➤ Adjusting headlights on the Lada Grant - description of the process

Why does the headlight adjustment go wrong?

Poor quality assembly of components, insufficient fixation with fasteners;

Manufacturing defect;
Due to damage, the headlight range control does not work;
Violation of operating conditions;
Inconsistency in temperature conditions, as a result of which the reflector, base, and mounting socket are destroyed and deformed;
Negative consequences of an accident, impact, collision;
Wear of springs, front / rear struts, ground clearance decreases, the car body leans forward.

The given list of reasons why headlight adjustment is impossible is exhaustive.

Why is the setting broken?

Light angle adjustments get lost for several reasons:

after mechanical impact during an accident;
due to deep potholes, holes, speed bumps and uneven road surface joints;
due to the installation of low-quality lamps of questionable manufacture.

The angle of the light beam may be lost due to an accidental collision with a deep pothole at high speed. Granta's suspension cannot completely absorb the force of a powerful impact of the wheel on the asphalt, and inertia is transmitted through the body. The headlight reflector suddenly accelerates up or down, the adjustment screw slips, and the light beam shines incorrectly. Frequent rolls over curbs or a high garage threshold can also have this effect.

During the journey, drivers find themselves in different traffic situations, accidentally falling into deep holes or driving over speed bumps at high speed. All this over time disrupts the position of the adjusting screw in the headlight reflector. However, the installation of Chinese low or high beam lamps affects the angle of the light beam. This parameter is affected by the location of the filament. If the bulb of the installed part is slightly offset vertically, then the standard optics will not be able to correctly collect the light beam and transmit it to the road surface. In this case, you will also need to adjust the light angle or replace the lamps.

At the time of an accident, strong vibrations are transmitted to the body, which can not only disrupt the settings, but also damage the Granta hydraulic corrector. Also, after an accident, adjustment of the PTF may be required.

Procedure for adjusting the headlights of a Lada Granta with your own hands

Tool preparation: screwdriver, hexagon.

Installation of the machine within the perimeter of the repair area, on a flat platform.
Checking the tire pressure, the presence of a spare tire in the trunk, the weight of the load on the driver's seat is 75.0 kg.
Adjustment / correction of the light beam at a distance of no more than 3.0 meters from the wall.
Check the illumination angle of each headlight one by one.
Completion of work, testing for serviceability and accuracy of lighting.

When do you need to adjust headlights on a Grant?

The main motive for working with headlights is insufficient road lighting. There are many reasons for this: • From the factory the car comes with a driver set to a driver weight of 75 kg. This is a universal setting - if your weight is different, you need to adjust it immediately after purchase; • the hydraulic corrector has failed - when it breaks, the headlights either shine crookedly or are not adjusted at all; • driving over bumps and potholes over time leads to changes in the settings of the light beam; • buying a car second hand - it is not known exactly how the lights were set up by the previous owner.

Design of head lighting for Lada Granta

The lighting system on the Lada Granta (liftback) is completely identical to that of Kalina, Priora, Vesta. The turn signal, high beam, and daytime running lights (hereinafter referred to as DRLs) are located together in one module.

Each lamp is placed in a separate socket with the possibility of autonomous adjustment using a hydraulic cylinder. The headlights are adjusted using two hexagonal screws:

the top one is responsible for the horizontal position of the light beam,
bottom for vertical.

What you need to know about adjusting headlights

On many cars, the lamps combine high and low beam, and the adjustment is made according to the low beam. There are optics where the low and high beams are separated; for each option, adjustments must be made separately.
Before starting adjustment work, the headlights should be washed and the integrity of their fasteners checked.
The most accurate way to adjust the headlights is on a car that has a front suspension in full working order, a half-filled fuel tank, and properly inflated tires.
Many round or rectangular fog lights have symmetrical fasteners; they are installed in two positions. If the PTFs are installed backwards (upside down), they will not be able to be adjusted.
If you cannot adjust the headlights yourself, you should contact a specialist service station. In any case, using special equipment, adjusting the headlights will be more accurate than when doing such work yourself.
For right-hand drive cars (Japanese, from the UK), the headlight adjustment scheme differs from the setting used for left-hand drive cars.
There are different data on the Internet and published videos regarding the height of the headlights when adjusting, but the light should not be directed parallel and not higher than the level of the optics itself; the headlights cannot be directed very low.

