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2010 Prius V headlight question

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by rickkop, Oct 14, 2010.

  1. rickkop

    rickkop New Member

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    This may be a dumb question but I can't figure it out. On the 2010 Prius V, each headlight seems to have 3 main bulbs in it. On page 8 in the owners manual it says, the inside is the high beam and the outside low beam. What is the one in the middle for?
     
  2. Strike67

    Strike67 New Member

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    The inside one is high beam halogen. The outside two are low beam LED lights. One LED light isn't powerful enough so they incorporated two. Sadly LED's although efficient aren't as strong as HID's
     
  3. rickkop

    rickkop New Member

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    Oh so both outside lights make up the low beams. Got it, thanks.
     
  4. tjp74

    tjp74 New Member

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    Actually it's 3 LEDs each side to make up the beam. You only see 2 projectors per side. Each one has a LED bulb behind it. However, there is also a 3rd LED light which is a traditional reflector type located above those two projector lights. Each one has different beam pattern and all 3 combined to to make a one beam and required 55W or so output.
     
  5. partsmore

    partsmore Junior Member

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    Can anyone email me a link or instructions on how to get the RH / pass headlamp assy out?
    Trying to replace the projection H11 bulb on the right side and my hands are too large to put it in correctly. 2010 Prius II

    I searched forum and cant find instructions for the 2010. I removed the two screws in the top and the plastic clip - but there has to be more holding it in there.
    I removed the bolt to the air intake also.

    email: [email protected]
     
  6. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    There are 3 LED's in each headlight. One for distance as a projector beam, one for width as a projector beam, and the 3rd is a flood light LED above the projector beams to illuminate up close.

    The High Beam is halogen.

    Here, this will help:

    [​IMG]
     
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  7. peterjmc

    peterjmc Ping pong in Ding Dang...

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    Does anyone know if these bulbs are serviceable? What if an LED goes out, do you replace the whole assembly?
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    All I know is that the manual section dealing with headlight bulb replacement just says to let the dealer do LED replacement. Also, just from what I've read: the LED headlights are supposed to last longer.

    My Canadian touring model is similar to the V, as far as having the LED's.
     
  9. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    LED's consume less energy and maintain 90% of their luminance over their 15 year lifespan.
     
  10. peterjmc

    peterjmc Ping pong in Ding Dang...

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    I read that too. Anyone approach the dealer yet and see how much a replacement LED is? I'm thinking this will be $$$$$$$
     
  11. macman408

    macman408 Electron Guidance Counselor

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    I'd bet it's in the low hundreds per LED element (there are 3 on each side). No worries though - LED lifetimes are measured in tens of thousands of hours. Even if you use them all the time, you'll probably have several hundred thousand miles on the car, if not more, before they approach that lifetime. Unless you use your car to illuminate the exterior of your house all night or something. ;)
     
  12. Thai

    Thai Prius Neophyte

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    I have found them to be very good. The pattern spread is less intense than my wife's TSX, but just as wide.
     
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  13. DataWrangler

    DataWrangler Prius Owner (finally!)

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    Very cool ... where did this come from?
     
  14. flash

    flash Long time lurker

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    My wife got a 2010 package V several months back. I drove it the other night and found it hard to see with only the lowbeam headlights on...High beam has plenty of light...Is there a way to put brighter LEDs in the headlamp? I have very good eyesight but driving this car on a dimly lit road with only low beams seems dangerous.
     
  15. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    I seriously doubt it about putting in even brighter LED's. God only knows what these cost to begin with. And considering each headlamp has 3 LED's...

    You may want to consider aiming them higher as some have done on here, they say they are aimed too low from the factory. I myself have not had a problem and don't see the need, but then again I live in NYC where there are tons of street lights. But even when driving to PA and other areas with no street lighting I find my LED headlights to be plenty sufficient and much better than my dads halogens.

    Concerning the aiming of the LED headlights, try a quick search and the thread should pop up if you're interested.
     
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  16. DataWrangler

    DataWrangler Prius Owner (finally!)

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    Strange ... I find the LED low beams on my V to be amazingly bright and highly functional. :confused:
     
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  17. LeadingEdgeBoomer

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    That hasn't been my experience, and I do not much like driving at night (advanced decrepitude ;->, way too many NM drunk drivers). They are better in comparison to other cars I've owned. But then the previous time I bought a car was in 2000, other contemporary cars may be better.

    The range is a little limited, but the V is supposed to be self-leveling in this regard. There is also an old thread here about manually adjusting the headlights.

    In Europe there is (or used to be?) a dashboard adjustment to manually raise and lower the light angle. Set too high, and you'll get a lot of oncoming cars flashing at you.
     
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  18. flash

    flash Long time lurker

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    Thanks, I'll try to adjust and see if that helps but they really seemed dim...I was driving on a back road with no street lights...It could be that the LEDs just don't shoot out as far as other types of lights...Appreciate all of your thoughts.
     
  19. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    The individual headlight assemblies must be correctly adjusted manually, refer to post #15 of this thread:

    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...aded-lights-getting-me-down-2.html#post966977

    The auto leveling feature only compensates for changes in load, a proper manual adjustment is required as a baseline.

    Probably most of the LED equipped cars did leave the factory with the lights correctly adjusted but quite a few of us received cars with the lights adjusted far to low to be safe.
     
  20. robby818

    robby818 Junior Member

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    I was curious so I asked the Parts guy at my local dealer. He could not find a part for just the LED's themselves. He thinks that you have to replace the entire assembly, which is basically the entire headlight. The price on that part is $800. Of course, the high beam is just a standard halogen bulb.

    Are they covered by the standard or extended warranties if they burn out? Normally, light bulbs are not covered, but these are some pretty expensive lights and if they are supposed to last 15 years, but burn out in 3 or 4 then do I have to pay $800 to get one replaced?