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low beams seen as high beams

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Mroziak, Sep 10, 2006.

  1. Mroziak

    Mroziak New Member

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    Hey Everybody,

    I just signed up to the forum because I am a proud owner of Prius 2006 from Poland where this type of car are still sth out of this world, but I need some opinions on the following:

    While driving at night I use the low beam headlights most of the time, surprisingly a pretty large number of drivers coming in from the opposite direction think I am using high beams and simply flash their high beams at me. I must say I feel unconfortably and I am seen as a rude driver. I do not have any passengers on the back nor heavy luggage in the trunk. Does anybody happen to experience sth like this? Are the low beams too bright or what? I do not have the auto levelling feature.

    greets.

    Mroziak
     
    #1 Mroziak, Sep 10, 2006
  2. Michgal007

    Michgal007 Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mroziak @ Sep 10 2006, 09:27 AM) [snapback]317299[/snapback]</div>
    Hmm.. obviously I cannot see my own headlights while driving. :) I haven't had this problem. Check to make sure your high beam is not on, I accidently drove with it once!
     
    #2 Michgal007, Sep 10, 2006
  3. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Do you have HID headlights? They are often brighter.
    If this is a serious problem you should have the headlight aim adjusted by the dealer.
     
    #3 efusco, Sep 10, 2006
  4. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    Sorry, I can't add any insights about your problem except to agree with the previous responders to make sure you don't have the high beams on by accident and, if not, get your dealer to make an adjustment.

    I just wanted to say hello to a Prius Owner from Poland! Are Priuses very rare? How hard was it for you to get one?
     
    #4 PriusRos, Sep 10, 2006
  5. Mroziak

    Mroziak New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusRos @ Sep 10 2006, 09:03 AM) [snapback]317310[/snapback]</div>
    I bought mine in the US and shipped it to Poland, why? Well, they are cheaper in the US than in Poland and I have sort of a privileage being a US resident as well, which means shipping without tax, customs payments etc. pure transportation and that's it. By the way the EU requirements concerning cars are somewhat different from the ones in the US. One of these involves, guess... the very headlights, which means that the low beams have to be asymertic not symertic (as in the US). It could be a hidden trick :) Anyway thanx for your interest!
    Greets.
    Mroziak
     
    #5 Mroziak, Sep 10, 2006
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Have the headlight alignment checked.
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Sep 10, 2006
  7. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    I had a Nissan Maxima when I was in high school and had the same experience with the repeated brighting. Unlike the Prius, the Maxima had two seperate bulbs for high and low beams. Perhaps this was excessive, but I would pull the stalk back a little to engage the brights without turning off the lows, in essense more than doubling the brightness. This let them know immediately that my brights were not on.

    The method still works. If you get flashed, flash them back. Since the Prius smiply accuates a cover to open up for the brights, you're not actually turning a bulb on and off to change from low beams to high. So you really have nothing to lose by flashing them back if you want.
     
    #7 TonyPSchaefer, Sep 10, 2006
  8. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mroziak @ Sep 10 2006, 07:49 AM) [snapback]317320[/snapback]</div>
    The light pattern of the low beams of my Prius and of every other one I have seen at night is asymmetric.
     
    #8 IsrAmeriPrius, Sep 10, 2006
  9. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    Unfortunately this is just a part of having HID headlights. Its gotten better, my fathers car had them in 1998 and nobody knew what they were and flashed all the time.
     
    #9 SW03ES, Sep 10, 2006
  10. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    As the original post said no auto-levelling feature, I suppose that there are not HID headlights. However the European version may differ in this.

    IF the headlight assemblies are similar to the 2001-2003 Prius (US model), there is a mechanical adjustment. It is not easily accessible but very effective. In my 2001 Prius I did lslightly ower the left hand beam and stopped getting flashes from oncoming drivers. The illumination pattern on the road was still very good.
     
    #10 tochatihu, Sep 10, 2006
  11. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    the G2 Prius lights emmit more spurious light than normal automotive headlights, more like a early 90's Ford Pickup. I noticed this the first winter that the 2k4's came out and I remember here on PC people saying that they were getting flashed. And yes I've been flashed at night driving the wifes 2k4 before I put the SilverStars in it. As said above you might want to lower the cut off line adjuster just a bit, that might help. Also which side of the road do you drive on LH or RH? If right hand drive you will probably have to change the headligh assy. over to the JDM or Austrailian headlight assy. as the cut off line is different.
     
    #11 Frank Hudon, Sep 10, 2006
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I only get flashed if I have a full load and hence the rear is lower.
     
    #12 Tideland Prius, Sep 10, 2006
  13. kDB

    kDB New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mroziak @ Sep 10 2006, 08:27 AM) [snapback]317299[/snapback]</div>
    so you do you not have HID's (package 5)? then you should have regular bulbs, so it seems you need to just have the headlight re-aimed.
     
    #13 kDB, Sep 10, 2006
  14. KMO

    KMO Senior Member

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    If you're driving a US car in Europe, it's quite possible that it's simply that the US beams are not as sharply cut off as required by European regulations. Certainly US beams are permitted throw up a lot more light at other drivers than allowed in Europe.

    Now, I don't know if this is actually the case for the US Prius; I have no idea what its beam pattern looks like compared to the European version.

    But with the European lights, if driving behind another car at night, it should be clearly visible that the lights come up at or below the level of their number plate, and the cut-off should be sharp enough that it almost seems as if their rear reflectors and plate flash on and off as you go over bumps.
     
    #14 KMO, Sep 10, 2006
  15. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    the light cutoff pattern is flat to the center line of the light and then a 45degree rise to the right for NA vehicles. So if used in a RH drive enviroment the 45 degree cut off would climb into the oncoming drivers eyes. If that's the case you'll get flashed for sure.
     
    #15 Frank Hudon, Sep 10, 2006
  16. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KMO @ Sep 10 2006, 01:54 PM) [snapback]317450[/snapback]</div>
    I have driven many rental cars in the EU and have ridden with European friends in their cars. The light pattern of my Prius is similar if not identical to what I remember from driving in Europe and the UK and to what you are describing.
     
    #16 IsrAmeriPrius, Sep 10, 2006
  17. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    head light cutoff for NA in counties with RHD turn the picture around so the cutoff goes the other way.
    OK PriusChat is starting to piss me off as I can't even upload a 50KB file. So sorry that I can't show from the service manual the cut line on the light.
     
    #17 Frank Hudon, Sep 10, 2006
  18. sl7vk

    sl7vk Member

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    The Prius has very bright low beams IMHO. Compared to my Subaru Outback, I thought the car was on highs all the time. I don't have HID's and the lights are still very bright. I like it though, even if I am blinding everyone else on the road... :)
     
    #18 sl7vk, Sep 11, 2006
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