OK so now that I've had my front end off and put it back, my car is complaining about the headlights not being aimed properly. My question is, if I realign them and get it right, will the car figure it out and shutup, or will it have to be told via vag-com? Because I don't own one yet, and having just spent about $800 on the car I doubt I'll get approval to buy one from the missus! Also, any tips on aligning the lights properly will be appreciated.

 

They shouldn't do that, did you disconnect the headlamps and turn the key to the on position? That would throw them off something awful. If thats the case you need a vag com to "tell" them you're adjusting them or they will just default back to normal after you cycle the key. There is also another special tool that calibrates the beam and makes it perfect.....but you can eye ball it pretty easilly.
Once you have a vag com you go to the headlamp control module, go to adaption (i think its block 1) and it will say adjust lights, once your adjustments are done, go to block 2, and it will say its saved. The adjustment screws are under those white caps on the headlamps, pop the covers off and there are little philips shaped screws in there, one for vertical, the other for horizontal.

 

OK, I did bad, after changing a timing belt I wasn't about to put the headlights back in before testing it out! I've driven the car plenty since and they're still on every time. Am I going to be looking at that dang warning until I get a vag-com?

 

Yep, it'll never turn off until they are adjusted and the fault codes erased.



Edit: well you just need to erase the faults actually, the car could care less if you're headlights are misaligned.

 

Great, I'll print this out and use it as exhibit A in my case to buy a vag-com!

 

Well I got rid of it, according to the manual it was some auto-dimming deal, fault codes had it open circuited. Didn't buy a vag-com, wasn't in the budget, but I got a cheaper hand-held that has OBD2 and extra stuff for Audi and VW built in that seems to work ok.

 

How much did you pay for it?