HID Headlight Failure - Your Solution

[Jemba Prius]

I'm going to tell a story. If you're not in the mood, skip to the last paragraph, when I finally get to my point!

I took my 2005 to the service dept of my Toyota dealer because of the intermittant failure of my right HID headlight. (Cycle power off/on turns the light on again.) I had been to this dealer three times before for intermittant failures of rear lights (tail lights, license plate lights) which they diagnosed as "customer imagination" or "FBI" (fixed by itself), so I was concerned I had a real systemic electrical problem.

The mechanic told me I needed a new headlight to the tune of $450. After the shock, I asked how he was sure that was the problem, given the intermittant failures. His response: "You're not listening to me... The light is BURNED OUT. If you don't believe me, I'll take you into a dark room and prove it to you." (A man saying that to a woman sure sounded threatening!)

Moving on to the service manager, his story was (contrary to the mechanic) that the intermittant "on" was because the filament in the bulb was broken, and that occasionally the loose ends of the filament would touch, causing the light to go on. (HID lights don't have filaments.) I got the phone # for Toyota and hung up.

Turning to Prius Chat (I love this site!) I found oodles of information on this subject.

FINALLY, MY POINT: What I'd like to do is gather some information into one place so people like me can direct their dealer to this one post when they give you the line of bull they gave me. (I've ordered replacement bulbs so I'll post my answers when I get them installed!)

When (mileage) did your HID fail?

Intermittant or did it just shut off?

Did dealer replace it? If so, dealer name, city, state please.

Did you replace the entire headlamp assembly (including brain), just headlamp assembly, or just the HID bulb?

How much did it cost? (each or pair?)

Did you have to remove your bumper?

How long did it take to replace?

How long ago did you replace it? Any failures?

Anything else?

[bruceha_2000]

2004 Prius

1. PROBABLY about 70K miles
2. Passenger side HID has the "wink out" issue described. No specific timing, relights when the switch is turned off then on (repeat as necessary). I HAVE used them as DRLs for a fair number of those miles so I might have worn them out.
3. Dealer? Heck no, I came straight to PriusChat!
4. Ordered new bulbs (4300K 35W D2R) from a dealer on eBay. See my post: http://priuschat.com/forums/care-mai...tml#post672622
5. Sold as a PAIR - $60, plus $10 shipping. No sense replacing only 1, the other will fail soon enough.
6. Hell no! *
7. Probably 10 to 15 minutes each, after the first time when I needed to go slowly to see how it all fit together
8. Put them in yesterday, no failures yet, but no opportunity to fail either, I haven't driven it anywhere. I'll know Monday night when I return from my weekly trip to MA. If I make it all the way home without a 'wink out', I 'll know it was the bulb and not something else.

* You can get the bulbs out by removing the leftmost (looking at the engine from the bumper) pop-up clip that holds the long black plastic piece across the front of the engine compartment and the pop-up clip underneath it that holds the air channel near the front of the windshield washer fluid reservoir and the fuse box cover on the driver's side. I've posted pictures in my album.
When I replaced the bulbs I found that I didn't have to undo the white electrical clip on the back of the black 'half dome' cover on the back of the headlight assembly. There is enough wire to rotate the cover with the clip on. When I did the 'check out the bulbs' disassembly, I had removed the entire front plastic piece and disconnected the white power connectors.

NOTE: you rotate the 'half dome' clockwise while standing in FRONT of the car. It might take a fair amount of pressure the first time. And when you have rotated it to the next stop, you might have to work it off. The O rings seat pretty well.

[philwojo]

I would also say look and read this thread if you have not alread:

http://priuschat.com/forums/care-mai...t-problem.html

Lots of information on this problem in there.

Phil

[bruceha_2000]

Update on my new D2R HID bulbs installed 25 July.
Did the normal Monday trip yesterday. Headlights on from about 8:45 PM to 10 PM. NO wink out. So far so good, the old passenger side bulb winked out last week at least 8 times in two 'episodes' on the same route.

So, how many hours do I have to drive without a problem before I stop wondering if the new bulbs REALLY fixed it, or I just got lucky on a few trips

[Jemba Prius]

Finally took care of mine last month. Have since put on 6,000+ miles with no failure Here are my answers:

When (mileage) did your HID fail?
55000 miles

Intermittant or did it just shut off?
intermittant

Did dealer replace it? If so, dealer name, city, state please.
No Way!!!

Did you replace the entire headlamp assembly (including brain), just headlamp assembly, or just the HID bulb?
HID Bulb, right side only.

How much did it cost? (each or pair?)
a pair for $33 + $10 shipping on ebay, seller: sharperdeal

Did you have to remove your bumper?
No, but removing the washer fluid container was tough

How long did it take to replace?
About three hours, 'cause we couldn't get the washer fluid container out. (finally broke the clip holding it in) Also we checked and re-checked what we were doing, using a mirror to be sure what we were doing. Should take MUCH less time next time. I can see how a dealer could replace it in 10 minutes (with practice)

How long ago did you replace it? Any failures?
6,000 miles ago, no failures, I carry the extra bulb in the glove box.

