DIY: Headlight Auto Level Sensor Rebuild (aka Headlamp, leveling)
#26
Malfunction headlight leveling RX8
Just inpected my sensor, my dealer said it would cost me 400 euro per sensor, I found problem with my one, as you can see there is 3 connections in the connector, one of them is damage as u can see on photo no 2
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#27
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Anybody have any problems with their DSC after removing the sensor and disconnecting the battery cable? Did you have to re-adjust the steering angle sensor?
#28
Started having my headlights pointing alot more downward the past few days and the illumination light comes on on the dash. I wanted to try this, but could not locate the sensor yesterday while putting my summer wheels back on. Where is the sensor located? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Thanks
#29
How do you get to the sensors? I've removed both wheels and peeled back mudguards in the wheel-wells. Still could not locate them. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Thanks
#30
Carbonormous
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Here are pics of the front and rear (circled in red). Both on drivers side (LHD). The sensor is the white box (hidden in an enclosure on the front), the arm sticks out of it and attaches to the control arms to tell it how your suspension is loaded.
Last edited by savedsol; 04-11-2010 at 08:13 PM.
#32
Thanks this so far worked for me...my springs were all rusted and black and crap, and they broke so I just bought 3 new ones from the hardware store there not gold but they still carry a current.
If you don't know if the springs your buying do have them test them at the store. Simple and again so far so good thanks
If you don't know if the springs your buying do have them test them at the store. Simple and again so far so good thanks
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#33
I just fixed my sensor without spending a penny. The front one looked in good nick when I dismantled it but the back one had gunge around the bottom of the three little springs. I pulled them out and scraped the crap out with miniature screwdriver . A bit off the end of the springs was rotted away when I pulled them out so I removed the nasty bit and stretched the remainder with a pair of long nosed pliers before spraying it all in WD40 and re-assembling, hey presto no light !! So anyone who's nervy about doing this job, I can assure you I'm no mechanic and this was only a few screws, a couple of bolts and a couple of nuts on each and I didn,t need to spend loads on replacement parts.
Just got to fix the pesky coolant light now, hey ho suppose thats "the joy of Rex"
Just got to fix the pesky coolant light now, hey ho suppose thats "the joy of Rex"
#34
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thanks guys .. pleasure reading this .. im gonna have to get cracking on this puppy
anyone had to go through the STEERING ANGLE SENSOR INITIALIZATION PROCEDURE per this tsb, after removing the sensors? if so how is it done?
anyone had to go through the STEERING ANGLE SENSOR INITIALIZATION PROCEDURE per this tsb, after removing the sensors? if so how is it done?
#35
Just one thing that I haven't seen on the forum is that the front and rear sensors are identical, meaning you have a better chance of sourcing a rear than a front. additionally don't be put off when you open the sensor if it is full of crud. replace springs and generally give it a good clean, remember to reseal with silicone. Last point why is this not a recall, so far my Mazda has had the oil cooler hoses fail, the dreaded low coolant light and now the expensive front headlight sensor. A good car but not quite what I was expecting.
#36
Yeah, I took both of mine off. Rear one looked brand new. Front one was absolutely terrible. Springs were so corroded they were stuck. Spent about 1 hour cleaning the sensor and replaced springs.
Hope you don't have all of the problems that I have had with mine Johnny...Let's see...Oil cooler lines, tension belt pulley, control arm (after it was already replaced from the recall), front headlight sensor, and a few other $500+ expenses...oh I almost forgot, my engine was replaced too (at least that was under warranty due to compression loss. Fun car to drive, but freakin' ridiculously horrible maintenance wise.
Hope you don't have all of the problems that I have had with mine Johnny...Let's see...Oil cooler lines, tension belt pulley, control arm (after it was already replaced from the recall), front headlight sensor, and a few other $500+ expenses...oh I almost forgot, my engine was replaced too (at least that was under warranty due to compression loss. Fun car to drive, but freakin' ridiculously horrible maintenance wise.
