1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Low beam headlight issues

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Bert66, Mar 24, 2017.

  1. danlatu

    danlatu Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2017
    533
    1,346
    2
    Location:
    maryland
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I find the beam shoots nicely since the prius has a projector/reflector. These bulbs in the ridgeline are a bit off since the bulbs sits @the 1 o'clock position, beam has little hot spots(blame the reflector design). Throw is not as long but no more replacing bulbs and I can see just fine. The 4th gen prius led headlights are blinding bright, no sure how it is legal???
     
  2. walter Lee

    walter Lee Hypermiling Padawan

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2009
    1,126
    376
    5
    Location:
    Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I've replaced my low beam headlights several times.(both sides, H11 ) This year I received a recall from Toyota about the low beam headlights bulbs burning out prematurely and that the dealer fix is a different wire harness

    Walter Lee
    2010 Toyota Prius III
    Blue exterior
    odometer = +90,000 miles
     
  3. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,979
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Some cars were shipped with a wire harness where the wire gauge was too small. This causes a voltage drop. If you operate halogen bulbs at too low a voltage they won't "self repair" and burn out prematurely. This doesn't apply to DRL use where some vehicle DRLs use the halogen headlamps in series. In this case they emit light but don't run hot enough to evaporate the tungsten on the filaments.

    There is a TSB out for the Prius GIII about this. As noted above, the fix is to replace the wire harness bits (just the last bit leading to the bulbs I think).
     
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,073
    14,981
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    That's correct about the existence of the TSB, but exactly backwards about the nature of the issue. The defective wire harness is too heavy in gauge, delivering a voltage to the bulb that is too high. The lifespan of any incandescent is reduced severely by overvoltage (life is inverse to roughly the thirteenth power of applied voltage).

    The fix in the TSB is to add a substantial length of wire leading to each bulb, shaving off an additional ½ volt, roughly, at the bulb, giving a more reasonable life. More details on the fix are here.

    -Chap
     
    CR94 and xliderider like this.
  5. mtnbkr

    mtnbkr Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 4, 2010
    27
    5
    0
    Location:
    MD
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    You got it fixed via recall???


     
  6. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    7,842
    3,099
    0
    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I'm probably going to skip having the recall done on our 2011. I would have to remove the HID lights and ballasts I've installed on the vehicle. ;)

    Haven't had any problems with the HID bulbs and ballasts from the high voltage Prius electrical system.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  7. Fearless Flyer

    Fearless Flyer Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2012
    16
    8
    0
    Location:
    Syracuse, NY
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    We just got a "Customer Support Program Notification" in the mail yesterday(1/7/18) regarding halogen headlamp time being shorter than expected.
    Toyota is offering to replace BOTH Low beam harnesses and bulbs(both sides) if you have a low beam that goes out, good through 10/31/2019. In addition, they will reimburse any costs incurred if you replaced a bulb yourself prior to receiving this communication.
    I got the notice yesterday and my driver-side low beam went out the very same evening(what are the chances of that?). In addition, we had the same issue on the right side this past November(2017).
    Promptly called my local dealer and brought it right in only to find they don't have new bulb/harness required and gave me a free loaner vehicle it parts come in since it's a safety/liability issue.
    So, 2010-2011 Prii owners, watch for this mail from Toyota!!
     
  8. Bham_prius

    Bham_prius Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2016
    35
    12
    0
    Location:
    bellingham
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Cool any builiten number associated with this? I am actually replacing my lights today...
     
  9. Bham_prius

    Bham_prius Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2016
    35
    12
    0
    Location:
    bellingham
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    LOL checked the mail.. I got the letter as well