3rd Gen Prius Headlight Bulb Reliability?

[Angel And The Wolf]

I've moved my query to a more appropriate Forum.
Still getting used to this board.
Thank you all for your replies.

[19bonestock88]

That’s weird. Never heard of a rough ride killing headlight bulbs... are you sure there’s not a short or something of that nature?

[freebeard]

Try asking in DIY / How-to - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com.

[Stubby79]

check/monitor your electrical system voltage...maybe your 12v system is getting too much voltage from the DC-DC converter.

Have oyu proven that correlation between tire pressure and the bulbs? by dropping the tire pressure back down for a year? otherwise it's just a wild guess and probably not your actual issue.

[Stubby79]

how long have you been driving with them as set by the dealership? You need to give it enough time to rule it out before changing pressure back again.

[freebeard]

Did I do it wrong, again?

I'm only trying to be helpful. The title is good. It let's people know if they should red it or not.

There are more than the Aerodynamics subforum. You might get more response in DIY, or even Ecomodding Central. Next time.

[Ecky]

If I'm not mistaken, the fog light and high beams are traditional halogens, while the low beams are HIDs. HIDs don't have filaments and shouldn't be susceptible to shock, unless it's to the point you're breaking them.

Maybe try LED bulbs as replacements in some of these housings? I'd probably hold onto the HID low beams, but perhaps try a different brand?

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by Ecky

If I'm not mistaken, the fog light and high beams are traditional halogens, while the low beams are HIDs.

2004-2009 some option packages had HID in reflector(!) housings.

2010-2015 Trim V (2010) or Five (2011-2015) had LED lowbeam projectors.

2016- all trims have LED low- and highbeams.

The OP's car has halogens all around. There is a warranty enhancement program for 2010-2011 Priuses which replaces the headlight wiring harness with an updated version that should prevent premature bulb failure; you should check with a local dealer to see if it's been done (it probably hasn't).

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Vman455

2004-2009 some option packages had HID in reflector(!) housings.

2010-2015 Trim V (2010) or Five (2011-2015) had LED lowbeam projectors.

2016- all trims have LED low- and highbeams.

The OP's car has halogens all around. There is a warranty enhancement program for 2010-2011 Priuses which replaces the headlight wiring harness with an updated version that should prevent premature bulb failure; you should check with a local dealer to see if it's been done (it probably hasn't).

Hah, what is the harness "upgrade"; a long spool of wire so it has a higher resistance?

My 2012 came with projector halogens. I replaced the halogens with a super cheap HID kit (like $35/pair) and it works well. Better than the halogens anyhow. The high beams are a separate bulb, so no change to them. My daytime running lights are LED from the factory.