2006 Prius Dash Switch Blanks

[byebyeSTi]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(diemonde @ Apr 3 2006, 11:25 PM) [snapback]234599[/snapback]</div>

Hi,

In Europe we have a whole other light system then in the US. We shine only in front of us, you shine also a bit to the sides. As why they are adjustable I really do not know, but my guess is that when it is foggy you want to shine less to the front and more to the car....
[/b]

The headlight adjustment is used in rally racing. On my former Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII and my Subaru Impreza WRX STi, they both have it. I'm guessing when you're going uphill, instead of the lights shining straight up into the sky, you could use it to illuminate the road.

[jbarnhart]

In the US, any car equipped with HID lights is required to have automatic adjustment. So our lights DO adjust -- they just don't have knob. Think of it as an "automatic" vs. "manual" transmission.

[BMcGraw]

I used the one on the far right for a SPST toggle switch for activating my rear view camera "full time". Not that easy to locate while driving I might add.

[Tideland Prius]

Yep. They have manual headlight adjustment. Just look at some old Nissans here (I think the Murano with HIDs have manual adjustment).

[hycamguy07]

It could be the dashlight dimmer knob thats what we have there..

[Tideland Prius]

Nah. The European's "dimmer" button is where our mph / km/h button is. They don't have a rotary rheostat.

[cwerdna]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jbarnhart @ Apr 4 2006, 08:51 AM) [snapback]234711[/snapback]</div>

In the US, any car equipped with HID lights is required to have automatic adjustment. So our lights DO adjust -- they just don't have knob. Think of it as an "automatic" vs. "manual" transmission.
[/b]

This is INCORRECT. Both my 04 Nissan 350Z have and my former 02 Nissan Maxima had HID lights. NEITHER had any sort of leveling system: auto or manual. We went over this before in http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&showtopi...ndpost&p=201106 and I verified it via the factory service manual for my Z.

Why would groups be pushing for NHTSA to require them in the US if it were required already? (for example see http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/ma...3/overview.htm) Why would NHTSA be asking for comment at http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/rulings/glare.html for questions like this if they were already required in the US?

"Question 6: Should the U.S. adopt the HID glare control measures of automatic leveling and washing that have been adopted by Europe? Please identify the data and analyses that support your views. What costs would be incurred to do so?

Question 7: Should the U.S. adopt the driver operated manual headlamp leveling for halogen and/or HIDs that has been the norm in Europe? Is there evidence that leveling devices are used by many drivers? What would the costs be from adopting these?"

[Sho-Bud]

In Europe, all HID lights must have auto-leveling.
Prius in Europe is not availlable with HID lights.
Manual headlight adjustment on cars with conventional lights is used to compensate for a heavy load in the back.