Anything else?
If dealers were more honest about the cost of repacement, we owners wouldn't want to blame a burned out bulb on Toyota. The winking light in my case was DEFINATELY a failed bulb. $22 dollars later, I'm a happy prius owner again!

[kohnen]

When (mileage) did your HID fail? - They didn't. 30,000 miles on the car so far.

Intermittant or did it just shut off? N/A

Did dealer replace it? If so, dealer name, city, state please. Nope.

Did you replace the entire headlamp assembly (including brain), just headlamp assembly, or just the HID bulb? Just the two D4R bulbs.

How much did it cost? (each or pair?) $100 aftermarket.

Did you have to remove your bumper? Nope.

How long did it take to replace? About an hour for both.

How long ago did you replace it? Any failures? About 2000 miles / 2 months ago

Anything else? Yeah. I bought online somewhere for about $100 a set of the D4R bulbs for my '07. Put them in, removing and setting the factory lights aside as spares.

The reason that I did this is I wanted to have a known good spare set of bulbs so that if one goes out, I'm not rushed into paying FAR too much for a replacement bulb at the dealer. I don't know of anyone from whom you can buy a D4R bulb both quickly and inexpensively.

[mgb922]

I have two prius's a 2006 and 2008. At 34000 the left HID started quiting. The dealer replaced the bulb and itfixed it. I now have 48000 on my 2006 and the right quite. With the best extended warrenty they have it's not covered and they want $380 to replace. The service tech was good and told me that the bulbs don't have filiments and have a protection curcuit that will shut them down if there is a problem. Thats why they'll come back on by turning the lights on and off. Eventually they will go out though. I see all these other post the dealers are changing thoughs of dollars worth of part, well they are ripping their customers off. This dealer in Lexington Park Maryland was very honest with me but guess what. I'm changing the bulb myself with a $100 dollar one.

Does anyone know of a way to convert to a cheaper bulb???

[JSHVNFN]

I think I am on bulb number 6 or so.
The last one was replaced at 105,000 as a "Courtesy" to me.
Huhhhhh? You haven't fixed the problem - YET!
I am at the dealer now, and waiting for the FTR to arrive.
This should be an interesting conversation..
I sell automotive test equipment. It will be interesting to hear how this turns out. Oh, I have a spare HID in the glovebox in case this doesn't go anywhere.

[DGH]

Originally Posted by JSHVNFN

I think I am on bulb number 6 or so.
The last one was replaced at 105,000 as a "Courtesy" to me.
Huhhhhh? You haven't fixed the problem - YET!
I am at the dealer now, and waiting for the FTR to arrive.
This should be an interesting conversation..
I sell automotive test equipment. It will be interesting to hear how this turns out. Oh, I have a spare HID in the glovebox in case this doesn't go anywhere.

Go get em!

[mzarkos]

Originally Posted by bruceha_2000

2004 Prius

1. PROBABLY about 70K miles
2. Passenger side HID has the "wink out" issue described. No specific timing, relights when the switch is turned off then on (repeat as necessary). I HAVE used them as DRLs for a fair number of those miles so I might have worn them out.
3. Dealer? Heck no, I came straight to PriusChat!
4. Ordered new bulbs (4300K 35W D2R) from a dealer on eBay. See my post:
5. Sold as a PAIR - $60, plus $10 shipping. No sense replacing only 1, the other will fail soon enough.
6. Hell no! *
7. Probably 10 to 15 minutes each, after the first time when I needed to go slowly to see how it all fit together
8. Put them in yesterday, no failures yet, but no opportunity to fail either, I haven't driven it anywhere. I'll know Monday night when I return from my weekly trip to MA. If I make it all the way home without a 'wink out', I 'll know it was the bulb and not something else.

* You can get the bulbs out by removing the leftmost (looking at the engine from the bumper) pop-up clip that holds the long black plastic piece across the front of the engine compartment and the pop-up clip underneath it that holds the air channel near the front of the windshield washer fluid reservoir and the fuse box cover on the driver's side. I've posted pictures in my album.
When I replaced the bulbs I found that I didn't have to undo the white electrical clip on the back of the black 'half dome' cover on the back of the headlight assembly. There is enough wire to rotate the cover with the clip on. When I did the 'check out the bulbs' disassembly, I had removed the entire front plastic piece and disconnected the white power connectors.

NOTE: you rotate the 'half dome' clockwise while standing in FRONT of the car. It might take a fair amount of pressure the first time. And when you have rotated it to the next stop, you might have to work it off. The O rings seat pretty well.

Thanks for the tips - I was getting very frustrated trying to figure out how to remove the white electrical connector, but as you posted, it's not necessary. Also the tip about rotating the cover clockwise from the front of the car was a big help. I replaced the bulbs with about 30 minutes worth of effort using replacements from Ebay (probably the same guy "Stan" that others use.) For those doing this yourself, the space is very tight, but with a lot of effort the dome covers do come off. Once they start to move, keep going until you feel the stop. Use a marker and draw a line on the cover and housing so you know where to place it when finished.

Once done, smile at the $900 you just saved by buying the bulbs and doing the work yourself!