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Left vs right headlight

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by frozenmba, Aug 29, 2013.

  1. frozenmba

    frozenmba Junior Member

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    How much height difference should the left headlight low beam have against the right headlight low beam? When I park the car against the garage wall, about 3 feet away from the wall, it's a foot difference in height.

    How much can we adjust the headlight low beam (up or down)?
     
  2. TheLos

    TheLos Member

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    I never realized they were at different heights. I parked in the driveway tonight instead of in the garage and noticed the difference. Interested to hear more.
     
  3. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Yikes, shouldn't be any difference at that distance. There is quite a bit of possible adjustment (up and down only).

    I am thinking you might have been in accident and didn't know it.?
     
  4. frozenmba

    frozenmba Junior Member

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    i bought it certified used, so i assumed it wasn't in any accident.

    when i was driving at night, i just noticed that the headlight was so "weak" then noticed that the right side was focused so low. I tried to adjust the height, but i seem to have reached the maximum adjustment possible, and it's still very low.

    is this something i can claim with warranty?
     
  5. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    Lamp housing/module may not be properly seated in its housing. If not, and if you need that much adjustment, the housing/mounting point is out of tolerance, possibly as suggested due to prior damage. You may be able to get the range of adjustment into tolerance by shimming the lighting module/mounting point with washers -- extra washers on the bottom mounting points would raise the module and lighting angle, for example. This is something you probably want to bring up with the "certifying" dealership.
     
  6. gliderman

    gliderman Active Member

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    Cheap test: Check the bulbs. Take them out and put them back in. One may have been installed improperly.

    OOPS! Posted same time a Air Boss.
     
  7. frozenmba

    frozenmba Junior Member

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    I already reinstalled the bulb. I scheduled a service appt with the dealer.

    does anyone know if this is something that should be covered under the CPO warranty? in case they can't adjust....
     
  8. Quattro

    Quattro Member

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    The driver's side headlight is aimed lower to avoid blinding oncoming traffic. This is usually more pronounced on HIDs because of the sharper cutoff. Some cars have different glass housing between left & right because of the refractor design and you have to buy the correct replacement part. Like you cannot replace a US left with a UK left.
     
  9. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    The HID cutoff difference left vs. right is perhaps 3" at 30 feet. The OP's difference is forty times that (apparently).

    I'm not talking capsule fit in lamp housing, I'm talking lamp housing mating properly (or having to be shimmed) to the fender/front valance.
     
  10. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    If it's CPO, the buyer shouldn't have to mess with it. OP, yes, take it back to the dealer and make them fix/adjust it.

    I'd give them hell about it as well, since it should never have left the dealership like that. It's a real waste of your time to have to deal with this problem that should have been taken care of during the CPO inspection.

    Try to get them to give you a Heatshield sunshade or something for wasting your time and the inconvenience of having to return for this problem.

    SCH-I535
     
  11. frozenmba

    frozenmba Junior Member

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    It's the passenger side that's lower than the driver side. This is what it looks like at night for me, the driver's side low beam looks normal and the passenger side low beam is like a fog lamp lighting the a couple of feet from the bumper.

    I put on hid's before (but took them out), the cut off looks the same with the halogen bulb
     
  12. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    Then either the entire lamp module is out of alignment with the fender/valance or the fender/valance is out of alignment. Take it back to the CPO dealership and raise hell.
     
  13. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    Since taking delivery, my drivers side is higher than passenger side. Though very slight. I'm sure it's within tolerance though. They should be very close in height if aimed at a wall about 20 ft away. Your's sound way off.

    There's photos of beam patterns all over this forum, look one up for reference.