People flashing their lights at me, why?

"When I travel on country highways several cars per hour will "flash" me, indicating they think my high beams are on"

Or maybe they are just Tom Leykis fans?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(harrv @ Nov 25 2006, 12:06 AM) [snapback]353879[/snapback]</div>

Anyone? Can I aim them myself, or does it require specialized equipment? Is there a how-to posted anywhere on how to do it? Thanks.

 

You can aim them yourself. If you knew how to aim headlights in your previous cars, the Prius is a similar way. You just gotta open the hood and adjust a screw in the headlight assembly.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Presto @ Nov 30 2006, 11:41 AM) [snapback]355795[/snapback]</div>

Thanks. I'll give it a try. I saw other threads where people made it sound more complicated, but maybe they had HID and autolevelers in their cars.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cam @ Nov 22 2006, 07:19 PM) [snapback]353347[/snapback]</div>

Well, on country or rural roads, I do get flashed also, but I do not have the HID lamps, but the regluar halogens.

Here are my observations:

1. People driving GM products are almost always the ones which believe I have my high beams on. Tells me that they are not used to driving a vehicle with good, bright headlights.
2. Factory aim on the non-HID lamps is a little high, but not terribly high. Not sure how aim affects the HID system because they are also self leveling.

I do flash back. People who flash you while driving at you are being, well... bad drivers. And they need ot know that these cars have bright lights and that is the way it is.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Nov 25 2006, 01:54 AM) [snapback]353873[/snapback]</div>

My other car auto levels. Not auto leveling the headlights - auto leveling the car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(harrv @ Nov 30 2006, 01:04 PM) [snapback]355772[/snapback]</div>

On your #3 the standard halogen headlight are adjusted vertically with a screw on the back of the housing. It has an 8mm hex head, if you are inclined to try and get a small wrench in there to turn it. The screw is probably grey and has what might look like gear teeth on it. It's on the back of the headlight housing.

I couldn't get a wrench in there, but I was able to get a good enough grip to turn it with my fingers. I had to pull the cover off the fuse box to get just enough room for my fat hand to get to the one on the left light.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jeromep @ Nov 30 2006, 04:16 PM) [snapback]355912[/snapback]</div>

Even though you might think they are not "terribly high," they may indeed be aimed too high. And it probably has nothing to do with what kind of car others are driving. The standard halogen lights on the Prius are nothing special and if yours are aimed too high, YOU are the bad driver. Until you know if you are really aimed properly, you may want to chill the "my lights are just better than yours, so tough $#!+" attitude.

Mine were quite a bit too high from the factory. I lowered my beams about 4 inches at 25 feet. They actually illuminate the road better for me, and the high beams are more useful as well.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jeromep @ Nov 30 2006, 03:16 PM) [snapback]355912[/snapback]</div>

Interesting observation. I've noticed that GM products around here seem to have the worst headlight aiming of any manufacturer. Sunfires, Malibus, pickups, and their new minivans seem to be especially bad. I was passed by a Blazer a few weeks ago who had incredibly bad headlights. As he passed me, I noticed that most of the light he was creating was lighting up the overhead exit signs instead of the road in front of him. There was nothing wrong with his suspension and he did not have high beams on.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jeromep @ Nov 30 2006, 03:16 PM) [snapback]355912[/snapback]</div>

You don't seem to understand how headlights work. The halogen lights on a Prius use a standard bulb that many other cars use. The car doesn't do anything special which makes the light more intense than lights on other cars. If you are being flashed, that means that your headlights are aimed too high which means that they are sending light up into drivers' eyes. Be courteous and aim your headlights correctly.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seftonm @ Nov 30 2006, 09:54 PM) [snapback]356059[/snapback]</div>

I am beginning to think that no manufacturer aims them very well at the factory. Like I said in a previous post, I bought a Ford with out of whack lights and my Prius probably was probably the worst. I wonder if headlight aiming is part of, or should be part of the dealer predelivery check. I bought my Prius as it came off the truck and they took a few hours to prep it, including driving it 4 or 5 miles. Maybe the lights would have been checked if I had bought it at night.

 

Nobody has flashed their lights at me yet, but my headllights are also too high. I plan on adjusting them soon so I don't irritate other drivers. I will say the Prius headlights are the best I've seen on any vehicle and almost as good as my 2005 Goldwing...

Nobody has flashed their lights at me yet, but my headllights Are also too high. I plan on adjusting them soon so I don't irritate other drivers. I will say the Prius heaaldights are the best I've seen on any vehicle and almost as good as my 2005 Goldwing...

 

hmm

dont the Priuses with halogen lights have the button for adjusting the hight on the light in the US ???


cheers
Andreas

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(harrv @ Nov 30 2006, 01:04 PM) [snapback]355772[/snapback]</div>

A search will uncover a few topics on how poorly the Prius headlights are "aimed" at the factory:

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=15426&st=0

Upon delivery, mine were so bad the LOW beams lit up the tree tops. Even truckers would flash their brights at me ... then leave them on.

Upon complaining to the dealer, they sent me to their Autopac-approved collision repair shop. Apparently Manitoba Public Insurance requires digital headlight aiming of all front end repair jobs. It was a dramatic difference. Now my headlights provide PERFECT cutoff on dim and good reach on bright.

The tech was showing me the beam pattern he printed out. He claimed the Prius had a very sophisticated "European" headlight system, but that also made aiming much more critical.

You can do this yourself in your garage by putting the headlights on dim, then apply masking tape to the headlight cutoff line. Now equally crank down both headlights, say an inch or so, and see how that works at night. Once you get close, go down by 1/4 inch increments to dial them in.

A long handle philips works best to adjust the rotator assembly. If there is space, a 10mm socket or box wrench will also work on the end.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(andreaswin @ Dec 5 2006, 06:27 PM) [snapback]358174[/snapback]</div>

Andreas

The only North American market vehicle I have ever seen with driver headlight adjust was a 2005 Nissan Murano suv with HID. I would love to see more cars with that feature, it would really help when you have a heavy load and the headlights naturally point too high.

I suppose the various governments in the US and Canada think the average motorist is too dumb to figure it out. Perhaps they are right.

jay

 

Just an FYI. Check to make sure the shutter is not sticking. I just got my 06 Prius back from having both headlights bulbs replaced (that is another post) and on the way home I noticed the reflection from one head light on the car ahead of me was significantly brighter than the other side. After testing for a couple of days I found that on a random basis both headlights would stick on high beam. Toyota just advised me that the shutters are bad, they can't be fixed and both headlight assemblies need to be replaced. List is $314 per assembly plus $300 in labor. So check them out before your warranty expires.

 

This is my first post. Please send money!! Otherwise, if people are flashing their brights at you, they don't have a problem, YOU DO!!!! Our 2008 Prius that we bought in November, had folks flashing their brights. With or without rear passengers. At the dealer for the 5000 mile free oil change I requested that my lights be adjusted under warranty. It was done very well. Now, nobody flashes me anymore but the brights can no longer be used for coon hunting. You might be a redneck if you use your Prius high beams for coon hunting!!!!!!!!!

 

Only been driving since Saturday, but last night on the way home someone flashed me.

Sounds like I need to look into it.

edit: BTW I flashed back quickly, so they would know I was paying attention to them, and to let them know that my high-beams were not on.

 

Do you drive around with a lot of stuff in the trunk? If you load up the rear it causes the front to angle up. Just a thought.