2004 Ford Focus wagon headlights: the low beam only covers about 30 feet of visibility out in front of the car. I just had the Ford dealer replace these to get better vision and this is what I got -- no better than before. There is a distinct horizontal line where blackness begins beyond the light reach. Dealer says lights not adjustable -- ? Any replacement bulb or adjustment ideas?

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Turn the engine off, open the hood, and disconnect the negative battery cable (--) with your pliers.

Locate the power distribution box against the firewall on the driver's side of the engine compartment. Flip up the latch and remove the plastic cover.

Determine which headlight fuse you want to replace. The 2001 Ford Focus uses four headlight fuses--one for each headlight. Fuse number 16 is for the passenger side low beam; fuse number 17 is for the driver's side low beam. Fuse number 26 is for the passenger side high beam; fuse number 27 is for the driver's side high beam.

Grasp the fuse with your fingers and pull it straight out of its mount. Insert the new fuse in its place. Replace the plastic cover and reconnect the negative battery cable.

My 2006 ZXW SES has worn front end linkages @ 48000 km, being replaced today, not covered by warranty according to Ford dealer

The adjustment screws/nuts should be located either on the top of the headlamp assembly, behind the headlamp assembly, or near the frame rail by the radiator support.

You will have vertical adjustment screws for each independent beam (separate highs and separate lows, but will be same screw if highs and lows are the same bulb). You may also have additional horizontal adjustment screws as well

Park your car on a level ground 30 feet from a wall and measure the height from the ground to the bulb and mark on a wall (do this for highs beams and low beams if the bulbs are separate, if highs and lows are the same bulb, only do it for the lows)

For Low Beams: If the headlights read VOR, then aim the brightest part or cutoff part just below the mark on the wall. If it says VOL or nothing, aim them 2 inches below the mark on the wall.

For High Beams (if separate from low beams): Aim the headlight directly at the line you marked on the wall.

AIMING THE HEADLIGHTS

The headlights must be properly aimed to provide the best, safest road illumination. The lights should be checked for proper aim and adjusted as necessary. Certain state and local authorities have requirements for headlight aiming; these should be checked before adjustment is made.

CAUTION About once a year, when the headlights are replaced or any time front end work is performed on your vehicle, the headlight should be accurately aimed by a reputable repair shop using the proper equipment. Headlights not properly aimed can make it virtually impossible to see and may blind other drivers on the road, possibly causing an accident. Note that the following procedure is a temporary fix, until you can take your vehicle to a repair shop for a proper adjustment.
Headlight adjustment may be temporarily made using a wall, as described below, or on the rear of another vehicle. When adjusted, the lights should not glare in oncoming car or truck windshields, nor should they illuminate the passenger compartment of vehicles driving in front of you. These adjustments are rough and should always be fine-tuned by a repair shop which is equipped with headlight aiming tools. Improper adjustments may be both dangerous and illegal.
For most of the vehicles covered by this guide, horizontal and vertical aiming of each sealed beam unit is provided by two adjusting screws which move the retaining ring and adjusting plate against the tension of a coil spring. There is no adjustment for focus; this is done during headlight manufacturing.
Because the composite headlight assembly is bolted into position, no adjustment should be necessary or possible. Some applications, however, may be bolted to an adjuster plate or may be retained by adjusting screws. If so, follow this procedure when adjusting the lights, BUT always have the adjustment checked by a reputable shop.
Before removing the headlight bulb or disturbing the headlamp in any way, note the current settings in order to ease headlight adjustment upon reassembly. If the high or low beam setting of the old lamp still works, this can be done using the wall of a garage or a building:

1. Park the vehicle on a level surface, with the fuel tank about 1 / 2 full and with the vehicle empty of all extra cargo (unless normally carried). The vehicle should be facing a wall which is no less than 6 feet (1.8m) high and 12 feet (3.7m) wide. The front of the vehicle should be about 25 feet from the wall.

