[2.3Ted]

Hi all-

Picked up a 2005 9-5 Arc for my son (my past Saabs include a '98 900 SE vert and a 2003 9-3 SE vert with the sport kit) Anyway - headlights (HID) were all yellowed and nasty. Had them refinished yesterday finally.

Drove the car in the dark for the first time this morning and the headlights were pointing almost straight down in front of the car. The car is in the shop right now getting a new blower motor and resistor installed. What should I have the shop look at for fixing the lights? Just regular adjustment or are the level motors shot?

They were at least both pointing in the same place on the ground, just not up where I needed them to be!

 

[Doug]

Welcome!

Pointing down is the fail safe position they go to when the auto levelling fails. We’re they aiming down before it was taken to the headlight polishers? Did they remove them from the car? Is the headlight aim fail annunciation lit in the instrument cluster?

A better description of the system’s function than I can give is in the Saab Workshop Info System,

www.saabwisonline.com

which also contains fault diagnosis etc,

 

[2.3Ted]

He did the lights on the car. No warning lights lit, but will have the shop check the levelers. I figured that may be the case. Finding myself paying for lots of deferred maintenance on this car - I've gotten to the age I don't like working on them unless the weather is nice! 😅

 

[Doug]

Often it’s the pins in the levellers’ connecting looms which corrode.

 

[EdT]

When you start the car, watch what the headlights do. Normally operating headlights dip down, then rise up to the correct position.

Assuming the aim was correct to begin with, then something has been disconnected or the headlights really need calibrating (done with a Tech II).

In fact, a Tech II can let you figure out what's going on a lot quicker than trial and error.

 

[EdT]

There is also manual adjustment of headlight aim. However, what Saab wants is for you to "calibrate" the headlights. This is done at a normal load on level ground. Calibrated headlights sit kind of in the middle of their auto adjustment travel. Then you use the manual adjustment to get them properly aimed. That way, the headlights can adjust properly up or down from their calibrated position.

Trying to raise up the headlights beyond the manual adjustment range can break the adjustment mechanism, and then you have a nice big headlight-sized paperweight.