Headlight low beams

You have projector style headlights. All projector headlights have a sharp cutoff on the upper portion of the beam to reduce the likelihood of blinding oncoming drivers. Projectors concentrate the beam so it is much brighter than regular reflector style headlights. The cutoff is something you just have to get used to.

If you feel your headlights are aimed too low then I would suggest going to the dealer and having them adjust them to the proper legal height or you can do it yourself but I will warn you it requires a tape measure, level ground and a dark area with a nice straight wall that you can park 25' away from. Other than that it is easy to do. lol

 

That doesn't make sense. All headlight system require an up and down adjustment to ensure they remain DOT legal. that is much more important than left or right adjustment. All the other Prius models have this adjustment.

I'll look into it for you. I have instructions for how to adjust them to the legal height somewhere on this forum.

 

On the HyCam with premium Nav there are a ton of user settings. One of these adjusts the headlights up/down to compensate for the passenger distribution and weight.

I bet if you have the Toyota premium Nav option you will find these settings in your Prius too.

 

The OP is having trouble with his permanent setting not an auto leveling issue. Auto leveling headlights is not an option on the c.

 

I couldn't be happier with my headlights. They're tons better than the car being replaced, and rival the best headlights I've ever had ('88 Chevy truck.)

Maybe it's just something you'll have to get used to...

 

I did not like the stock H11 headlights. They were way too dim for me. I went with a HID solution. There are some threads about them in the modifications forum.

 

It may be something you need to get used to, but I would get them checked out anyway.
You or the dealer.

In my C I am very happy with the low and high beams, however funny thing is,
it is the Prius 3G that I was driving tonight and thought that the low beams didnt
extend enough for driving.

I am sure I just have to get used to them.

Good Luck, you always want to be safe, including keeping other eyes safe.

 

The stock bulbs are worthless in the Projectors - you can get a cheap H11 HID conversion kit on ebay for about $40 or less and that will improve night driving visibility a ton. Install is very straight forward - I have had aftermarket HID in my last 4 vehicles - will never go back to halogen. I literally installed my HID's when I got home from the dealership - 12 miles on the car.

Also from my past experiences - The first HID kit I bought - i opted for the $200 kit, they claimed that the cheap kits were dangerous for your wiring and caused electrical issues. My expensive "safe" kit lasted about 1 year, I replaced it with a cheapo ebay kit and i have had it for 3 years (moved it from the 2010 prius to the 2012C). Have had no issues and works great.

 

We took out the new 'c' the other night (first time using the lights) and I noticed the 'terminator' line,
and figured that on-coming cars would be able to see better.

I also noticed there was a nice wide spreading sideways effect too. Not just a bright area out front.
I think that's really going to be nice in the city, allowing me to see bicycles & pedestrians coming out of side streets and driveways etc.
Even wildlife on some of these slow twisty back roads in the woody areas around town, will be safer,
when I come slipping up on them in EV mode..

 

I find the headlights much better than my old Prizm lights. Just drove the Prizm last night and felt like I had no lights on. That said: Wife's 2007 Fit has the nicest lights (production) I've ever seen. Exactly as XRinger describes - throws a nice wide beam that lights up to the side too. Really makes driving at night a lot easier. The C is just about as nice as the Fit.

 

I was a little anxious with low beam black 'hood' line limiting the height/distance of light. It takes a little while to adjust. I find the low beams more than adequate with other cars on the road with me (in front or on-coming). When I'm solo, I use my high beams which 'light up the sky'. They are very powerful.

 

I also noticed that the low beams do not show far enough down the road for me. I will see if I can adjust them up just a little. As stated, the high beams are great.
Dan

 

Well, I finally got all I could stand of the short cutoff on the dims. Went out last week and adjusted them up. Took 3 tries to get them where I wanted. No cutoff line to be seen now, 100 ft. down the road, unless I hit a dip or short climb. Don't know why mine were adjusted so short. Guess they thought a fat couple would be in the back seat to lower the rear and raise the front. Our lights were dangerous on dim. Just no way to keep from over driving them if running over 20 mph. I have noticed a very wide path on these things. I guess that is good.
Dan

 

How do you adjust them? What type of tool do you need? I have not had to tweak headlights since I owned a 73 Pontiac Le-mans.

 

I think it was an 8 mm socket I used. You can see the screw head right behind the dim headlight when you raise the hood and look down there.
Dan

 

I used a 5/32 socket on mine while ago. It's tight, but a short handle drive will fit. It's a left turn to raise (think lefty-loosey).

I raised one inch at ten feet. We'll see how that works.

 

5/32 is about 4mm.. So, I'll have to use a 4 or 8 mm socket..
We have to pass inspection every year, so I don't want to put the Low-Beams over the limit. Whatever that is in this state (MA)..

 

Definitely not 8 mm.