Preparation and adjustment of headlights in accordance with GOST

Adjustment scheme

We first check the tire pressure, place a load (75.0 kg) on the front seat, squeeze the parking brake lever;
On the wall (obstacle) we draw a horizontal line at a distance of 550 mm. from the earth. This will be the level of visibility of the driver’s pupils at a distance of three meters from the front bumper;
We draw a line perpendicularly passing through the center of the light beam for each of the headlights: line 1 and 2.
A vertical line is drawn down the center.

Adjusting and adjusting the headlight manually

We measure the distance of lines 1 and 2, they should be equal. For the objectivity of the data, let’s rock the side of the car and check the accuracy of the beam accuracy restoration, simulating a road bump;
Using the hydraulic corrector, we complete the headlight height adjustment. Initially, set the lever to position “0”. Experts recommend setting up each of the headlights separately, after covering the inactive one with an opaque material;
Adjusting the low beam headlights on the Lada Granta is considered complete when the light spots on the wall completely coincide with the horizontal line;
If necessary, repeat the setup process again.

Hydraulic corrector malfunction

The hydraulic corrector device is simple. It consists of a master cylinder and two auxiliary cylinders for the left and right headlights. All cylinders of the hydraulic corrector are connected by tubes. On the dashboard there is a corrector knob used to adjust the headlights. When you turn the corrector knob, the pressure in the main cylinder changes, which is transmitted through the tubes to the workers. The force acts on the reflector pistons, which changes the angle.

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In the electric corrector, the function of transmitting force is performed by motors that receive power from the on-board network. An electric corrector is more resistant to temperature fluctuations than a hydrocorrector, but is much more expensive.

Replacing the hydraulic corrector with a similar device

The reason why a hydraulic corrector may need to be repaired is most often due to jamming of the cylinder or a violation of the tightness of the system: rupture of seals or damage to tubes. In this case, the repair is ineffective; it is easier to replace the hydraulic corrector yourself with a similar device or an electric corrector. The replacement procedures are similar, but have differences.

To replace the hydraulic corrector you will need a 21" socket and a ratchet. First, by unscrewing the nut inside, you should remove the corrector handle to release the corrector master cylinder. The cylinder needs to be removed. Then you need to remove the working cylinders and tubes. Then the entire structure needs to be pulled out through the hole into the cabin. Installation of a new hydraulic corrector is carried out in the reverse order.

Electrical corrector for Lada Granta

Replacing a hydraulic corrector with an electric one

The electrical corrector is installed in the same way. The hydraulic corrector is removed and electric analogues are installed instead of the working cylinders. Then you need to connect the positive wire to terminal “20”, and short the negative wire to ground. The connecting tubes are replaced with the wires used. The last step is to connect the terminal to the negative of the battery. It remains to check that the electric corrector is working correctly.

Hydro- and electric correctors used on modern cars make it easier to adjust the low beam. Properly adjusted headlights ensure the safety of the driver and passengers.

We improve the quality of work done

In order to increase the efficiency of roadway lighting, we check body elements for defects, damage, and deformation. By ignoring the curvatures on the body, it is impossible to achieve maximum concentration of the light beam.

We check the integrity of the headlight glass and the tightness of the sealing elements. There is dust and dirt inside the optics module - a sign of poor sealing. Replace the rubber seal, update the silicone sealant.

Long-term operation of the machine on rough terrain or unpaved surfaces leads to damage and scratches on the optics. It is not at all necessary to change the headlights; it is enough to carefully polish them with special means.

If the reflector or mirror surface is damaged, unconditional replacement of the optics. Such a defect cannot be restored.

Installation of lamps strictly in accordance with catalog articles. Purchasing components other than factory ones does not guarantee the quality of lighting or service life.

Action plan

Summarizing all of the above, we organize the sequence of actions as follows:

We choose the method of setting up the lighting fixtures (by ourselves, by a service station);
We prepare the car, check the tire pressure (2.0 / 2.2 MPa), place the Lada Granta at a distance of three meters from the wall (notional obstacle), remove the plug from the back of the headlight;
We draw the diagram according to GOST, parallel and perpendicular lines;
We compare the light beam with actual points on the wall;
We carry out adjustments using hydraulic correctors.

