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Headlight pattern

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by mengoni, Feb 23, 2019.

  1. mengoni

    mengoni Junior Member

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    When I got my car each headlight has a square beam projection. After a fender bender and replacing the passenger side headlight assembly the right beam is no longer squared. The beam is level but if like them to match. Is there a way to adjust the shape of the beam?
     
    #1 mengoni, Feb 23, 2019
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    who repaired the body damage? aren't they responsible to line the head lamp up correctly?
     
    #2 bisco, Feb 23, 2019
  3. mengoni

    mengoni Junior Member

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    The only body damage was to the plastic bumper. I popped the dent out with my hand and called it good. I personally replaced the headlight assembly too.
    When I'm close to my garage door the focus seems off a bit on the passenger side
     
    #3 mengoni, Feb 23, 2019
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    so you're saying the pattern was not affected by the accident, but by the new bulb?
     
    #4 bisco, Feb 23, 2019
  5. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Is the bulb locked into the housing correctly?
     
    #5 Raytheeagle, Feb 23, 2019
  6. mengoni

    mengoni Junior Member

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    Everything is mounted flush. The center of the beams are level with one another. It's just when I'm close to a wall or my garage door the drivers side headlight projects visible squared edges while the passenger side does not
     
    #6 mengoni, Feb 24, 2019
  7. WolfpackBill

    WolfpackBill Senior Member

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    Was the headlight an aftermarket headlight and not OEM? Can you post a picture of the headlight beam against the wall?
     
    #7 WolfpackBill, Feb 24, 2019
  8. mengoni

    mengoni Junior Member

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    I replaced it with an oem headlight assembly. The pattern was the same with the previous headlight assembly after the fender bender. But before that both headlights projected a clear rectangular shape when I was close to the garage door. Now only the driver side has that clear shape.
    Post a pic later after it's dark
     
    #8 mengoni, Feb 24, 2019
    bisco likes this.
  9. mengoni

    mengoni Junior Member

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    Here's what I'm trying to figure out.
    Why does the passenger side not have the crisp rectangle shape the driver side does
     

    Attached Files:

    #9 mengoni, Feb 24, 2019
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    they are different. not sure which is correct though. what light system is it? are you sure it's the correct bulb?

    how is it going down the road?
     
    #10 bisco, Feb 24, 2019
  11. mengoni

    mengoni Junior Member

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    They were both rectangular when I got it.

    There are just stock headlights with the new wiring harness the dealer installed just 6 days ago.

    It's fine going down the road. But the right side is just a little different.
     
    #11 mengoni, Feb 24, 2019
  12. Vman455

    Vman455 Senior Member

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    There's no way to make them match without some invasive surgery. That square beam is the "squirrel finder" (as it's referred to around here); it comes from a small cutout in the shield that defines the beam cutoff inside the projector. You may have thought you bought an OEM headlight for the passenger side, but it looks like it wasn't made to the same specs.
     
    #12 Vman455, Feb 24, 2019
  13. mengoni

    mengoni Junior Member

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    Is there a link on how to do this?
     
    #13 mengoni, Feb 25, 2019
  14. Tande

    Tande Active Member

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    FWIW.......This would be my guess......had "Deer/Strike" damage on my wife's Gen. 3.......body repair shop did NOT use OEM headlamp assy. .......beam is nothing like original OEM .......again, FWIW
     
    #14 Tande, Feb 25, 2019
  15. Vman455

    Vman455 Senior Member

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    Baking the headlight apart is easy; remove all the bulbs and the six screws holding it together, put it in an oven at 220 degrees F for 10 minutes and then pull it apart. But, you won't find the correct shield anywhere unless you take it from an OEM headlight--the headlight components are not sold separately. Did you buy this headlight from an actual Toyota dealership or an online source like Rock Auto or another auto parts store?
     
    #15 Vman455, Feb 25, 2019
  16. WolfpackBill

    WolfpackBill Senior Member

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    Check the bulb is seated correctly. Just to be sure, move the bulb from the driver's side headlamp to the passenger side and make sure it's not because of the bulb. Otherwise, I would then open the headlight up and fix it

    If I do pull the headlights out, I would put a piece of aluminum tape over the squirrel finder and put HID headlights in. Bright lights while reducing glare.
     
    #16 WolfpackBill, Feb 26, 2019
    James Powers and Raytheeagle like this.
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