Why don't my HIDs sit flush? Please help...
 

This picture below best illustrates how my headlamp doesn't sit evenly for some reason. Notice the gap between the light and bumper? What's up with that? I know that's not normal.

Here's a larger image: http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3277/pict00466xa.jpg

are those after market or stock?

I think it is from the difference from the 00-01 front bumper and the 02-03 front bumper. if you put an 02-03 bumper and grill on, it would be flush and even.

It doesn't matter.

Nope. The other side sits just right. http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3277/pict00466xa.jpg

There...take a look at that. The difference is obvious.

Wow that is a huge difference...

Are all the tabs in place and ok?

I would pull them and make sure everything looks ok and in place.

Did you take the hood clips off and rplace them with the ones from the 2k2 cuz i changed mine and they fit perfectly.

Yep. Did that.

Was there any damage to the front end before the install?

:gotme: don kno wut say im stumped

were did u buy the head lights from?

take the HID out and fix the clip.... push the light back in from the down part(hard) until it is in the clip. Your problem is with the 02-03 clip....

How are you mounting tabs on the headlight? Have they been repaired for any reason? It looks as if the tabs are pulling the headlight away from the bumper. Not to change the subject, but did you change the Nissan "hamburger" badge on the grill, as well? If so, looks good!

how much we talking for a new 2k2 bumper and grill plus to be painted? i think i saw icelandmax do that conversion?i have the same problems with mine.. you probably have aftermarket not oem which explains it.. had i known i would just bought the hid headlights from nissan b/c i have some ugly gaps as well.. doesnt look good during the daytime. now that ive decided to keep my car i wanna know how to fix the gaps like you have as well. i have the clip you guys are talking about and still have the gaps. :bawling:

These are not aftermarket. They are OEM, they each came off a totalled car (both totalled from the rear). The tabs are fine and have absolutely no damage. I think it may be the clip and the light isn't fastened in all the way because of that. I guess I'll take a look at it over the weekend (in the cold) and see what I can do about it.

It does look superb doesn't it? Adds an entirely different/meanier look to the front. Our old emblems are so disgustingly ugly.

Just be careful if working outside in the cold. Plastic tends to be real fragile when it's cold. I learned that when I ended up breaking parts while working in the cold.

Arnold I think they look fine, someone would only notice if they were looking really hard. I want to get the 2k2 Xenons for my 01 AE too. How much did you pick those up for? I have a friend at Peoria Nissan thats willing to get me 2 brand new 2k2 Xenons at 567.00.

I believe that's how they sit, IIRC, that's how Irish's look too. Its just not as perfect of a fit on the 5th Gens as people thought I guess.

Not quite. I have a 2000, and mine sit kinda flush. When I installed mine, I pushed the light in real hard to grab the clip. Here is a pic of mine. For yours, NYPD-Arnold, I would start with the clips and go from there.

http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...3_177_full.jpg

Cool.... does the bottom edge and outside corner of the HIDs sit flush with the bumper too? Can't tell from the picture.

its the bottom clip for sure because i ha problems with my clip too and i have a 2002 that bottom clip requires a good amount of force for the light to grip.... good luck with that -- looking really good

Where can you get these 2k2-2k3 clips from, the Nissan dealer? I called a Nissan dealer here in the city Im visiting, and they told me the 2k2-2k3 headlights only mount on with the two tabs and thats it...

Nevermind, called Courtesy.

Warm days for the win! It's 50 in NYC, so I'm gonna end up doing this today. =D

Dunno...popped it out of place, put it back in seems like it made minimal change. I've pushed in on the light very hard, but nothing. A part of me suspects that it could be from nearly 4 years ago when that side of the car was hit (I wasn't driving). The crash was maybe no more than 10MPH, but it may have offset something perhaps? I'll take "after" pics tomorrow to see if any change was made. It does look like it's evened out a bit.

That's what it is, IMO. That little incident could have caused your fitament issues to not be exact.

Maybe the car has been in an accident before you bought it.

I've had this car since the day it was born. Started it off with 6 miles. =)

It's god messing with you..

Yes, perfectly. Here are some closeups of both sides before I cleared them.

http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...3_161_full.jpghttp://images.cardomain.com/member_i...3_162_full.jpg

WTF...how are the sides of your headlamps so flush with the fenders!?! Damn it. Argh.

my 2k2 lights are the same, perfectly flush, the 2k2 clips are on there way.

Why do I have a feeling that it's the 2K2 clips that are off-setting the lights? I bet if I were to take them out, the HIDs would look just right.