Headlight goes off intermittently (no accident caused it... it just happens).

- Rockville, MD, USA

2006 Toyota Prius with high intensity discharge (hid) headlights intended to last life of vehicle. Passenger side headlight began intermittently failing after 25000 miles... initial indication was light was noticeably dimmer than the driver side headlight. After a few weeks light would go out after a period of time driving, cycling power to headlights causes light to come back on, although period of operation is becoming shorter and shorter. Took the car to dealer who spent approximately one hour trouble shooting before asking for come to return for longer troubleshooting period.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

Toyota Prius problem with intermittent headlight function.

- Morehead City, NC, USA

Like my wife I own another 2006 Toyota Prius which has hid headlamps that have intermittent failures. This problem has come on over the last year. Usually switching the headlamps off and then on again turns the lamps back on. However traveling at high rates of speed at night and having your headlamps suddenly go out is extremely dangerous. Reading on the internet and realizing that this is a problem with many of these vehicles made me decide it must be reported to you so you can put pressure on Toyota to recall and correct this issue. I have not had an accident yet due to this failure. The failure happens about every ten minutes (on average) whenever the headlamps are on.

- Lafayette, IN, USA

I own a 2006 Toyota Prius which has hid headlamps that have intermittent failures. This problem has come on over the last year. Usually switching the headlamps off and then on again turns the lamps back on. However traveling at high rates of speed at night and having your headlamps suddenly go out is extremely dangerous. Reading on the internet and realizing that this is a problem with many of these vehicles made me decide it must be reported to you so you can put pressure on Toyota to recall and correct this issue. I have not had an accident yet due to this failure. The failure happens about every ten minutes (on average) whenever the headlamps are on.

- Lafayette, IN, USA

Both of my high intensity headlights occasionally go out, but at different times so far. Within the city it is hard to tell but is noticeable on the open road. I think it is a safety issue, especially if they both decide to go out at once. Turning off the headlights and back on a few seconds later has so far caused both to be on, but for how long who knows.

- Yorktown, VA, USA

Headlights randomly turn off. Nothing appears to aggravate or cause this. It happens at least once or twice per drive. Only way to fix it, (when I even notice it) is to turn the lights on and off again.

- Gilbert, AZ, USA

1. normal driving 2. headlights (mostly passenger side) go out but will come back on when lights are turned off then back on. Once back on they stay on for varying lengths of time (as short as a few seconds and as long as a few hours - most times it is a short period of time). The burned out headlight warning light never comes on (as the lights are not burned out). This happens in daylight or night (it is more noticeable at night). This has gone on for many months. 3. I have brought my vehicle in to be checked multiple times, the dealer (my vehicle is still under warranty) has not been able to duplicate the problem and has told me that there is no problem. So nothing has been done. I believe that the problem has been going on since before I first verified it in May. For nearly the entire time I had the car I noted sudden changes to the light patterns while driving at night. Since the burned out bulb warning never came on I was slow to check for a headlight that was out. Once I did note that my headlight was out I took it to the dealer, but it was back on. However the headlights do go out again and again.

- Goshen, NY, USA

My hid headlights will "flicker" and then one would go out. I can get the headlight back on by simply turning the lights off and back on. This problem was rarely intermittent around 25K miles and started getting worse as I approached 40K miles. I reported the issue to the Toyota dealer on every visit and they could not locate any issues with the headlamps. I can't get in my car without having to shut off the hids multiple times during a very short trips and get pull over several times by the police. Recently I got frustrated and took the car in the dealer and ask that they replaced the bulbs. They now acknowledge that driver side bulb is broken and that I have to pay $520 to replace it. I told them that both headlamps go out and so it must be defective or electrical issues. I have searched some owners blogs and found many users reporting this same issue.

- Middle Island, NY, USA

Front head lamp on Prius cuts out intermittantly. Impossible to replace without major labor (including removing bumper). Approximate cost $450 to $500.

- Louisville, KY, USA

The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Prius. While driving approximately 35 mph at night, the passenger side headlight intermittently shut off. There were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle has not been taken to an authorized dealer for repair. The contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. The failure mileage was 37,000 and current mileage was 39,000.