Fig. : Location of the aiming screws on most vehicles with sealed beam headlights




Fig. : Dual headlight adjustment screw locations-one side shown here (other side should be mirror image)



Fig. : Example of headlight adjustment screw location for composite headlamps

1. If aiming is to be performed outdoors, it is advisable to wait until dusk in order to properly see the headlight beams on the wall. If done in a garage, darken the area around the wall as much as possible by closing shades or hanging cloth over the windows.
2. Turn the headlights ON and mark the wall at the center of each light's low beam, then switch on the brights and mark the center of each light's high beam. A short length of masking tape which is visible from the front of the vehicle may be used. Although marking all four positions is advisable, marking one position from each light should be sufficient.

Fig. : Low-beam headlight pattern alignment



Fig. : High-beam headlight pattern alignment

1. If neither beam on one side is working, and if another like-sized vehicle is available, park the second one in the exact spot where the vehicle was and mark the beams using the same-side light. Then switch the vehicles so the one to be aimed is back in the original spot. It must be parked no closer to or farther away from the wall than the second vehicle.
2. Perform any necessary repairs, but make sure the vehicle is not moved, or is returned to the exact spot from which the lights were marked. Turn the headlights ON and adjust the beams to match the marks on the wall.
3. Have the headlight adjustment checked as soon as possible by a reputable repair shop.

Hope helped with this information. Good luck (remember rated this help).

The adjustment screws/nuts should be located either on the top of the headlamp assembly, behind the headlamp assembly, or near the frame rail by the radiator support.

You will have vertical adjustment screws for each independent beam (separate highs and separate lows, but will be same screw if highs and lows are the same bulb). You may also have additional horizontal adjustment screws as well

Park your car on a level ground 30 feet from a wall and measure the height from the ground to the bulb and mark on a wall (do this for highs beams and low beams if the bulbs are separate, if highs and lows are the same bulb, only do it for the lows)

For Low Beams: If the headlights read VOR, then aim the brightest part or cutoff part just below the mark on the wall. If it says VOL or nothing, aim them 2 inches below the mark on the wall.

For High Beams (if separate from low beams): Aim the headlight directly at the line you marked on the wall.

The adjustment screws/nuts should be located either on the top of the headlamp assembly, behind the headlamp assembly, or near the frame rail by the radiator support.

You will have vertical adjustment screws for each independent beam (separate highs and separate lows, but will be same screw if highs and lows are the same bulb). You may also have additional horizontal adjustment screws as well

Park your car on a level ground 30 feet from a wall and measure the height from the ground to the bulb and mark on a wall (do this for highs beams and low beams if the bulbs are separate, if highs and lows are the same bulb, only do it for the lows)

For Low Beams: If the headlights read VOR, then aim the brightest part or cutoff part just below the mark on the wall. If it says VOL or nothing, aim them 2 inches below the mark on the wall.

For High Beams (if separate from low beams): Aim the headlight directly at the line you marked on the wall.

Should be fairly easy. Make sure to disconnect the positive battery cable. Remove the cover from around the column behind the steering wheel. Should take a star driver to remove the screws holding the cover together. Once the screws are removed pop the cover apart and you will see the multifunction switch on the column, should have two to three screws holding it to the column remove the screws and it should come out pretty easy replace with new one and put back together.

Your adjustment screws should be white nuts (adjustable with an allen wrench, or a socket, or a pair of pliers) located behind the headlamp assembly right up against the fender

Park your car on a level ground 30 feet from a wall and measure the height from the ground to the bulb and mark on a wall. You only need to do this and the aiming for your low beams as your high beams are on the same bulb

Your headlights should also say VOR. When you turn on your headlights, aim them right at the mark that you put on the wall, with the brightest cutoff directly under the mark

your owner manual will list the bulb. It is expensive. tascafordparts.com for discount from Ford Dealer

here's 2003, don't have 2004

Navigator high intensity discharge (HID) headlamp

1. Remove the front radiator air deflector.

1. Remove the three bolts and the headlamp assembly.
• Disconnect the electrical connectors.

8. Remove the headlamp bulb protective cover(s).

• Remove the HID lamp cover.
• Remove the high beam cover.
• Disconnect the electrical connector and push the grommet into the headlamp assembly.

1. Release the spring tabs and remove the HID low beam bulb.

You need to replace the high/low beam switch