PriusOnline.com

I've been suspisious that my headlights haven't been pointing right for some time. Friday I got a warning light briefly, so I plan to get it in to have that fixed soon. What's involved on the fix and any clue how many $ it will take? This will be my first off warranty fix, and I will keep track if I come out ahead or behind in the long run for not taking the extended protection plan.

This is something you can do yourself if you're so inclined (no pun intended). Lemme see if I can find the long lost post....

The dealer will likely replace the entire sensor unit but I'm not sure of the total cost.

Found a post where someone said the replacement sensor cost $325.... The sensor for the HID is in the back of the car on or near the rear axle. The person who did their own repair simply disconnected it, removed it, opened it up and cleaned off the corrosion/dirt on the reostat and put it back together. Apparently the seal on the box containing the sensor is not very weather tight and lets moisture in which makes the metal corrode. Once electrical contact is reestablished the sensor should work fine.

Not it's possible that the auto-leveling motor is faulty and not the sensor...the motor is in the headlight assembly. But my money is on the sensor itself.

If you don't have the repair manual it might be worth $10 to go to the TIS site http://techinfo.toyota.com/ and get the diagrams for the location of the sensor and how to remove it.

I may have found the person who did this repair at PC and I pointed them to this thread. Perhaps we'll get you some better details.

May I assume the new sensor unit, if replaced, is more weather tight?

I've not heard anything either way on that. Frankly, I'd go for the self-fix if it wasn't warranty covered and use a silicon sealer when I closed the unit...at least as my first effort. If it doesn't work then you're out nothing, if it does you can spend the $325 on a new XBox 360!

Hey, Hep,

To jog your memory, go to Prius Q & A, Pg 2 of the index, 9th item up from the bottom (at this time) entitled "Automatic Headlight Leveling Trouble" (the thread was started on Jan.10th of this year).

The last 3 posts of Jan 15th (on Pg 3 of that thread) should interest you : #1, the replacement part (if you go that route) should have the countermeasure suffix "G" on the package, #2, the price it lists for (shop around for your best deal), & #3, the redesigned part (with the "G" suffix) is supposed to be sealed better.

When did your warranty expire(?), because in the 1st post of Jan 15 on Pg 2 of that thread, YOU stated that you suspected at that time that YOUR headlights were pointed too low. If your warranty was still in force until Jan 16th, your mention'g the problem here on the 15th should still entitle you to have the repair covered under warranty [especially since the replacement part was re-designed because they were known to be fail'g & there was a TSB issued & the dealers (the good ones) knew about it]. I would print out that page (if your warranty was still in force then) & show it to your service manager as proof that your were having that trouble then, so that hopefully the repair gets covered.

Don't let Toyota or the dealer tell you didn't have a problem back in January (that you've only had the problem since the warn'g light alerted you), because in my case I KNEW I couldn't see any more than about 20 feet in front of me for almost a week but my warn'g light NEVER came on at all.

If the dealer (or Toyota) won't do it free for you, then look at Pg 1 for some great detailed pictures of the part & its location under the car. Make sure you accept only a "G" replacement part if a replacement is done (by you or the dealer). Look at the package first (or have the service dept show it to you if they will do the work). Good luck & let us know the outcome.

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

Here are a couple of things I found in the tech files....
Page 2 of the HID 1 pdf shows the location of the sensor at the left rear axle.

Likewise the HID 2 pdf gives a little tighter view of what it looks like.

HID 3 shows a detail of how/where it attaches.

HID 4 shows how to test the sensor (really simple)--page 6 I think.

Hopefully everything attached ok. Good luck. You might check the price of the sensor as it looks to be a simple install even if you want a new one.

Hi, Evan,

I'm the previous poster & I just wanted to let you know that the attachments are O.K., they opened fine, & they are 4 very nice pieces of info to have available to us here at PriusOnLine. Thanks so much for sharing them with us all!! Now I just hope everything works out for Hep.

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

Yes indeed, thank you. Now if I can remeber where my trouble light is, I will have a look.

Replacing my own cabin air filter was cutting edge stuff for me, so wish me luck.

I contacted one person I thought I remembered had done this, but was wrong. But he did remember the post and photos I mentioned above. Here's what he remembered.

Have another cup of coffee. That will calm you down and steady your nerves.

I think I will beseech my service department first. I did complain about the short reach of the headlights a couple oil changes back when it was still under warranty. There was nobody there in the evening to check it, and the service rep said if I wasn't getting an error code it was probably ok. It is so rare for me to be on unlighted roads that it hasn't been a problem.

The thing is, even if the level sensor is wrong, if it is in range, the ECUs have no idea that it is wrong. How are they to tell? The only way if there were TWO sensors, and they didn't agree.
But there's only one, so as long as it is in range, even if off, will be accepted and acted upon accordingly.

O.K., Dan,

If you remember, I had to have my sensor replaced, so I heard your same comment before (if not in the "just had my steering recall done" thread, then in one of the other threads). My question is : if the level sensor is wrong, how can it be "in range"? or what IS the "in range" you're talk'g about (the operating parameter to trigger the indicator light)?

Toyota should seriously think about reprogramming that parameter or "range" you're talk'g about, because how can the headlight adjusters go full tilt down (to only illuminate the 1st 20 feet ahead of your car---as was my case) or full tilt up (as some others have reported) & the car's system not know about it to trigger a SAFETY warn'g light?

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

Hi, Hep,

For your sake I hope something about your headlight complaint was noted somewhere on one of those previous work orders or that (if not) your service rep may remember your conversation about it with him. They should also be told not to pooh pooh the complaint or deny the necessity of replacing the sensor "unless you get an error code or indicator light" because some owners will never get a code or light. If the owner complains (without a code or light), they should be made to check it out anyway since it's a safety issue & it's known that the sensors have been fail'g (why do they think Toyota redesigned the part & gave it a "COUNTERMEASURE" suffix "G" for the replacement?).

I say push your dealer for the free replacement (you did complain here as early as Jan 15th). GO for it!!

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)