1. Welcome to Tundras.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tundra discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other Tundra owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Headlight pointing down during cold start...

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by 3rdGenTundraDC, Mar 29, 2019.

  1. Mar 29, 2019 at 9:00 AM
    #1
    3rdGenTundraDC

    3rdGenTundraDC [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2018
    Member:
    #21165
    Messages:
    120
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    MGM
    Central Florida
    Vehicle:
    14 Tundra DC
    305/50/20 Nitto Terra Grappler G2 Stock, stock, stock.
    Has anyone noticed or know why one headlight would be pointing down on cold starts? My passenger side points down at it's lowest setting and rises up to mid point within 20secs and then is back to leveled after 15 minutes. I will even try to flick the adjuster all the way down and back up but the passenger side just stops at mid point at it's highest setting until it warms up and goes up by itself. I need to check if it's the leveling motor or it's something with the reflector/led assembly but just seeing if anyone knows anything about this issue.

    20190326_174129.jpg
     
  2. Mar 29, 2019 at 9:25 AM
    #2
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2014
    Member:
    #6
    Messages:
    155,878
    Gender:
    Male
    Are you sure it’s just not powering the lights fully in the beginning?
     
  3. Mar 29, 2019 at 11:21 AM
    #3
    3rdGenTundraDC

    3rdGenTundraDC [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2018
    Member:
    #21165
    Messages:
    120
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    MGM
    Central Florida
    Vehicle:
    14 Tundra DC
    305/50/20 Nitto Terra Grappler G2 Stock, stock, stock.
    LEDs comes on instantly. I see what you're saying; like what HID does but it should not move that drastically .I see my passenger beam rise up from the lowest setting up to about 1 - 1.25" below the driver. This is from watching the beam against my garage door. I need to see if in fact the leveler is turning when does it's initial rise from start up. It's very odd. It's seems to be resetting to the low setting from sitting after I shut the truck off. When I leave work, it's already dark so I see the beam is again at it's lowest setting and rise up to mid point When within the first 30 seconds. I get on the road for about 10-15 minutes, I can see the beam is leveled again with the driver side.
     
    T-Rex266[QUOTED] likes this.
  4. Mar 29, 2019 at 11:27 AM
    #4
    gladecreekwy

    gladecreekwy Wyoming

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2017
    Member:
    #7463
    Messages:
    906
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    J
    Jackson Wyoming
    Vehicle:
    2014 trd silver tundra
    6" lift, bumper and winch.
    That’s weird.
     
  5. Mar 29, 2019 at 11:30 AM
    #5
    gdiep

    gdiep I like cookies

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2016
    Member:
    #4540
    Messages:
    1,011
    Gender:
    Male
    Syracuse, New York
    Vehicle:
    2014 Red Tundra CM SR5
    Looks like you upgraded to the Led headlights. Take the motor off the original set and try it on the Led.
     
  6. Mar 29, 2019 at 11:40 AM
    #6
    3rdGenTundraDC

    3rdGenTundraDC [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2018
    Member:
    #21165
    Messages:
    120
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    MGM
    Central Florida
    Vehicle:
    14 Tundra DC
    305/50/20 Nitto Terra Grappler G2 Stock, stock, stock.
    Yeah. That's always an option. I wanted to see if anyone had experienced or heard of this happening even with the halogen headlights.
     
  7. Mar 30, 2019 at 12:05 PM
    #7
    3rdGenTundraDC

    3rdGenTundraDC [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2018
    Member:
    #21165
    Messages:
    120
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    MGM
    Central Florida
    Vehicle:
    14 Tundra DC
    305/50/20 Nitto Terra Grappler G2 Stock, stock, stock.
    Turns out, the motor is cycling when the headlights is powered on. It reminds me of the RPM and MPH hands in my old 350z where it cycles back and forth when you start the car. I guess whatever electronic component that keeps the memory or last position is fried so it's in demo mode, per se.

    The 8mm nylon nut with the shark tooth wheel does not spin when the motor is activated but you can definitely hear it. Cleverly, there's some type of clutch allowing manual adjustment without actually turning the motor. Anyone know how this feature works exactly?

    Well, a new unit can be had for $80 and used ones from other Toyota can be had on eBay for as low as $20. I still have my old ones but what's shocking is, these 2018 headlights are not even a year old. I'm trying to see if the original owner @Erichudgins can get it replaced under warranty before I start removing ones from my 2014.

