Low beam headlight issues

I find the beam shoots nicely since the prius has a projector/reflector. These bulbs in the ridgeline are a bit off since the bulbs sits @the 1 o'clock position, beam has little hot spots(blame the reflector design). Throw is not as long but no more replacing bulbs and I can see just fine. The 4th gen prius led headlights are blinding bright, no sure how it is legal???

 

I've replaced my low beam headlights several times.(both sides, H11 ) This year I received a recall from Toyota about the low beam headlights bulbs burning out prematurely and that the dealer fix is a different wire harness

Walter Lee
2010 Toyota Prius III
Blue exterior
odometer = +90,000 miles

 

Some cars were shipped with a wire harness where the wire gauge was too small. This causes a voltage drop. If you operate halogen bulbs at too low a voltage they won't "self repair" and burn out prematurely. This doesn't apply to DRL use where some vehicle DRLs use the halogen headlamps in series. In this case they emit light but don't run hot enough to evaporate the tungsten on the filaments.

There is a TSB out for the Prius GIII about this. As noted above, the fix is to replace the wire harness bits (just the last bit leading to the bulbs I think).

 

That's correct about the existence of the TSB, but exactly backwards about the nature of the issue. The defective wire harness is too heavy in gauge, delivering a voltage to the bulb that is too high. The lifespan of any incandescent is reduced severely by overvoltage (life is inverse to roughly the thirteenth power of applied voltage).

The fix in the TSB is to add a substantial length of wire leading to each bulb, shaving off an additional ½ volt, roughly, at the bulb, giving a more reasonable life. More details on the fix are here.

-Chap

 

You got it fixed via recall???

 

I'm probably going to skip having the recall done on our 2011. I would have to remove the HID lights and ballasts I've installed on the vehicle.

Haven't had any problems with the HID bulbs and ballasts from the high voltage Prius electrical system.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

We just got a "Customer Support Program Notification" in the mail yesterday(1/7/18) regarding halogen headlamp time being shorter than expected.​

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Toyota is offering to replace BOTH Low beam harnesses and bulbs(both sides) if you have a low beam that goes out, good through 10/31/2019. In addition, they will reimburse any costs incurred if you replaced a bulb yourself prior to receiving this communication.​

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I got the notice yesterday and my driver-side low beam went out the very same evening(what are the chances of that?). In addition, we had the same issue on the right side this past November(2017).​

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Promptly called my local dealer and brought it right in only to find they don't have new bulb/harness required and gave me a free loaner vehicle it parts come in since it's a safety/liability issue.​

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So, 2010-2011 Prii owners, watch for this mail from Toyota!!​

 

Cool any builiten number associated with this? I am actually replacing my lights today...

 

LOL checked the mail.. I got the letter as well