- Westchester, PA, USA

Purchased new Toyota Prius Aug. 2006; within one year right headlight went out, but didn't burn out completely, but would go on and off at various times. Took in and was replaced under warranty (bulb costs over $300!). August 2008, same thing, right headlight would sporadically work. Took into dealer and asked them to research if a short circuit. They said no, just bad bulb. They told me that the bulbs are delicate and this can happen if going over bump in the road. This time I had to pay the $300. Two weeks later, the left bulb now sporadically works. I cannot afford to replace a $300 bulb once or twice a year. After reading on priuschat.com, other Prius owners are having the same complaints. There must be a defect for 3 bulbs to go out within 2 years and again, they don't burn out completely. When you first turn the lights on, the bulb comes on, but while driving, it just goes out. When you turn your lights off then on again, the bulb comes on again, but won't stay lit. I have been pulled over twice by the police because of this.

- Canton, MI, USA

The headlights on my 2006 Prius intermittently fail and recover when they are turned off and on again. This has gone on for over one year and I finally began loosing all lights on high beam and they would not recover when they were turned off and on again. I just paid over $500 for a problem that I now realize is shared by many owners. Why is there not a recall??

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

I own a 2006 Toyota Prius, with 41,000 miles. My right headlight failed 2 days ago, car was repaired at the dealer, they changed a $260 "computer" that controls the headlight, which was covered under my extended warranty, my cost $55. On my way home both of the headlights failed, returned the car to the dealer, hid light bulb was changed today, my cost $320. Now the left headlight is also failing intermittently, which seems odd and very coincidental. Toyota is unable to tell me, if this is an ongoing problem with their vehicles, though the internet seems to have info on the same situation with other owners. $600-$1,000 seems excessive to repair the headlights that seem to be a model problem, especially affecting 2006 model Prius. Has there been a recall on these items?

- Port Orchard, WA, USA

Driver's side headlamp goes off when vehicle running & being driven. When the headlamp switch is briefly turned off, then back on, the driver's side headlamp comes on again, but always goes back off after a few seconds or up to a minute or two. This cycle of turning off & on can be repeated indefinitely. The problem started spontaneously. Nothing has yet been done to correct the problem; a phone call to the local Toyota service department was met with uncertainty as to what may be wrong, and I have yet to take it in for service.

- Radford, VA, USA

Our Toyota Prius 2006 is experiencing a potentially dangerous problem with the headlights. The passenger side headlight, and sometimes both headlights continue to "wink-out" despite the dealer having verified that the connections are solid and the bulbs are in functioning order. Simply turning the headlights off and then back on "fixes" the problem temporarily, however the problem resurfaces the next time we drive the car.

- West Chester, PA, USA

I have a 2006 Toyota Prius with hid headlights. Recently I developed a problem where the drivers side headlight kept going out randomly. I would have to shutoff all lights and turn them back on in order for the light to come back on. Not only is it totally unsafe to be turning off the lights (driving or not at night) but it impairs your vision when only one of the two headlights is working. I took my car to the dealer and after $56 in labor, $330 in a hid bulb, and tax, my problem might have been fixed. They don't know as it could be the ballast. However after talking to a scuba buddy who is also a master Toyota mechanic he told me that its almost always the bulb and they are more then likely defective and that in his opinion there should be a recall.

- Marina, CA, USA

The headlights intermittently shut off while driving. Sometimes it's the right one and sometimes it's the left one. I'm afraid that sometime it will be both. This is a safety hazard to have the headlights go out. I have had it checked out but since it is an inconsistent problem, it is not always not working when I take the car in so they have a hard time diagnosing it and refuse to change out the headlight system. They almost look at me in disbelief as if they've never heard of such a thing. Yet, I see many other Prius' driving around with one headlight on so I know I am not the only one in there complaining about this problem. They need to look into it and do the right thing to fix the problem before a life is lost and they have to do something to fix this problem.

- Lovettsville, VA, USA

While driving my 2006 Prius one head light will go out and then the other and I have no headlights. Some times its the drivers side some times the passenger side and sometimes both. But on the freeway it's scary when they both go out!

- Lodi, CA, USA

I drive a 2006 Toyota Prius which I purchased new in 2006. It has 30,000 miles on it. Starting at about 27,000 miles, the hid headlights began to intermittently fail while driving. Turning the headlight switch off then on again seems to re-ignite the bulb until the next failure. This creates a real safety concern and the local Toyota service center is refusing to replace the headlights under warranty stating that they cannot reproduce this issue. There a numerous posts on message boards such as priuschat.com (priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/34584-headlight-problem.html) that suggest this is not an isolated issue, but actually a design and/or manufacturing flaw. Without reliable headlights, I am concerned for my safety and the safety of motorists and pedestrians around me. I have a call in to Toyota and hopefully they will do the right thing. Perhaps a recall is in order, or at least a service bulletin so that dealer service centers don't refuse to perform necessary maintenance.

- Olive Branch, MS, USA