Major, Major Flaw....OR deliberate? Base Model Headlights

You have the halogens? Could they be aligned way too low??

 

They are the same wattage and range as all the other bulbs. The reflector design is not great, but not that bad. Remember any vehicles from the 90's and before? My DeLorean at night looks like there are 2 keychain flashlights making 2 dots on the road pretty close ahead.

You can try the higher kelvin temp bulbs. They burn faster so you will have to replace them more often, but because of their blue-ish white hue, the human eye is more receptive to the colour and makes it look brighter, even though they generally aren't.

All of this assumes your headlights ARE aimed properly. Pull up on a flat surface 25ft away from a wall. Make sure the light only dips an inch or two at 25ft from the starting height.

 

I agree with this post, most likely the alignment. I have a base model and the headlights are quite bright. Actually a couple of times vehicles have flashed their lights at me thinking my light were on high beam (maybe mine are adjusted too high).

 

There is just a little thumb adjust wheel on each light that raises and lowers the beam. Do you have anything nearby with a flat area away from a building? I find a Walmart or any big-box store generally has a flat loading dock area with a nice big tall wall. They work great for aiming headlights.

 

It should have been typed in Japanese then, that is the language they speak. US Toyota employees will be Marketing, not Engineering. (There is no evidence at all that anyone at Toyota Japan reads any of this)

 

It's on the back of the headlight housings.
I've done the H11 to H9 bulb conversion, where you substitute a 65w halogen bulb for the 55w H11 bulbs. Link is in my signature below. The light output is quite good now.

SCH-I535

 

i have no problem with the headlites either. i also get flashed frequently. i hope the adjustment works out for you!

 

As long as you are the flashee, not the flasher, which might result in arrest!

 

Toyota should have taken the LED headlight and given them to Prius...

 

They did!
You have to by the top model Prius "Five" or PIP "Advanced" to get them... and they are awesome BTW!

HID's make a good inexpensive and easy upgrade to the Gen III Prius. Just be sure to get a bulb designed for projector systems so you don't get ground shadows.

 

I meant if Toyota put LED headlight in all trims of Corolla, if they do that for Prius, that will be really nice...

LEDs use less electric... Can go another .05 mile...

 

I have the same beef .I had my head lights measured and they are set the right height but are inadequate, especially in hilly terrain.Don

 

Keeping the lenses clean is very important. Even a small amount of mud or insect debris can reduce headlight output considerably. Also, in daytime driving-light mode, the headlights are much dimmer than when the headlights are switched on.

 

I have no problems with my lights in hilly/mountainous Utah. In fact these are the best I have had in any car I have owned.

 

I assume since the Corolla now has LED low beams standard, it will eventually be integrated into other models. Or is that too much of a leap to expect?