Headlight problem

Carolina Jim,
I think it would be nice to mention the name of the dealer you are complimenting.
Word of mouth is good advertising.

 

Hey... way to go... you mean they actually did customer service?... instead of "dealer service".... LOL!.... good for you......

I think its like allot of things, its easy to do once you know how.

 

I had the exact same problem here as everyone else. My dealer service shop said they saw the same thing several times and changed the bulb and never heard from them again, which he thinks means that it solved the problem. I have no problems with the service dept. This moring I got the bulb (passenger side) replaced for 500+ dollars. Who knows if I have seen the end of the problem. I intend to copy all of these posts and take Toyota to small claims court, and encourage everyone else to do the same. Sooner or later (if not already) both lights are going to go out on someone going 60mph around a curve at night and they will die. Perhaps a rash of small claims will help make the case that Toyota knowingly allowed people to die knowing they should have had a recall. Please take your case to small claims as well. It it VERY easy, people will help you at your court house. Most prius people care about the bigger issues in life, this is one of them when it can kill people.

 

the problem I had Jeff is that when one of my HID lights go out, I can't even tell because the other one is so bright.

What happens when someone thinks I'm a motorcycle and gets a surprise?

I"m just going to replace "both" of mine for 69.00 off of ebay.

Toyota is a big boy.. if they don't want to stand behind their HID lights, they don't have to...... they may feel their popularity is so great, its not worth the cost to make existing customers happy and to maintain their loyalty and trust?

Wow!... not only did we pay about 2K for these lights when we bought the car, now after 50K miles, we have to buy them again?

If Toyota is going to participate in cutting edge technology, they must stand behind it if they don't want the public to be wary.

These D4R bulbs were the first generation to be on any car... and they won't back it?.... I guess we were the guinea pigs or beta testers.

This is the first quirk I've had in my prius... and I thought it would be something really complicated when or if it happened so I bought my extended warranty insurance..... LOL!.... I guess I missed on both counts!

 

My 2004 Prius waited until I had about 125k miles on it before the headlight problem began. Both started winking out within a few weeks of each other, and each would come back on when I turned the lights off and on, as others have reported. I took it to the dealer, who replaced both for a rather shocking amount of money for headlights. (I used to replace my own on former cars, at very low cost.) Within a few weeks of their replacement, one started winking out again. (It had an odd color to it before I noticed problems.) The dealer replaced that one for free last week. Time will tell if the "fix" is permanent. Otherwise, my 2004 has been incredibly trouble free. I still have my original brakes, with substantial lining remaining. In my mind, it's the most nearly perfect car on the road today for any number of reasons.

 

Same problem. Primarily left, but sometimes both will suddenly go out without warning. Happened on the highway the other day.

Anyone know the part number and where I can get a pair of replacement bulbs?

I looked on ebay, but the ones they called HID do not look right.

Thanks,

Chris

 

I've installed mine I got of of ebay and I'm estatic!.. they work perfect... although it took me longer than some genius's out here to install mine, I saved hundreds and now have the satisfaction of knowing I know how to do it easily.. now that I've done it.

The 2006 uses D4R bulbs.. I bought a pair off of ebay for 69.00 fo the pair... I think thats a bit reasonable!
I was a bit nervous buying off of ebay.. I for the money I took a chance... and this "stan" guy I bought them from has impeccable feedback.
Here is a thread I started with my lengthy instructions.

 

Thanks Windstrings.

I'll check out ebay.

I have taken the bulb out once before and had a really hard time getting the wire clip back in place afterwards. Any advice?


Thanks

 

Read my post on the link above... I share my similar experience and how I overcame it.

Remember the wires ends tend to bend down towards the firewall, you have to mount the bulb, push them towards the front of the care "and outward" to get around the bulb and the wire holder, then while holding back they come inward and lock in place....

Seeing says a thousand words.. but removing the washer container, you can see behind it if you stick your head in the place it was.

 

Oh boy!!! I get to join the headlight club. Stopped to get the mail this afternoon and noticed that the passenger side headlight was out. I came in and searched the forums and found this one. I went back out and turned the lights back on and it was working. I almost wished it was just a bad bulb. The car is 1 year old and has 15K on it so I guess I'll be visiting the dealer. My son is a salesman there so maybe I'll see if he can find out how common this is locally.

 

I"m suspected in all the cases they are bad bulbs, mine works perfectly after replacing..... too many dealers and mechanics just want to replace everything they have to touch to raise the bill "especially if its warranty" without troubleshooting.. that way, how can they be wrong!... LOL!

Fortunately, it doesn't have to be expensive to fix this problem.

 

HID Headlight failoed at 40,040 miles

Today, $842 to replace failed HID on passenger side of my 2007 Prius. 40,040 miles. This does NOT make me happy.

Any word on a total recall on this obvious design/manufactoring defect?

