# MKIV Headlight Adjuster Fix



## spoolnvdub (Oct 31, 2003)

This is for when your headlight will not adjust anymore because over adjustment has caused the adjuster ball to fall out of the socket. Rather than taking out the whole headlight to fix the headlight adjuster I put a zip tie around the socket piece. Make sure the housing is adjusted back in to it's normal range and then pull the socket piece back into the ball. Once it snaps back into place you have fixed it. It will take a good amount of force to get it back in. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## turboxer (Sep 29, 2004)

*Re: MKIV Headlight Adjuster Fix (spoolnvdub)*

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## phatvw (Aug 29, 2001)

*Re: MKIV Headlight Adjuster Fix (spoolnvdub)*

Nice. I am going to have to try this cause one of my headlights won't adjust in the horizontal anymore. Vertical works ok though...
BTW the back of my headlights (2001 GTI) has a big black plastic cap held in by a metal clip. Is this a picture of the headlight with the black cap out of the way or is the R32 headlight a little different?


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## spoolnvdub (Oct 31, 2003)

Yes, the lights are the same. This is with the black cap off


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## reefdubz (Sep 25, 2003)

*Re: (spoolnvdub)*

way to think outside the box!! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Royale5 (Oct 26, 2002)

*Re: (reefdubz)*

good thinking http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif , 


_Modified by Royale5 at 8:06 AM 2-4-2005_


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## TONE1000R (Oct 31, 2004)

*Re: (Royale5)*

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## bt_gti_kid (Sep 20, 2004)

*Re: (TONE1000R)*

i lknow i had the same problem its easy to get the ball thing back in... just put a screw driver (flat head) on either side of the 4 prong connector part and pull it up and 'SNAP' in she goes!


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## spoolnvdub (Oct 31, 2003)

*Re: (golf_tdi_kid)*

It took alot of force to pop mine back in. And I couldn't get my hands in there to pull the housing back to the adjuster, even with the help of a screw driver to pry open the socket.


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## bt_gti_kid (Sep 20, 2004)

*Re: (spoolnvdub)*

no no you dont put the screw driver in the socket you put one on either side of the socket and pry up, and with a little strength 'snap'


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## TONE1000R (Oct 31, 2004)

*Re: (r3nt4c0p)*


_Quote, originally posted by *r3nt4c0p* »_This for the stock halogen? or for oem hid?
Or does it work for both?

Good question...I have a feeling it doesnt work on the OEM hid's.


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## spoolnvdub (Oct 31, 2003)

*Re: (TONE1000R)*

This is for the stock halogens. I believe the oem hids are leveled by the rheostats, not sure about left to right alignment.


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## spoolnvdub (Oct 31, 2003)

*Re: (r3nt4c0p)*

Is it the same set up as the pic above ? I've heard you can get the adjustment screws seperately.


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## phatvw (Aug 29, 2001)

*Re: (spoolnvdub)*

I finally got around to trying this fix, but my horizontal adjuster is broken. I extracted a cute little white plastic ball from the bottom of the headlight housing. The whole headlight assembly with bulbs is loose within the housing.
Its remarkable that it doesn't shake around mroe when I'm driving. Luckily, the position in which the assembly rests against the inside of the housing is pretty close to optimal aiming. I think I'll wait till a bulb bruns out and then just get ecodes.
Unless there is an easy way to replace the adjuster part?
edit: Duh. There is a bunch of posts if you search the archives...



_Modified by phatvw at 6:44 PM 2-21-2005_


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## peppeVR6 (Sep 28, 2001)

*Re: (phatvw)*

I broke the drivers side adjuster on my OEM hids. The piece snapped when I adjusted it too far. I can't believe how cheaply designed these expensive lights are. Even the stock lights are poorly designed. I also have a city light bulb out and hear it is a pain to replace the bulb. I really don't feel like taking the bumper off the car. I am having bad luck with these HIDS. I may just sell them!


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## alpharaysmax (Nov 5, 2003)

Does this trick only work on the horizontal adjustment screw? My vertical screw doesn't seem to want to move the reflector at all, so I'm assuming it's broken. Judging by what I can see on my headlight, pulling on that piece would only help for the horizontal adjustment screw... right? Or am I missing something?
The whole piece is actually so low that the bottom edge of the light obscures the fog light a little bit. GRRR.


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## spoolnvdub (Oct 31, 2003)

pulling on that piece will only fix the vertical positioning I believe. I haven't looked at the horizontal one. I'm guessing it's the same set up but rotated.


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

holly 2005 bump from the cave, I'll try this tomorrow, hate taking off the bumper. thanks :beer::beer:


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## icu___ (Jun 2, 2011)

Sorry to blow the dust off this slightly antiquated thread but now I have a similar problem and would hate to take the bumper off in order to take out the whole headlight... Does anyone still have the picture from the first post? It seems to be gone..


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## homann__ (Apr 19, 2014)

I'm having this problem right now too with my passenger side housing. I have oem hids with manual adjustment, and my vertical adjustment is gone, the ball has popped out of the socket from over adjustment. I tried to pull it back into place but I'm scared I'm going to break something as I have to pull pretty hard. I'll try this again when I get my new led bulbs in, but damn is this ever annoying  One of my lights are pointed directly down in front of the car while the other is angled perfectly.


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## homann__ (Apr 19, 2014)

Just tried this. No luck.


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## Smokin Dually (May 14, 2018)

Resurrecting again...

Finally got around to installing the E-Codes that have been sitting in the box for years and tried adjusting them. The driver's side only adjusted a little and then "popped" back at the ground. Took the bumper cover back off and the lights out and both pivot pins (the ball attached to the knob under the cover) on both lights were detached and the vertical adjuster on the driver's side was popped out. I got the vertical ball popped back in but it pops back out when the lens is almost adjusted. 

The outside corner of the lens assembly on this light is much closer to the housing than the other side. I couldn't see if the side adjuster was popped off too. I just tried adjusting it while holding the lens assembly away from the housing and it looks pretty close. We'll see after dark tonight.


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