Headlight level adjustment

[agent_dess]

Does anyone know how to Initialise Lexus Auto Levelling Headlight on the 3rd gen IS either for the 250/300h/200t?

For a long time its bugged me when driving on dark roads i feel the bulb is aiming too low... if we had the traditional lamp level dial i would have set it to 0 to make high as possible.

This guys talk about it on his RC-F:

But i don't understand how to measure the number of clicks required as the fuel gauge readout on the IS300h is different (i dont even know if this method would even would, but a guy in the comment said it worked on his IS350).

To add to confusion i found a 2014 IS250 where he is adjsuting the headlight using a screwdriver:

Anyone know the correct way to adjust the level and how high is high?

[wharfhouse]

This is from a previous post on the same topic - courtesy of @ColinBarber

[agent_dess]

8 minutes ago, wharfhouse said:

This is from a previous post on the same topic - courtesy of @ColinBarber

Thank you for that....  I thought these car have self-levelling headlights?

but they need to be adjusted manually?

[wharfhouse]

3 minutes ago, agent_dess said:

Thank you for that....  I thought these car have self-levelling headlights?

but they need to be adjusted manually?

They do have self levelling headlights as HID but I think the screw shown is to make an adjustment to the base level and they self level from there to that base level - so if used I would assume you need to make sure the car is standing on level ground first before making any adjustment. I've never adjusted mine though so can't say for certain.

[agent_dess]

1 minute ago, wharfhouse said:

They do have self levelling headlights as HID but I think the screw shown is to make an adjustment to the base level and they self level from there to that base level - so if used I would assume you need to make sure the car is standing on level ground first before making any adjustment. I've never adjusted mine though so can't say for certain.

Makes sense.... although will try the auto initialise method 1st, on that guys video someone with a IS200t got it to work on their 2016 model but said it took a lot of tries.  Im due for an MOT in few weeks so dont want to mess about now in case i end up setting them too high and then they fail me lol

[matt8]

11 hours ago, agent_dess said:

Does anyone know how to Initialise Lexus Auto Levelling Headlight on the 3rd gen IS either for the 250/300h/200t?

For a long time its bugged me when driving on dark roads i feel the bulb is aiming too low... if we had the traditional lamp level dial i would have set it to 0 to make high as possible.

This guys talk about it on his RC-F:

But i don't understand how to measure the number of clicks required as the fuel gauge readout on the IS300h is different (i dont even know if this method would even would, but a guy in the comment said it worked on his IS350).

To add to confusion i found a 2014 IS250 where he is adjsuting the headlight using a screwdriver:

Anyone know the correct way to adjust the level and how high is high?

Definitely need to do this in mine. My biggest frustration is the low pointing lights. 

[agent_dess]

14 hours ago, matt8 said:

Definitely need to do this in mine. My biggest frustration is the low pointing lights. 

I have a feeling it cannot be done without Techstream.  I tried several times last night to do the initialisation but no luck, then it occurred to me maybe cause its a hybrid and thus the car start sequence might be different from the petrol version which would explain why he guy with the IS200t managed it  But ive read it can be done using techstream.

 

The manual method should work.. but the question is then, how high should the lights be aiming

[agent_dess]

So I had the MOT, I asked the tester beforehand about the level being low, I was asking as a general question, but while I was in waiting area watching, I could see he was trying to adjust it.

He said the aim was lower that expected even though it was within tolerance level but he said he couldn't reach the adjust for the vertical.  Which was fair enough, as it wasn't really his job to adjust them anyway but at least he gave it a go.

I'm due for service next month at Lexus anyway so maybe I can twist their arm or they can empty my pocket and get them to adjust it for me.

I would be more than willing to try it myself but I cannot find any Information on what the height should be.

So for those of you who feel the headlight aim is too low, might we worth getting yours checked out and adjusted.

[wharfhouse]

49 minutes ago, agent_dess said:

So I had the MOT, I asked the tester beforehand about the level being low, I was asking as a general question, but while I was in waiting area watching, I could see he was trying to adjust it.

He said the aim was lower that expected even though it was within tolerance level but he said he couldn't reach the adjust for the vertical.  Which was fair enough, as it wasn't really his job to adjust them anyway but at least he gave it a go.

