Hi all, This might be a stupid question, but are the low beam halogen headlights supposed to "lock" into place? I did the h9 upgrade today, and although the bulbs insert and twist into place, I don't feel that positive lock or click I was expecting. Just to make sure I tested one of the h11 bulbs and that didn't seem to click either. The high beam bulbs do have the click feeling I was expecting. Thanks in advance, Evan
Yes, they are supposed to lock into place. Make sure you are inserting the bulbs straight into the housing. It can be difficult, especially on the passenger side, due to the tight space behind the headlight. Remove the 10 mm bolt holding the air intake hose, unclip the bracket and move the air hose out of the way. If mounted askew, you can melt the plastic headlight housing from the heat of the improperly mounted bulbs.
How much torque can I apply to the bulb? I was twisting it pretty good (to the point you could see the bowl of the high beams moving) and nothing. Best I can tell the bulbs are square all three tabs are inserted.
Did you shave down the mounting tab on the H9 bulbs? One of the tabs is wider on the H9 base. The other possibility is that the rubber gasket at the bulb base may be too thick on the H9 bulbs. If this is the case, you can try swapping the gaskets from the H11 bulbs to the H9 bulbs. That may give you enough clearance to allow the bulbs to lock into place.
I cut the bulb tab with some tin snips. The H11 bulb I tested didn't seem to lock either. Do the headlight housings have any clearly visible Toyota markings on them? Wondering if the prior owner switched them out or something. Might be shitty aftermarkets.
Short answer, yes, the lowbeam and highbeam bulbs should lock into place. Make sure you are inserting the bulbs at the proper angle (base at around 4 or 5 o'clock), then twist clockwise to lock in at 6 o'clock position.
It's easier to insert the new bulbs properly if you insert the bulb first and then attach the wiring connector.
