Passenger Side HID Headlights Issue

Re: HID highbeams

There is no hi/lo, per say.
On low beam there is a shutter that blocks full output. Put on hi beams and the shutter moves out of the way.
Have someone move the headlight switch as you watch the lights for shutter movement.

 

Just fixed this stuck on high beam problem in my 2008 Prius. The HID bulb was seated ever so slightly crooked on the driver side, it was off by such a slight amount I didn't notice it all the other times I looked at it, but it was enough to block the cover that goes in and out over the HID bulb.

I replaced both HID headlights in my 2008 Prius last year in 2012, they both failed at just over 50,000 miles, and my high beam got stuck in the on position but only on the driver side. I noticed that if I flicked them a few times it would go back to low beam sometimes. Recently, it only stayed in high beam position no matter how many times I flicked them. They were fine after I installed the new HID's but it developed this problem after a few months.

After reading several posts about this, I learned how the high/low works on the HID in the Prius, only one bulb, but there is a cover that pops in and out. You can see this actuator cover go in and out if you have a friend flick the high beams on and off while you look. Look at a Prius that works, or the side that works and you will see the cover go in and out. Now look if the bulb might be slightly crooked compared to the one that works.

Took me 5 min to straighten and re-seat the HID bulb. Took off the fuse cover, turned the big plastic cover plate on the back of the headlight area 1/4 turn counter-clockwise, reach into the headlight area, turned the electrical connector 1/8 turn (be careful not to let this part slip into the headlight area, it can get stuck in there), un-hooked both springs one on each side of the HID, then without taking the bulb out, I just slightly moved it around and reseated it. You can see it thru the headlamp while you re-seat it and make sure it is straight. Use a mirror to look in and click the springs back on, put on the electric connector, put on the cover, and click in the fuse box cover back on and test the high beams.

I'm a happy camper, low and high beams both work now on my Prius !!