8.3
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $370
- Average Mileage:
- 97,650 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 137 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (107 reports)
- replace bulbs (25 reports)
- replace ballast (3 reports)
- replace lighting control module (1 reports)
- replaced hid headlights. no outages since (1 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Toyota dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Drivers side headlight turned off intermittently, would go back on when I turned the headlights off then on, finally went out entirely after a few days and our local dealer replaced it. Can I just rant about Warrenton Toyota? This is the second Prius we've had from these model years (we love the car except for this!) and for the third time no one in the service department "had ever heard of this problem" wide eyed blank stare. Thank goodness for google or I wouldn't have heard of the lawsuit. We got suspicious on the last car when both headlights went out in the same week. Warrenton Toyota just said must just be two bad $159 bulbs! This time when I asked how long they are supposed to last I was told you never know, it's just like light bulbs in your house. I guarantee a $159 bulb in my house would last longer than these bulbs do.
- Carolyn W., Casanova, US
Received a violation ticket a few months ago. The street lights were very bright and I had not noticed that the headlights had gone off, but was stopped by a police officer. I just assumed at the time that I had inadvertently forgotten to turn them on!
Have noticed this happen a couple of times recently and this was brought to my attention while driving a couple of nights ago, by the driver and passenger of a car in the next lane as we were stopped at a traffic light. I had definitely turned on my headlights and we checked this again as they turned on and were fine until I was driving on the freeway and noticed that they had turned off again.
Came home and had my spouse check if the headlights were turning on and off with the switch and they seemed to work fine.
Took it to the dealership and was recommended to have the HID lamps replaced with new ones. Spoke to the Toyota Consumer hotline representative and was informed that there was a settlement regarding a similar issue several years ago: www.hidsettlement.com and www.girardgibbs.com/prius.asp (websites not available at this time). Tel: 800-746-3614 was also given to me, which was continuously showing a busy tone :(
This definitely has been a very annoying and frightening experience! I will get the HID headlamps replaced as recommended by the dealership. They say they have checked all the other electrical and computer connections thoroughly. I sincerely hope that the new replacement headlamps will solve this issue.
- Vidyut L., Redwood City, CA, US
My Toyota has a lighting problem, the light will randomly turn off. I live in a very rural part of the country and it is very dangerous.
- James H., Hampstead, NC, US
At first it was one headlight that stopped working. I replaced that headlight. Then both lights turn off intermittently while driving. I can be driving on a winding canyon road at night (those who live in Los Angeles know what I mean), and suddenly the lights go off. I then turn the light switch off and on again, and the lights come back on. This has happened as many as four times in a 10 mile drive.
- Aviva H., North Hollywood, CA, US
How does one fix this knowing that it is intermittent. I am not going to buy a new bulb just in case - the bulbs are unreasonably expensive.
- mantcan, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada
Ongoing problem with Prius Headlights, very dangerous. Changing bulbs does not help, this is an electrical problem that Toyota seems to have never addressed with a recall. Started at 50,000 miles, still ongoing at 195,000 miles, despite new bulbs.
- bonvivant, Keansburg, NJ, US
Worried about the cost of unnecessary citations at random roadside police stops for inoperable headlight.
- R H., New Orleans, LA, US
This seems to be a common complaint and yet there has been no recall that I'm aware of. It's extremely dangerous to be driving on a dark road at 60+ mph and have your headlights suddenly go out. We are taking it into the dealer ASAP because we don't feel safe driving it at night.
- davidw@lisco.com, Fairfield, IA, US
The right headlight on my 2007 Toyota Prius randomly went out, but always seemed to turn back on. In about September, 2016 both headlights started going out randomly. So far, they turn back on when I switch the lights to off and then back on. This is a real safety problem for driving at night.
- Dan S., Naperville, IL, US
Lights go off when you least expect it. Nothing seems to make it happen. Can't afford $400-$750 to have Toyota fix it.
- Kathleen A., Haiku, HI, US
This has been happening for way over a year now. It started with 1 headlight, now both are affected. I just turn the switch off and then back on and they come back on. But they don't stay on for more than a couple of mins.
