Yaris Hybrid headlights - swap H1R2 for HB4 and bingo!

[rgledhill]

Hi all,

My wife has recently bought a 2012 Yaris Hybrid which we both love.  However the headlights are... shall we say... a little underwhelming 

I've found a way to greatly improve the Yaris Hybrid H1R2 headlights - fit modified HB4 headlight bulbs!  Basically HB4 and H1R2 only differ in having slightly different plastic lugs for mounting.  More importantly, for some reason, there are +110%, +130% etc versions of HB4 whereas there aren't for H1R2.  Therefore with only a small modification to a lug, you can safely fit an HB4 such as this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OSRAM-NIGHT-BREAKER-UNLIMITED-Headlight/dp/B00FQ8ANTE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

This is a Nightbreaker +110%; the reason I include this link is that it includes details of the modification - look for the "top customer review" regarding their use on the Vauxhall Ampera, which suffers from similarly rubbish H1R2 lights.

Now my Ampera and my wife's Yaris Hybrid have far better lights, using the Halfords +130% HB4 bulbs which are always on buy one, get one free :)

Hope this helps...

Richard

[FROSTYBALLS]

This isn't new and has been covered several times before over the past three years or so.

HIR2 bulbs are approx 75-80% brighter than standard halogen bulbs. Halogen bulbs, includng HIR2 bulbs, deteriorate with age.

As the HIR2 bulbs in your Yaris were 4-5 years old and would have deteriorated in that time, the difference in brightness between the existing bulbs and new ones (whether 9012 or 9006) would have been noticeable.

[rgledhill]

Ok, thanks, I hadn't realised.  Primitive searching through Google, and looking through various threads on here didn't seem to indicate that anyone had come up with this alternative (which I don't claim credit for in any case).

I hadn't realised that it could be age-related to be honest... I shall feed this back onto the SpeakEV forum (Ampera section) where this hasn't been thought about as a factor.  Thank you :)

[ToyotaPartsYarisSR]

The best option is to go to your local Toyota dealer and ask for part number 90981-YZZAM which is about £25. The other part number (90981-13062) is about £40. This will be the best fix as you are using a bulb made for the car and is still a HIR2 ! :-)

[rgledhill]

Thanks!  What's the difference between the two bulbs?  And why would they be brighter than a +130% HB4?

Cheers

Richard

[FROSTYBALLS]

The 90981-YZZAM is part of Toyota's Optifit range (Optifit are a range of lower priced parts) -  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Toyota-IQ-Headlamp-Head-lamp-Optifit-Car-Light-Bulb-HIR2-90981-YZZAM-New-/251389195893 

The 9098113062 looks like it is the OE bulb - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Toyota-Headlight-Bulb-Aygo-IQ-9098113062-/321783442803?hash=item4aebc9ad73

No difference in terms of light output.

[rgledhill]

That's what I suspected, thanks.  I'll stick with my higher-brightness bulbs then...

[Justhandguns]

I recently did a search for HIR2/9012 bulbs, seems like Osram and Philips are introducing 130% blue versions of it. They are both made in Germany, but I find it ironic that only a few US sites are selling them, nothing from Europe or the UK yet. I am tempted to buy a set from the US to try it out.

P.S. Philips Crystal Vision Ultra 9012 / Osram HIR2 Cool Blue Intense

[rgledhill]

Strange that they're not around in the UK yet then.  If you do import some from the US, please let usk now how you get on...

 

Thanks

Richard

[FROSTYBALLS]

The Osram Cool Blue Intense are 20% brighter, and look like Powerbulbs will be stocking those (though not yet) - https://www.powerbulbs.com/product/osram-cool-blue-intense-hir2-single

The Philips bulbs don't seem to quote additional brightness - https://www.amazon.com/Philips-9012CVB2-CrystalVision-Upgrade-Headlight/dp/B01I3OTXH

HIR2 bubs are already approx 75-80% brighter than standard halogen. So a 20% brighter HIR2 bulb will be an approx equivalent to a Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited +110% in non-HIR2 fitting (eg H4, H7, H11, HB4).

[Justhandguns]

Just bought the Osram Cool Blue HIR2 bulbs. I haven't taken any pictures, yet. Yes, like many people have said, it is not 'cool' as the LEDs or HIDs, especially when they are next to some Osram 6000k LEDs. Compared to the stock Toyota Philips, they are certainly brighter and less yellow at night. We have all the street lamps changed to LEDs, which I think, is not very good compare to the good old sodium lamps. The brighter Osrams do give a better visibility, at least for myself.

