The headlights in this car suck! I totally dislike the pattern and the difference between low and high beam is almost non-existant. Am I the only one that feels this way? What a disappointment in that respect. Look like its time for some driving lights to make up for them. Otherwise I like the car a lot. Gerry
The pattern difference between high and low on our HIDs are like night and day. Are you sure your lights are cycling properly? Tom
You may want to have your lights checked; my experience has been just the opposite. I have found these headlights to be brighter than headlamps in previous cars and difference between low and high beam is dramatic.
I also drive a 2007; and I LOVE the HID lights. There's a huge difference between high and low beam on mine. You need to have the dealer check out your lights. I think there's something out of adjustment.
I have an 08 and I can definitely understand what the OP is writing about. Although I do think the low beams are really quite good, when I activate the high beams, I really expect them to illuminate the path much more than they do. So to that regard, I totally understand what you mean GerryB.
Take it in for a warrantee repair. The lighting system is complex auto leveling feature to adjust focus for load in the back. For a quick test, you can shine the lights on a wall and then step into the hatchback. The lights should momentarily rise on the wall and then adjust back to original position. IF they don't, auto leveling is not working and I would think that could effect aiming and difference between high and low beams. The high beam HID on my 2007 are awsome and no comparison to low beam. Both do their job just as I would expect.
Here is some more details as I just went out and tested mine. On a test wall 6 feet in front of the car, the low beam pattern is about 16 inches above the top of fog light pattern, and the high beam pattern is about 8 inches above the low beam pattern. All three patterns are very flat across the top. On a test wall 20 feet in front of the car, top high beams pattern is 18 inches higher than top of low beam pattern. When you load the rear bumper with 200 lbs (me) the top of either high or low beam pattern will rise about 2 inches six feet in front of the car and about 4 inches 20 feet in front of the car. Keep the big fat 200 lb weigh on the rear bumper for greater than about 5 seconds and you will see the top of either high or low beam pattern return to original position before adding weight. Remove the weight pattern moves down an equal amount. Then in about 5 seconds, again you will see either pattern return to it's original position. If your HID lights don't test similar, take them in for warrantee repair.
The HIDs in my 2008 also suck...I know this isn't a terribly technical eval. But I have told the service guys a few times and they say they are fine. When I drive at night I often just leave the high beams on all the time. No one complains, no one even notices it. This can't be right can it? At first I thought I might have halogens, but I looked at the window sticker, my car has the #6 package with all bells and whistles including HIDs. A few months ago I rented a Nissan Altima and the halogens in there positively smoked the HIDs in my Prius, I was concerned it was my eyes, now I know its my car. I am having a hard time seeing at night and the dealer is just telling me that's the way it is...does anyone have any suggestions?
