Weak Head Lights, can I do anything?

[Harvey1512]

I have read some threads claiming that you can adjust the beam level by turning white hexagonal screws on the headlight casing. However I have not checked this out on my car yet and the obvious problem with this is being able to raise the beam level without raising it too far and blinding oncoming drivers.
It would be great if someone who has done this before could give advice.

The dial to the side of the steering wheel that raises or lowers the beam is next to useless if the beam setting in the first place is not correct.

[mjcourtney]

I have adjusted the headlights manually under the bonnet using the white hexagonal adjusters. relatively simple job, but in order to reach the screws you need a long shafted tool.

There are two adjusters for each lamp cluster, one does left-right alignment, the other does up-down. Took about 15 minutes to shift the beam up for both lenses, and then checked the alignment on the MOT beam pattern tester to make sure it was within limits. It was set very low by Volvo, and I was able to improve it vastly.

And yes, it does give you much greater movement than the dashboard dial, which will always give you +/- whatever the preset is on the lamp unit.

I've got some photos at home with details on how to adjust them, but I can't get to them at work so i'll post more details up later (unless anyone beats me too it!).

[iainmd]

Originally Posted by alfiembra

The headlight alignment is not adjustable AFAIK its pre-set. you can use the adjuster on the switch to adjust them down for carrying loads but if already at the 0 position on the adjuster that is as high as they will get.
Alan

Not the case. There are two white plastic hex adjusters for each headlamp unit. One adjusts horizontally and the other vertically. Be careful not to upset the horizontal aim. The vertical adjustmentment hex stubs can be adjusted with a long hex driver inserted through the square holes beside the headlamp retaining pins. The horizontal adjusters are more accessible.

If you have another car with a similar beam, park the car a set distance from a wall and mark the beam focus points with chalk on the wall. Park your car in the same place and adjust the height until it matches with the electrical adjuster set at its highest position.

[Harvey1512]

How do you know which one changes the vertical and which one the horizontal? Does it specify when you look at them?

[bryand]

These are of my C30, but the light adjusters will be the same.

[mjcourtney]

Bryand beat me to it but his photos are better than mine anyway

[biggs312800]

Can you buy HID kits for the cars 2006 s40. I have heard about this but dont know if it is true, do you think its just the crappy bulbs that make it hard to see at night. I have had my s40 since last sat and cant fault the car (apart from the lights of course)

[iainmd]

Those pics look a bit different to my S40. I'll pop out at lunchtime and try to photograph my S40 light units.

[iainmd]

Attached are pictures of an S40 lamp unit in and out of the car and where to adjust.

[Harvey1512]

Thank you for the posting of the pictures. With the help of a colleague at work I adjusted my headlights and the difference driving home last night was staggering. The adjustment was very simple to do as long as you have a simple socket set.

My colleague has a very similar design of car to my S40, an Octavia VRS, so we brought his car into my factory unit and marked on the wall were his lights were hitting. We then moved his car out, mine in and adjusted them to the same point. From a distance of only 5m my lights were 25-30cm below his setting. That may not sound much but when you saw it the difference was huge. This was a truly dreadful piece of work from Volvo originally and the garage I picked the car up from who should have checked this.

A good couple of tips for people doing this. Set the manual dial to the right of the steering wheel to the mid point before you make any adjustments. This then allows you in future to easily raise or lower the lights if required without having to get your socket set out. The adjustment dial does give quite a lot of movement up or down and so once you have set the lights correctly at the mid point you should never need to touch the setting under the bonnet again, the in-car device is more than sufficient.

As the vertical setting screw, I am not sure of its correct term, is in an awkward place you may find, we did, that the socket gets left on the screw when you lift the handle away. You cannot get your hand in to lift it out and after trying various different methods, blue tack, sticky tape etc. we hit the blindingly obvious idea of removing the light casing. You can then easily pick the socket off.

I fitted brighter bulbs before adjusting the lights. Looking back the smarter move would be to adjust your lights first of all. If your lights are pointing into the ground it does not matter how bright the bulbs are. I may have bought the new bulbs anyway, they are certainly better, but I think the adjustment is the key factor here.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this thread in a constructive manner, it has been very helpful.