2010 TSX Headlight Alignment
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 5
Likes: 1
2010 TSX Headlight Alignment
Good morning!
My 2010 was in a fender bender not too long ago that necessitated a replacement of my front bumper and driver's side headlight. The body shop did great work but left the headlights misaligned. I've looked on Youtube and found a video that shows aligning the headlights is rather easy. However, the car in the video has a different setup than mine. I'll attach the video link.
The links below show the incorrect alignment along with some shots of the actual headlight assembly and surrounding area.
Headlight alignment:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bgqcb52wyb...2006.42.45.jpg
Top of headlight assembly:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/o491g4ghel...2006.44.13.jpg
Another shot of the top. There are two silver bolts underneath those two protrusions above the U/D markings.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gxkx5yoohs...2006.44.32.jpg
Shot behind the headlight:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6uss7ok1j0...2007.35.54.png
Where is the actual vertical adjustment point? Is it one of the silver bolts underneath that plastic cover in the second-to-last picture or is it somewhere else? I'm assuming the gear shaped device in the lower right of the last picture is the horizontal control.
I would appreciate any help that you guys can provide.
Thanks in advance!
My 2010 was in a fender bender not too long ago that necessitated a replacement of my front bumper and driver's side headlight. The body shop did great work but left the headlights misaligned. I've looked on Youtube and found a video that shows aligning the headlights is rather easy. However, the car in the video has a different setup than mine. I'll attach the video link.
The links below show the incorrect alignment along with some shots of the actual headlight assembly and surrounding area.
Headlight alignment:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bgqcb52wyb...2006.42.45.jpg
Top of headlight assembly:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/o491g4ghel...2006.44.13.jpg
Another shot of the top. There are two silver bolts underneath those two protrusions above the U/D markings.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gxkx5yoohs...2006.44.32.jpg
Shot behind the headlight:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6uss7ok1j0...2007.35.54.png
Where is the actual vertical adjustment point? Is it one of the silver bolts underneath that plastic cover in the second-to-last picture or is it somewhere else? I'm assuming the gear shaped device in the lower right of the last picture is the horizontal control.
I would appreciate any help that you guys can provide.
Thanks in advance!
Suzuka Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,478
Likes: 1,279
Although headlight alignment looks easy, it really isn't and becomes more critical with HIDs.
Do yourself and oncoming drivers a favor and get the lights aligned properly at the dealer but if you really want to do it yourself then follow these directions.
Do yourself and oncoming drivers a favor and get the lights aligned properly at the dealer but if you really want to do it yourself then follow these directions.
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 5
Likes: 1
Cool, thanks bud. Do you know which knob I would actually turn to raise the headlight? I have no intention or desire to blind oncoming traffic but I would like to see my headlight horizons line up. I've driven a properly aligned car and know what it's supposed to look like. The way it is right now clearly isn't correct.
Suzuka Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,478
Likes: 1,279
Cool, thanks bud. Do you know which knob I would actually turn to raise the headlight? I have no intention or desire to blind oncoming traffic but I would like to see my headlight horizons line up. I've driven a properly aligned car and know what it's supposed to look like. The way it is right now clearly isn't correct.
There may be a second set of adjustment screws located under (semi) permanently affixed dust caps. These are for adjustment of the highbeams which may not (and should not) be done separately from the low beams.
Adjusting the low beams actually adjusts the housing so the high beams will be adjusted accordingly. If the high beams are off after you've adjusted the housing then you have bigger problems.
The body shop should do the adjustment properly and without charge or they should pay the dealer to have them adjusted. If you went through insurance then they should coordinate the adjustment with either the bodyshop or the dealer.
If cousin Moe did the repairs then you're on your own.
Suzuka Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,478
Likes: 1,279
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 5
Likes: 1
Body shop took a look at the headlights. 10 minutes later they were almost perfectly aligned. They're still slightly off horizontally but I can live with it for now. Might take it back when it gets darker earlier for fine tuning.
Thanks guys!
Thanks guys!
