MK3 Headlamp adjuster motor debacle

[poproc]

Hi Like the big oaf I am I have mistakenly tried to pull the motor adjuser out instead of the dipped bulb...mind you reading up on the web it seems a common mistake. Anyways I turned it this way, that way and pulled and pulled until nearly cutting my thumb to the bone when I thought hang on this doesn't seem right so with a flash of genius I thought a look at the manual might help...so after finally changing the dipped bulb which took about 5 mins when in the right place (right under the bloody wing!) all seemed good, then I noticed the lens was now quite loose so after some more fiddling with the adjuster motor the lens seemed to locate properly and was firm in place as per passenger side. .voila...or not so, hence the post, the light height (driver) now seems a bit lower than the passenger side when it is on, but for all I know it might have always been like this? The adjuster motor switc and height adjustment works but the driver side light is noticeably lower (to me) than the passenger side and with the dark nights now on us the light from the drivers side seems to pool quite close to the road ahead, am I going bonkers or have I distrubed the set up or worse still buggered up the motor link to the lens or lens position somehow when yanking on the motor? Help please...

[Gaz r]

As long as you haven't damaged anything and the beam on both headlights moves with the adjuster on the dash, then you've probably just knocked the alignment out. Do a quick search and there are instructions for do it yourself or just pop into a garage and ask them to do it. It only takes a couple of minutes. Had the same issue with them being out when I bought mine. That's vw's however many point check for you!!

[poproc]

Cheers Gaz, Yes both headlights go up and down via the dash switch, so hopefully (praying) nothing damaged. I did see the white head with the hex hole in on top of the adjuster housing, which I believe is the way to manually adjust the height so when Mrs Roc isn't about I will see what turning that does, do you (or any other roccers) know if its an anti clock or clockwise turn (when standing in front of light) to raise the beam up?

[poproc]

After some further tinkering with the manual adjustment I am fearing I have pulled the motor level rod off the reflector, is this possible? and can I reattach it if I have by taking the take dipped bulb out and push motor/pull reflector. Don't want to make things any worse. Lights still work but drivers side still looks low to me and reflector is only tight when pushed down to lowest level. Put it like this when I look from side at drivers dipped light the bottom of the silver reflector is inside the black housing but bottom of passenger side clearly projects a few mm's hence light is higher. What a to do...just by changing a flippin bulb...any help to stop me losing my mind over this much appreciated!

[supermoto552]

Can't believe how hard it is to change a dipped beam bulb on these, just done mine yesterday and ended up taking the whole headlight assembly out to do it, much easier in the end just couldn't get in under the wing and I've not even got big hand! U must need pixie hands to do it!


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[poproc]

Like most things it's easy when you know how, often after getting it wrong first time if anything like me looks like a new headlight

[poproc]

Been advised to take dipped bulb out and get a bar in the hole and work it to pull reflector back onto ball of motor rod, easy peezy eh? Anyone else done this before?

[poproc]

FWIW, around Xmas time when I had more time to faff, I took the bulb out and gave the lens a good firm push from the bottom when the top made a 'clunk' as though fitting back into place. Both lamps appear to level evenly from switch in the cabin and the lens/beam has not dropped down again since. Will keep fingers crossed.

Having spent some time looking at the lamps and beams on the car a GT model (IMO) deserves better standard headlights than the crappy Halogens!