Headlight problem

[philwojo]

Just an update, I have posted in this thread and had my bulbs replaced due to this problem back on 08/08/2008 by the dealer, covered under the standard warranty (so totally free), and I have been problem free since that point.

It is still a shame that Toyota has not stepped up on this one.

Phil

[Zacher]

Originally Posted by windstrings

If you look at the material inside, the bad bulb will be more white and look almost like old solder that has impurities.... the new looks a bit like that too, but cleaner.

Its quite interesting about you saying they are brighter...I thought that too...
not sure if the old ones slowly got dimmer without noticing or if they are truely brighter.

It almost makes me wonder if some of the material inside the bad bulbs no longer converts to a plasma state and so the remaining material can't keep enough heat to keep itself ignited without a little help from time to time?

I do know HID bulbs are not created equal.. there are good and bad, but I'm also not at all sure the good ones are necessarily the expensive ones!

My new ones are the 12000K GP Thunder bulbs from the ebay vendor you mentioned earlier. It could be the whiteness of the light compared to the old bulbs is just making the glare more apparent, I don't know They seem much brighter, though.

As far as the bulbs looking different, I don't think so in my case. I looked mighty close (and I WANTED to see a difference ) but they are just identical. Stay tuned to find out if that means something bad for me!

I've searched the forums for good info. about aiming the HIDs, but haven't really found much. I tested my auto-level system by standing on my rear bumper. After about 2 seconds the lights re-aimed in the appropriate direction, and returned when I hopped off of the bumper.

[kschaefer]

I had the same issue and took your advice. Toyota is refunding my $559.00. The passenger one was replaced under warranty and my drives side stopped working at 42,000 miles. There was no problem or questions asked. Of course, if I had not called or checked this forum, I never would have known. Thanks for your post.

[blrose1228]

I would agree with the person that said a light bulb is not sinsitive to milage. I don't drive at night and do not drive with my lights on while driving unless its raining.

[Tom D]

Toyota Corporate Customer Experience Center had me fax my $602 receipt from my Dublin, CA dealer's repair of my driver-side HID headlight. (See my previous post.) The Toyota customer rep said they would reimburse me half, because of the high mileage (105,000 miles).

[OlsonBW]

I started having the same problem a week ago Saturday.

I took it into Toyota (Bellevue, WA) and they replaced the bulb. I got the car back and as I was pulling into the garage I noticed it was out again.

Mine is the same. Turn off the headlights and turn them back on and it is back on. I don't know what causes it to go out.

I took it back and they replaced the ECU. I got to my house and ... the light was out again. Again I can turn off the lights and back on and it is back on again.

I've got another appointment for Wednesday.

Thankfully I got loaner cars and the work is under warrantee. We actually bought the extended warrantee where "everything" is covered for 75,000 miles.

[SadRad]

Originally Posted by kschaefer

I had the same issue and took your advice. Toyota is refunding my $559.00. The passenger one was replaced under warranty and my drives side stopped working at 42,000 miles. There was no problem or questions asked. Of course, if I had not called or checked this forum, I never would have known. Thanks for your post.

Can you or anyone who has discussed this issue with Toyota give me some details? I am about to blast Toyota with a nastygram. My 06 had to have the driver side ECU and bulb replaced under warranty, and this weekend I had to replace the passenger side ECU and bulb ($800). Seeing the frequency of posts here, I see ample reason for Toyota to step up and deal with this issue, I can see an HID bulb going out ($300???), but what's the matter with the little chip that operates it? Why does that go bad with a certain frequency?

Please let me know how Toyota handled your cases.

Thanks

[HokieHybrid]

At 32,000 and counting, I finally got my driver's side headlight to go out at a time when the dealership was actually open. One service writer didn't feel like being too helpful but when mine reappeared he said the word I wanted to hear. WARRANTY!! So they replaced only the one that was out while I was there, and I'm hoping that solves it. So far so good. I can't believe they designed it that you have to remove the bumper to replace a bulb, especially if they are going to consider that bulb a replaceable part on a regular basis.

And boo for still having to check my oil when I leave the dealership...overfull again. But this time they fixed it without argument or discussion about my inability to read a dipstick. I may be a 26 year old blonde, but I have an engineering degree and a childhood in the sticks.

[johnhnhn]

My 2006 headlight has been intermittent since about 25000 miles. I guess that I have to bring it to Toyota.

[prez1]

Originally Posted by prez1

My case manager, Greg Simmons at Toyota, told me yesterday that they would reimburse me for the HID bulb. I called my dealer, Crown Toyota in Decatur, and they worked me in this morning. Start to finish, it took them 30 minutes. $320.69 for the bulb, $97.00 labor. I have always had great service at Crown, and thanks to Bob, Tom, Robin and Barb for all their help.

I can't believe it. My right side HID headlight was replaced at 30,000 miles (free under warranty), and I just had the left side replaced this past summer, getting reimbursed for the bulb by Toyota but paying the labor. Lately the right side had been going out sporadically, but not every day. I went in this morning to get an oil change, and I mentioned to the service advisor that the right side HID was having problems again. They pulled it, and the service manager had them replace it for no charge, not even labor. I just hit 76,000 miles on my 2006. Thanks again to the guys at Crown. I'll keep buying Toyota, but I may not get the HID's on the next one.