Headlight Alignment Problems
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Newbie
Joined: Dec 2007
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2004 CLK 320, 1996 E320
Headlight Alignment Problems
We have an '04 CLK 320 - recently we noticed the low beams were only lighting up about 15-20 feet in front of the car - formerly they were fine. Both were the same level, but you had to run with high beams to see anything at speed.
We took the car in to MBZ and they "re-aligned" them but could not offer any explanation as to why they were too low, except normal "wear" - that doesn't explain why they were both at the same low level, though IMO. However, after the MBZ maintenance, the low beams seem about right for normal high beam aiming and the high beams light up only the tree tops, and appear to be way too high <!!!>
Has anyone else seen this problem with these lights? Are there any other software/firmware "features" that would cause these settings to change? Beginning to think this car's a lemon... thank goodness all the work so far has been in "warranty" - couldn't afford otherwise..
Paul..
We took the car in to MBZ and they "re-aligned" them but could not offer any explanation as to why they were too low, except normal "wear" - that doesn't explain why they were both at the same low level, though IMO. However, after the MBZ maintenance, the low beams seem about right for normal high beam aiming and the high beams light up only the tree tops, and appear to be way too high <!!!>
Has anyone else seen this problem with these lights? Are there any other software/firmware "features" that would cause these settings to change? Beginning to think this car's a lemon... thank goodness all the work so far has been in "warranty" - couldn't afford otherwise..
Paul..
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Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Fremont, CA/ University of California San Diego
W209 CLK500, W221 S550
when i bought my clk my headlights were aimed super low, i couldn't even see the road, i took it to mb they said they wanted 500 dollars each side to adjust it , i walked out haha
try adjusting them yourself, if you pop your hood there will be a little knob you can turn with a key or a coin or something as you turn it make sure your headlights are on and aimed at a wall or something so you can see how the light beam adjusts as you turn the knob, that should solve your problem
try adjusting them yourself, if you pop your hood there will be a little knob you can turn with a key or a coin or something as you turn it make sure your headlights are on and aimed at a wall or something so you can see how the light beam adjusts as you turn the knob, that should solve your problem
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Fremont, CA/ University of California San Diego
W209 CLK500, W221 S550
general area where you should be looking, in the pic it's the black screw but in my car it was a plastic knob so keep your eyes open for any "turnable" things haha
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Newbie
Joined: Dec 2007
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2004 CLK 320, 1996 E320
Are the lights on this model supposed to "follow the road" as mentioned above? I believe there must be some logic that causes them to change, vs just a mechanical setting... <????> The alignment was perfect when we purchased the car.
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From: www.Traben-Trarbach.de
MPG+ ROLFCOPTER
No, cellarboy is incorrect. Normally your headlights are adjusted as a unit. That would mean that the lows are down ~3" @ 25ft as measured from the center of the bulb within the reflector and the highs shoot straight ahead. If there is a discontinuity between these then most likely you have a mechanical failure of some sort within the housing. HTH
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From: Victoria Harbour Canada
2008 CLK 63 Convertible
Low beams
My CLK 500 that we just bought had the low beams so low it was like you had no lights at all. I used a speed wrench on the plastic adjusters easily visible facing vertically behind the low beams and they are much better. Yes I'm new to this car and perhaps there is something going on with some fancy light tracking thing, but this has allowed us to get out and enjoy the car. The high beams shoot a bit high but also bath the road in bright light. Nice car.
Last edited by shayward; Apr 3, 2014 at 11:21 PM. Reason: typo
