Auris: test headlight level sensor?

Hi from Europe,

I drive an Auris TS, which shares quite some hardware with the Prius 3.
Last evening i noticed that my low beams are pointing quite low. I have LED-headlights (OEM), which means i don't have a dial switch to adjust them, but the height is adjusted automatically by a sensor on the rear axle. As i read here on the forum, this sensor can go bad on earlier Prius models. I first tried to stand on the tow hitch and was expecting the light beam to react. But it only moved very lightly and returned to the same height on the wall. I then had a look at the sensor.



The coupling joints were still moving freely and were not rusted away or something. I disassembled the sensor and was expecting to find a resistance track and wiper like in a potentiometer as seen on pictures here on this forum. But this is some newer type, with magnets? I tried to measure this 3-pin sensor and found 6kOhm / 177 Ohm depending on which pins i touched.

I was thinking of adjusting the headlight height by turning the cog wheel with a screwdriver, but i think that there is something wrong with the sensor also, as i would have expected the light beam to respond on me standing on the tow hitch.

How do i diagnose this problem? I don't have Techstream unfortunately, but i do have a OBD-reader.

 

I tested again with my partner behind the steering wheel and me stepping on the tow hitch.The first time i tried this i was surprised 'nothing' happened as the light beam stayed on the same height. But actually that is exactly how it should work, as on a car without automatic leveling the beam would point higher after weight being added to the back of the car.

Then i adjusted the screw on the headlight units so that the headlight beam is now on the correct height i marked on the wall (car backed away 10m, marking on the wall 10cm lower than the height of the center dot in the headlight glass).

So all good for now. The sensor is probably some kind of hall-sensor i read.