How does the headlamp adjustor switch work?

[Stevearcade]

Hi Guys,

For those of you who have the manually adjustable headlamps (via the dial in the cabin by the VSA button). How does it work?

Is there something that goes between the switch and the adjustor on the headlamp?

I mean does the switch send a signal to something that interprets and then sends the correct signal to the adjustors? Or does the switch itself change the voltage (I.e. is it a variable resistor) sent to the adjustors and then that is enough to determine what the adjustors do?

I'm trying to solve a problem with my HIDs and I am exploring my options with fitting halogens. I thought I might better get to the bottom of my issues if I posted a separate thread addressing the different question that has arisen from my initial line of enquiry.

So if you've had dealing with headlamp adjustors and can answer my question, I'd be eternally grateful.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jayok]

It's a quad pole switch - i.e. level 0 is one output on a wire, level 1 is another output, etc. This is fed into the ECU that sends the pulses to the stepper motors in the headlights.

Re your HIDs, I ***ume they are not adjusting and are stuck down at the lowest level? If so, then more than likely the leveling sensors at the suspension is off, broken, whatever, this appears to be the most common thing.

 

[toffee_pie]

Steve, have you not noticed your lights playing up as i find it hard to believe you could drive the car at night if your lights were pointing downwards.

If i was you i would get a auto electrician to fix this, put the car up on a ramp and get a meter and onto it and check the whole circuit from head to toe., clearly there is a missing signal somewhere along the line.

will probably take upwards of 4-5 hours or so but.....

 

[shab_the_man]

Steve, have you not noticed your lights playing up as i find it hard to believe you could drive the car at night if your lights were pointing downwards.

If i was you i would get a auto electrician to fix this, put the car up on a ramp and get a meter and onto it and check the whole circuit from head to toe., clearly there is a missing signal somewhere along the line.

will probably take upwards of 4-5 hours or so but.....

Thats the approach I would take, get an auto electrician to look at it. My experince with Auto electricians is that they have always fixed my problem when ever I have called them.

 

[Stevearcade]

Auto levelling hasn't work for some time. Lights were focussed at a sensible height by the garage and that's been the state of play for the last 3 MOTs. It's only now, with the auto-levelling needing to work with new MOTs regs that this is an issue. They weren't/aren't pointing to the floor, however that's what the control unit does apparently when it detects a fault. If the unit is faulty as the mechanic says, that would go some way to explain why the lights aren't focussing down to the floor and can be manually set and left in place maybe?

Like I said in the other thread, I'm awaiting the arrival of the part now from a breakers and have next week to get this sorted. I've secured a part for £24. If it doesn't fix the issue, I will take it to an auto electrician.

 

[shab_the_man]

Auto levelling hasn't work for some time. Lights were focussed at a sensible height by the garage and that's been the state of play for the last 3 MOTs. It's only now, with the auto-levelling needing to work with new MOTs regs that this is an issue. They weren't/aren't pointing to the floor, however that's what the control unit does apparently when it detects a fault. If the unit is faulty as the mechanic says, that would go some way to explain why the lights aren't focussing down to the floor and can be manually set and left in place maybe?

Like I said in the other thread, I'm awaiting the arrival of the part now from a breakers and have next week to get this sorted. I've secured a part for £24. If it doesn't fix the issue, I will take it to an auto electrician.

Steve do keep us updated, this is turning into an interesting thread.

 

[Stevearcade]

Will do buddy.