Huge difference between low and high beams?

[Elkins45]

I bought a 2012 with bad paint back in the summer (https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/scion-rustoleum-roller-job-is-finished.389467/) and because I painted it in sections it’s not been driven much until now after the paint is done. In fact, I realized that this morning when I took my wife to the airport well before dawn was the first time I had driven it in the dark. This was obvious to me as soon as I pulled but of the driveway because once we were on the open highway it was almost too dark to see unless I left the high beams on all the time. It was scary.

I pulled over and determined that the low beam bulbs were both lit, just extremely dim. The brights were perfectly normal. I bought and installed a new set of bulbs as soon as the Walmart opened at 6am and they made a slight difference, but the car was still scary without the high beams.

I had used a headlight restoration kit on the outside and the outer lenses look clear, but obviously there’s something going wrong inside the little “tunnel“ where the low beam bulbs mount. Has anyone ever experienced this? Is the best solution just to pony up $200 for new headlight clusters? Or maybe spend $30 and shove some cheap Chinese LED bulbs in it first to see if more light is enough to blast through?

The problem isn't that they are aimed too low because the high beams are exactly the same as in my 09.

 

[Elkins45]

The low beam bulb is inside a little "tunnel" marked by the arrow.

 

[dishdude]

That lens inside the lens is probably all yellowed and weather beaten. How much are a pair of CAPA headlight assemblies?

The headlight in your picture from the paint thread looks pretty rough.

 

[The motor guy]

Just make sure they're adjusted right. Couple aftermarket chinese lights along with poor alignment and you'll be blinding the world. I'm so tired of it too. I bet these headlights are going to be like cigarettes in the 60's Oh no no they won't hurt your eyesight. Fast forward 20 years from now and half of us are blind.

 

[Elkins45]

That lens inside the lens is probably all yellowed and weather beaten. How much are a pair of CAPA headlight assemblies?

The headlight in your picture from the paint thread looks pretty rough.

About $250 with shipping is the best I’ve found.

I sanded and coated the exteriors after those photos were taken. As I said, the high beams are perfect. My guess is that because this car was used as a nighttime patrol vehicle it has spent 90% of its running time with the low beams on and maybe that attacked the lens from the inside.

I wonder if I could run a sanding sponge on a stick through the bulb access hole and then folllow up with some spar urethane? I can’t imagine it would make things worse.

 

[cpayne5]

About $250 with shipping is the best I’ve found.

I sanded and coated the exteriors after those photos were taken. As I said, the high beams are perfect. My guess is that because this car was used as a nighttime patrol vehicle it has spent 90% of its running time with the low beams on and maybe that attacked the lens from the inside.

I wonder if I could run a sanding sponge on a stick through the bulb access hole and then folllow up with some spar urethane? I can’t imagine it would make things worse.

The projector lenses should be glass. They get dirty. A long q-tip with some alcohol may be the ticket.

 

[D60]

I'd at least check voltage at the low beam connectors. It's not likely there's a problem but it's free to verify. You should see nearly the same voltage as at the battery terminals when running.

Be sure to use both the positive and ground that feeds the bulb, in case of a problem with the ground

 

[hank2]

I have a 2014 Scion XB and have always considered the low beam lighting especially poor. The lens on mine could use a polishing but it was never great. One info source I read a long time ago rated the H11 bulb as a poor manufacturer's low beam choice. The top cut off on the XB2 low beam light pattern is also pretty severe.

I've had one of the low beam bulbs partially dislodged from its holder when someone had jumped or sat on the front of the hood. When I swapped in new H11's a few years ago, I had trouble properly seating one of the bulbs in the housing. The plastic bulb port in the housing can get damaged easily from a lit bulb getting ajar. I managed to get that bulb seated properly with some effort.

For as lousy as the XB's low beams are, I consider the XB's 9005 bulb high beams to be absolutely top notch. My XD has low/high combo H4 bulbs. An oldy but a goody. Great low beams but not so impressive high beams.

 

[eljefino]

The reflectors inside your headlamps are shot. Fix is new headlamps. Cheapo chinese ones are a roll of the dice, both good and bad. I went through this on my 09 Camry and things are better but still not great. For whatever reason the projector low beams are more sensitive to reflector degradation than the conventional high beams.

 

[johnmyster]

What model bulb does it use?

Some OEMs spec LL (log life) bulbs that are dimmer than their full output counterparts and then get dimmer with age. Replacement is then worthwhile.

A H9 is a legit upgrade for an H11.
A 9011 is a legit upgrade for a 9005.
A 9012 is a legit upgrade for a 9006.
H4's can't be helped.

Make sure they aren't aimed too high. Low beams are intended to provide most intensity downroad, but below horizontal. If aimed too high the majority of their energy disappears into space.

