How to Adjust the Headlights in a Toyota Highlander

When oncoming drivers flip a not-nice finger your direction, honk at you or flash their bright lights, you might need to adjust the headlights on your Toyota Highlander. While Toyota recommends you use an authorized service center to adjust the headlights, anyone with a Phillips screwdriver can make the necessary adjustments.

Instructions

1

Prepare your Toyota Highlander to adjust your headlights. Park the SUV on a level surface 20 to 25 feet away from a wall or garage door. For optimal results, check that the air pressure in the tires matches the level you typically drive at. Empty any extra cargo you don't carry on a daily basis.

2

Open the hood and locate the headlight adjustment wheel. Toyota places these near the headlight housing. Toyota doesn't include a horizontal adjustment wheel, so if you need to adjust the horizontal trajectory, you either need to repair any damage to the frame or shim the headlight assembly.

3

Measure from the center of the headlight to the floor and mark this measurement on the wall. You may want to draw a line on the wall equal to the width of the Toyota Highlander to use as a reference point for the proper adjustment.

4

Make sure the headlights are on. To turn the vertical adjustment wheel, insert a Phillips screwdriver into the gap at the top of the wheel. The screwdriver head engages the teeth on the wheel in the headlight housing.

5

Keep an eye on the trajectory path as it compares to the measurement on the wall. You want to center the high beams, but the low beams can have up to a 2-inch variance from the center mark.