Does dealer use a head light aiming tool?

[JETZ]

FACT: All Fords produced go through a drive on 'headlight aim'/ alignment check station, before the final 'rolls test drive' station @ the end of the production line.

 

[peterk9]

Just to add my two cents:
Headlights alignments are just like wheel alignments. They "should" be done every two years as maintenance. Things like removing to change bulbs, rocks hitting, birds hitting or people falling against them will leave them out of whack. Does everyone do a wheel alignment after two seasons of hitting pot holes? Probably not, and headlights are even more ignored.
I too have worked in this trade for awhile, and "most" vehicles have at least some way of adjusting the headlights. I also am very sick of being blinded by mis-aligned headlights or illegal HIDs in regular housings (yes, read for off-road use only on the box! Not only that, but the housings are only DOT approved when the specified bulb is used, not a high power/high voltage substitute) The only housings that should have HIDs in them are the factory projectors, because they have the proper type of reflectors to avoid blinding other people on the road (see BMW, new style F150/explorer or many others)

On the another note: most shops I have worked in, including a Ford Dealership, have some sort of headlight alignment setup/machine/tool. There are countless types/styles out there. The 25 ft marked wall is also an acceptable setup.

Sorry for the long winded rand about HIDs, but I HAAAAAATE how many people put them in and have no consideration about anyone else on the road. And those who have headlights mis-aligned are no better.

That is what I and a few others have been trying to get across on this Forum for a while now. In Canada it is actually illegal to do what you have said.

Peter

 

[Napalm]

It's actually illegal here in the states too, with limited exceptions.

car's that happen to come with a version of HID, and using factory equipment or modified and adjust to factory alignment.

it's just almost never enforced - how many cops have the time to write out tickets for it let alone know what cars should have what lights etc etc.

 

[RedJeep]

My 2015 explorer seems to blind oncoming cars when I have passengers in second row seats. Also it seems like it has some sort of shutter that lowers on dim instead of using a different set of filaments. Is that my imagination or is that how they build them now? I watched from the side in front and had wife dim and bright the lights. It makes a noise and seems to lower a shutter on dim.

 

[peterk9]

My 2015 explorer seems to blind oncoming cars when I have passengers in second row seats. Also it seems like it has some sort of shutter that lowers on dim instead of using a different set of filaments. Is that my imagination or is that how they build them now? I watched from the side in front and had wife dim and bright the lights. It makes a noise and seems to lower a shutter on dim.

You are correct. There is a single bulb and the shutter determines high and low beam. It has been that way since the 2011 came out. The 2016 is different. LED for low beam. LED and halogen for high beam. You may have to lower the beam that the headlamps produce. Check your pattern against that of the one shown in your Owner's Guide.

Peter

 

[RedJeep]

You are correct. There is a single bulb and the shutter determines high and low beam. It has been that way since the 2011 came out. The 2016 is different. LED for low beam. LED and halogen for high beam. You may have to lower the beam that the headlamps produce. Check your pattern against that of the one shown in your Owner's Guide.

Peter

Thanks for the reply. I really do not like this system. That shutter causes a dark curtain across the roadway when dimmed. It is distracting.