Chevrolet Cobalt Owners Manual: Headlamp Aiming

The optical headlamp aiming system has been preset at the factory and should need no further adjustment However, If the vehicle is damaged, the headlamp aim may be affected and adjustment may be necessary.

If oncoming vehicles flash their high beams at you, this may also mean the vertical aim needs to be adjusted.

It is recommended that the vehicle is taken to your dealer/retailer for service if the headlamps need to be re-aimed. It is possible however, to re-aim the headlamps as described.

The vehicle should be: - Placed so the headlamps are 25 ft. (7.6 m) from a light colored wall.

- On a perfectly level surface which is level all the way to the wall.

- Placed so it is at a right angle to the wall.

- Clear of any snow, ice, or mud on it.

- Fully assembled, with the tires properly inflated, and all other work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.

- Normally loaded with a full tank of fuel, with the spare tire in the proper location, and one person or 160 lbs (75 kg) on the driver seat.

Headlamp aiming is done with the vehicle's low-beam headlamps. The high-beam headlamps will be correctly aimed if the low-beam headlamps are aimed properly.

To adjust the vertical aim on the headlamps: 1. Open the hood. See Hood Release.

2. Record the distance from the ground to the aim dot on the low-beam headlamp.

3. At the wall, measure from the ground upward (A) to the recorded distance from Step 2 and mark it.

4. Draw or tape a horizontal line (B) on the wall the width of the vehicle at the height of the mark in Step 3.

Notice: Do not cover a headlamp to improve beam cut-off when aiming. Covering a headlamp may cause excessive heat build-up which may cause damage to the headlamp.

5. Turn on the low-beam headlamps and place a piece of cardboard in front of the headlamp not being adjusted. Do not place it directly on the headlamp. This allows only the beam of light from the headlamp being adjusted to be seen on the flat surface.

6. Locate the vertical headlamp aiming screws, which are under the hood near each headlamp assembly.

The adjustment screw can be turned with a 6mm socket wrench.

7. Turn the vertical aiming screw until the headlamp beam is aimed to the horizontal tape line. Turn it clockwise or counterclockwise to raise or lower the angle of the beam.

8. Make sure that the light from the headlamp is positioned at the bottom edge of the horizontal tape line. The lamp on the left (A) shows the correct headlamp aim. The lamp on the right (B) shows the incorrect headlamp aim.

9. Repeat Steps 6 through 8 for the opposite headlamp.