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Low Beams

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by ptwebber, Aug 4, 2020.

  1. ptwebber

    ptwebber Junior Member

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    2015 Model 3 have LEDs in but still too dark at night better options? My right one is real dim already after 2 yrs. I do keep my lights on at all times. would like to brighten up as it is dark out there in winter
     
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    A Prius Three does not have LED headlights, it has halogens (unless you bought it used and someone modified it with cheap aftermarket solutions).

    There are a number of halogen options but brighter ones will never last as long as OEMs.

    HID retrofit kits are also available but be aware of potential glare issues (the projector lens on the Prius help reduce but because they're designed for halogens, there's still the potential for glare). 4300-5000K colour temperature is preferred. (4300K is the brightness and closest to the colour of halogen headlights)
     
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  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    As Tideland pointed out, your Model Three does not have factory LED headlights. If they are now LEDs, it is an aftermarket modification.

    The front of the car does have LEDs, but they are DRLs (daytime running lights), not headlights. They only help others see you. Their light distribution pattern is completely worthless as a headlight for your night vision.

    If these LEDs are the lights you are using at night, then your headlight switch is not turned to the right position. If this image illustrates your headlight switch (there are actually 3 types shown in the Owner's Manual), then turn the switch all the way up to Position 3:
    upload_2020-8-4_14-41-47.png
    Position 2 while correctly turn on all the side and rear lights, but will have the wrong front lights turned on.

    If you have either of the other 2 switch types, then AUTO is an acceptable position, but will turn headlights off in daytime. You can force them all full-time by selecting this position on any switch type:
    upload_2020-8-4_14-48-48.png :
     
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  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I totally forgot about the LED parking lights for 2012+ models. In Canada, they never used that for DRLs and continued to use the "high beam at reduced intensity" as DRLs. Is it possible that the OP is running on DRLs, thinking they have their headlights on? That might explain the "not bright enough".
     
  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I'm taking that as a possibility to at least be checked. With a very cheap solution. A previous poster here gave several clues to mistakenly using the DRLs as headlights, but then vanished without giving us the next answers or a solution.

    If this isn't it, the probable next thing is to replace a failing right headlight, and see if that brings enough light. Headlight aim should also be checked.

    As for those "high beam at reduced intensity" DRLs, plenty of them exist down here too, on other car models (including my Subaru), and they cast a usable enough pattern that numerous folks get caught at night not realizing that they have the wrong lights, and that their rear and side lights are turned off. This is one reason I believe unpatterned LEDs are superior for DRLs, as they are much less likely to create this confusion.
     
  6. Attila Fekete

    Attila Fekete Member

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    1968D66D-99D8-43AC-A195-4E8CE4662156.jpeg
    Let me correct that: Prius gen 3 doesn’t have LED headlights in the US.
    European can have - mine has also. I don’t know if that fits for US.
     
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  7. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Further correction:

    In the U.S. market, different trims of Gen3 Prius Liftback have different headlights -- LED on the top trim only, halogen on all the lower trims.

    OP has a Three, which mean halogen headlights. For his year, the top trim with the LED headlights was called a Five.
     
  8. Attila Fekete

    Attila Fekete Member

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    Then it’s the about the same in Europe, only the top models have LED.
     
  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah. Sorry I realise Europe uses “Prius 3” to mean 3rd generation or Mark 3. In the US, “Three” is a trim level like “Business Edition” or “Active” or “Sol” in Europe.
     
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  10. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    The namings are a tangled mess between countries, and between years within a given country. Almost as if they want to keep things confused. But as shown by the sequence of trim names within the U.S. (E.g. III, then 3, then Three) and re-use of the V (uppercase for trim level in 2010, then lowercase for model name from 2012-on), I'm believing it is more from lack of sufficient advance planning.
     
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  11. Attila Fekete

    Attila Fekete Member

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    That confuse me too all the time.
    And it’s even better, that in Europe the trim may be different by country.
    Like I have a Belgian Prius with LED, but with the small bavigation with JBL. There was no such setup in Hungary. But also at the end of the model period, they add something to each trim - like big screen, JBL.
     
    #11 Attila Fekete, Aug 6, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2020
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  12. Wraiththe

    Wraiththe Member

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    SOOOOOO many F'ers here do not understand DRL's and drive with the lights off.
     
  13. Ztifpatrick

    Ztifpatrick New Member

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    I too just bought a 2015 that seems to have LED low beams for night driving, they are not good. The high beam is incredible. Is there anything that can be done? Different bulbs? My Prius A was imported 2nd hand from the Japanse market.