Lights are too dim!

Archosman
03-21-2008, 09:21 PM
My sister has either a 1993 or 1995 ES300. Her driving lights are dim! It appears that there is a lot of yellow contamination from the side running lights as well. My 2006 Camry is brighter in normal night time driving than hers with the high beams on. Are the lenses supposed to be opaque? They certainly aren't clear. Not really sure how to help. Should we replace the normal driving bulbs with High Beams?

They actually look yellow when we pulled it up close to the garage door.

midnightmach
03-22-2008, 02:58 PM
Driving Lights? Like the Fog Lights, or Low Beams?

If its the fog lights they come yellow from factory. If its the low beams, the bulbs could jsut be old. Possibly original, which would make them very dim. Try replacing them. Or if the lense is all fogged up, it needs to be polished to get it clear again.

Archosman
03-22-2008, 11:51 PM
Driving Lights? Like the Fog Lights, or Low Beams?

If its the fog lights they come yellow from factory. If its the low beams, the bulbs could jsut be old. Possibly original, which would make them very dim. Try replacing them. Or if the lense is all fogged up, it needs to be polished to get it clear again.



Did that. Polished the lights and they look great. Put in new Silvestars all the way around... still more dim than my low beams on my Camry. Could it be they need to be aimed?

midnightmach
03-23-2008, 01:08 PM
Thats weird if they are still dim. It is possible they need to be aimed, but i doubt it. Can you take a picture of the lights against a wall and the output on the road?

Archosman
03-23-2008, 08:06 PM
Thats weird if they are still dim. It is possible they need to be aimed, but i doubt it. Can you take a picture of the lights against a wall and the output on the road?


Is that something I can do or only the dealer? I kid you not... at night the light output is almost non-existant. She's driving around with her high beams (no joke intended :)) on at night. Surprisingly no one has flashed her. Seems like no one notices the difference.

It's like a 50 mile trip for me, but I'll try and post a pic. When we had it up against the garage there seemed to be a lot of yellow contamination from the running lights on the side.

midnightmach
03-23-2008, 08:08 PM
No you don't need the dealer to aim your headlights. Skim through your owners manual and it will tell you how aim them. All it is is a screw you turn.

Archosman
03-23-2008, 08:50 PM
She doesn't have one. :(

midnightmach
03-23-2008, 10:24 PM
Theres an ES300 Repair Manual in the Camry Section.
EDIT: Toyota Nation deleted it.

Just look on top of the headlights and you'll see a screw...lol IT should be on the outer edge of the light, close to the fender and on a 45 degree angle OR sticking straight up. Hard to miss.