Headlight adjustment - screw not working! (986 boxster)

[CharlieChalk]

Hi everyone,

My 986 boxster has an issue with her headlights: they're too high. I have located the two screws each side to move the headlight up/down (lower screw) and left/right (top screw)...

I haven't touched the lateral movement screw as it needs a female ended tool bit, but the vertical movement screw takes a standard hex key 5mm.

My problem, is no matter how much I turn this screw, the lights don't move! I can turn it forever and nothing happens! I don't think the screw head is threaded, as the tool fits snuggly and I can feel the screw rotating as I turn the Allen key. I just cannot figure out why turning the screw is doing nothing.

Could the problem be that the horizontal screw needs slackening for the vertical screw to work?

Any suggestions appreciated! I'm no mechanic, but turning a screw to adjust the headlights should be within my ability!

Kind regards,

[CharlieChalk]

Bump - I'm desperate!

[antny]

You probably broke the adjustment plastic piece. My passenger headlights piece broke. No way to really fix it. I had to get a new headlight.

[antny]

If you take the headlight out and look inside. On the left side you will see a screw attached to a black plastic piece. That black piece is what broke off the arm that moves the headlight up and down when you turn it.

[CharlieChalk]

Originally Posted by antny

If you take the headlight out and look inside. On the left side you will see a screw attached to a black plastic piece. That black piece is what broke off the arm that moves the headlight up and down when you turn it.

Right OK, so best way to find out is to take the headlight out and have a look?

Is there really no replacement part? Do you have to get an entire new headlight, what's the rough cost? Mine are the xenon/blue-ish ones with washer jets...

What are the chances that this could happen to both left and right lights simultaneously? The lights were fine, but since i had the car back from the garage (rusted bolt on a wishbone affecting the tracking alignment) the headlights are now too high.

Thanks for the help

[derfo]

CharlieChalk

Is there really no replacement part? Do you have to get an entire new headlight, what's the rough cost? Mine are the xenon/blue-ish ones with washer jets...

Hello Charlie, I am not sure were the part is that is broke, but can it not be plastic welded ? My laptop hinge broke off, so I took the laptop apart and plastic welded new posts for the hinge to screw back too. It has been fine now for around a year.

[CharlieChalk]

Originally Posted by derfo

CharlieChalk

can it not be plastic welded ? My laptop hinge broke off, so I took the laptop apart and plastic welded new posts for the hinge to screw back too. It has been fine now for around a year.

I like the cut of your jib!

I'm off to remove a head light and see what's what. Will post back here, probably with photos...

I'm loving this community!

[edc]

I've not looked but are the xenon/Litronics manually adjustable? They are self levelling and the sensor is on the suspension. Are you sure it's not this that is broken?

[Mark_T]

Ok, that's now making sense. I couldn't see how work on the wishbone could affect the headlights, but if the adjustment is controlled by a sensor on the suspension I think that tells you where to start looking for the problem.

[CharlieChalk]

Update: Popping the headlight out was definitely the way to go. To anyone reading this thread with a similar issue, it's dead easy to do. Video link i used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D65x8G1f6AI

My solution was that the bolt I was turning was a bit buggered by a previous owner/garage, but using some Wera hex keys with the round heads and some WD40 I was able to turn that little blighter. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009ODV0OE/

In response to "are Xenon's manually adjustable": mine were, luckily! Maybe some models have auto-levelling, but mine doesn't.

Thanks for the support guys (and gals?). This is a great site