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Headlight burnt out rubber holder

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Harish, Jul 6, 2016.

  1. Harish

    Harish Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2012
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    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Need help with 2011 Pruis issue:
    The passenger side headlamp (low beam) bulb burnt out for whatever reason (could be that it was not seated properly when I last replaced it myself). It appears that the rubber or other material on the headlamp assembly around the bulb also burnt out as a result of the heat from the halogen bulb. The socket and wiring are good and I can put in a new bulb and wriggle it tightly into the hole where the bulb is supposed to go in...I completed a 1000 mile trip just now with the bulb held this way and it appears ok, only that the angle the bulb points in is not perfect creating some dark spots when driving.

    The dealer says for $500 to replace the entire headlamp assembly. Is there some better way to replace only the rubber or the area that holds the bulb instead of having to replace the entire headlamp assemble? I could take out the headlamp assembly - I have seen the videos and it appears something I could do mysef...just wondering if I really need to replace the entire assembly which I see is being sold for around $100+ on ebay.....or is there a cheaper way to replace only the burnt out part?

    Also if I were to get a replacement headlamp aftermarket assembly just for the passenger side, would that look like and match the original drivers side assembly or do both need to be replaced at the same time?
     
  2. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
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    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Once the bulb is mounted incorrectly, which isn't uncommon on the passenger side due to the very limited space behind the headlight, heat damage and melting can occur if the problem isn't spotted and corrected immediately.

    Unfortunately, the dealer is right. The entire headlamp assembly has to be replaced.

    Use this excellent guide for disassembly and reassembly:

    DIY: How to black-out the headlights on a 2010+ Prius | Balancing Act
     
    Robert Holt likes this.
  3. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
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    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    If I were in your situation, I'd try to get an oem headlight from ebay, or from a pick and pull junkyard, and replace it myself.

    In the future, remove the 10mm bolts behind the passenger headlight holding the air intake hose and unclip the bracket towards the front of the air intake hose so you can bend the intake hose up and out of the way. This will give you more room to access the bulb. After bulb replacement, always check alignment, as you stated, when mounted at an angle/incorrectly, the beam output is poor.
     
    #3 xliderider, Jul 6, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2016
    Robert Holt likes this.
  4. Chilly36

    Chilly36 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2013
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    Location:
    Virginia Beach, VA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Just got the same bad news from my dealer. What did you end up doing?