# Toyota new headlights still dim **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 14, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622 "2019-01-14T17:13:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lakoniku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@lakoniku](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lakoniku)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/1 "2019-01-14T17:13:32Z")
I own a Toyota Avensis 2004, my old headlights were dim and I thought it was because of the reflectors. Today I installed new headlights xenon but still doesn’t seem to have solved the problem. The bulbs are 35w, do I need to use 55w or the problem is elsewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 5:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/2 "2019-01-14T17:26:18Z")
How is the condition of your lenses? If glazed over like in the picture have them ‘restored’, makes a world of difference. As far as bulbs, I don’t know. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/4/471a79ce38bad493c45e7116f3fe9ecf1197cd85.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![lakoniku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@lakoniku](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lakoniku)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/3 "2019-01-14T17:42:38Z")
I installed new headlights so lenses are in very good condition I guess ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/4 "2019-01-14T17:58:52Z")
avenis uses 9006 bulbs which are 1000 lumens and produce 55w of heat. what does the package say for your new bulbs? ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/5 "2019-01-14T17:59:15Z")
If you installed genuine NEW Toyota complete headlight assemblies, that just might be the way they are. Were the old assemblies xenon? ---
**Author:** ![lakoniku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@lakoniku](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lakoniku)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 6:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/6 "2019-01-14T18:10:47Z")
old headlights were xenon but not original when one of the packages was broken the old owner removed the xenon and used simple connection, I got the car in this condition and wanted to use xenon again so I got new headlights with the packages attached but it doesn’t improve it at all ---
**Author:** ![lakoniku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@lakoniku](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lakoniku)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 6:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/7 "2019-01-14T18:12:49Z")
I didn’t read the package labels but a friend told me the bulbs are 35w ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/8 "2019-01-14T18:16:25Z")
> [@bengusc\_145164](#): > > I didn’t read the package labels but a friend told me the bulbs are 35w Prefer evidence to hearsay. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 6:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/9 "2019-01-14T18:22:08Z")
Have you thought about getting glasses? Those lights should be more then bright enough. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/10 "2019-01-14T20:15:16Z")
a 9006 bulb is 1000 lumens. i do not think they make 9006 bulbs that make less. my 13yr old crappy plastic lense gm suv uses 9006 bulbs and i see fine ---
**Author:** ![TenB33R5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b77776/32.png) [@TenB33R5](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TenB33R5)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 1:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/11 "2019-01-15T01:52:48Z")
Its possible they are just out of adjustment. Take the car to somebody who actually has the equipment to properly aim a modern headlamp. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/12 "2019-01-15T03:18:11Z")
I take it the replacements are aftermarket HID units. Perhaps the housings are not up to Toyota OE standards. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 3:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/13 "2019-01-15T03:53:08Z")
Electrical connection problems (i.e. high resistance connections) where the harness plugs into the bulb, and between the fixture ground and chassis ground could both cause that. See if you can measure the voltage right at the two pins of the bulb. Unless you’ve got those special high voltage headlight fixtures, that voltage should measure with 0.5 volt of the voltage you measure at the battery posts. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-new-headlights-still-dim/132622/14 "2019-01-15T14:28:47Z")
NO! DO NOT TRY THIS IN THIS CASE!! The OP said these are xenon headlights, which is another name for HID. Very high voltage.