Headlight adjustment

[Just Another Joe]

Hi all. I just bought a 2000 Mercury GM LS. I replaced one of the headlight assemblys with a new one from AutoZone for $119.00. Ya, that old fadded lens attacked my new Mercury GM LS. It had one new assembly on it so I wanted to match the new one.
problem is that the headlight itself is pointing straight down and to the right.
Do I have a defective assembly or will the lampbulb itself move when adjusting?
And how do I adjust it? Is there a tool to adjust it?
Thanks, Joe.
BTW: I searched here but found nothing telling me about how to adjust the headlights. The artical that took me to a site didn't work for me.

[way2old]

First thing to do is makwe sure the housing is seated properly. I have seen them not properly seated and you could not adjust the light. There are two adjusters on each headlamp housing. I think the adjusters are 4 mm. There is a tool made that is used to adjust. You might ask your local parts house to see if they have a loan a tool program.

[Just Another Joe]

Originally Posted by way2old

First thing to do is makwe sure the housing is seated properly. I have seen them not properly seated and you could not adjust the light. There are two adjusters on each headlamp housing. I think the adjusters are 4 mm. There is a tool made that is used to adjust. You might ask your local parts house to see if they have a loan a tool program.

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Thanks for the reply.
I just got back from Autozone where I bought the assembly and they showed me a tool with some kind of a philips looking end.
The 3 screws that are attached to the assembly with the plastic gadgets on them have a end almost exactly like a very small regular screw driver. So I would need a tool which goes over that but they don't have one.
Dealer?
It looks like any adjustment would have to only move the bulb itself because its so far out of wack. I don't believe any adjustmemt would move the bulb and its housing but I could be wrong.
The bulb is so far down and to the side that I cannot believe it went in that way.
I checked the adjusters on the old one and the plastic gadgets look the same distance from the assembly as the new one so thats why I think I have a defective one.
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I bought a Haynes manual but it tells of and shows 2 adjusting screws which are not like mine. Mine consist of the 3 screws that hold the assembly in place and thats it.
In any case I think its impossible for any adjustment to move the bulb housing itself and thats why I think I may have a defective one.
Looking at the one on the other side and the old one the bulb housing heads straight out.
Now i'm totally lost.
-
Looks like I have a oddball year Merc G.M.

[medicarmotors]

Originally Posted by Just Another Joe

-
Thanks for the reply.
I just got back from Autozone where I bought the assembly and they showed me a tool with some kind of a philips looking end.
The 3 screws that are attached to the assembly with the plastic gadgets on them have a end almost exactly like a very small regular screw driver. So I would need a tool which goes over that but they don't have one.
Dealer?
It looks like any adjustment would have to only move the bulb itself because its so far out of wack. I don't believe any adjustmemt would move the bulb and its housing but I could be wrong.
The bulb is so far down and to the side that I cannot believe it went in that way.
I checked the adjusters on the old one and the plastic gadgets look the same distance from the assembly as the new one so thats why I think I have a defective one.
-
I bought a Haynes manual but it tells of and shows 2 adjusting screws which are not like mine. Mine consist of the 3 screws that hold the assembly in place and thats it.
In any case I think its impossible for any adjustment to move the bulb housing itself and thats why I think I may have a defective one.
Looking at the one on the other side and the old one the bulb housing heads straight out.
Now i'm totally lost.
-
Looks like I have a oddball year Merc G.M.

Lo there:
I had the same problem. It took me 2hours to realize that the aftermarket headlight I bought was manufactured wrong. The plastic mounting bosses that slip into the frame have a flat washer that MUST BE SLOTTED. The one I got had solid washers(or stops if you will) they hit on the locking pin which is on the car frame where the light mounts go through. This pushes the headlight lense foward and down. I used the mounts off my old lense and it worked fine. If you don't have them, just melt a small slot so the washer fits flush with the frame. Hope this helps....

[Just Another Joe]

Originally Posted by medicarmotors

Lo there:
I had the same problem. It took me 2hours to realize that the aftermarket headlight I bought was manufactured wrong. The plastic mounting bosses that slip into the frame have a flat washer that MUST BE SLOTTED. The one I got had solid washers(or stops if you will) they hit on the locking pin which is on the car frame where the light mounts go through. This pushes the headlight lense foward and down. I used the mounts off my old lense and it worked fine. If you don't have them, just melt a small slot so the washer fits flush with the frame. Hope this helps....

-
Thanks for the heads up. way2old had it right when he talked about it not being flush. It was not flush on the side and top. I adjusted it (by screwing the plastic screws untill it was flush on all 4 sides and it is good now. Perhaps a little bit more of fine tuning which i'll do on another warm day.
The assembly I bought from Autozone had the slots for locking it in.
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*****PROBLEM # 2:*****
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I now have a squeak as my steering wheel turns in either direction and it also seems to squeak when it bounces up and down. It is not the power steering sound, its more of a squeek and it seems to come more from the drivers side. At first I thought perhaps it was in the inside of the car steering collum but it seems to be further down.

[RoboGen]

Originally Posted by Just Another Joe

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.....I adjusted it (by screwing the plastic screws untill it was flush on all 4 sides and it is good now. Perhaps a little bit more of fine tuning which i'll do on another warm day.....

Hey, Joe: So, what tool did you end up using to screw the screws? Did you find & buy the one specifically made for that purpose, or were you able to 'improvise', w/ a conventional tool?

[Just Another Joe]

Originally Posted by RoboGen

Hey, Joe: So, what tool did you end up using to screw the screws? Did you find & buy the one specifically made for that purpose, or were you able to 'improvise', w/ a conventional tool?

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The old assembly had the screw looking end on it.
The new one has a shape just like a 1/4" allen wrench hex on it.
I didn't buy anything for it I just kept screwing and unscrewing the plastic piece on it till it was ok.
It was a PITA but I finally got it just about perfect.
Once done it is really a 1 minute job with 'no tools' involved taking the plastic cover off by the 3 twist thinges and removing the headlight bulb to get access to the plastic adjusters and turning them in or out with my fingers.
How very simple it was once I knew how to do it.
When you take the 3 plastic thinges on the cover off take them right out because they just might fall out like they did on me. I lost one of them.
The plastic cover holds the flat looking metal pieces on the adjusters from poping up so I put them on the outside and left the middle one open till I get another one.
BTW: I sprayed the upper control arm bushings (under the hood) and the squeak worked its way out.
Get back to me if this isn't clear enough.
Joe.

[capricorn1252]

watch this video - explains it all very easily !!
How To Install Replace Headlight and Bulb Mercury Grand Marquis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJB5oG2RPZY