DIY: How to Aim Your 1992 - 2000 Headlights

[NOFX]

Okay, I'm posting this up here because I see it posted SO OFTEN! So, hopefully this (I'll ask that it be put into the FAQ) will help cut down on so many threads about it. I've also been sure to add a number of keywords at the bottom so it will be easier to search for as long as you search for the post content. This information should be in your Honda Owner's Manual. This is from the service manual, but from looking at my owner's manual, the information is basically the same. 5G owners might want to look at the 6G directions too, since the 6G directions go much more in depth about how to properly line up your lights. The 5G directions only tell how to move the lights. Supplies: - Measuring tape - Paper, pencil and tape (if you don't want to write on the wall or the wall is too dark) - Phillips tip screw driver - Level ground with a wall You might also want to check your tire pressure beforehand and unload anything that you don't normally drive with. Putting someone approximately your weight in the driver's seat will also help to make it as perfect as possible by hand. Here are the directions for the 1996 to 2000 Civics. - - - - - - - - - - Here are the directions for the 1992 to 1995 Civics. - - - - - - - - - - And more help for how to actually line them up properly. http://www.automedia.com/Aimin...1ha/1 Aiming Headlights Or, how to maximize visibility without blinding other drivers Tom Morr / autoMedia.com How many times have we all been blinded by an oncoming vehicle and flickered our high beams, only to have the other driver melt our corneas by responding with their brights? The conclusion: Those low beams are jacked up (both literally and figuratively). Causes Headlights can become misaligned in many ways. One of the most common is when the person replacing a bad light inadvertently turns the adjusting screws instead of the retaining fasteners. Fender-benders and other front-end damage can also cause lights to become askew, as can carrying heavy loads in the rear quarters (which is why several upscale SUVs now have automatic load-leveling suspension systems). Many repair shops will check and adjust headlights for a modest fee. However, the process is straightforward enough that the average do-it-yourselfer can save both time and money by following the steps shown here. Although special products are made specifically for correct headlight aiming, the method here doesn't require any proprietary know-how or materials—just masking tape, a tape measure and a screwdriver. Incidentally, most repair manuals recommend checking headlight adjustment every 12 months and any time a lamp is replaced or front-end damage occurs. Begin by finding a level surface and a vertical garage door or wall. Park the vehicle close to the wall and mark the lights' horizontal centerlines with masking tape. Next, mark the low beams' vertical centerlines. For better precision, stand behind the car at its center point and, looking through the back window, guide a helper in marking vertical dead center. Marking the vehicle's centerline is also helpful to verify side-to-side alignment. Park the vehicle on a flat surface 25 feet away from the wall, pointing straight ahead. Use the lights' horizontal- and vertical-adjusting screws to position the low beams' intensity zones two inches below and to the right of the taped centerlines. (Trim ring removed to show adjusters.) Adjustments can normally be made without removing any parts. Turning the top adjusting screw clockwise raises the beam and vice versa. Similarly, the side adjuster moves the beam left and right. High beams' "zones" should be below the line and vertically centered in relation to the vehicle's centerline (not marked with tape in this example). Here, the right-side high beam needs to come inboard. When in doubt, be courteous and err your aim low and to the right.[/i] Copyright autoMedia.com 2000-2007 More links that might help: http://www.ehow.com/how_3383_a....html http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/....html http://www.carinsurance.com/Ar....aspx http://news.carjunky.com/how_s...shtml Search Keywords: headlight headlights headlite headlites head light lights lite lites adjust adjus adjuss adjusted adjusting aim aimed aiming right left vertical horizontal indicator gear screw screwdriver driver passenger up down left right 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00

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[Harryflores]

Good Stuff NOFX... about time someone did a D.I.Y.

[ek forever guy]

"But there's only one adjustment knob"



Bout time. Save yourself an aneurysm,

[Padawan]

Good information, but did this come from a RHD manual (not that it necessarily makes much difference, I'm just curious due to the illustrations)?

[NOFX]

This is from the USDM service manual. I imagine the images are often the same for all countries.

Which image appears to be from a RHD car though? I see the moldings, but those are on LHD cars too (in Europe).

Oh, and ek forever guy... yeah, I remember who you're referring to. Scary to think a Honda technician gave out that info, and then when shown that he was wrong said he must have mixed up vehicles. I hope he didn't mix any up when he was actually working on them.

[ke98248]

Originally Posted by ek forever guy

"But there's only one adjustment knob"



Bout time. Save yourself an aneurysm,

LOL. Nice job!

[Padawan]

Originally Posted by NOFX

Which image appears to be from a RHD car though?

The beam pattern illustration on page 23-170 looks to be a RHD configuration.

[NOFX]

Originally Posted by Padawan

The beam pattern illustration on page 23-170 looks to be a RHD configuration.

Well, I can't think of any other manual which would list the USDM trims and engine codes save for maybe Canada. Most countries do not name Civics in two letter monikers, much less ones that end in "X".

[Eran]

Originally Posted by Padawan

The beam pattern illustration on page 23-170 looks to be a RHD configuration.

They use a lot of the same illustrations in a lot of their same manuals, thus why vehicles in the USDM manual have bumper mouldings.

[sohckid00]

dude thanx this shit bugged the hell out of me for a good minute odlly enogh i did not find a diagram on my hanes manual so thanx i ajusted my low beam from shining on my bumber to shinning on the wall balling!

[luvmihatch]

seeing i dont havea ahead lite aimer how far away from a wall should i park? 5 ft?

[NOFX]

Originally Posted by luvmihatch

seeing i dont havea ahead lite aimer how far away from a wall should i park? 5 ft?

If you're talking about the level in the headlight, I think those only came on the '96-'98 models. There are directions for the '99-'00 too, and it shows where the adjustment screws are for the '92-'95. I'd imagine the directions are basically the same.

The '99-'0 said to park 25 ft away.

[B18C_EH3]

My SiR (92-95) headlights have the adjustment knobs reversed. Is that the case on all JDM headlights, or are mine just switched around?

[ifIexplode]

Good stuff. I just bought the Service manual for my car that is published by Honda, Probably the most amazing thing ever.

[luvmihatch]

yeah i was talkin abou tlike how far from the distance from teh car to the wall. just to get it rite. bc my liughts are like up and way to the right.. thanks tho..

[NOFX]

Added a bit more info there to help out.

[beebeecivic]

THANK YOU!

[newby_j]

Now we just need one on how to adjust fogs.

[HondamanXxX]

Thanks for the write up

[honda_racing101]

Cool, i'll be doing this whenever the snow melts.

[TheNewbDude]

Maybe you guys can help me out here. http://www.honda-tech.com/zeropost?cmd=fshow&id=1

Just doesn't want to work.

[H22Ej1]

awesome, i needed to do this bad lol

[datssoled]

I have aftermarket black housin headlights and i tried to adjust my headlights but the lighting doesnt seem to flinch at all? And reading the DIY, I dont really get what to line up(the lining up the 0 part).

[NOFX]

Aftermarket headlights are going to be difficult to help you with because there's such a high probability of them being different in more ways than one.

[jhonda239]

gonna need this wen i paint my headlights