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Headlamp harness failing?

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by 2bad, Sep 21, 2017.

  1. 2bad

    2bad Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2009
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    Location:
    Kansas City
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hope this is posting in the right forum. Weird thing - My left headlamp low beam went out around Christmas. High beams worked fine. The bulbs were good when I pulled them out. So, I got it to come back on by wiggling the wiring harness. Ok, guess I got lucky there. So a month ago, the right side went out and the left was till good. The little bulb above WAS burnt out. I changed it and it came back on, but the main low-beam bulb does not come on. I bought a new one and installed it. Stlll doesn't come on. I wiggled the harness a lot like I did on the other side. No help. I've tried to follow the harness down into the car with my hand and looking from above. But it becomes unseeable pretty quickly. I hate to take this thing in just to have a wire replace because they can't tell me if it's gonna cost $75 or $385. Any suggestions? I can tear the whole front end off to get down the these wires and put a continuity tester on every connection but I'm trying to find a shortcut here. Any ideas? Thanks!
     
    #1 2bad, Sep 21, 2017
  2. 2bad

    2bad Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2009
    6
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    Location:
    Kansas City
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Oh, I also hit a little piece of 2x4 on that side and it broke my fender liner. Then I had to reconnect the wire up from the hub so the cruise control and ABS would work again. But I didn't see anything that would suggest a problem with the headlamp. ???
     
    #2 2bad, Sep 21, 2017
  3. jaqueh

    jaqueh Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2013
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    Location:
    San Francisco
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    What car do you have? I don’t think the prime’s lights are user replaceable.
     
    #3 jaqueh, Sep 21, 2017
  4. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2017
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    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three Touring
    I’ll assume your question is about the 2001 Prius listed in your profile, not the 2017 Prius Prime, which doesn’t use headlight bulbs. I’ll ask the moderators to move this thread to the Generation 1 (1997–2003) forum, where it might get other helpful answers.

    For electrical troubleshooting, it’s a good idea to start with the Electrical Wiring Diagram published by Toyota. I can’t give you a direct link, but your local public library sponsors free access to the ChiltonLibrary database for its patrons. Log on with your library card, select the 2001 Toyota Prius, and then click Repair > Wiring Diagrams > Overall Electrical Wiring Diagram (at the bottom) > Headlight (w/ Daytime Running Light) (2001), to see a schematic diagram of the headlight circuit. The connector locations and pinouts are available in the Component Location and Connector List figures, under Repair > Wiring Diagrams; you may have to open each of them to find the connector of interest.

    The Electrical Wiring Diagram is also available by subscription to techinfo.toyota.com, and you might be able to find a copy of the complete 264-page book, which has a better version of the schematic in color (pp. 78–84), by searching in Google for its publication number, EWD414U.

    Toyota’s Wire Harness Repair Manual is not model-specific but may also be of interest.
     
    #4 Elektroingenieur, Sep 22, 2017
  5. 2bad

    2bad Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2009
    6
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    0
    Location:
    Kansas City
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm sorry guys - forgot to include that I'm talking about a 2010 Prius I.
    Thanks.
     
    #5 2bad, Sep 22, 2017
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