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Replacing low-beam bulb

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by rspeaker, Nov 30, 2015.

  1. rspeaker

    rspeaker Junior Member

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    Hello,

    I have a 2012 Prius v with halogen bulbs. First car I've owned with separate high- and low-beam bulbs. Thought I figured things out when I replaced the high-beam several months ago, by disconnecting a coolant hose and moving the air intake, I could easily reach and replace the bulb.

    I find the low-beam light, further to the edge, harder to replace. Getting it out was fine, but I can't feel the notches to get it seated properly. Did it on the driver's side in 30 seconds. Anything I can do to make it easier? Really don't want to ask my mechanic to fix this for me, will make me feel like an idiot. Cheers!
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just curious, did you actually have to disconnect a coolant line, ie: spill a little coolant, introduce air into the system? Or just disconnect an intermediate holder of some sort, shift it over?
     
  3. rspeaker

    rspeaker Junior Member

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    I'm pretty sure it's a coolant line (connects to reservoir with red liquid.) The owners manual says to disconnec the hose, and then the air intake can be moved as well.
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah you're right. Took a look at the pdf: it's the tube running into the top of the engine reservoir, so looks to be above the fluid level. Crazy though, poor design.
     
  5. rspeaker

    rspeaker Junior Member

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    Big issue is it's just so cramped on the passenger side. On the driver's side, I don't have to move or remove anything, and I can replace high-beam, low-beam, or the parking light in less than a minute.

    No idea who thought it'd be good to make it so hard to change the bulbs on the passenger side.

    Guess I'll try to find someone with small hands.
     
  6. m.wynn

    m.wynn Senior Member

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    No need to disconnect the coolant line. Pull the 2, 10mm bolts holding the coolant bottle, unclip the hose from the air intake tube and swing the coolant bottle up out of the way. The air intake never bothers me once the bottle is out of the way, but if you think that will help it's just the 3, 10 mm bolts that are in plain site, release the ground wire clip and it pulls right off.

    Mendel, maybe someday you'll have enough hours on that thing to blow a headlight!
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I hope not, they're the LED's. When they blow, you might as well throw it away. :ROFLMAO:
     
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  8. m.wynn

    m.wynn Senior Member

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    Sweet, how do like them?

    I'm on my third set of the marginal H11's. Think I'm gonna try the H9 mod having been swayed by Xliderider's positive review.
     
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    They're pretty good. Cool-white light with a fairly obvious cut-off. Good range I think.
     
  10. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    I disconnect the hose myself, it's fast and easy along with the three 10mm bolts that hold the air intake snorkel.

    As far as the passenger low beam bulb, use a small flashlight so you can see the surface of the opening, I believe it's at a slight angle. Then put the bulb assembly in so that the cable connector will end up down after rotating clockwise 90 degrees. This means the bulb's connector will start out at "3 o'clock" and rotate down to "6 o'clock" as viewed from the back.

    It might be easier to install without the cable as I believe the cable is barely long enough. Then plug in the cable after the bulb assembly is rotated in.

    Finally, if you need to, take the easier driver's side out to verify the bulb assembly orientation needed to start it and the direction to rotate. And do both low beam sides at the same time or you will be back at it in a month or so, perhaps after a police warning or ticket. Also wear disposable nitrate or vinyl gloves to avoid touching the glass on the bulb itself. Skin oil will cause early failures.

    By the way, the earlier Gen 2 design is much harder on some of the bulbs where it is recommended to take out the whole headlight assembly.
     
    #10 rjparker, Nov 30, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2015
  11. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Whatever you do, after you mount the bulb, always verify that the bulb is not mounted crooked. Housings have melted from improperly mounted bulbs.
     
  12. rspeaker

    rspeaker Junior Member

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    Finally figured it out. I assumed the bulb would start at 90º with the bottom of the bulb facing IN towards the engine, like the driver's side does, where there is more room and better leverage. Turns out the bulb goes in with the bottom of the bulb facing 90º OUT away from the engine.

    Thanks to the suggestion for removing the coolant tank, and putting the bulb in BEFORE connecting the cable. The bulb alone, plus figuring out how it had to go in and twist, made this easy.
     
  13. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    The bulbs go in the same way on both sides, base pointing toward 3 o'clock, then turn clockwise to 6 o'clock.
     
  14. Midesaka

    Midesaka Junior Member

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    As an aside, stay away from the Sylvania Silverstar Ultra H11 low-beams.

    My OEMs lasted for nearly 15mos after I purchased my (used) 2012 v Three. When they expired, I replaced them with the Silverstar Ultras. For the next year (as long as O'Reilly was replacing them free under warranty), the Ultras went out every 30 days like clockwork.

    The Ultra warranty went out in October, and I went back to Toyota OEMs. Still going strong after about 7 weeks, so fingers crossed.
     
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  15. Car Donation

    Car Donation New Member

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    New I hope not, they're the LED's. When they blow, you might as well throw it away.
     
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