Has anyone else noticed a problem with the 05 Prius headlights? On low-beams, there is a very distinct horizontal line at the top of the beam pattern; with the high beams the line is at the bottom, though not so distinct. I've driven at night with no problem on the freeway, but recently I was on a rural road at night going through the foothills, and there were numerous small hills and dips in the road. The only light was from my headlights. I found that starting up a hill with the low beams, I could only see what was directly in front of the car below the horitontal line. The upper portion of the hill was pitch black and I was unable to see anything unless I went to hi beams. With the hi beams on I could see the top of the hill, but as I crested it and started down the next dip I could see nothing below the beam pattern unless I switched back to low-beams or until the car started down the hill. With normal sealed-beams, there is enough ambient light to see outside the main pattern, but the Prius headlights are so well defined that I found myself constantly switching beams, or hoping there wasn't a deer at the bottom of the dip. It sounds funny, but it sure didn't feel safe.

Errol; Your stuck with them and that is normal. I first noticed this type of headlight when i bought my Chrysler Pacifica. I brought it home , drove up to the garage door in the evening and saw a really weird"Z" pattern on the door. even though it is not as defined in my 05 prius, i notice the same type of pattern. This is normal, and you will see the car manufacturer's going to this type of headlight. good luck. Dean

The subject of headlights is why I sought out a Prius forum. Mine seem to be aimed too high. Oncoming drivers are often blinking their brights at me. Went to a dealer and the service manager told me:
1) The headlights are NOT adjustable.
2) Mine are aimed just right.
Anyone else having a problem?

I notice people hi-blinking my friend's Prius II as well. I don't think they are adjusted or aimed too high, it's just a design issue that causes them to appear bright to oncoming traffic. A quick blink of your own high beams usually 'educates' the other driver about what high beams really look like, but I'm afraid I haven't heard of a permanent solution yet.

2001 Prius Photos       2005 Prius Photos
'97 Prius Simulation Prius inner workings

All headlights are adjustable; so that dealer is smoking something, or rather just wants an "over-educated prius owner" out the door and to stop bothering them with minuetia. Seems like many service departments want us to be like Camry sheep and just let them run roughshod over our vehicles. But then again that is a topic for another thread.

I do not get high beam flashing in city driving. But on unlight rural roads, I get a couple each week. Yes, I flash back to educate them. However, I'm pretty sure that in my area flashing high beams to oncomming cars is not legal. It poses a pretty significant safety issue, especially if somebody is temporarily blinded by the flash of somebody elses highbeams. I seem to get the flash most from people in GM SUVs. I'm not joking, it is like they have never seen effective headlights before.

It has been said:
Hybrid drivers come in 3 flavors, greenie, techie and cheapie. Pick any 2.
2005 Prius, Melinium Silver over gray, package 5 (AI)

I have the HID headlights on my 05 and they are self leveling. I find them to be so much better than my 03 headlights. I have not had one person flash me yet! I had people flash me all the time with my 03. Those lights were really not very good lights.

I had this problem on the 03 that I drove for work, I took it to the dealer and complained they told me they where floating and had a set ajustment I really complained then... They reagusted them and I nolonger had anyone flash me after that and there was no change in brightness..

(they can be ajusted)

04' # 5, W/leather & JBL omitted.
"Prius, Just ask the person that drives one"
04' Tundra, 18mpg city & 22mpg hwy.
04' Prius, 60mpg city & 53mpg hwy.

Kenstyle NHW20 AERO Kit

haha girlfriend finds it amusing when i get flashed by an oncoming car then i just put my brights on until they pass This reminds me of when those fluorscent weird colored headlights came out and everyone hated going by a driver who had them.