 

[Jetronic]

I bought a 2012 with bad paint back in the summer (https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/scion-rustoleum-roller-job-is-finished.389467/) and because I painted it in sections it’s not been driven much until now after the paint is done. In fact, I realized that this morning when I took my wife to the airport well before dawn was the first time I had driven it in the dark. This was obvious to me as soon as I pulled but of the driveway because once we were on the open highway it was almost too dark to see unless I left the high beams on all the time. It was scary.

I pulled over and determined that the low beam bulbs were both lit, just extremely dim. The brights were perfectly normal. I bought and installed a new set of bulbs as soon as the Walmart opened at 6am and they made a slight difference, but the car was still scary without the high beams.

I had used a headlight restoration kit on the outside and the outer lenses look clear, but obviously there’s something going wrong inside the little “tunnel“ where the low beam bulbs mount. Has anyone ever experienced this? Is the best solution just to pony up $200 for new headlight clusters? Or maybe spend $30 and shove some cheap Chinese LED bulbs in it first to see if more light is enough to blast through?

The problem isn't that they are aimed too low because the high beams are exactly the same as in my 09.

If you fit the bulb incorrectly in those projector housings, you will only get a small fraction of the normal output but the pattern will look ok. So check that's correct.

 

[Elkins45]

What model bulb does it use?

Some OEMs spec LL (log life) bulbs that are dimmer than their full output counterparts and then get dimmer with age. Replacement is then worthwhile.

A H9 is a legit upgrade for an H11.
A 9011 is a legit upgrade for a 9005.
A 9012 is a legit upgrade for a 9006.
H4's can't be helped.

Make sure they aren't aimed too high. Low beams are intended to provide most intensity downroad, but below horizontal. If aimed too high the majority of their energy disappears into space.

It uses H11 and 9005. Are you saying an H9 uses the same connector and mounting flange as an H11? That would certainly be an easy thing to try along with cleaning the lens from inside.

 

[Wheel]

Bad ground for the low beam ?

 

[brages]

That's a projector. On my Volvo, the mirror coating on the reflector inside the projector would deteriorate with heat and time and flake off. Also the lens itself can get a film on it. The lens was not bad to clean, but the reflector was a bigger problem. Some people put aluminum tape on the reflector surface. That probably helped a little.

I threw a set of eBay headlights on my Prius and they were a solid upgrade from the dim factory headlights.

 

[D60]

It uses H11 and 9005. Are you saying an H9 uses the same connector and mounting flange as an H11? That would certainly be an easy thing to try along with cleaning the lens from inside.

I think you have to notch or snip, but it's not high end fabrication

 

[brages]

The main problem is today's headlights are extremely bright (and blue tinted!), so older cars get lost in the glare arms race!

 

[eljefino]

I wonder if I could run a sanding sponge on a stick through the bulb access hole and then folllow up with some spar urethane? I can’t imagine it would make things worse.

Don't do that but you should be able to dissasemble the headlights. See those tabs? There'll be some little screws back there too, pop the tabs, you're in. You "might" have some glue to heat up, but you might not.

Once you get it apart you can see the state of affairs of your projector reflectors. I bet it's sad.

 

[johnmyster]

It uses H11 and 9005. Are you saying an H9 uses the same connector and mounting flange as an H11? That would certainly be an easy thing to try along with cleaning the lens from inside.

It's a very easy mod. The $11.47 philips "standard" H9 on amazon is the best H9 to get. I've had a set on my commuter car (mazda 3) for two years and the difference is phenominal. That said, I also got brand new projector housings a month thereafter due to a deer strike.

https://www.sheldonchuphotography.com/4runner-sections/h9-to-h11-low-beam-mod

1) One of the bulb tabs has to be narrowed. It takes 10 seconds with a set of diagonal cutters.
2) The connector needs to be modded, either by:
a) trimming the finger inside of the bulb's socket
b) removing a cap inside of the vehicle's plug with a set of needlenose. (my preference, reversible and fast, doesn't preclude using H11 in the future with it removed.)

The 9005 to 9011 mod is even faster. The connectors are the same and the tab is plastic, so it's an easy two seconds at the bench grinder.

 

[Elkins45]

Don't do that but you should be able to dissasemble the headlights. See those tabs? There'll be some little screws back there too, pop the tabs, you're in. You "might" have some glue to heat up, but you might not.

Once you get it apart you can see the state of affairs of your projector reflectors. I bet it's sad.

I tried cleaning the back side of the lens with a long swab today but it didn’t make very much difference.

It’s not the cost of replacing the lenses that I’m trying to avoid, it’s popping the bumper cover off to remove the lower bolt that I want to avoid. A bunch of these cars I’ve seen have the bumper cover flapping because the clips where it attaches to the fender won’t stay fastened. I said I might eventually replace the front bumper cover so I guess I need to coordinate my headlight replacement with that.

My cheap car is getting less cheap by the moment LOL.

 

[eljefino]

^ Your bumper cover thing is a legitimate concern, had that happen with wife's Prius and I wound up running the "shameful screw" (a self-tapper) in from the outside to hold it all together.