Have I got an auxiliary water pump?

[Muleears]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Start by aiming them properly! Studies show that 90% of all cars have improperly and too low aim on their headlights. There's is no reason to have focused beam lights point down at all much less than 1-2° down. That system for aiming was for when the light came out in a cone not only down.

Set your beams so the driver side is zero degrees. The passenger side will rise maybe 1-2° and beautifully illuminate the world including all the road signs like you will not believe.

Aiming hid as if they are incandescent will throw away 50-70% of the light you can be using!


One thing you can code is to leave fog lights on with high beam. If you aim the high beam properly AWAY from the car not 50' from the car you can fill in the close zone with the fog

I checked this out as well as possible on my way to work this morning (in the dark), I think you are right. Mine are aimed much too high. I noticed when turning corners I was illuminating the trees quite well. I'll do a search on aiming and hopefully find time for it tonight. I have to drive in tomorrow moring too so I'll have a chance to check out my handiwork. Thanks for the tip!

[Russianblue]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

What's a check control button? High or low cluster? I would love a short cut into the hidden menu


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it's the button you press when you get a check control warning to make the warning go away. so....on the instrument cluster, two buttons - one on the left and one on the right. I always called them the trip meter reset button (left) and check control button (right, btw the tach and temp gauge). That might be a carryover from my e28 days now that I think about it, LOL!

not sure if I have the high or low cluster. need to figure out which one is which!

[Overboost]

Originally Posted by Russianblue

it's the button you press when you get a check control warning to make the warning go away. so....on the instrument cluster, two buttons - one on the left and one on the right. I always called them the trip meter reset button (left) and check control button (right, btw the tach and temp gauge). That might be a carryover from my e28 days now that I think about it, LOL!

not sure if I have the high or low cluster. need to figure out which one is which!

Your 2005 is a high cluster.

[Muleears]

Trying to figure out headlight aiming, not having much luck with the search, I took a look and a pic. I see what appear to be two adjustment allen head screws for the headlights. I'm assuming (ugly word, I know) that these adjust the vertical for the xenon (outboard, on the right) and the "flash to pass" light (inboard, on the left). Am I correct? I have a pic below of the drivers side headlight, displaying the two screws. If I am correct, which way will move the light projection down? I'm gonna make an educated guess and say clockwise. Again, help or correction is appreciated!

[andrewwynn]

It's been a while since I adjusted mine. Usually one is for left/right one for up /down. I don't think there is a separate setting for high/low beam.

[Muleears]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

It's been a while since I adjusted mine. Usually one is for left/right one for up /down. I don't think there is a separate setting for high/low beam.

I think I'll just go out tonite and park in the road and see what each of them does... I live in the country, chance of traffic interfering is minimal... I do know I need to bring them (the xenons) down significantly. If I can get them pointed in the right direction and get iCarly to turn on the fogs too, I'll be in pretty good shape. Thanks for the advice andrewwynn.

[andrewwynn]

Best way to aim: park car aimed at a garage door pointed exactly perpendicular, about 20-30' away (if you have concrete drive you might have an expansion crack for a guide put front and back wheels right on.

Now measure the offset from the creak to the center of each low beam. Eg 10" and 45" from the crack. Mark that same offset on the garage door with tape.

Now measure up from the ground to the center of the beam coming out the light, and make another tape mark horizontally on the garage door: the trick being you must account for the angle of the driveway if not a flat ramp.

Set the center of the bright/dark transition of the DRIVERS side of each beam to the center of the "plus" of tape and left/right also center on the plus.

The passenger side will go higher than the plus.

When you back away the two beams will combine and you will see the obvious low/high side designed to not blind oncoming cars. It's NOT that the driver light aimed lower; BOTH lights output this low/high beam pattern.

To confirm/fine tune aim up/down, the best way is to park parallel to a long block wall or fence with a visible height reference, and confirm the bright transition is perfectly horizontal on the driver's side.




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[andrewwynn]

Driver's side


Passenger's side

[Muleears]

Thanks andrewwynn, for the detailed instructions. I'll give that a try as soon as I find someplace that is flat and level! Unfortunately my drive is neither. I did go out and lower the HB's so they at least shine down the road now instead of searching for aircraft. I found out that I was wrong... the inboard adjustment screw is the up/down, the one near the fender is the left/right. The illumination down the road now is better but still not great. The lenses are pretty faded. I'm hoping I can get some more output if I clear them up.

[andrewwynn]

I paid $25 for Walmart to remove all the Haze from from wife's headlights they did an amazing job. A fence will do a fine job to get a decent aim going. That garage with the posts was perfect.


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