worry about it

Back on topic, if the car was used for Police use is it possible Ford use a specific software in the GEM to operate all the add-on lights and sirens? maybe in reverting the car back to standard some settings got mixed up for the headlamps?

the lamps go from lhd to rhd pattern by manually switching over in the headlamp its self, the only time diagnostic is used is the have ref of vehicle on level ground prior to manually adjusting headlamp aim