This is the first problem on the car I loved until this morning. Not good.

 

For those of you that are paying for this out of pocket, I'd suggest calling Toyota corporate. I had both of my bulbs replaced free of charge.

I actually did call corporate the day I dropped my car off but I think my dealer must have dealt with Toyota separately since I had already taken the car home and the Toyota rep. called me the next day at which point I filled them in on what happened. So I'm not sure if the lack of charge was my doing or my dealers but either way, it is something that Toyota will cover.

 

I'm having the same exact problem with my 2007 Prius. First started as driver's side headlight turning off. Switching off then back on re-lights them. I recently noticed that the passenger side has started the same thing. Then wait, last night, they both went off 3 times during a 3 mile trip to the grocery store and back. 3 times!! Has anyone had theirs repaired? What was the issue? I have an appointment Monday to take to dealership for service. The service writer says I should leave it and it may take more than a day to fix. He claims that trying to replicate this issue is why it takes perhaps more than a day. Now after reading all this, the dealer should already know where the problem lies.

Thanks, Jim

 

These "problems" are symptoms of old/weak bulbs. We can get into a big whoopdie-doo about when bulbs should expire. But, these are bulbs expiring.

Buy replacement bulbs from an aftermarket place such as: HID-D4S and HID-D4R bulbs or
OSRAM SYLVANIA - Replacement Guide - Start

Replace your bulbs yourself. Lamps are not and have never been covered by the extended warranty. If your dealer is changing more than the capsules he is cheating you. Go elsewhere.

This isn't a big Toyota conspiracy. It's simple car mechanics. Incandescent bulbs burn out. That's the way it is.

 

I'm having the same exact problem with my 2007 Prius. First started as driver's side headlight turning off. Switching off then back on re-lights them. I recently noticed that the passenger side has started the same thing. Then wait, last night, they both went off 3 times during a 3 mile trip to the grocery store and back. 3 times!! Has anyone had theirs repaired? What was the issue? I have an appointment Monday to take to dealership for service. The service writer says I should leave it and it may take more than a day to fix. He claims that trying to replicate this issue is why it takes perhaps more than a day. Now after reading all this, the dealer should already know where the problem lies.

Thanks, Jim

 

I had the same problem and also drive with my headlights on all the time or at least did until this $$$ came up. I could not fix it myself so I took it to my good mechanic. Toyota wanted 303 for the bulb and total of $400 to fix it. My mechanic found an equal bulb at NAPA for $109, charged me total $200 for labor and material. You can do it yourself but you need to take the bumper cover off to access it. Just crappy design....so close, Toyota!

 

I think taking the bumper cover off must the the "correct" way the manual instructs to do it... I didn't see an easy way to do that so I didn't....

there are definitely better options than 330 a bulb... the 4 I bought off of eBay work perfect (69.00 a pair) and I didn't have to take off the bumper cover.

Sometimes its better to do stuff yourself and discover it ain't so bad.

ONe of the reasons the dealers are getting away with highway robbery when it comes to repairs is because they have learned the art of intimidation by changing screw heads to where you need a special bit, or cramming things so, that you have to know the special sequence to remove things or the rubicks cube will not come apart...... They make more money is the repair department over the life of a car than they do from the initial sales.

Wherever you can do the job yourself, I encourage people to try... especially if others have gone before them and written instructions.

I see so many mechanics who get so used to making "easy" money off of uninformed customers, that they get a real attitude when they actually have to do some work and troubleshoot and trace a problem down with deductive reasoning and tools.

After all, this is merely replacing a bulb.. it shouldn't take hundreds of dollars to do the job for petes sake!!!

I"ve seen chrysler try and do the same crime by making it so you can't even change the spark plugs without tilting the whole engine with a special tool and know-how, or having to remove a tire to check the battery.
What a joke!... and we buy these products????... its no wonder some of them are going out of business!

I encourage people to try... if you change the oil in your car, you probrably have the mechanical abilities needed to do this simple task.

Its really not that hard... its much harder making the money to pay someone else to do it!

And once you do it once, thats one less thing you have to worry about paying big bucks for in the future in the maintenance department as you will know how!

 

If you ever decide to get some new headlights or bulbs... let me know... these guys: Toyota Prius Headlights have quality stuff-- plus their support chick sounds hot. Anyway, I could get you a 10% coupon with them.

Regards,
Jim.

 

Since the "genuine" bulbs turned out to be so poor.... I"m sure I have any motivation to spend 210.00 on a pair instead of 69.00?
However I checked the ebay price... for some reason the sale is off... now its 99.00 a pair for the 4300 K D4R.
However some of the higher K models are even cheaper.... as low as 69.99 a pair!
If you can stand Violet Blue 12000k HID
12000K HID Bulbs!....

I guess he moves his sales around based on supply.