    I searched to see how to remove the leveling motor and most of the directions are from people watching videos of others or they did not fully understand what it was they were doing. I fiddle around with the old headlights last night and here's what I found out:

    First, turn the 8mm nylon nut and find the center position or range. You will notice the nut get tighter when you're getting closer to the max top or max bottom position. Find the center range where it feels the least resistance.

    Note: Removing the unit when the nut is under high tension (all the way in or all the way out) will cause a violent pop and could damage your reflector bowl or will drop unwanted dust inside your housing. Think of it like a rubber band releasing except your reflector bowl is the rubber band. The nut is attached to a long screw which is then threaded into the lower part of the reflector bowl assembly. The back of the housing is the pivot point and when the screw is turned, it threads into the bowl and pulls or pushes to lower and raise the bowl, respectively. With headlights out of truck and nylon nut facing you, turning it clockwise will thread into the bowl therefore bringing the lower part of the bowl closer to the leveling unit/back of housing. This will cause the bowl to angle down and lowers the beam. This is the opposite if you're standing over the top of it and turning it with a flat head screw driver trying to flick it to the left (think of it like your blinkers, lol).

    2nd, turn the leveling unit towards the turning signal so it's parallel with the housing. See close up below but just remember to turn bottom edge of unit towards blinkers and watch your fingers so they do not get caught between the unit and the housing. As you can see, it's not just turning it in one direction. Turning the leveling unit in the wrong direction will break the plastic tabs that locks the unit into place. The back of the unit has a small plastic knob that protrudes out from the back cover. When you turn the unit to unlock it, the knob will slide over the thinner of the two tab on the housing and free itself. One of the two tabs is solid and does not flex like the thinner one, which is slightly angled towards the knob as well. Again, if you happen to turn it into the stiff tab, you will either break the tab or snap the knob off the back of the leveling unit. I think you can still get it to work if you do happen to break it by simply getto-fabbing the unit in place using hot glue or Velcro. If left unfixed, as you adjust the light to the mid point of the range, the unit will become loose and can pop out if it happens to rotate a quarter turn.

    3rd, once the unit is unlocked, turn the nylon nut/screw counter clockwise and unscrew it all the way out.

    Passenger side lights
    2019-03-30 18.34.00.jpg 2019-03-30 19.23.55.jpg
    Passenger side20190330_144639.jpg 20190330_152256.jpg 20190330_145019.jpg

    P/N on unit is PBT-GF30. The Sienna and Prius uses the same design but the last two digit changes. Wondering if this has anything to do with the range.

    OEM models that uses the exact same p/n (very cheap on eBay, $10-13):
    • 2008-2016 Infiniti EX 35, 37, QX 501
    • 2011-2014 Infiniti QX 56, 80.
    • 2012-2016 FRS and BRZ
    Aftermarket options:
    These are for the Prius and various Lexus models:
    • 2011-17 Lexus CT200h with LED Headlights Headlight Motor Driver or Passenger Side Dorman 926-202
    • 2013-16 Lexus ES300h with HID (High-Intensity Discharge) Headlights Headlight Motor Driver or Passenger Side Dorman 926-202
    • 2013-16 Lexus ES350 with HID (High-Intensity Discharge) Headlights Headlight Motor Driver or Passenger Side Dorman 926-202
    • 2014-15 Lexus IS250 Headlight Motor Driver or Passenger Side Dorman 926-202
    • 2014-17 Lexus IS350 Headlight Motor Driver or Passenger Side Dorman 926-202
    • 2015-17 Lexus RC350 Headlight Motor Driver or Passenger Side Dorman 926-202
    • 2010-11 Toyota Prius with LED Headlights Headlight Motor Driver or Passenger Side Dorman 926-202
    • 2012-17 Toyota Prius V with LED Headlights Headlight Motor Driver or Passenger Side Dorman 926-202
    Screenshot_2019-03-30-18-46-15-1.jpg

    https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/311988889938

    Dorman 926-202 Headlight Adjusting Motor
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Mar 30, 2019
    This site contains affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
    #7
  8. Mar 30, 2019 at 1:27 PM
    #8
    gdiep

    gdiep I like cookies

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2016
    Member:
    #4540
    Messages:
    1,011
    Gender:
    Male
    Syracuse, New York
    Vehicle:
    2014 Red Tundra CM SR5
    Glad you sorted it out. Mods, can this be added to the dyi section?
     

Products Discussed in

To Top