I also have the Philips in my drawer, not sure if I want to try them out as the Osram Cool Blues are working nicely. Just a word of caution, they are not white as LEDs or HIDs.  

[YarisHybrid2016]

On 3/10/2017 at 9:52 AM, Justhandguns said:

We have all the street lamps changed to LEDs, which I think, is not very good compare to the good old sodium lamps.

Certainly not! Whilst everyone apparently thinks the new LED street lighting produces less light pollution, they must be the kind of people who never leave the city at night when it is misty! Light pollution has dramatically increased with them.

As for the visibility - sodium lights were used as they emit a yellow light, which the eye has the greatest frequency response to (it is also no coincidence that yellow is in the middle of the visible light spectrum). The new LED lights are whiter/broad spectrum lighting, which instead of cutting through the mist/fog to aid vision, actually impedes it by making the fog more visible.

I wish they'd remove them all.

[Justhandguns]

2 hours ago, YarisHybrid2016 said:

Certainly not! Whilst everyone apparently thinks the new LED street lighting produces less light pollution, they must be the kind of people who never leave the city at night when it is misty! Light pollution has dramatically increased with them.

As for the visibility - sodium lights were used as they emit a yellow light, which the eye has the greatest frequency response to (it is also no coincidence that yellow is in the middle of the visible light spectrum). The new LED lights are whiter/broad spectrum lighting, which instead of cutting through the mist/fog to aid vision, actually impedes it by making the fog more visible.

I wish they'd remove them all.

 

Well, that was what I learned from my physic lessons in school. I remember I was taught that yellow/orange light penetrate fogs and mists better. But when I checked some of the 'claimed' spec of the new LED street lamps, they show equal performances or even better than sodium lamps. From my recent experience of driving through the streets with LED lamp poles, the visibility is worst, especially when it is raining.

But one single thing that the councils really want is the cost. The LED bulbs are cheaper to run, and with all the obsession of using less energy, there is no way your local council is going to change it back to the old lamps.

[Heidfirst]

15 hours ago, YarisHybrid2016 said:

Certainly not! Whilst everyone apparently thinks the new LED street lighting produces less light pollution, they must be the kind of people who never leave the city at night when it is misty! Light pollution has dramatically increased with them.

Modern LED street lights have a far more directional output than older discharge - there is far less output above the horizontal so total light pollution should be reduced.

Not only is the electricity cost much reduced but with vastly increased life the cost savings in replacing failed bulbs are great (I am sure that it far outweighs energy saving).

Pedestrians also feel safer in bright white light vs dimmer orange.

[Yaris420]

LED sidelights look better for sure.

[FROSTYBALLS]

"LED sidelights look better for sure."

... but probably not road legal.

[Yaris420]

they were sold as sidelights on Amazon U.K. But I have read before that they aren't legal. Will need to check.

[FROSTYBALLS]

24 minutes ago, Yaris420 said:

they were sold as sidelights on Amazon U.K.

May well have been - probably via a Marketplace seller, rather than Amazon direct.

[rgledhill]

Lots of info on LED headlights and more on here:

https://speakev.com/threads/finally-the-ultimate-headlight-system-upgrade-pictures-included.20671/

(The Ampera has the same lights as the Auris Hybrid)

[Heidfirst]

1 minute ago, rgledhill said:

(The Ampera has the same lights as the Auris Hybrid)

No, it doesn't albeit they may use the same bulb fitment.

[rgledhill]

Umm, ok, they both use the same type of bulb   The point is, the discussion in the Ampera thread about LED bulbs could just as well apply to Yaris Hybrid bulbs (which I thought would have been obvious).

[Heidfirst]

If you mean that they are currently illegal for road use then, yes ...

The complete light unit (lens, reflector & bulb type) need to be homologated for approval. The Auris' & Yaris' certainly haven't been homologated for LED use.

[FROSTYBALLS]

40 minutes ago, rgledhill said:

The Ampera has the same lights as the Auris Hybrid.

The Ampera may have the same light fittings as the December 2012 onwards Auris - hybrid included -  (HIR2's), but not the earlier Auris (2007-October 2012), which used H11's - including the hybrid.

[rgledhill]

You're right, thanks, I did indeed mean 2012 onwards. :)