I noticed all of the international Prius have headlights with the clear reflectors rather than the ugly orange ones like we have here in the US. Does anybody know where you can either buy the clear reflector or the whole headlight with the clear reflectors?
I believe it has to be purchased as a whole unit. The ones on mine car don't allow for illumination as there is no hole or mounting for the bulb. Also, the reflector isn't actually a reflector as it doesn't reflect! I personally would prefer the illuminated amber reflectors like you have in the States, just from a safety view point.
lol I would but for one important thing - Mine is a RHD so the beam would point the wrong way and vice versa.
Those reflectors, and the red ones in the rear light housings, appear to be molded into the housings. If so, it will be pretty costly to replace them.
From what I understand in California you can have clear corners as long as the bulb flashes amber/orange. If I were to acquire the headlights or remove the reflector I would go with a silver color, amber flashing bulb.
To me it seems all you would need to do is open up the headlight and remove the orange reflector. I did this all the time for my Hondas. I am trying to avoid doing this if possible if I can simply purchase the whole headlight and swap them. Anybody seen them for sale?
I'm trying to understand what y'all are talking about. Do you folks mean lenses rather than reflectors? Reflectors are like mirrors which reflect, and are therefore behind the bulb. Lenses are what the light shines through and can be colored (coloured for Brit & Can.) to change the light emanating from the bulb. See?
To me they look like they're molded into the housing--which is the same as was on my BMW 545i, but you may be right--give it a try.
I'm with the other guy. I think that is a lens. Light shines through it. The shiny part behind the bulbs is a reflector. Light shines off it.
That amber piece, and the red piece I referred to on the side of the taillight assemblies, is a reflector--like the kind you'd have on a bicycle, that reflects light. So if your car is parked and a light is shined on it from the side, the front one reflects amber, and the rear one reflects red. And just to make it confusing, I believe the front ones have a small clear piece molded in, which allows light to shine through when the headlights are on.
you can remove the reflector but gonna be 3 small holes on our housing, thats why I paint it and put it back In california, you need to have reflectors on each corner or can be ticketed, I got this info from CHP Robert
This is true for emitted light. But DOT & NHTSA in North American requires reflectors on the front side and rear side of each vehicle on the road, as a safety measure. It has nothing to do with what color the light emits, but rather other cars shining their lights on your and seeing the reflectors.
