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2007 Touring HID Headlight Turns Off & Battery Clicks When I Hit Brakes

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by hippononymous, Jul 11, 2013.

  1. hippononymous

    hippononymous New Member

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    Relatively new Prius owner. I have a 2007 Touring model. I have two concerns I'm hoping some veterans can address for me.

    1. I noticed last night that my left HID headlight turns off randomly (I saw it in the reflection of the car in front of me). I turned off the lights and turned them back on, and the headlight was working again for about 5 minutes before turning off again. This consistently happens so I'm pretty much driving with only one headlight on. The right headlight isn't having this problem, luckily.

    Looks like Toyota had a settlement over the issue. I would post a link but since I'm a new users it's not allowing it.

    But my car isn't under warranty anymore (I'm at 76k miles). So what do I do about the headlight? I've seen people on various forums shelling out a couple hundred over new headlights, ballasts (?), and other related equipment. But no one seems to have a single solution (some people claim to have spent $1000+ on repairs to no avail). Should I just go ahead and get the headlight bulb replaced and see if that works? Has this worked for other people? Is it cheaper to order a bulb off Amazon and have it replaced by a repair place over the Toyota dealership, or do it myself?

    2. I also periodically hear a rattling or clicking sound coming from underneath the dashboard. I've only had the car a few days, so I guess I didn't notice it before with the music on. Someone mentioned this sound may be normal; they said if you can reproduce the sound by pumping the brake 4 or 5 times then that means it's an electric pump that "periodically activates to keep [the] vacuum replenished for the braking system to prolong ev-only driving."

    Can anyone confirm this? I just want to make sure this noise isn't unusual. I opened the hood and pumped the brake and the noise is definitely originating from er, one of those many parts under the hood, haha.

    If you guys need any clarification, let me know and I'll do what I can to be more specific! :)
     
    #1 hippononymous, Jul 11, 2013
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  2. hippononymous

    hippononymous New Member

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    OH, and the clicking I hear coming from my car isn't just from braking. Sometimes it clicks when I'm slowing down or speeding up. It seems kind of random to be honest, but is more frequent at low speeds.
     
    #2 hippononymous, Jul 11, 2013
  3. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    You can DIY the headlight bulb change. Youtube videos show step by step. Just get high quality bulbs. Amazon seems to have real Phillips bulbs, according to the experts here. Lots of info here. If the bulb can be made to light again by turning on and off several times, then the bulb is the likely failure.

    The brake actuator (it's a pump) will sound when you first put your foot on the brake pedal before starting the car. It will run other times as well. So it sounds like what you describe is normal.
     
    #3 nh7o, Jul 11, 2013
  4. hippononymous

    hippononymous New Member

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    Thanks a bunch! Your post is reassuring!
     
    #4 hippononymous, Jul 11, 2013
  5. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    You may want to read at least the first couple paragraphs of this: Not all HID Bulbs are created equal | PriusChat

    Replace your bulbs in pairs. That same thread tells you what to look for in replacement bulbs. Should be $50 a bulb.

    The clicking is the brake accumulator as mentioned. It happens a lot but it is hard to hear at higher speeds. It just keeps the brakes primed to the correct pressure and does some hydraulic checks every time. Very safe vehicle.
     
    #5 2k1Toaster, Jul 11, 2013
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