i have a small problem that becomes a bigger one at night .i have trouble with my vision at night .the stock bulbs in my 2006 toyota corolla are not bright enough to see when i am on roads with out street lights or high ways .i purchased from jcw these bulbs which are brighter but never was told they have limited hour life . my car has day time running lights which the lights are on in return shortens the life of the bulb .the bulbs i bought were not cheap and read after that they only had a 50 hour life .i am trying to find a bulb which is brighter than stock that will help me and last . my car has openings for fog lights in the front i think the stock wiring is there i wasnt sure maybe putting fog lamps in would help or not and then find out where to get them from .if anyone can help me here it would be of a big help
Check out some Sylvania Silverstar headlights. I don’t know if they actually provide better lighting, but they claim to, as compared to OEM lights.
In regards to DRLs shortening light life, I have my headlights on anytime I drive anywhere in my 02 Hyundai Accent, and so far the lights are still the originals, and don’t appear to be getting dimmer or having a reduced life because of this constant use.
If you are having trouble seeing at night, it might be worthwhile to look at the headlight lenses, as they may be dirty or scratched. Clean them off, and if they are still cloudy, use toothpaste to remove the cloudiness. If the lenses are just dirty, then by cleaning them you’ll have much better night illumination.
This may not be what you want to hear, but your night vision may not be what it once was. This typically happens with aging. You may need to restrict your driving to daytime or potentially cause more prejudice against aging drivers, not all who change at the same rate. Lights bright enough for you to see at night may present a danger or problem for oncoming drivers at night. Check with your opthomologist
Post above is correct. Before you blind the rest of us with illegal, high-wattage bulbs, have your eyes tested for night vision. It’s quick, cheap, painless and simple.
Having said that, todays plastic headlight buckets are a far cry from the performance of yesterdays sealed-beam headlights. A pair of H-6014’s will outperform most of todays styling comes first headlights…Most over-the-road trucks still use those bulbs…
[b]The problem could be misadjusted headlights.
You’ve had this vehicle for about a year? It could have very well come off the assembly line with the headlights misadjusted.
Tester[/b]
Yep, I agree with the others. I use the Syvania extra bright halogen and they are brighter than the standard ones, but that’s about the best you can do. I don’t notice much difference with fog lights actually. Check and polish the lenses, also check your windshield for pits, headlight adjustment, etc. After that, you may be developing cataracks that first start causing night vision problems. Easily fixed in this day and age.
You should also keep in mind that the more powerful (higher wattage) bulbs will also be rougher on the lighting electrical system and can cause problems with wire connectors, relays, combination switches, etc.
There’s nothing better than an old style 5 x 7 Halogen sealed beam IMHO. Styling trumps function anymore unfortunately.
There’s a company called HiLite that makes a set of fairly bright bulbs. They’re not HID but they utilize Xenon gas instead of whatever they put in standard halogen bulbs (mercury possibly?) I’ve been using them for about a year. They’re plenty bright, brighter than stock, and have a fairly cool look too. They consume the same amount of power, and have a long life.
But also, be sure to check that headlight aim. Or have it done.
-Matt
I’ve tried the illegal high-wattage bulbs, which don’t last very long, the Silverstar bulbs, and other “ultra-white” and or/“hyper-white” headlight bulbs in the quest for improved night time lighting. I’ve spent more money experimenting than I care to admit.
The BEST bulbs I’ve found are the Sylvania Xtra-vision. They do not overtax the electrical system, have the same long life as standard halogen bulbs, and do not “wash out” in the rain like the SilverStars do. In addition, they are not expensive.
Stay away from anything “tinted.” Any color applied to the bulb reduces the amount of light you get. Try the X-traVision bulbs.
An excellent source of information about automotive lighting is www.danielsternlighting.com
I’m going to back up what was already suggested and say have your headlights aimed! There is probably a procedure for it in your owner’s manual, and if not / you don’t feel like tackling it, your dealer will be happy to do it.
Honestly, your 06 Toyota should have a pretty healthy set of headlights on it already, and I think you’ll be throwing away money by buying another set of “legal” bulbs. And as was mentioned, don’t go for the mega-output “off road” lights, because the rest of us like to see too.