- Charles C., Collierville, TN, US
Noticed the headlights on my 2007 Toyota Prius started go off and on sporadically and at times they would go completely out while driving at night. This is a very dangerous and scary situation. Searched the Internet. Found numerous headlight problems reported. Law suit was filed against Toyota for faulty headlights around 2011.
Toyota Prius owners were compensated. There should have been a massive recall because Toyota should be held liable for all repairs. It is grossly unfair to make innocent owners pay to repair headlights. Took my car this morning to Toyota Northridge. The service guy claimed to not know anything about the headlight problem. Wanted $140 for diagnostic. Stating the cost to replace headlights at $500. This is bull crap! They are all playing a game and it's wrong!
- Giselle S., Woodland Hills, CA, US
When I drive my lights randomly turn off. We have looked at the light fixture and tried tightening it into place but it still is happening. The bulbs still work. I find this unsafe and I drive with children and could cause an accident if I didnt pay attention to the lights when they turn off on their own.
- pfrank80, Ukiah, CA, US
click to see larger images
one light intermittently went out. I could turn the switch off and on again and the light would come back on.
I got stopped by HwyPatrol for a headlight out and that is how I learned about it.
Toyota "fixed it" for $580.00 replaced the ballest.
Then the other side did the same thing. twice both light went out while driving, (scaring the poo out of me) I quickly turned the light switch off and on again and they came back on. I tried to tell the toyota dealership that it wasn't the bulb or I wouldn't be able to turn it off and back on again and it light up. It seemed to me more like a short somewhere. Just had the car at the toyota dealership for a week (10/2016) picked it up and got pulled over for the headlight out the same day!!!!! (10/22/16) I should be reimbursed and Toyota recall the problem. Now I'm back to dealership to throw another fit.
- joyceward, Cleveland, OK, US
My headlights began flickering over a year ago. Then the driver side went out so I ordered two bulbs and planned to change the passenger side. About a month later when I went to change the bulb - the passenger side was out and driver side was on. Now they are intermittent. Yes I have new bulbs but this does not seem like a bulb problem and lots of people have complained. Why not a class action on this?
- Susan S., St Louis, MO, US
The occasional, irritating problem of one of the Prius headlights randomly switching off on its own with me having to switch my lights off and then back on again to get them both working is now happening regularly every time I drive at night. And happening several times in a row before they finally stay on. I can't believe that such a critical safety issue of working headlights at night is NOT worthy of a recall. So disappointed with Toyota and the NHTSA that they are putting lives at unnecessary risk.
- prius navigator, Kenosha, WI, US
a simple headlight burned out turns out to be a known problem, subject to multiple lawsuits, subject to $ 400 bulb replacement. Their "Customer Service" answer was "Sue us!!"
Really?
- wbowley, Exeter, NH, US
had this problem. lights would go out I would get stopped by highway patrol and I would turn the switch on and off and they would work for a month or so. finally had my mechanic research and found the module needed to be replace on both headlights..... the headlights would go out for no reason.
- Shawneen H., Taylorsville, CA, US
I have a new problem that has just happened with my Prius that seems to be a common problem for many owners! I was driving down the road and my left headlight suddenly went dark. So I had my wife get in the car and follow me down the road so I could watch it in action. This time both headlights went dark. I gave her a call and told her to turn off the lights and then turn them back on. They did come back on but the problem continues. What can be done to correct this problem? Is there any recall out there or easy fix that can be done? I don't want to get pulled over for driving without lights and it isn't quite safe for myself and other drivers!
- Gerald R., Pace, FL, US
Both headlights went off intermittently, sometimes at the same time. Toyota sent out a recall but the dealership would not take care of them at the same time because it didn't show up for them when I brought the vehicle in. I ended up going to the dealership 3 times to fix the issue. Once for each headlight and once to show them when the other one wasn't working but I didn't have the time the leave the vehicle so I asked them to notate it in their records.
- Catherine L., camas, WA, US