OK so here's the thing
The old Galaxy failed the MOT on a few things.
Split drive shaft and ball joint boots which will be dealt with next week by my local trusted mechanic Paul.
Brake light and number plate bulbs which I've sorted already.
( I know, should have checked them prior to test)

Now, the thing thing that took me by surprise was it failed on "headlamp levelling device inoperative"
WTF?
I knew the car had them but I never ever used them and they've been ignored since I had the car.
I had no idea it was a thing.

They're in a small double switch alongside the panel lamp dimmer which I set to how I like it years ago and have similarly ignored ever since.



Paul reckons I could just remove the switch and 'if it aint there it cant be tested' sort of thing
so rather than get into a long winded, time consuming and probably expensive kerfuffle of fixing something I have no use for,
I'm tempted to stuff it behind the panel and put a blanking plate over the hole

whatcha reckon?

It's most likely the motors at fault,seem to recall a carbon track or something wears. Also seem to recall I sorted mine but it was years ago so my old memory can't quite remember how.

But yep getting rid of switch sounds a good idea to me

I remember I changed the little motors within each headlamp on mine. Took less than an hour, did the job at the side of the road. Motors came from eBay.

I've made a blanking plate if I decide to stuff the switch inside and pretend it
weren't not never there 
But found and downloaded Mirez' posts on removing the headlight and checking the
linear actuator modules inside.

I'm still a bit annoyed at having to fix summat I have no use for when the headlights passed
the aim tests OK

Ho hum..

I'll let you know what happens

Quote from: Tezerez on June 16, 2023, 07:33:29 PMI remember I changed the little motors within each headlamp on mine. Took less than an hour, did the job at the side of the road. Motors came from eBay.

Motors or the complete modules? I see some adjuster modules on Ebay for about £20 each 
I'd still begrudge buying them though, I'll be fixing something I'll never use.

Been fiddling and tinkering and tested and traced the power from the control wheel down to each module and decided to just bite the bullet and buy two new adjuster units.

I took one out and tested it and track on the feed back varistor was pretty worn plus I knew I had no idea of the condition of the motor brushes and attempts to flush it with contact cleaner produced a lot of black residue which was obviously carbon dust.

£38 for a pair makes it not too painful and removing each headlight has at least allowed me to give the areas behind it a good clean.

It's a job that's a bit fiddly, but gives a great sense of achievement when it's completed. Outside my daughters house there's a wall, and I loved watching the beam going up and down (little things please little minds  ).

Quote from: Tezerez on June 18, 2023, 03:39:55 PMIt's a job that's a bit fiddly, but gives a great sense of achievement when it's completed. Outside my daughters house there's a wall, and I loved watching the beam going up and down (little things please little minds  ).

Same here!
It did occur to me I'll be playing with the buggers all the time now

The new actuators arrived today and have just fitted them.
I can hear and see them working and will check them out more after dark.

Out of curiosity I took the old units apart and examined them

They use an 8 pin TLE 4209A H bridge IC to drive the motors back and forth in response to the voltage from the panel wheel.
I expect this component is probably still OK.
Mirez' post on these mentions a possible clean up job on the 10K feedback varistors which I did try initially
but closer inspection showed the tracks to be very worn
making them unreliable.

I was also concerned about the motor brushes and took one apart to find the carbon brushes utterly worn out and the brass brush holders had been cutting into the commutator!



I don't feel so bad spending £38 on two new ones now and bearing in mind how bad the brushes were, would just swap for new units in the future as trying any DIY repairs
while not impossible, just isnt worth the time faffing about with them.

FYI
If you need any
I used the VW part number
1 JO 941 295 A
They're used in many other vehicles so easy to source

Reg - you mention that you set the leveller(s) many years ago and have not touched them since - I wonder how the brushes became so worn with so little use (or am I missing something). Also, I presume that the levellers have been in that state for a good few years but apparently may never have been checked as part of previous MOT tests - so have the testers' checklists been changed recently, does anyone know?

I seem to remember that they always go to the lowest setting when the ignition goes off. I'm sure I remember the lights moving up on restart.

I kept wondering how they wore so much if hardly used too.
I've only had the car for the last 7 years and despite my never using them
I know the previous owner had a caravan and a big family too
which suggests it's highly likely he made use of them and when the wear occurred.

. 

Well it was retested and got its MOT today the day the old one ran out so
that's the end of that little saga.
£82 for a new ball joint and new CV boot to be fitted at my local garage
£38 for 2 new headlamp adjusters
£3 for some bulbs
£123 in all so could have been worse.

I'd say that's pretty thrifty motoring!

Nice one!