How to adjust Perodua Kancil Headlamps

If you are experiencing frequent headlight flashing particularly from the vehicles of your opposite direction, that really means something. Please check your headlamps immediately. Your low beams could be too high or too dazzling for the oncoming drivers.

This is my Perodua Kancil (1997 - present). Kancil is just small car but still can fit in a very big guy like my Jordanian friend Anas.

When I changed my Kancil headlamps to the new ones, I didn't even think about the headlamp adjustment. As an ordinary driver, all I want is to get the new one fixed and then just drive away. In terms of 'Fix N Go' kind of service, I think the mechanic did well for my car. The new headlamps were nicely installed and work as intended. However realizing a number of headlight flashing I received after that, I knew something was wrong with my low beam alignment. What a frustration! But this was not the end of this chapter, in fact it was just a new beginning since in turn I learned something good. I learned how to adjust the headlamp myself, alhamdulellah.

Here I give you a simple guideline on how to adjust your Perodua Kancil headlamps. It is also applicable to Daihatsu Mira (3rd Gen), Daihatsu Ceria (Indonesia), Perodua Nippa (UK) and perhaps Subaru Rex (since all of them are sister cars to the 3rd generation Daihatsu Mira). By the way, my headlamp is of a square type.

Where are the adjuster screws?

There are two hexagonal headed screws located on the upper side of the headlamps (on both left and right). For the left side headlamp, the left screw is for up-down alignment, while the right screw is for left-right alignment. It should be another way around for the right side headlamp.

My old headlamps. Take a closer look at the adjuster screws.

I do advice you to use offset ring spanner (offset wrench) for your headlamp adjustment. Size 8-9 offset ring will do.

For me, night time is the best time for headlamp adjustment. You can observe the performance of the illuminating beam before your very eyes.

One of the adjuster screws is not easily reachable by ordinary open-end spanner. You need to use the offset type. Inset: Offset ring spanner

A step by step guide to adjusting your headlamps:

• Park your Perodua Kancil in front a wall (approx. 2 meters distance will do).
• Turn on your headlamps and switch it to low beam. Mark the focal point of the left and right beams using coloured tapes.
• Adjust the up-down alignment. Turn anti-clockwise to lower the beam or turn clockwise to elevate the beam.
• Adjust the left-right alignment. Turn clockwise to direct the beam to the center. Turn anti-clockwise to shift the beam to the lateral side (off-center).

Note: Unlike the original HL from Japan, some copy version from Taiwan may have an opposite tuning direction for the up-down and left-right alignment. Better check and play around with it, the more you get use to it the better the adjustment.

Test-drive your car and observe the beam.

• If so happened that you are tailing another car, the low beam should not hit the rear-view mirror of the front car. You need to further lower the beam otherwise.
• Your illuminating beams should distribute almost to the center and allow certain amount to diffuse to the lateral side. If they are too off-center, further adjustment will be required.

My last call
To car accessories shop owners, if you are selling headlamps, please make sure that you also do the headlamp adjustment. If you don’t provide the service, be honest. At least tell your customer how to do it.