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Location of Headlight Leveling sensor in Prime?

Discussion in 'Prime Technical Discussion' started by Krzysiek_KTA, Feb 9, 2018.

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  1. Krzysiek_KTA

    Krzysiek_KTA Active Member

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    As Always I try to post only if no other information source is available.
    Here comes the questions:
    Whereabouts is the Headlight leveling sensor located in Prime?
    I Have experienced the beams are at the lovest position and doesn't move up/down when the LED headlights are turned on. I suspect the Leveling sensor failed, so it would be good to know where it is. I assumed it would be somewhere in rear suspension, but after removing both rear wheels I could not find it. Any Help would be much appreciated.


    Kris
     
    #1 Krzysiek_KTA, Feb 9, 2018
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it used to be back there on other prius, could you see all the way under the car?
     
    #2 bisco, Feb 9, 2018
  3. Krzysiek_KTA

    Krzysiek_KTA Active Member

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    that is what I thought. I lifted the car removed both rear wheels and... could not find it. LOL

    @tidelandprius provided some hints in below post:
    "Auto-Leveling" Headlights | PriusChat

    But still I can't find it... or I do not know what to look for... :(

    Kris
     
    #3 Krzysiek_KTA, Feb 9, 2018
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you could look at the service manual for 15 bucks, or check out the old threads for a visual. are you sure it's not under warranty?
     
    #4 bisco, Feb 9, 2018
  5. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    From the 2010 Prius Repair Manual, it shows it on the right-hand side in the rear. Is it the same for the Prime? - That I don't know...

    Screen Shot 2018-02-09 at 9.16.59 PM.png
     
    #5 RRxing, Feb 9, 2018
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  6. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

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    The sales brochure for 2017 (PDF) says all three grades of the Prius Prime sold in the U.S. have “Quad-LED projector headlights with auto level control” (emphasis added), but other Toyota publications don’t agree:
    • The U.S. edition of the Owner’s Manual doesn’t have the paragraph about the “Automatic headlight leveling system” found in the European edition (for the Prius PHV).
    • The U.S. edition of the Repair Manual, available by subscription to techinfo.toyota.com, doesn’t have the Automatic Headlight Beam Level Control System section found in the European edition.
    • The U.S. edition of the New Car Features book, also on techinfo.toyota.com, has a figure similar to the one @Tideland Prius kindly shared in the other thread, but it is missing the callout (#7) for the sensor.
    • The U.S. edition of the parts catalog has Figure 84-18, Electronic Height Control, but it shows that the Rear LH Height Control Sensor Sub-Assembly is used only on “KOREA SPEC” vehicles.
    If you still have the Monroney label for your car, does it mention this feature? Perhaps the headlight simply needs adjustment, for which the Repair Manual does have a step-by-step procedure.
     
    #6 Elektroingenieur, Feb 10, 2018
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  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Maybe that picture is a bit deceptive, due the angle of view: we've got the LED headlight on our 2010 Canadian Touring, and the levelling mechanism is more-or-less centred on the rear axle beam. Of course that beam is no longer, on the 4th gen.
     
    #7 Mendel Leisk, Feb 10, 2018
  8. Krzysiek_KTA

    Krzysiek_KTA Active Member

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    Gents, thanks for your replies.
    I did my homework and dismantled both rear wheels and inspected the area. there are purple cables going to both wheels, but nothing attached 'lever-like" to the suspension as for previous gens of Prius.
    It looks like there is independent headlight leveling system for each headlight in Prius Prime Advanced.
    It looks like my left head light sensor failed and at the same time disabled the entire auto leveling without any warning sign in the dashboard.
    I managed to adjust manually the left headlight level to equal the right one and bring the car to dealership at later time at my convenience.
    once the issue is fixed I will post feedback.
    Kris
     
    #8 Krzysiek_KTA, Feb 10, 2018
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just occurred to me: shouldn't this be warrantied?
     
    #9 Mendel Leisk, Feb 10, 2018
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  10. Krzysiek_KTA

    Krzysiek_KTA Active Member

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    It sure should be, but I have recently hit the curb and damaged both left wheels (another story I am preparing to post separately) so dealer might attribute the sensor failure to that therefore I intend to involve dealer at later time.
    Kris
     
    #10 Krzysiek_KTA, Feb 12, 2018
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  11. Krzysiek_KTA

    Krzysiek_KTA Active Member

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    Yes it is under warranty, and as we speak I left the car at dealership and they can't fix it. they say the car is not equipped with headlight auto leveling ( sic!). The problem is that there are no dashboard warning about the system not working.
    Let's see what they will come back with.

    Kris
     
    #11 Krzysiek_KTA, Apr 16, 2018
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  12. CraigCSJ

    CraigCSJ Active Member

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    Page 633-634 of the 2017 Prius Prime Owners manual for my USA car has description of manual leveling of headlights. No automatic leveling I can see.
     
    #12 CraigCSJ, Apr 21, 2018
  13. Krzysiek_KTA

    Krzysiek_KTA Active Member

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    How can I get service manual for Prime? I am tired of dumb Toyota technicians stating that there is no problem with headlight auto leveling system. three service visits and they say all is OK .

    Many Thanks

    Kris
     
    #13 Krzysiek_KTA, Aug 9, 2018
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    techinfo.toyota.com, someone mentioned they raised the price to $20.
     
    #14 bisco, Aug 9, 2018
  15. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    Yes it's now $20 for a 3 day subscription. Was $15.
     
    #15 schja01, Aug 10, 2018
  16. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    Do these help? I grabbed them from the online owner's manual not techinfo.
    upload_2018-8-10_7-39-58.png
    upload_2018-8-10_7-40-33.png
     
    #16 schja01, Aug 10, 2018
  17. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    So the terrible leveling system for the gen2 was left in the dust, the prime has something that moves in the headlight housing to switch from low beams to high beams, hope it doesn’t have the same rusty spring as the gen2 leveling system;)
     
    #17 Lucifer, Aug 10, 2018
  18. Krzysiek_KTA

    Krzysiek_KTA Active Member

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    @Lucifer
    Indeed it looks like the leveling sensor is somehow integrated with the lamp assembly or elsewhere and definitely separate for each headlight.
    @schja01
    That was exactly what I did to bring the beam of affected headlight to be at the same level as the other one. Thanks

    Kris
     
    #18 Krzysiek_KTA, Aug 10, 2018
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I get the sense with each generation the in-depth technical info is migrating further away from "manual" format, towards online-only.

    I've a pdf of the second gen and third gen "Repair Manual". The second gen has better illustration, seems more "book" oriented, is more complete and organized. Third gen has a "just mailing it in" quality, it's uneven, needlessly repetitive, and generally maddening, lol.

    Fourth gen, I suspect there is no pdf format version, and it's virtually impossible to create one, due to the online-only nature of the content. :(
     
    #19 Mendel Leisk, Aug 10, 2018
  20. Krzysiek_KTA

    Krzysiek_KTA Active Member

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    @Mendel Leisk,
    I think you are 100% right. and they charge $20 for 2 day subscription to TIS.....

    K
     
    #20 Krzysiek_KTA, Aug 10, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 10, 2018
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