In this video I show you how to replace HID headlights on a 2009 Toyota Prius. The same process should work for any 2nd generation Prius from 2004-2009. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comment section below.
I tried replacing a headlight bulb without removing the bumper and found it ten times harder than this way, including scraped knuckles. This is incredibly easy and straight forward. Did the whole job in 20 minutes. Thank you for the great video!
Great video! I'm a lady who likes to work on my own Prius. Your instructions were excellent! Thank you for taking the time to make this video and also for taking the time to explain everything so thoroughly. Much appreciated!
I watched a couple of “simpler” videos that bypassed the bumper loosening process. Well, on an older car these bulb covers are a beast to get to. So-o-o-o the actual fastest way to do the job is just like this video shows. Huge thanks for the version that works best for these older, fat hands!
I have never fixed a single thing on my 2007 Prius and was able to successfully replace both headlights today. Your video was incredibly helpful and thorough - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
Great video! Saved me $150 in labor! I found I had to un-bolt the bottom corners of the bumper in order to get to the bottom headlight bolt (2008). Easy! Took me less than an hour to finish, even while consulting your video! Thank you!
This was EXTREMELY HELPFUL‼️‼️ Way easier than all the other videos saying “you don’t have to take the bumper off” and just to squeeze your hand in tight spaces 🙃🙃. THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY!!
Very helpful video. All those other videos of people thinking they are taking the easy route by leaving the bumper and headlight assembly in... Epic fail haha. This way is much easier.
This is a great video. I will be going into replacement mode in a few. There is only one thing that I think you forgot to mention. Not to touch the bulb with your bare hands. I do see you wearing gloves so that may be why you did not mention it. Your video is very clear and the video is very clear also. Thank you.
@@elizabethperrin3439 Yeah, I remembered something about that today when I was replacing a bulb. I had nitrile gloves on at the time, but, got it dirty some. Luckily, it seems alright but I'm planning on getting some LED bulbs soon anyway. Still, it was a big enough PITA installing the temporary bulb that I wouldn't be happy if it blew up right away
I just did my mothers 08, passenger side. Only loosening 1/2 of the bumper worked perfectly, it was a very easy job. Thank you for your video, especially for telling the location of the headlight assembly bolt that is under the bumper cover. There are a few bolts in the area, so it’s easy to know exactly which one to loosen.
Always always replace these headlight bulbs at the same time. If not you'll find the color of the new and old different and you'll have to do the whole process again when the other one fails.
Great work! This helped me tremendously when the time came for me to change my HID lamps. In my opinion this is the best tutorial for the second generation Prius that I have seen. It's the most elaborate bulb changing process I've had to deal with and this video was phenomenally useful. Thank you, Austin!
While I absorbed useful information from several videos for this job, this one showed the entire process clearly from start to finish. Considering it was my first time, I found it easy enough that I'd encourage anyone to have a go at it. For sure, there was no way that boot covering the light was going to come off without significant leverage. I applied some silicone grease to that gasket so it might be possible next time. A little over an hour start to finish for this rank amateur with a very good tool selection. Thanks for the great video. I am now subscribed.
Thank you! It did help me a lot. I was putting it in without taking the bumper off and got stuck on the clips part. I did not know you could pull them all the way down to fit the bulb. Great video!
Have to echo others here and say that your video was a big help! I tried changing the bulb without removing the headlight lens but it’s almost impossible. Thanks for the great instructions!
Great video thanks. Just one thing I'd like to note and that is the final screws for the facia have a rawl plug type fitting and needs to be reset or renewed before the final fitting.
Despite having to remove the bumper, this looks much easier than doing it from behind by feel which I just did. I didn't even replace the other side because it was such a pain. I do have halogen lights on my Prius but it looks like the process is nearly identical. Thanks.
Seemed like a big job for changing headlights, but your way does seem best and wasn't as difficult as I thought. The plastic fasteners broke, but I had a good assortment of fasteners, so I would recommend that people get some first.
Great video, this way was definitely easier and maybe faster! One note was that my screws with the rubber stoppers were fully rusted out. I was able to pry the rubber off and get them with a locking pliers, but if you don't have a pair, you can try removing those pieces first to check they'll come off before you start the job!
Great video, clear and easy. One question though, you keep referring to the lights as LED in the video as opposed to HID. What you show us matches what I ordered (HID).
@@AustinTillison No problem. More importantly, your video was great and you displayed a natural awareness of the little things that can be unnerving, such as the phillip's screws that feel like they are stripped out. My first thought is they need to be replaced and I would have run off trying to find a ghost that didn't exist.
You forgot to mention that pry and twist cover TO POINT WHERE THE ARROW LINES UP WITH THE MARK and then pull the cover away from the housing -- unless arrow lines up with this mark it will not come off.
It will come out if you force it like he did. I just helped a friend replace his headlight assembly, and Norman is correct, you rotate the cover about an inch counter-clockwise and the cap pops out with minimal effort.
