Headlight problem

[alansanmateo]

thanks!!

(when my light goes out, if I dial the headlights to off and then to on, both lights come on)

[windstrings]

Alan, the bad one will progress worse and worse, having to do it more and more often.. the good one "may" start doing it or not.

Once you have the symptoms, you have it and it won't magically go away without a bulb replacement.

[alansanmateo]

Originally Posted by windstrings

Alan, the bad one will progress worse and worse, having to do it more and more often.. the good one "may" start doing it or not.

Once you have the symptoms, you have it and it won't magically go away without a bulb replacement.

Yes, I figured that. (Geez, did I somehow give that impression?)

Someone had suggested a troubleshooting approach, to see if it was the bulb versus something else, and one step was, if the headlights are "on" but one bulb is out, dial the headlights off (let them cool down) and then dial them on again. If the offending bulb lights, then it is a bulb problem.

I now need to follow the nifty complain framework that was posted, above. My dealer's service department is a montrosity. If you get there at 7 am you are in line behind about 50 cars. It's HUMONGOUS. Can't wait to deal with them on this.

[windstrings]

Hi alan... "I like your name".... that approach does make sense but when I decided I was just going to replace them no matter what, I didn't have the energy to swap them and still have my old bulbs like you did.
My hats off to you for your willingness to sacrifice your time in the interest of finding out the reap problem.

I figured if it was something besides the bulbs, it would surface anyway with new bulbs and the bulbs didn't cost that much so I didn't sweat it.
I haven't researched it, but apparently my find of 69.00 for two bulbs has been beat by hidhideout.com.... I hear they are much cheaper there.....
sounds like they are approaching the price of a regular Halogen bulb soon.

I can a "little" money for the ballast, but it is quite rediculous and highway robbery to stab us for so much for the oem bulbs.

Is phillips really that pathetic that it takes that much more effort and skill to produce thier bulb verses what China is doing?...or are they just making rediculous profits for a bulb that is maybe less quality?

I don't know if phillips is making the profit, or the vendor "or both" but it sounds like a US Government project to me!

[alansanmateo]

well, I followed the complaint procedurte outlined by Atoyotaprius, above, including much of the relevant info in my service request. I brought my Prius in, left it for a few hours, they diagnosed the light malfuction, and I have one new bulb at no cost.

no, they wouldn't do both, and I didn't want to fork over the $150 or whatever they'd charge for that bulb

I only have 10,000 miles on the car, so I've got a ways to go before hitting a warranty issue.

Thanks for the good info, everyone.

ps props to City Toyota, Daly City, CA, for not giving me the runaround

[windstrings]

There is no guarantee that your other bulb will go bad... I'm wondering now if we get mixed lots or its hit and miss on QA at the factory.

When I got the new bulbs I ordered, I replaced both of my OEM bulbs "even the good one" in my wifes cars... a few weeks later got the same symptoms in one of the bulbs.

Rather than go buy a new one, I simply put back in its place one of my original ones that had not yet gone bad.... its still working fine... some 20K miles later!

The colors are just a tad different, most easily detectable when they are not fully warmed up... but not enough to really notice unless your looking.

[MacDude]

Ah shoot. My car has 50K miles on it (in two years)

I guess I have to do the DIY approach. :\

[lytthans]

My dealer couldn't replicate the problem wither, but did replace both bulbs under warranty, with no hassle. After 5,000 miles, the problem has not re-occurred. Apparently Phillips produced a whole bunch of bad bulbs for the 2006 Prius, and other Toyotas of that year.

I did buy a pair of HID bulbs on eBay for $25 each. These are not Phillips, but are new direct replacement 6000K lights. Because I bought them, the ones put in by the dealer will not fail!

[windstrings]

Originally Posted by lytthans

I did buy a pair of HID bulbs on eBay for $25 each. These are not Phillips, but are new direct replacement 6000K lights. Because I bought them, the ones put in by the dealer will not fail!

You must have found the D4R's needed for the 2006?

[Timotheos]

[quote=Atoyotaprius;811480]I posted this on the "headlight replacement" thread but I also want to post it here.

Useful post Atoyotaprius. To emphasize his/her point, file a complaint with NHTSA! It takes 5 minutes.