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Need help: Suddenly headlights stopped working...

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Swampthing, Aug 25, 2017.

  1. Swampthing

    Swampthing Junior Member

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    This morning I noticed that my regular headlights stopped working on my 2014 Prius Plug-in. The high beams will work. The parking lights work. But suddenly both headlights seem dead. I opened the fusebox under the hood to look for any issues. According to the panel, it appears that the fuses for these headlights are located just above the maroon and light blue boxes at the bottom of my screenshot. However, there are no fuses in those locations. The slots are empty... I did some research on the Internet and saw there was a problem with older Prius' experiencing sudden headlight outages, but that was well before the 2014 model I have.

    Hopefully someone can help me. Right now is not the best time for auto repairs with my current budget, so I wonder if there are some ideas here about what might be the problem. Is there something else I should be checking??
     

    Attached Files:

    #1 Swampthing, Aug 25, 2017
  2. dalcon95

    dalcon95 Senior Member

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    If they are HID headlights, try turning them off and turning them back on. I had a 05 Prius with HID headlights and they would go out and I found out by turning them off and back on again that they would come back on. Occasionally they would keep going out and I would do the samething again. The ballisters were going bad and needed replaced. They usually run at least $100 per light without labor. Not sure if that is your problem or not though. If it works, it could be.

    #1 in Easley,SC
     
    #2 dalcon95, Aug 25, 2017
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  3. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    If fuse is not blown, you may simply have BOTH low beam bulbs blown at the same time. I know you are going to say what the chance they go out at the same time, but it can happen. I had similar situation, though not on Prius, that BOTH low beams went out on a same day. This happens to be a day after I had the car in a dealer shop for totally unrelated service. I called the shop but they told me they will charge me $100 just to run electrical diagnosis on the car. The cheapest thing after checking blown fuse was to change the bulbs, which I could do it myself. So, I did. Sure enough, they came back on with new bulbs. The cost was less than $10. I am assuming your PIP has regular bulbs, not LED like on PRIME. I think LED lamps are far more expensive.
     
    #3 Salamander_King, Aug 25, 2017
  4. Swampthing

    Swampthing Junior Member

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    To be honest, I am not sure I am checking the right place for the fuses. Based on the diagram I posted above, I am looking at two empty slots where I thought those fuses should be, but that doesn't make much sense. I posted the pictures above hoping that perhaps someone here could point out the correct spot where those fuses are located that I should be checking.
     
    #4 Swampthing, Aug 25, 2017
  5. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Have you checked the bulbs yet, as suggested above? Do you have a multimeter? Using a multimeter to check the bulbs and fuses for continuity is a must, don't rely on only visual inspection of fuses and bulbs.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #5 xliderider, Aug 25, 2017
  6. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    According to this image in another thread, those two fuse slots are empty. The blue DRL relay in this image has been removed:
     
    #6 xliderider, Aug 25, 2017
  7. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    #7 xliderider, Aug 25, 2017
  8. Swampthing

    Swampthing Junior Member

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    After visiting three auto stores, two who tested the bulbs, everyone determined I needed electrical work done on the vehicle. Said the bulbs were fine. Went to visit the Miller Toyota dealership in Manassas, but some jackass named Oscar said they only do oil changes after six. Refused to even look at it. So I nixed that one completely. (Should have known better, never had a good car repair experience at Miller Toyota, and nothing has changed.) Finally went to AutoZone in Manassas, where Shane showed me the lights actually WERE blown and needed replacement. He even installed the new lights for me! Great guy!! I decided to upgrade to the Silverstone Ultra over the Standard due to the nice reviews I have seen online. I heard the life isn't as long, but the brightness is much better...

    Thanks for all the help here.
     
    #8 Swampthing, Aug 25, 2017
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  9. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Yes, the Silverstar Ultras will probably last you about a year, or less. One, because they burn hotter and brighter, and two, in the Prius, because the Prius has a higher than typical operating voltage of 14.4v over other cars in the upper 13v range.

    Another question, do you leave your light switch in the On position all the time and let the car automatically turn the lights off upon shutdown? If you do, then the lights might not last as long as well due to the voltage spikes and fluctuations on startup.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #9 xliderider, Aug 25, 2017
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  10. Swampthing

    Swampthing Junior Member

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    Generally I leave them on at all times. I see those bulbs are much cheaper on Amazon, so I might just buy a few to keep handy. If the brightness is much better, it's worth it to me. In the morning I drive some dark windy unlit roads that have a strong tendency toward deer...
     
    #10 Swampthing, Aug 25, 2017
  11. se-riously

    se-riously Active Member

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    #11 se-riously, Sep 2, 2017
  12. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    My silverstars lasted 6 and 12 months. They looked great when in service but that's too often to replace. I'm back to the oem that came with the car.
     
    #12 mmmodem, Sep 2, 2017
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  13. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    My path was oem H11, to H11 Silverstars to H9 to 35w AC HID. Lighting improvement with each upgrade. Loving the 3500K color temp bulbs I have in both cars now.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #13 xliderider, Sep 2, 2017
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