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Suzuka Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,478
Likes: 1,279
Racer
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 297
Likes: 100
From: South FL
make sure you don't aim too high and blind people when driving, hope this helps
To prepare for aiming, the car should have at least 1/2 tank of fuel, weight in the trunk equal to the most frequently carried load (this may be a full trunk, or it may be an empty one, or anything in between), and weight in the driver's seat equivalent to the most frequent driver. All of the tires should be checked when cold to make sure they're at the correct inflation pressure. Jounce each corner of the car firmly (grasp the bumper and push down several times rhythmically) to ensure that the suspension is settled into a normal position.
Find a location that has a vertical wall and enough level ground for the length of the vehicle plus 25 feet (7.5 m). The wall will be used as an aiming screen. You'll need to make marks on the wall, so if it is a wall you're not allowed to deface, use tape. Measure a distance of 25 feet (7.5 m) straight back from the wall, and mark this position on the floor or ground. Align front of the vehicle with this floor mark, and then bring the vehicle straight forward, right up to the wall. Make a mark "V" on the wall directly in front of the center of the vehicle. Good references for the center point include such things as hood ornaments, grille badges and license plate brackets.
Next, make a mark "C" on the wall directly in front of the axis of each headlamp. The "axis" is often marked with a dot, cross, bulb type designation or name brand, but if not, it is directly in front of the bulb. There is one axis for each lamp, so a vehicle with four lights will have four axes and a vehicle with two lights will have two.
Now, move the vehicle straight back from the wall until the headlamps are aligned with the floor mark. Walk to the wall and make additional marks: Extend the "V" mark with a vertical line downward at least six inches. Next, connect all of the "C" marks with a horizontal line we'll call "H-H". Then, measure downward from each "C" mark that represents the center of a low-beam or high/low-beam headlamp and place a mark "B" per the following tables.
Find a location that has a vertical wall and enough level ground for the length of the vehicle plus 25 feet (7.5 m). The wall will be used as an aiming screen. You'll need to make marks on the wall, so if it is a wall you're not allowed to deface, use tape. Measure a distance of 25 feet (7.5 m) straight back from the wall, and mark this position on the floor or ground. Align front of the vehicle with this floor mark, and then bring the vehicle straight forward, right up to the wall. Make a mark "V" on the wall directly in front of the center of the vehicle. Good references for the center point include such things as hood ornaments, grille badges and license plate brackets.
Next, make a mark "C" on the wall directly in front of the axis of each headlamp. The "axis" is often marked with a dot, cross, bulb type designation or name brand, but if not, it is directly in front of the bulb. There is one axis for each lamp, so a vehicle with four lights will have four axes and a vehicle with two lights will have two.
Now, move the vehicle straight back from the wall until the headlamps are aligned with the floor mark. Walk to the wall and make additional marks: Extend the "V" mark with a vertical line downward at least six inches. Next, connect all of the "C" marks with a horizontal line we'll call "H-H". Then, measure downward from each "C" mark that represents the center of a low-beam or high/low-beam headlamp and place a mark "B" per the following tables.
Old Guy
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,873
Likes: 161
You guys should do yourselves and everyone else a favor and don't fool around with this seemingly simple (but the furthest thing from it) job, especially on the 2nd gen TSX. The headlights have a complex pattern (with a very sharp cut off on the driver's side), and no amount of adding or subtracting weight, or measuring how far from the wall the car is will help. Oh, and the car in the video in the OP's original post is a first gen TSX, which has headlights that have nothing in common (accept maybe the bulb) with the 2nd gen car.
Suzuka Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,478
Likes: 1,279
Suzuka Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,478
Likes: 1,279
The next time you drive at night, count the number of misaligned headlights coming towards you. Those will be the cars where one headlight seems brighter than the other. Maybe you'll get lucky and get a pickup driving behind you with misaligned bulbs.
You're that guy.
After I installed my jdm lights, they were way off
I didn't risk it, dealer charged me $60 and had it done in less than 30 minutes.
Not worth blinding someone over something simple
I didn't risk it, dealer charged me $60 and had it done in less than 30 minutes.
Not worth blinding someone over something simple
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