Headlights are dim in Prius.

Why did you tap into the parking light circuit? Get an H11 connector or tap into the lowbeam wiring for power.

The parking lights may be on an ECU controlled circuit that might be powered by PWM or Pulse Width Modulation to limit how much current flows through the circuit.

SCH-I535

 

The LED lights you mentioned are DRLs, or H11 replacement bulbs for your lowbeams? If DRLs, didn't they come with a relay or module? If they are lowbeam replacements, they should've come with H11 compatible connectors so tapping the parking light circuit shouldn't be necessary.

SCH-I535

 

Did the LEDs ever turn on when they were connected to the parking light? Could something of touched ur ballast when u turned them on cause I can't see how tapping the parking light wire would cause ur low beams to dim

Have u verified that ur still getting 12v at the low beams?


iPad ?

 

Have you measured the voltage there yet? Mess with the ground in anyway?

 

Still curious why ur HIDs stopped working.

 

That's ridiculous. A bulb is a bulb, there are no Prius bulbs and Camry bulbs lol. If it's an H11 bulb, it's an H11 bulb.

I've interchanged the bulbs between our Prius and Camry many times with no problems.

Those bulb capsules do look really strange though. It suggests extreme heat exposure. It's surprising that you didn't blow any fuses, must've shorted something out.

SCH-I535

 

something's not right here/
it's for sure not the bulbs what causes the bubble; there has to be more than meets the eye//

 

when I switched my bulbs for hid's they just looked like ne other bulb/

 

Did you hook the HV output from the HID ballast to the halogen bulbs? They look fried.

 

I'm having a similar vexing problem with our 2010 Prius. I noticed the passenger side low beam was out. Naturally, I thought the bulb burned out and bought an H11 bulb. I was having a hard time getting my hand in that small space so to make sure I was turning the socket right which was stubborn, I also removed the driver's side noting which way to turn it. I replaced the driver's side, no problem. When I eventually got the passenger side released suddenly the bulb turned on. If I put it back a certain way it would go off again. I finally got it back in but not properly seated to where the bulb stayed on. After that I noticed the intensity to both had dimmed significantly. The high beams are fine, but we can barely see now when on dim. I've seen other posting on other sites including Auto Week about Toyota Prius having headlight problems. What causes this sudden problem and what can be done?

 

Those H11s are Quartz- Halogens - which means that they have a quartz (not glass) envelope. For them to have bubbled like that is beyond odd. Did you plug them into an HID ballast - which is meant (ONLY) for HID bulbs??

 

OR, did you put your fingers on the bulbs? Finger prints will cause them to overheat.