High beams

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tfelder @ Apr 3 2006, 10:22 PM) [snapback]234505[/snapback]</div>

we have had our 2006 prius since 4/22/06 and have the same prob. just have not had time to take back to dealer.

 

Is this your first time with HID? The field of vision is much larger and brighter than standard or halogen bulbs, but the sharp vertical cut-off and level sensor keeps the light out of oncoming driver's eyes. If your lights are out of adjustment, that should be covered by warranty; ask your dealer to check the lights the next time you take your Prius in for trivial maintenance. No need to limit what you can see at night to the limited vision you had with regular headlamps.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tfelder @ Apr 3 2006, 11:22 PM) [snapback]234505[/snapback]</div>

With HID's the sharp cutoff makes it pretty clear when they are adjusted ok. Driving on a level section of highway you should be able to see that they light the road ahead but the cutoff should be below the windshield of other cars so they only blind other drivers on curves, in hilly areas, or over bumps.

The other thing you should check is turn on the lights and sit in your hatch to tilt the car. You should see the lights adjust and then again back when you stand up.

 

because of safety issues, you should have the dealer adjust them especially if they're HID lights.

 

Looking at the 2006 lower-end option packages, I would say you do not have HID lights, and only the HID lights have the automatic aiming compensation for load. So ignore all that.

You probably already know that you cannot aim high and low beams independently in the Prius. All aiming has to be done using low beams, and you just have to accept whatever happens when you switch to high beams.

I've always taken headlight aiming very seriously, and do it myself. The dealer could do it, but not for free, and not as well as you can in real-world conditions - in the dark, with a couple hundred meters of open range.

All you need for the Prius is a Phillips screwdriver with a sufficiently long shaft, and a cloth to block the light you're not currently aiming. My method is to start in a large flat parking lot, preferably one with a building or vertical surface at one end. Aim the low beams roughly there, one at a time, using a cloth to block the other light, then together. You only have vertical adjustment in the Prius. Make the top of the bright part of the beam (known as the vertical cutoff) land somewhere below where the windshield of an oncoming car would be. After that, I cruise side streets and check for sufficient illumination of curbs, low objects in the distance, and reflective signs, so I'm sure they're high enough. At the same time, confirm that the vertical cutoff is below the oncoming vehicles' windshields, so I'm sure they're low enough. Fine-tune as necessary.

I know you're asking for the specs, and I'm sure they exist somewhere, but time spent doing it by eye will get a better result than aiming to a spec.

 

last post was 9 years ago. just FYI

ps: hi neighbor!