#37
RX8 the Asian Alfa Romeo
Join Date: May 2008
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Hey all, I took my front one off and the connector 'pins' were so rusted they broke off in the female end of the plug! I took the sensor apart and it is rubbish on the inside, full of muck. I'm going to clean it up best I can but there is no way of reconnecting it back to the harness because the connectors are missing and stuck in the other end of the plug! Any suggestions? Haven't even looked at the back one yet.
#39
Grasshopper
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#41
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So I finally had some time to look at mine and I had the same issue as Stig here. A pin broke off within the connector, two of the springs were so rusted that I basically pulled them out coil by coil and after all kinds of scratching and digging I finally saw some metal underneath the corroded gunk, the harness screws were dry as pepper and I am stunned that they actually didn't snap when turning.
I'm kind of mad because I think I saw first symptoms when I still had warranty but in any case I really think this should be RECALLED, it looks to be so badly designed.
Well, now that mine is done, I'll need the new kit now or used one in decent shape.
I'm kind of mad because I think I saw first symptoms when I still had warranty but in any case I really think this should be RECALLED, it looks to be so badly designed.
Well, now that mine is done, I'll need the new kit now or used one in decent shape.
#42
I ended up getting the sensor light to come on intermittently. My front sensor was really bad, but I at least managed to get it cleaned for the most part...however, now, my headlights point down very badly. About 10-15 feet in front of the car...I have to drive everywhere at night with my brights on.
Does anyone know of a link to a page to set the headlight level? I looked but did not find much.
Thanks!
Does anyone know of a link to a page to set the headlight level? I looked but did not find much.
Thanks!
#43
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Hey guys,
got my front sensor off at the minute (springs are fried!) but also the arm itself seems very stiff.... is that normal or should i try and loosen it?
Thanks
Edit: also my lights too are pointing to low
got my front sensor off at the minute (springs are fried!) but also the arm itself seems very stiff.... is that normal or should i try and loosen it?
Thanks
Edit: also my lights too are pointing to low
#45
2006 RX-8 Shinka 6MT #538
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please forgive me if I'm asking a stupid question but, my driver side light seems to be lower (the light projected on the wall is not straight but from the middle to the left its lower) is this normal or is there something wrong with the sensor..( I have a 2006 Shinka so I'm assuming i have the sensors) again, sorry if its a stupid question.
#46
Carbonormous
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If the drivers patter looks like this you're normal. http://www.members.shaw.ca/trust.no....ValeoEcode.jpg
This is for folks who have the headlight sensor MIL illuminated.
This is for folks who have the headlight sensor MIL illuminated.
#47
2006 RX-8 Shinka 6MT #538
iTrader: (1)
If the drivers patter looks like this you're normal. http://www.members.shaw.ca/trust.no....ValeoEcode.jpg
This is for folks who have the headlight sensor MIL illuminated.
This is for folks who have the headlight sensor MIL illuminated.
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#48
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I just took mine apart and like some of you have stated the springs were so bad they fell apart I'm still trying to get the gunk/rust out. I noticed on the yellowish plate part that screw on to cover the whole thing the three circles which i think are supposed to have metal to conduct have rusted/came off.
My question is if i clean this part to look new will it even work because those three circles have corroded off?
Oh yea and the top bolt that holds it to the frame snapped in half while trying to take it off
so watch out for that and try and be more careful then i was
My question is if i clean this part to look new will it even work because those three circles have corroded off?
Oh yea and the top bolt that holds it to the frame snapped in half while trying to take it off
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#49
Is there any test you can do to see if its the front or rear sensor thats faulty?
Mine just come on same as the op.
the rear sensor seams easy to take off but the front one looks like abit of a mission.
Mine just come on same as the op.
the rear sensor seams easy to take off but the front one looks like abit of a mission.
#50
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Join Date: Apr 2008
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![IE](https://www.rx8club.com/images/icons/ireland.jpg)
It will be the front one, this one is mounted upside down and the water runs into the connection rather than over it on the rear one. I was curious and checked the rear after I had to do a second fix 2 years later. The rear one was spotless.
The first repair worked with a biro spring for a year but the most recent fix needed a new sensor - cost me about €60 from a scrap dealer (actually bought a rear one but fitted it onto the front mechanism). Note the arm and layout is different on the rear so you will need to transfer the sensor if you do this.
L