Auto adjusting Depo E-Codes, beam still sits low?

[mcanedo92588]

Not sure if maybe my stock headlights were aimed too high, but my new depo ecodes sit much lower even when adjusted to the max height. Any ideas? Also, are my fog beams supposed to reach above the headlights beams, because they used to be level with my other headlights, now the fogs are aimed a good foot about the headlights from about 20ft back. Can I aim those down manually a bit, is that the screw that people say "don't mess with" when changing the bulb?

[AudiA4Turbo22]

Are you sure you're turning the right adjustment screw? You should be turning both equal turns in whatever direction your going.

I also don't think Depo E-Codes have self leveling.

[Willënskraft]

Just adjusted mine yesterday night. Its the 'white hex screws' the outer screws near the fender adjust the vertical, and the inner screws adjust the horizontal. Not sure about the auto-leveling. Oh wait maybe you have the bi-xenons??

[Matt Devo]

Its the 'white hex screws' the outer screws near the fender adjust the vertical, and the inner screws adjust the horizontal

Turn BOTH screws an equal amount for vertical adjustment

[evo_ski]

The idea of turning both screws still makes zero sense to me. One is for horizontal one is for vertical. That is how I have always done it and mine are aimed perfectly.

[MikTip]

They have to be first set in place properly by the 4 mount screws and the single screw on the front top...
Make sure all the shipping restraints have been removed internally....

[Willënskraft]

Make sure all the shipping restraints have been removed internally....

Yep there is a whole bunch of those pins everywhere.

[mcanedo92588]

They have to be first set in place properly by the 4 mount screws and the single screw on the front top...
Make sure all the shipping restraints have been removed internally....

Yeah, I have everything removed and aligned properly, and both knobs were adjusted an equal amount (max amount). They go pretty much level with the car, but being lowered doesn't give great visibility though. I am currently having the good old condensation issue with them, so I have already taken them out and swapped them with my originals twice to try and eliminate the issue without having to reseal them myself. From the car being parked the same distance away from my garage, the OEM lights are a good foot or so above the depo ones. I have factory Xenon headlights with the auto leveling motors, although one of the motors is out right now, it does indeed have the mounts and capabilities for the motors for the D1S housing version of the depo's. These lights are becoming a huge pain right now, I would be a lot more happy with them if they at least didn't fog up so bad after only 30 minutes of driving!

[Matt Devo]

The idea of turning both screws still makes zero sense to me. One is for horizontal one is for vertical. That is how I have always done it and mine are aimed perfectly.

then you're not thinking about how the adjusters work. Both screws connect to the top the projector assembly, which pivots on the bottom and the outside of the assembly. Turning both screws changes the angle of the assembly as it rotates on the bottom pivot. Turning the inside screw only rotates it about the side pivot, which adjusts the horizontal alignment.

[evo_ski]

then you're not thinking about how the adjusters work. Both screws connect to the top the projector assembly, which pivots on the bottom and the outside of the assembly. Turning both screws changes the angle of the assembly as it rotates on the bottom pivot. Turning the inside screw only rotates it about the side pivot, which adjusts the horizontal alignment.

Clearly yours are different than OEM bixenons then. On my OEM Valeo Bixenons, both S4 and Ecode they have three connection points. A top fixed point directly above the lower adjustable pivot connected to the height adjustment motor (toward the fender), and a side adjustable pivot connected to the inner (toward motor) adjustment screw.

With those three points of contact the single outer screw (toward the fender) will pivot the up and down adjustment, which is why they have the height adjustment motor connected to it. Spinning the other inner adjuster screw simply rotates the headlight plate about the vertical axis from the height adjustment motor and the fixed ball joint above the motor. Spinning both of the screws at the same time on an OEM bixenon will make the headlight adjust in a diagonal fashion rather than directly up and down.

I am just so confused as to whey everyone insists that you must spin both the same amount and same direction, but no one says why they do that or what they have observed when they do that. It must be that either the single xenons are built differently, or the Depo and other aftermarket brands adjust differently.

[Matt Devo]

Clearly yours are different than OEM bixenons then. On my OEM Valeo Bixenons, both S4 and Ecode they have three connection points. A top fixed point directly above the lower adjustable pivot connected to the height adjustment motor (toward the fender), and a side adjustable pivot connected to the inner (toward motor) adjustment screw.

With those three points of contact the single outer screw (toward the fender) will pivot the up and down adjustment, which is why they have the height adjustment motor connected to it. Spinning the other inner adjuster screw simply rotates the headlight plate about the vertical axis from the height adjustment motor and the fixed ball joint above the motor. Spinning both of the screws at the same time on an OEM bixenon will make the headlight adjust in a diagonal fashion rather than directly up and down.

I am just so confused as to whey everyone insists that you must spin both the same amount and same direction, but no one says why they do that or what they have observed when they do that. It must be that either the single xenons are built differently, or the Depo and other aftermarket brands adjust differently.

sounds like the bixenon adjustment setup is a little different than with the OEM halogen/single xenon/aftermarket housings

[evo_ski]

sounds like the bixenon adjustment setup is a little different than with the OEM halogen/single xenon/aftermarket housings

Cool, makes sense. I know you have very good knowledge on the sets you have installed, it sounds like most of the people commenting about the dual screw method must have single xenons rather than bixenons. At least I finally know that that must be the case. I have been confused for forever about that when people would post, but now it makes sense.