Adjusting the angle of incidence of light from the headlights

There is also a special switch for adjusting the headlight angle (marked with a red arrow in the figure). It has many positions and is very difficult to adjust (in theory, you don’t need to adjust it often; once you set it, you forget it).

When adjusting, I set the angle to the highest level so that there was more illuminated space. Although this may blind oncoming cars, other foreign cars have this setting that is even more insolent towards other drivers.

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We remove the faulty pusher from the headlight;
After warming the tube for elasticity, remove the pusher from it;
From the side of the tube we twist the self-tapping screw at an angle - the deeper, the more the rod will stick out;
We adjust the length of the screw until the desired result is obtained.

Option 2 – humane . We return the corrector to full working condition.

We remove the faulty pusher from the headlight;
We warm the tube and carefully remove it from the pusher;
We try to move the rod with pliers - the pusher does not work if there is little liquid in it and there is no required pressure;
If the rod moves, use a syringe with a needle to pump antifreeze into the pusher and put the system back together.
The rod does not move - pump a small amount of antifreeze into the pusher with a syringe, try to develop the rod. Add antifreeze to the desired level.
The optimal fluid level in the pusher is determined experimentally or by comparison with a working corrector.

Reviews

№	Positive
1.	Kirill , 33 years old: after buying the car from the dealership there were no problems with optics. Incorrect lighting began after a collision on the highway. I had to adjust it with hydraulic correctors. It’s not at all difficult to figure out the sizes and angles of lighting on your own.
2.	Vitaly , 41 years old: recently replaced the standard lamps with halogen ones, the accuracy of the light beam has dissipated. The regulator in the cabin did not cope with the task, even in position “2”. I adjusted it using hydrocorrectors on each of the headlights. It turned out to be good light.
3.	Vladlen , 33 years old: despite the fact that the body geometry was restored after the accident, the low beam lost its accuracy. Thanks to hydrocorretors, I restored the light beam.
4.	Vasily , 38 years old: I work as a taxi driver, I often drive at night. In general, the lighting of the Lada Grant is good and accurate, but after the repair all the settings were lost. I had to restore it myself using standard hydraulic correctors.
5.	Mikhail , 42 years old: I can say that the lighting quality of the Lada Grant is good, far from ideal, but better than that of the Priora and Vesta. Sufficient for daily needs, those who want to improve performance can install xenon.
6.	Gennady , 44 years old: I work as an entrepreneur, I drive most of the time. The accuracy of the low beam light beam is enough for me; the road and the right side of the curb are illuminated. During all this time I only adjusted it with hydraulic correctors a couple of times.
7.	Valentin , 42 years old: after a major overhaul of the car last year, I slightly adjusted the high beam. The violation may be related to the accident. In all other respects, no comments.
Negative
1.	Victor , 34 years old: I don’t like the standard head lighting, it’s weak and dim. The adjustment doesn't help much. After installing xenon there are no problems, the road and side of the road are always under control.
2.	Alexander , 36 years old: bought the car second-hand, second owner, good condition. I replaced the head optics with xenon, I’m happy with the quality, the clearance is excellent. My advice to motorists.
3.	Konstantin , 32 years old: Lada Granta has a problem with high beams, similar to Priora and Vesta. Nothing has been changed. I installed additional headlights myself.

Conclusion As for the Lada Granta, a car in the mid-price segment, the lighting is good, it is quite enough for daily use. Anyone who wants to see the road a kilometer ahead should install additional lighting.

To complete the data, read the recommendations and operating instructions (https://www.lada.ru/cars/granta/sedan/manual.html). The adjustment mechanism is similar to the Vesta and Priora models.

What is a hydraulic corrector and how does it work?

The hydraulic headlight corrector is installed on the Grant from the factory. This device adjusts the headlights higher or lower depending on the vehicle's load.

You need to adjust it yourself - there is no automatic setting.

The corrector control is located under the light switch handle. Position 0 corresponds to a car with one person - the driver.

Principle of operation:

the handle controls the hydraulic corrector cylinder;
the cylinder regulates the pressure in the flexible tubes that go to the pushers;
pushers are installed in the headlights - the higher the pressure in the tubes, the stronger the liquid inside the pusher presses on the rod;
the position of the rod deeper/further is responsible for adjusting the headlight higher/lower.

The operating principle of the hydraulic corrector is clearly shown below:

Visual representation of the headlight hydraulic adjustment system