Dropped Bulb in Headlight - Can I Leave It?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by kleinfelter, Aug 24, 2019.

Tags:
  1. kleinfelter

    kleinfelter Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2011
    8
    4
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    As I was changing the front, driver-side marker light (the W5W bulb), it fell into the headlight housing. :-(

    It fell down to the bottom front. It is plainly visible between the reflector and the lens. It isn't reachable with tape on the end of a stick. To get it out, I'd have to remove the headlight, and THAT means removing the bumper.

    Other than cosmetic, is there any risk in just leaving it there?
    TIA
     
    #1 kleinfelter, Aug 24, 2019
  2. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    6,887
    3,627
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Shouldn't be any risk. Do you have a flexible magnet? Maybe you can reach in there???
     
    #2 ASRDogman, Aug 24, 2019
  3. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    6,404
    6,073
    0
    Location:
    Columbia, SC
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Shop-Vac and a small diameter rubber hose would get 'er done...

    But leaving it there isn't going to hurt anything
     
    #3 TMR-JWAP, Aug 24, 2019
  4. schmuber

    schmuber Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2018
    115
    84
    1
    Location:
    Georgia
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Done it to mine a few thousand miles back. Other than an occasional rattle on a rough pavement, no ill effects. Someday I'll remove the entire headlight and just shake it out if it annoys me enough.
     
    #4 schmuber, Aug 24, 2019
  5. kleinfelter

    kleinfelter Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2011
    8
    4
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I don't think there's enough metal on those bulbs for a magnet.
    It looks like maybe if I remove the main headlight bulb, I might be able to snake one of these through and grab the bulb.

    What were they thinking when they made those bulbs a push-in fit into the base?
    #ReallyDumbDesign
     
    #5 kleinfelter, Aug 24, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2019
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    57,967
    39,994
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I had my doubts too, but it will, just:

    IMG_1083.JPG
    (That's an El Cheapo brand magnet grabber, not super strong.)

    The vacuum idea sound promising too.
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Aug 24, 2019
  7. kleinfelter

    kleinfelter Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2011
    8
    4
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Well shucks! I did apply the combo magnet and grabber tool that I posted earlier. I couldn't catch the bulb with the grabber, but it would *barely* stick to the magnet. Naturally, I bumped the bulb as I tried to pull it through the headlight bulb opening. The bulb fell and rolled to the pointy, inside edge of the headlight assembly.

    It turns out, there's a fall-through opening in that inside pointy edge. It fell through. It didn't fall all the way to the ground, but now it is out of sight, out of mind.

    I think it is worth pointing out to anyone who comes along after, that you don't really have to *retrieve* the bulb in order to make it go away. If you can just push it to the inside pointy edge of the headlight assembly, it falls through.

    If you do donuts in the parking lot in the right direction, the bulb may find that opening on its own.
     
    #7 kleinfelter, Aug 26, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2019
    RMB, Raytheeagle and Mendel Leisk like this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)