I've been reading a lot about the headlights included in the GTI lighting package. I feel that the cut-off on mine is a little too low for the rural roads I drive at night. I understand the lights can be adjusted with an allen key. But I'm a little confused, because I hear people with lowered cars don't need to touch this screw and can use VCDS or OBD11 to auto-level the lights. Does this mean if I manually adjust the lights to a little higher, then the car will automatically set it to a lower position when I restart the car? I manually adjusted the xenons projectors on my old car and never got flashed, so I'm only looking to slightly increase the height. Also, I haven't actually found the adjustment screw. Is it easy to spot? Thanks in advance!
7
GTI Headlight Adjustment
- Thread starter Apw36
- Start date
beardedGTI
Ready to race!
- Location
- Louisville, KY
- Car(s)
- 2017 GTI Sport 6mt
I'm still trying to track down the official VW documentation on how this is done. But my current hypothesis, based on reading many many threads, is that you need to put the lights in adjust mode via vcds then use the adjustment screw on the assembly. Screw is easy to spot, one up top does the left/right adjustment, one recessed toward the bottom does up/down.
joesid
Go Kart Newbie
- Location
- District of Columbia
I think the scenario is much different after lowering a car. The lights need to be calibrated via software to let the car know that the lowered position is the "new" position for a flat road. My car is completely stock, and I found my lights to be too low. I used a screwdriver to fine-tune my lights. I would not use this method to raise the lights after lowering, but believe it to be the appropriate method for making small adjustments. I've done this to several cars with auto-leveling xenon headlights over the past 15 years and have never had an issue. I assume this car is no different.
joesid
Go Kart Newbie
- Location
- District of Columbia
I found the IIHS report for this car to be surprising and it's the reason I eventually raised my lights. The difference is unbelievable, and truly transformed the lighting to a whole new level.
Link:
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/vehicle/v/volkswagen/gti-4-door-hatchback
Link:
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/vehicle/v/volkswagen/gti-4-door-hatchback
Finglonga
Drag Racing Champion
- Location
- Stafford, UK, Earth, Solar System.
You use an allen key to adjust the height up or down. It tells you above them what they are for and the direction to turn them.
Mine needed 4 whole turns up before they were spot on and after asking the dealer why I had to do it they always go lower to avoid the possibility to dazzling.
I do have a picture of it on Photobucket but it has been playing silly buggers all day and deleted all my links to pictures but here goes....Lower is updown, the higher left/right. I would try one turn at a time.
Mine needed 4 whole turns up before they were spot on and after asking the dealer why I had to do it they always go lower to avoid the possibility to dazzling.
I do have a picture of it on Photobucket but it has been playing silly buggers all day and deleted all my links to pictures but here goes....Lower is updown, the higher left/right. I would try one turn at a time.
breaking badly
Banned
- Location
- St. Olaf
The car doesn't know the mechanical adjustment of your headlights.
It just knows the level of its ride height. Adjust your headlights and
it will automatically keep it that level under any load.
George Ab
Drag Racing Champion
- Location
- Pacific NW
The thread below has the maintenance procedure, which for your purposes is the same as the post 6 above. I would recommend a piece of large cardboard and cover one light while you adjust the opposite, mark how much you moved up on wall and then do the same for the opposite.
http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?p=393164&mode=threaded#post393164
http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?p=393164&mode=threaded#post393164
joesid
Go Kart Newbie
- Location
- District of Columbia
No. Good point. And I'm starting to learn that every day...
My lights were crazy low after lowering. Literally couldn't see across the intersection at a traffic light. They might have been bad before lowering, but I wouldn't know since I hadn't driven at night by then.
Took my car to a tuner shop to have them programmatically adjusted. This made very little to no difference.
I then went to the dealership and the technician adjusted them manually. He said that's about the only real way to do it. It's been perfect ever since.
Side note, the tuner is VW certified and just up the road; dealer is 2 hours away or else I would've gone there first.
Took my car to a tuner shop to have them programmatically adjusted. This made very little to no difference.
I then went to the dealership and the technician adjusted them manually. He said that's about the only real way to do it. It's been perfect ever since.
Side note, the tuner is VW certified and just up the road; dealer is 2 hours away or else I would've gone there first.
Lvetterling
Ready to race!
- Location
- Austin TX
I did the manual adjustment and it amazing how much better I can see. I had my brother drive in front of me to make sure they weren't too high. He said no way! I can see so much better and everything works great. I don't care if it's the proper way or not. It only took 2 minutes to adjust and works just fine!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
MichaelAndrews
Passed Driver's Ed
- Location
- Columbia, SC
Literally no different than any other Euro vehicle, my Volvo has the same type of allen holes to adjust the lamps leveling on my cornering bi xenons
russiankid
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- PA
Look at the back cover of the headlight, it has a slot that goes all the way down. The up/down adjustment is at the bottom, you'll need a longer screw driver.