Blown headlight at 27 months

[FULL EDIT - first post was accidentally blank]

Hi wileec,

Installing new headlight bulbs is fairly easy. It does NOT require removal or loosening of the front bumper or bumper cover. It just requires removing a panel in the front of the car underneath the hood. In my 2007 Prius Owners Manual, the instructions are in the back at pages 420-422. There is also a good Do It Yourself thread here with instructions, pictures and videos, that was started by usbseawolf2000 (with Tideland Prius), and which I've linked for you here:

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=3...l=x-treme+power

I had both of my OEM bulbs replaced yesterday with Philips X-Treme Power bulbs which cost around $47, but those are special bulbs. The OEM bulbs are not special, and I think that equivalent quality bulbs would typically sell for $20 or less for two, but I have no idea what Toyota typically charges for its OEM bulbs.

I had my mechanic/body shop guy do the labor for installing both new bulbs. He charged me $25 labor.

 

That's not normal. I upgraded mine at 52k miles and the OEM bulbs were still fine.

Why not do it yourself? It would cost you about $45 plus about an hour work. Here is a link to the knowledgebase.

http://priuschat.com/How-To-Change-Headlam...ulb-t39989.html

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(wileec @ Nov 9 2007, 08:08 AM) [snapback]537258[/snapback]</div>

It is about normal if you use the auto off feature, my first went at about 27M and the second at 32M.
1. There is nothing specialabout them, I paid about $14 at Schucks Auto .
2. You don't have to loosen the bumper, the Owners Manual gives the directions for bulb replacement.
3. I believe 9003 is right but again the Owners Manual will tell you for sure.
4. Might be a good idea, I did'nt

I found that a small mirror is sure handy when changing the bulbs, otherwise it is all by feel.

 

Yes, the size/type is H4 9003 which I think is sometimes referred to simply as H4 or 9003. [EDIT - and which the Owners Manual and the DOT refer to as HB2]

The $45 bulbs usbseawolf and I have are for 2 of those special Philips X-Treme Power bulbs. OEM or OEM quality bulbs should cost $20 or less for 2.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(wileec @ Nov 9 2007, 11:56 AM) [snapback]537292[/snapback]</div>

They are $45 because they are 80% brighter than OEM. The price is for a pair.

These bulbs are not regular Halogen bulbs. They used Halogen Infered Reflection technology. The bulbs reflect the infered light back into the filament and the filament burns at higher temperature. The result is whiter and more intensive visible light using the same 55 Watts!!

If you just want to go with 30% or 50% plus, Phliips Vision Plus cost only $15 to $19 a pair.

 

This is the first car that I have owned that has HID headlights. Are these bulbs that you are talking about a replacement for standard bulbs or HID bulbs? I'm really not smart on the difference between the two yet.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JasonB @ Nov 9 2007, 12:13 PM) [snapback]537307[/snapback]</div>

We're talking about the standard halogen bulbs, not the HIDs.

 

Ahh...ok, thanks. I like being able to really see well at night, and when I see 80% brighter than the factory bulbs, my ears naturally perk up.

Does anyone know if there's a similar upgrade for the HID lights or are the factory bulbs as good as it gets on the HID side?

 

I'm actually pretty happy with the HIDs. Definitely brighter than any of the standard bulbs I've had on previous vehicles. I just didn't know if the factory bulbs were sub-par in brightness like the standard ones are or not. Sounds like they should be fine in the case of HID. That's good to know. Thanks for the info.

 

This is just the dealer trying to make an easy job sound hard. Replacing the bulbs is very easy as it is on most cars.

One thing I suggest though, go out and buy one for the other side and replace it. Headlights should always be replaced in pairs.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(wileec @ Nov 12 2007, 10:42 AM) [snapback]538398[/snapback]</div>

I think HIDs should be replaced in pairs because HID bulbs gradually lose lumens. So replacing them in pairs should result in even levels of brightness between the two headlights.

But for standard halogens, which do not gradually lose brightness, I think there are conflicting schools of thought. On my prior car, when one of the halogens blew, I asked my mechanic to replace both. But he advised against that. He said that I wouldn't save any money because he would charge me only $5 less than double the cost of replacing one. And that you don't know for sure how long the other good halogen might last ... he had seen them last for tens of thousands of miles longer.

One thing that bugs me about automobile headlight bulbs is that manufacturers are not required to plainly state the brightness (lumens) and expected longevity (in hours) of the bulbs. And it's also very hard and sometimes impossible to find out this information on your own. I replaced the OEMs on my Prius with Philips X-Treme Power bulbs. The increase in brightness is terrific (don't know if it's 80% brighter, but it's very noticibly brighter ... see usbseawolf2000's videos showing the difference in brightness). But I searched everywhere, and I even emailed Philips on its website for the bulbs, and I have yet to get an answer to my question of how many hours can I expect out of the bulbs. My guess is that they will not last as long as the OEMs, but may come close because powerbulbs.com rated their longevity as 4 stars (out of 5).