Headlight Light Level Adjuster not working fails the MOT?

Got my MOT coming up soon

Will the Headlight Light Level Adjuster not working fail? Both head lights are at the same level but im worried that this would make it fail...

The C3 I had years ago failed when the beam alignment check showed the headlights needed altering, and they then found one couldn't be adjusted.

I don't know about the motorised beam level adjustment though; I hope not as the motor in one of my headlights is seized following water getting into the unit from the bulb cover not being put back on properly.

BillWSS wrote:Will the Headlight Light Level Adjuster not working fail?

There is a mechanical adjuster and an electrical adjuster (on some models, if not all?). I assume your problem is the electronic one as its quite common for this to fail if they headlight covers are not fitted correctly. I don't expect an electrical fault to fail the MOT test.

But if the mechanical adjustment is broken and the beam is wrong and can't be adjusted, it should fail.

Electronic headlight adjuster failure:


from the water in the headlights topic.

Chapster wrote:I hope not as the motor in one of my headlights is seized following water getting into the unit from the bulb cover not being put back on properly.

Its quite a common problem

If the headlight thumb wheel adjuster in present, it must adjust the headlights to pass the MOT

If your headlights do not adjust, just pop out and disconnect the adjuster thumbwheel and it will pass (because there is no adjuster present)

One of my headlights refused to adjust even manually presumably due to previous water ingres, so I bought a brand new one expexting this one at least to adjust electrically, but it doesn't, so I checked the voltage at the contoller under the steering wheel but there's no volts present.

Not all new headlights are electrically adjustable, just as some models were not fitted with electronic adjustable headlights.

If it won't adjust manually up and down then I would say the motor is seized because the motor is connected directly to the white gear cogs visible on the outside of the headlight housing.

No volts present is to be expected because the current is sunk and not sourced through the headlight adjustment switch near the driver.

The new headlight does have a motor onboard as does the other side, but I would have thought there would be some power as the switch thing on the dash