I'm due for service next month at Lexus anyway so maybe I can twist their arm or they can empty my pocket and get them to adjust it for me.

I would be more than willing to try it myself but I cannot find any Information on what the height should be.

So for those of you who feel the headlight aim is too low, might we worth getting yours checked out and adjusted.

This link is how to check the headlight alignment is correct to not dazzle oncoming vehicles but also throw the farthest distance - might be worth a try to see if your headlights match this?

https://www.championautoparts.com/en-gb/news/how-to-check-headlights.html

[Mihanicos]

The maximum permissible range is obtained when you adjust the low beam at 2 mm dip per metre away from the horizontal line joining the centres of the headlights. Look for the small spherical prodrution on the low beam lens cover. This is the reference level.

The tank must be full and the car on a level surface.

Draw a diagram of the headlights height, distance between the headlight centres and the desired dip according to the distance from the car. Align the low beams one at a time, covering the other by putting an object in front of it. Do not cover with a cloth.

Reference : Toyota original repair. manual

Chris.

[matt8]

On 11/28/2023 at 11:19 AM, agent_dess said:

Does anyone know how to Initialise Lexus Auto Levelling Headlight on the 3rd gen IS either for the 250/300h/200t?

For a long time its bugged me when driving on dark roads i feel the bulb is aiming too low... if we had the traditional lamp level dial i would have set it to 0 to make high as possible.

This guys talk about it on his RC-F:

But i don't understand how to measure the number of clicks required as the fuel gauge readout on the IS300h is different (i dont even know if this method would even would, but a guy in the comment said it worked on his IS350).

To add to confusion i found a 2014 IS250 where he is adjsuting the headlight using a screwdriver:

Anyone know the correct way to adjust the level and how high is high?

I performed this method as shown in the video. It worked (I got the flashing response on the cluster) and my lights seem better. Could it be placebo? Maybe. I didn’t measure where the light was but it seemed better. Time will tell. 

Club Lexus has this same procedure noted on the forum, a PDF. I found that hard to follow.

The mistake I was first making was pulling the full beams flash (the stalk) before turning IGN to ON. IGN to ON first, then pull the stalk. 

Thanks for posting. Next step might be new HID bulbs. They are over 10 years old now. 

[agent_dess]

On 2/17/2024 at 6:18 PM, matt8 said:

I performed this method as shown in the video. It worked (I got the flashing response on the cluster) and my lights seem better. Could it be placebo? Maybe. I didn’t measure where the light was but it seemed better. Time will tell. 

Club Lexus has this same procedure noted on the forum, a PDF. I found that hard to follow.

The mistake I was first making was pulling the full beams flash (the stalk) before turning IGN to ON. IGN to ON first, then pull the stalk. 

Thanks for posting. Next step might be new HID bulbs. They are over 10 years old now. 

@matt8 since Lexus manually adjusted my headlights they seem better, still not been out on a pitch black road but defo feels better in general.  See my other post on how to adjust them manually the easy way.

So what steps did you do for the self leveling initialisation?  I'm still surprised the Lexus technician didn't know about it even when I mentioned it.

[matt8]

2 hours ago, agent_dess said:

@matt8 since Lexus manually adjusted my headlights they seem better, still not been out on a pitch black road but defo feels better in general.  See my other post on how to adjust them manually the easy way.

So what steps did you do for the self leveling initialisation?  I'm still surprised the Lexus technician didn't know about it even when I mentioned it.

Parked it on a flat surface. Headlights to OFF position. No auto.

Press power button twice (no feet on pedals) to get to IGN ON. Check fuel level / to determine number of clicks.

Press power button once to turn car off. 

Press power button twice (again no feet on pedals). Pull stalk toward you (full beams) and hold. Whilst holding, rotate headlight on switch to on (see video above from 2:45) and off 3 times. Once done, headlight levelling indicator on cluster will flash on and off. It’s expecting your further input. 

Then rotate lights to ON (dipped) and off the required number of times depending on fuel level. After that the cluster will be flashing like mad, a little haywire. Switch car off and done.

Took a few goes. Watch the video and read instructions. You'll soon get it!

My thought is that the headlight positioning may need adjusting after 12v disconnected. Last time I did this (new Battery June 2020) it was on a slightly downward facing driveway. Hence my lights aiming lower. Just a thought. No technical knowledge to back this up mind.