Poor Head Light..low Beam Too Dim

[oneputt824]

My 2010 Prius is over 5 years old and has 105k miles. Replaced passenger side low beam bulb abut 50k miles ago by Toyota. Replaced driver's side bulb about 20k miles ago myself. Had to go to replace passenger side recently by Toyota again as access is too difficult for me. Next day I drove in the night and headlight was so dim that I had to use high beam all way up for about 500 miles. Other than my cover is slightly dull from age, I could not tell what's wrong by looking at them. Called Toyota ( about 700 miles away) and also anything to do with software update they performed but was told no. Prius head light is not the brightest thing but mine is too dim and I feel not safe. What should I do?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Two things you could consider:

1) clean the headlights. See - http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/146892-headlight-cleaning/

2) fit upgrade bulbs like Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited or Ring xenon Ultima - see http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=h11%20bulbs&sprefix=h11+b%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ah11%20bulbs

[oneputt824]

Thank you, I plan to get new model Prius at end of this year ( hopefully), I will clean the cover. My cover is slightly dull but not bad as I see in some other car.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Where abouts in the World are you? Are the headlights different to ours in aim? I believe US market Prius don't have the 5 stage up and down headlight adjuster on the dash like ours does. Are you in a sunny location where the sun bleaches the headlight plastic? Or have you fitted cheap Chinese replacement bulbs?

[oneputt824]

Where abouts in the World are you? Are the headlights different to ours in aim? I believe US market Prius don't have the 5 stage up and down headlight adjuster on the dash like ours does. Are you in a sunny location where the sun bleaches the headlight plastic? Or have you fitted cheap Chinese replacement bulbs?

Sent from my iPad using Toyota OC

[oneputt824]

Where abouts in the World are you? Are the headlights different to ours in aim? I believe US market Prius don't have the 5 stage up and down headlight adjuster on the dash like ours does. Are you in a sunny location where the sun bleaches the headlight plastic? Or have you fitted cheap Chinese replacement bulbs?

Sent from my iPad using Toyota OC

I live in North Carolina and Boca Raton FL, 4 seasons in Carolina and Tropical in Boca Raton, FL

Yes Sun is strong.

My head lights is always ok but never bright enough to my liking. But never had any problem. I just got passenger side low beam bulb replaced by Toyota dealership. They also did E0E campaign- ECU update which was Toyota recall.

AGG09A E0E-reflash motor generator & power Management ECU-Prius

( I don't know what this software update is but Toyota adviser told me that has nothing to do with my dim lights)

On the following day ( first time driving in dark), my head lights was so dim that I had to use high beam to drive back for 8 hours.

Hope you can shed some light on this problem.

My light cover is not new ( car is 5 years old) but definitely not yellow dingy cover.

Sent from my iPad using Toyota OC

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Check your tyre pressures? Dealers on both sides of the Atlantic like to reduce the pressures to 30 psi instead of what they should be. I guess that might affect your beam? The inverter software update should affect headlight brightness. Did you have lots of luggage in the boot/trunk causing the headlight aim to be higher up and thus less bright?

Shame you guys don't get our adjuster to move the beam from inside the car.

[oneputt824]

Thank you for help.

I did not have heavy luggage, just golf bag, suit case etc. my tire pressure is 34 lbs.

So you think software update might dim the head light? I did not have ths problem prior yo software update.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

The software is unlikely to cause the headlights to dim.

Maybe them leaving the doors wide open for 2 hours causing the 12v to go low might, but then that wouldn't cause dull headlights when the car was running.

You might want to check the headlight bulbs haven't gone black or shiny or that the beam is still aligned correctly.

Or take your sunglasses off at night ;)

[fatboy_daveb]

I would definitely get the alignment checked first I thought the bulbs were awful on my 2008 Prius and then it failed the MOT this year on headlight alignment alone. A quick fix and the headlights are great. Undulating roads on Scotland don't help matters.

[adamdreier]

I was having the same problem in my 2010 Prius II. Dim headlights on the low beam, with halogen bulbs. Here's how I fixed mine: It turns out the bulb wasn't properly installed. Because the bulb wasn't properly seated in the housing, the optics in the headlight casing weren't amplifying and shining the light properly. All I had to do was play with it until it was installed properly. Don't try to install it with the wiring harness connected, this makes it more difficult. Instead, install the H11 bulb first, get it fully inserted and seated, and then connect the wiring harness. If your bulbs are dim right after they've been replaced, this is your problem. The bulb was not fully seated/installed properly.

[unclepoo]

I fitted H11 fan cooled led lamps in my Auris, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-2PCS-H11-H8-6000LM-30W-Auto-LED-Headlights-Bulb-6000K-Lamp-All-in-One-DU-S7Y2-/171819572317?hash=item28013e9c5d:g:ptIAAOSw~OdVdWYu.....very white and very bright, and very well controlled light output....not scattered all over like HID kits