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Headlights are dim in Prius.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by BreitrthnU, Oct 14, 2014.

  1. BreitrthnU

    BreitrthnU Can you smell the premix?

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    My headlights are like a dying flashlight. I recently attempted to plug in LED lights and tapped into the parking light directly above the high beams. This caused my pass HID to not work, which then I put both stock bulbs in. Both headlights are on now but at a super low brightness. Any clues on what I should check? Another member is trying to help but I figure Id see if anyone else can lend some ideas. Thanks in advance.

    p.s. there are no warning lights on . All lights function as should just not enough power going to the headlights.
     
    #1 BreitrthnU, Oct 14, 2014
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  2. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    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
     
    #2 xliderider, Oct 14, 2014
  3. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    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
     
    #3 xliderider, Oct 14, 2014
  4. BreitrthnU

    BreitrthnU Can you smell the premix?

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    So i originally plugged the LEDs into the DRLs which worked fine. Then I decided to try to make the LEds come on with parking lights. Thats when I tapped into the light above the highbeams. My issue isnt the LEDs its that my headlights now arent bright and im hoping someone knows what I messed up.

    The LEDS are the two hook LEDS. additional lights. not the DRLs. I just want to know why Im not getting full power to my headlights.
     
    #4 BreitrthnU, Oct 14, 2014
  5. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    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 ?
     
    #5 sfv41901, Oct 14, 2014
  6. DaneH5

    DaneH5 Member

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    Have you measured the voltage there yet? Mess with the ground in anyway?
     
    #6 DaneH5, Oct 15, 2014
  7. BreitrthnU

    BreitrthnU Can you smell the premix?

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    Figured it out. And I'm an idiot but maybe there are others that aren't as smart as some of you guys. So I have 2 kits in my Camry. And have 6 oem bulbs sitting around. I used Camry bulbs in the prius by accident. Plugged in the right bulbs and my lights are fine. But the Prius electrical bubbled up the oem bulbs. So make sure you use proper bulbs lol. Thanks for the help everyone.
    ImageUploadedByTapatalk1413511752.401089.jpg
     
    #7 BreitrthnU, Oct 16, 2014
  8. sfv41901

    sfv41901 Masta S

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    Still curious why ur HIDs stopped working.
     
    #8 sfv41901, Oct 16, 2014
  9. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    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
     
    #9 xliderider, Oct 16, 2014
  10. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    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//
     
    #10 StarCaller, Oct 17, 2014
  11. BreitrthnU

    BreitrthnU Can you smell the premix?

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    I agree bulbs are bulbs which is why I didn't think twice about what I'm installing. However the Prius bulbs look like they might have something extra on them like a resistor inside maybe? There's a small cover on the body housing of the bulb.
     
    #11 BreitrthnU, Oct 17, 2014
  12. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    when I switched my bulbs for hid's they just looked like ne other bulb/
     
    #12 StarCaller, Oct 18, 2014
  13. BreitrthnU

    BreitrthnU Can you smell the premix?

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    Again I agree, but why would one work and not the other. They are both h11. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1413682421.904812.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1413682441.354298.jpg
     
    #13 BreitrthnU, Oct 18, 2014
  14. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    Did you hook the HV output from the HID ballast to the halogen bulbs? They look fried.
     
    #14 Jonny Zero, Oct 21, 2014
  15. Rwm

    Rwm Junior Member

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    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?
     
    #15 Rwm, Nov 14, 2015
  16. eric1234

    eric1234 Active Member

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    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??
     
    #16 eric1234, Nov 15, 2015
  17. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    OR, did you put your fingers on the bulbs? Finger prints will cause them to overheat.
     
    #17 David Beale, Nov 16, 2015
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