Ford Explorer Quiz
Maintenance

Headlamp Aim

In this manual: Maintenance
Introduction — 10At a Glance — 3Child Safety — 11Seat Belts — 10Personal Safety System™ — 1Supplemental Restraint System — 10Pedestrian Protection — 1911 Assist — 3Keys and Remote Controls — 10MyKey™ — 8Doors & Locks — 9Liftgate — 7Safety — 3Steering Wheel — 11Wipers and Washers — 5Lighting — 13Automatic High Beam Control — 3Windows and Mirrors — 6Instrument Cluster — 4Information Displays — 4Climate Control — 6Cabin Air Quality — 2Seats — 9Garage Door Opener — 2Auxiliary Power Points — 3Storage Compartments — 2Starting and Stopping the Engine — 5Unique Driving Characteristics — 4Fuel and Refueling — 8Engine Emission Control — 3High-Voltage Battery — 1Infection Transmission — 8All-Wheel Drive Vehicle — 1Brakes — 5Reverse Brake Assist — 4Traction Control — 1Stability Control — 3Hill Descent Control — 3Park Aid — 8Cruise Control — 4Adaptive Cruise Control — 19Driver Assistance — 12Drive Mode Control — 4Loading — 6Tow/Haul — 6Driving Tips — 5Roadside Emergencies — 8Customer Assistance — 9Fuses — 3Maintenance — 21Vehicle Care — 12Wheels and Tires — 8Capacities and Specifications — 16Connectivity — 3Wi-Fi Hotspot — 3Audio System — 6SYNC™ 3 — 14Accessories — 1Ford Protect — 1Scheduled Maintenance — 5Appendices — 4
6steps
~36min
2/5difficulty
Done 0 of 6

Vertical Aim Adjustment

If your vehicle has been involved in a collision, have the headlamp aim checked by an authorized dealer.

A - 8 ft (2.4 m)

B - Mass to center of headlamp high beam bulb

C - 25 ft (7.6 m)

D - Horizontal reference line

Vertical Aim Adjustment Procedure

  1. Park the vehicle on level ground approximately 25 ft (7.6 m) from a wall or screen.
  2. Measure the distance from the ground to the center of the headlamp high beam bulb, and mark a horizontal reference line 8 ft (2.4 m) long on the wall or screen at that height.
  3. Turn on the low beam headlamps and open the hood.
  4. On the wall or screen, you will see a flat area of bright light located at the top of the beam pattern. If the upper edge of the flat high-intensity light area is not on the horizontal reference line, adjust the headlamp aim.
  5. Use a suitable tool, such as a screwdriver or socket wrench, to turn the adjuster clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the vertical aim of the headlamp. The horizontal cutoff of the brighter light source must align with the horizontal reference line.
  6. Close the hood and turn off the lamps.

Test yourself

A quick Ford Explorer quiz: every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the manual page.