Both Headlamp Beams Defective £626 to Fix

[Gerg]

I sympathize with your predicament. 

On 8/25/2021 at 7:26 AM, Victorine said:

I have noticed several other users in France and Belgium successfully got theirs replaced, probably in other countries, too. 

Even when the UK was an EU member there were surprising differences to warranty duration, spares prices etc. across the EU countries.  In France, it now seems quite routine for the older headlamps to be changed by default when a car is resold by a Toyota dealer, as you probably know.  This was never the case in the UK.  There doesn't seem to be a central Toyota policy of uniformity across the EU borders - the individual country concessions have more independence than you might think.

I have gone round in circles trying to get the headlamp change done under 'goodwill' on a car that is out of warranty in the UK - the case has been passed from the Toyota dealer to Toyota GB, and back, again and again and again. This was despite the car having a full service history all with that one Toyota dealer from new, and the beam pattern visibly deteriorating over time as well (another problem).

I can't see any harm at all in sending an email to the service directors of Toyota in Romania and Germany, but finding that address will be time-consuming, I'd imagine.  It's even worth sending an email to Toyota Japan, why not?  I wouldn't put too much hope in it though.  And I would not mention that you have serviced other parts of the car yourself!

(The latest versions of the Valeo headlamps for your specific car are now made in Romania, not that that is of any use to you.)

[Victorine]

Hi Gerg, thanks for your post!

I am aware the chances are not high, but still I'm willing to try, while keeping reasonably opthimistic at the same time. 

I also know Valeo Romania makes many of the headlamps for the cars produced in Europe, that's why I asked for the codes on the new fitted lamps, maybe I could find them cheaper, though not sure if they sell them outside the Toyota-Valeo factory curcuit. The Valeo factory is in my city, as a coincidence... As I said, I'm willing to try all routes with the final purpose of having them replaced, since I find it very difficult to drive at night with thet steep side cut-off.

[AisinW]

You can buy original valeo headlamp from 3rd party like autodoc. It cost about €600 a pair.  I am afraid you will be disappointed since nothing improve dramatically with a new headlight

[tomashen]

On 7/10/2020 at 10:42 AM, Gerg said:

This is strange, in an effort to progress the same problem as yours on our own Auris, I took the liberty last year, of ringing your dealer to see what the outcome was for your car.

The (helpful) person I spoke to, on checking his service notes, was under the impression that your headlamps had been changed at that dealership!  So they got that wrong, then...

This headlamp fault (albeit in reversed LHD form) generates more interest on a French hybrid forum than it seems to on this one.  Even if out of warranty, if the car is bought from a dealer, posters are advised to make sure the headlamps get changed free-of-charge by the dealer.

The French Toyota technical bulletin shows this picture as an example of the fault, just to clarify what new headlamps offer:-

 

The triangle on the right hand side of the picture (of this left hand drive car - so reverse this for the UK) shows the area of improvement.

Apologies for reviving this old thread, but i had this issue on my 2015(2) Auris hybrid also. 

The lights were not showing far enough to drive above 60kmh imo. 

In dark it was so frustrating to drive. Running high beams felt like regular dipped lights on every other car! and when cars were oncoming, turning high beam, completely left me blinded on the road! 

I asked my local mechanic to check and readjust the lights if possible. HE knew the issue, he mentioned this happens with hyundais and kias too.

However, he did his best, His results did leave me with a MUCH better beam pattern! I could finally see the curb side of the road and ahead of me! and with high beams i could see far enough to drive at 80kmh finally.

However i am looking into these bulbs,

https://www.ledperf.ie/hir2-led-bulbs-for-lenticular-headlights-p-42816.html

Here is the result of these specific bulbs :

The highlighted with red is the new bulb linked above. 

I will be installing these i believe. No other choice. The distance the factory lights provide is utterly useless and dangerous imo!

Can anyone comment on the above bulbs i posted?

[FROSTYBALLS]

That may be OK in Ireland, but in the UK fitting LED bulbs in headlights designed for halogen will be an MOT (equivalent to the NCT) fail.

[tomashen]

1 minute ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

That may be OK in Ireland, but in the UK fitting LED bulbs in headlights designed for halogen will be an MOT (equivalent to the NCT) fail.

This was my concern too. I will converse this with the mechanic to see if it would pass. Hopefully.... as the factory bulbs are a joke and in that should not be legal at all i think as they barely shown much 

[Packard]

As previously stated I got the warranty work done and got new headlights.  The first install was ok but the garage set the pattern WAY too low, drove back next day 5 mins later they amended the beam angle and sorted.

 

I also fitted these new bulbs and WOW it began to feel like a normal car, I’d advise these top make and in life of owning none have blown, so good also fitted to my Aygo as well

https://www.powerbulbs.com/product/philips-x-tremevision-pro150-hir2-single