2006 Passenger side high beam is out, regular headlight on. Driver side high beam on, regular out!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by JoelRyanQuinn, Dec 31, 2015.

Tags:
  1. JoelRyanQuinn

    JoelRyanQuinn New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2015
    4
    6
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    My 2006 Prius (Model NHW20) has a strange headlight problem. On the passenger side, the high beam light is out but the regular headlight works.

    On the driver side, the high beam is working but the regular headlight is out.

    I don't think it's the fuses but I'm not sure. No amount of interchanging the following fuses changes anything about the issue:

    1. 10A H-LP HI RH
    2. 10A H-LP HI LH
    3. 15A H-LP LO RH
    4. 15A H-LP LO LH

    Also, I don't know if I have halogen or HID lights. I was told that if you have fog lights, you have HID lights. Well, this is going to sound strange but... I don't know if I have fog lights. They're missing. I have an empty circular hole, along with the missing grill cover.

    Here are pictures:[​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I know this sounds strange, but I don't remember if they were always missing like that, if they were stolen, or if they broke off at some point. And there's no switch for fog lights anywhere. On the knob to the left of the steering wheel, there's no fog light option to turn. And there's no flat button anywhere either. Honestly, I don't care about the missing fog lights, I just want to know if I have halogen or HID headlights. I was told there is a high voltage warning sticker somewhere for HID lights. I'm not sure that's the case.

    Questions:

    What should I do to diagnose the problem?

    How do I determine if I have HID or halogen?

    What is my cheapest, DIY option for getting my driver side regular headlight working again?

    What is the cheapest DIY option for getting the passenger side high beam working again?
     
    #1 JoelRyanQuinn, Dec 31, 2015
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,632
    8,492
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    see if you can switch the bulbs and see if they are the same. If they are the same after you switch them, then you just have bad bulbs.

    There should be a part number on the bulbs, just go buy them at your closest auto parts store.
     
    #2 JC91006, Dec 31, 2015
  3. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    8,016
    3,198
    0
    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    After switching the bulbs, if the problem follows the bulb, it's the bulb. If the same symptom stays on the side of the vehicle that originally had it, then it's not the bulb and it's something else.

    Halogen bulbs have a coiled wire filament in them that runs through the bulb. HID Bulbs have a glass capsule with wire electrodes that end on both ends of the glass capsule, so the wires are not continuous through the bulb. Also, an HID bulb has an external ground wire that runs along the outside of the bulb to the base. Halogen bulbs are entirely contained within the glass capsule.
     
    #3 xliderider, Dec 31, 2015
  4. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2010
    5,194
    1,917
    0
    Location:
    Herefordshire England
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    You must have halogen bulbs since with HID's the same light source is used for high, and low beam. With halogen different filaments are used within the same bulb to give high, and low. So just change the bulbs they are not expensive.
    The circles you see are for fog lamp fitment. Cars that came without these lights had plane grills at either end. If fog lamps are fitted grills with holes are fitted to go round the lights. The center part of the grill remains the same.

    John
     
    #4 Britprius, Dec 31, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2015
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)