To adjust headlights, park on level ground about 25 feet from a wall, mark the center of each headlight on the wall, then turn the vertical and horizontal adjusters until the top of each low beam’s bright cutoff sits just below its center mark and the beam points straight ahead or slightly toward the road edge. The exact drop and distance vary by vehicle, so use the figures in your owner’s manual when it gives them.
Before you start
- Set the tires to the correct pressure and load the vehicle the way you normally drive it, with about a full tank of fuel and weight in the driver’s seat.
- Bounce each corner a few times so the suspension settles.
- Find the adjusters: most headlight housings have a vertical adjuster and many have a horizontal one, often marked on the housing. Some include a bubble level.
How to adjust headlights step by step
- Pull up to the wall with the headlights close to it and mark the center of each lens with a vertical and a horizontal strip of tape.
- Back straight up to the distance your manual specifies; 25 feet is common.
- Turn on the low beams and cover one headlight while you adjust the other.
- Set the height: turn the vertical adjuster until the top of the bright cutoff sits slightly below the horizontal tape line. A drop of about 2 inches at 25 feet is a common guideline.
- Set the aim: with the horizontal adjuster, put the brightest part of the beam at or slightly right of the vertical line, away from oncoming traffic.
- Repeat for the other side, then check both together and take a test drive at night.
Re-aim after replacing a headlight assembly, lifting or lowering the vehicle, or changing to much larger or smaller tires; even a small change in ride height moves the beam a long way down the road. If you have lowered the car, our guide to coilovers vs lowering springs explains why the alignment and headlight aim both need checking.
LED vs halogen headlights
- Light output and color: LED headlights are typically brighter and whiter than halogen bulbs.
- Power and life: LEDs draw less power and generally last much longer.
- Beam pattern: what matters most is the housing. A headlight built for LEDs, with a projector or reflector designed around them, gives a sharp cutoff; LED bulbs pushed into a housing designed for halogen can scatter light and glare at oncoming drivers.
Sequential turn signals
Sequential turn signals light the indicator in steps from the inside out, which makes the direction of the turn easy to read. Some aftermarket assemblies let you choose between sequential and solid signals.
LED headlights for the Subaru WRX and STI
The Molded Innovations Odyssey Series sequential LED headlights ($934.99) fit the 2015-2017 WRX, 2015-2017 STI and 2018-2021 WRX Base and Premium, but not Limited models or cars with steering responsive headlights. They use high-power LEDs for low and high beam with a crisp cutoff, and the turn signal can be set to stepped sequential or solid with a connector. The factory headlight plug is kept and one extra connection to the fuse box is needed. Aim them after installation as described above. More parts for the car: Subaru WRX and STI parts.
More guides: projector vs reflector headlights · headlight condensation · LED vs halogen headlights.
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