One thing to add, I live in New Zealand and the plug for the light is different to the US one in this video. I just had to unplug the power before removing the rubber boot.
Excellent video. Please ditch the unnecessary background music, which is distracting. Unless, of course, all through grade school, high school and college your instructors played background music while they were talking.
I have both headlight bulbs, flickering, and inconsistently, turning off, sometimes by themselves or sometimes together… Will I have to change the ballast on both headlights along with the bulbs?
I need to change out my entire headlight assembly dude to it being sun washed.... where does the plug/braided line go... and how do I swap all that hardware out? Is it just tucked into the housing?
There is a ballast used with these light bulbs. You don't mention them at all. But it could be the bulbs are good and ballast has failed in which case after you get all done replacing the bulbs like you show , it remains inoperative. And twice you refer to these being led lights but they are not. Rather hid. I don't know why you wouldn't scrap this video and make a correct one. These details cause frustration for viewers that are looking to you to help them , but you don't completely or make mistakes identifying parts or leave out pertinent information. It may impress some but not me. I wish I could be more gentle but pleas remove this. Learn about ballasts and testing because these light bulbs cost $100 each and that is a lot to waste for nothing. Also I'm sure you mutant touch these with bare fingers. That is critical but not mentioned. They will quickly fail if finger oils touch the very high temperature light bulbs.
The video refers to the bulbs as LED but they are actually HID? Also, tbe replacement OEM are only 4300k Is there another bulb we can install that are brigher?
I apologize for the confusion when referencing the bulbs, I was still learning the difference myself when we were recording lol. I imagine there might be some brighter options out there for a little bit more money.
2009 Prius headlight bulb keeps blowing out. I have changed it several times. only blow out the driver side . Tired of giving hundreds of dollars to my mechanic almost every two months Any suggestions where the problem is. BTW he changed connectors as well also the plastic cover.
make sure you're using the correct bulb. also trace the headlight wiring to see if there is any exposed wiring that could be coming in contact with metal and blowing the bulb. good luck!
Change the ballasts.. in this video he refers to them as LED’s but in fact they are HID’s. They rely on a ballast to supply them with the correct amount of power. If it’s faulty then you will keep either blowing bulbs (too much unregulated power) or they won’t work at all or will flicker (not enough or intermittent low power)
Thanks for the video. What a stupid design by Toyota. Who would think one would need to remove the front bumper in order to change a light bulb. I tried doing it without removing the headlight enclosure, but, couldn't get the rubber boot back in. Eventually had to take the bumper loose. What a PITA.
…so why does the video title say HID headlights, if they were LEDs-? 🥴 Although what I really need to know, is how to convert my HID assembly to LEDs, as simple as possible. 😶 …because these HIDs are NOT worth the trouble and expense.
Some people say the HID bulbs burn out too frequently and you end up replacing bulbs 2 & 3 times per year. Another RU-vid mechanic shows how to switch to LED bulbs by installing new wires & sockets. What about just replacing the HID ballasts? Would this be a good fix along with new HID bulbs? Or is switching to LED bulbs and trashing the ballast really a best fix?
How can I identify what headlight bulbs I need? I had bought the car but it didn’t come with original Prius headlights. I know this due to my mechanic informing me that it’s not the original headlight and/or bulb.
Can anyone explain to me why my 2008 Prius low-beam light is burned out, but the Highbeam still works? Are there 2 bulbs in each headlight assembly? If so, why didn't he identify the high beam bulb? If *not* then how would a highbeam point in a different direction than the low beam?
hey diana, if i remember correctly, the hi beam and low beam operate through the same bulb. i'm not 100% sure, but compare the headlights by switching the hi beams on and off and seeing if any other bulbs illuminate
Thanks James! It's my friends car so I'm not aware of any major problems these cars might have but he's been daily driving it for 4+ years with no issues.
Ive always found finding someone with the hands of a 12 year old girl works best to reach inside the small area and change the bulb. I think toyota got plenty of complaints because the newer models bulbsare like any other car to get to.
You keep calling them LED bulbs as in 6:45. These things are confusing, I know, but they are HID bulbs. From what I can tell, LED bulbs do not just plug into an HID system. There is modifications to be made and it looks like some are so long, they would not fit behind the dust cover. I guess there are also halogen bulb headlights on some models, at least one video showed changing that type. It has a different dust cover and different plug arrangement.
that's exactly why toyota is an absolute shit. changing a normal light bulb on a car is also supposed to be simple and easy without disassembling the whole car!!!!
Why so complicated!?!?? Since a law we have to drive all day long with lights on. Need to change 1-3 time a year each side. That is more access than to anything else. What are they thinking!
I’m sorry but this is not DIY you like taking things apart 😂😂😂 and your hands are too big that’s why you must remove the front grill jeez funny entertainment though