[old guy]

If you look closely at how the adjusters function you can see why you should adjust both together when adjusting the height. The adjuster closest to the mid-line of the car has a dual pivot point. The lower pivot is a fixed point pivot and the upper pivot moves in and out. The outer adjuster only has an upper pivot point and the whole lamp base moves in and out with the adjustor. If you adjust the height with both adjusters the upper edge of the lamp base moves in or out evenly across the base. If you adjust the base height with only the inner adjuster you will move the inner upper edge of the base in and the outer lower edge of the base out or vice versa depending upon which way you turn the screw.

Yes you can adjust the height this way by only adjusting the inner pivot but at the same time you will be changing the angle of the lamp base and consequently changing the angle of the horizontal beam away from parallel with the ground. The difference isn't huge but it is definitely there.

[diagnosticator]

The idea of turning both screws still makes zero sense to me. One is for horizontal one is for vertical. That is how I have always done it and mine are aimed perfectly.

If both adjusters are not turned equally when adjusting the vertical beam aim, if only the outer screw is turned, the horizontal beam aim will be moved also, resulting in the correct adjustment of both the vertical and horizontal beam aim to occur at the same time, impossible to do. Usually, this causes the adjusters to be moved to the limit of adjustment, while chasing the two separate adjustments, often causing damage to the adjusters. When the adjustment is done incorrectly, and can't be readjusted properly, the best thing to do is remove the headlights and the rear covers, then reposition the adjusters to about the middle of the adjuster screw range. Then reinstall the headlights and re aim correctly using a correctly setup aiming pattern on a vertical wall.

[diagnosticator]

Not sure if maybe my stock headlights were aimed too high, but my new depo ecodes sit much lower even when adjusted to the max height. Any ideas? Also, are my fog beams supposed to reach above the headlights beams, because they used to be level with my other headlights, now the fogs are aimed a good foot about the headlights from about 20ft back. Can I aim those down manually a bit, is that the screw that people say "don't mess with" when changing the bulb?

The only way to properly adjust auto leveling headlights, is by first using VCDS and placing the headlights in the required basic setting mode adjustment position before the manual adjuster screws are turned.

[diagnosticator]

Clearly yours are different than OEM bixenons then. On my OEM Valeo Bixenons, both S4 and Ecode they have three connection points. A top fixed point directly above the lower adjustable pivot connected to the height adjustment motor (toward the fender), and a side adjustable pivot connected to the inner (toward motor) adjustment screw.

With those three points of contact the single outer screw (toward the fender) will pivot the up and down adjustment, which is why they have the height adjustment motor connected to it. Spinning the other inner adjuster screw simply rotates the headlight plate about the vertical axis from the height adjustment motor and the fixed ball joint above the motor. Spinning both of the screws at the same time on an OEM bixenon will make the headlight adjust in a diagonal fashion rather than directly up and down.

I am just so confused as to whey everyone insists that you must spin both the same amount and same direction, but no one says why they do that or what they have observed when they do that. It must be that either the single xenons are built differently, or the Depo and other aftermarket brands adjust differently.

The requirement for adjusting both adjusters turning equally for the vertical beam aim, does not apply to the bi xenon housings with the adjuster on the same centerline with the ball socket mount inside the housing. The requirement for co adjusting both adjuster screws equally for the vertical aim, only applies to the low beam only housings that use a different mounting layout for the interior movable parts. The requirement for co adjusting both adjusters equally is specified by Audi, according to the design of the low beam only HID housings. I don't know if Depo housings use the same mount arrangement or not. If not then co adjustment of both adjusters for the Depo housing may not be required.

For the OEM low beam only headlights, the lower mount ball joint is a fixed unmovable point for halogen housings, with the adjuster screws on the top on each end of the internal moving part. The outer screw plus the inner screw tip the internal projector mount up and down, pivoting on the lower ball joint, without moving the projector mount sideways in the horizontal direction. If the inner screw is turned, only the horizontal aim is changed, by pivoting the projector mount on the upper outer ball joint and the lower ball joint. (The vertical aim does change a little, thus the horizontal first vertical second adjustment order,) If only the outer screw is adjusted, the vertical and horizontal beam aim change at the same time. For HID housings, the lower fixed ball joint mount is replaced by the auto leveling servo motor, then when that motor moves the lower ball joint in or out, the projector mount pivots on both of the upper ball joints equally, so the horizontal aim does not change when the auto leveling makes adjustments to the vertical beam elevation. BTW, the vertical aim changes a little bit when the inner adjuster screw is turned, that is why the horizontal beam aim is adjusted before the vertical beam aim is adjusted for the basic adjustment, then the aim is fine tuned in both vertical and horizontal aim after getting the setting close to correct. in horizontal then vertical order.