Headlight alignment

[mts3]

One thing I recall on our 08 GT was a previous respray on the front fenders and hood. Looking it over, the paint match, color, and texture are spot on with the factory paint (the previous owner of this car was Mazda North American Operations, BTW). I am wondering about the lamps.

Anyway, it appears that if I shine the headlamps at a wall, there is a height variation between the left and right. The xenons have a very distinct cutoff, causing what appears like a step between the two beam patterns. The left is slightly lower.

Is that correct, or do I need to level them independently? Adjusting the leveler on the dash causes them to move together, keeping the step.

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

All brighter headlights have that left notch for oncoming traffic. Even our halogens have it.

 

[mts3]

So the left is always lower?

I noticed that the lamps "jiggle" when I hit a bump. Is that normal too?

 

[CX9 SportOwner]

Yes. The left side is lower to keep from blinding oncoming drivers.

We don't have a jiggle. Maybe it's because of the HIDs. I don't know.

Anyone else with HIDs have jiggling?

 

[vikefan7]

Are you on rough roads while you're seeing this "jiggle." I don't think I experience a jiggle. It took me a little bit to figure out the notch in the driver side light as well.

 

[mts3]

I have only driven the car once at night and it was on a very short drive.

I only saw the jiggle on a bad bump.

The lights are super bright though, just wasn't used to the beam cutoff. My 10 year old 626 lights are more like shining a flashlight out into the dark compared to these things.