10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 5 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 53,831 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
The right headlight turned off while the vehicle was in use and now the fog lights aren't working. Sometimes it would turn on and sometimes it wouldn't work at all. You just don't know when it will happen.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
Headlights quit working about once a year. (each at different times) seals have been checked; no moisture getting in.
- Springtown, TX, USA
Right headlight went out while driving at night, reducing visibility to only nearly 20%-30%. this is very annoying and dangerous as the vehicle may be taken for a motorcycle especially in parking lot as others might mistake the vehicle width and resulting in collision. However, the light is restored by flickering on and off. This also occurred while driving on the freeway at high speed. Flickering maybe be a hassle while driving at such speed.
- Jacksonville, FL, USA
My 2006 Toyota Prius headlight goes off when driving. It flickers first and then goes off. Sometimes one light goes off and sometimes both of them. When I turn the light off and turn it back on headlights work again. But after a while they turn off again. They stay on steady after I drive for more than an hour in long trips and after turning it off and then on again several times.
- Putnam, CT, USA
My 2006 Toyota Prius headlight goes out when driving. Somrtimes, one light goes off and sometimes both goes off. When I turn the light off and turn it back on they re-light.
- Alexandria, VA, USA
Passenger side headlight goes out after being on for five minutes and can not be repaired.
- Easton, MD, USA
Was driving on very dark street. My headlights seemed very dim so I switched them to bright. Both immediately went off. My service dealer stated that they both went out and wanted to charge more than $300 to replace. After much discussion replaced for cost of labor. I subsequently received a letter informing me of a recall or possible problem with the lights and Toyota would replace. I submitted my invoice and received a refund. However, once again they are not operating properly. Sometimes they are on, others they are off or one will be out and the other working. Condensation has built up and changing the bulb has not helped. I have now been told it will cost me about $1000 to have lights repaired.
- New Orlenas, LA, USA
We have owned this 2006 Prius since new. We have replaced the headlights many times. This last incident was similar to the rest. The headlight on the right would go out but it was an intermittent loss. There was an ability to get it on again by flicking the headlights on and off. After a week of this, the second headlight started to do the same resulting in total headlight failure. This could also be remedied by flicking the headlights on and off.
- Monterey, CA, USA
Left headlight goes out. I have to turn both headlights off, and then turn them back on for left one to work again. I had this problem years ago, and the dealership replaced lamp for $600, but now I'm noticing the problem again. Very dangerous ! dps thinks it's dangerous, too, judging from warnings I'm collecting.
- Austin, TX, USA
Right passenger headlight went out. Was able to get it back on by turning the lights off and on. On the drive to the dealer to get it fixed, left driver side headlight went out. Again able to get it back on by turning it off and on. Dealer checked over the car and only replaced the right passenger side headlight even though I told them both had been out. They said there was nothing wrong with the left drivers side headlight. Drove away from dealer and the left drivers side headlight went out after I drove less than 1 mile. Went back to the dealer, but did not turn the lights off and on. He could not believe it, but the light was out. Had the left drivers side headlight replaced. Is this some kind of electrical problem? this could be very dangerous if both went out while driving!
- Belle Mead, NJ, USA
Driving down a dark road both my headlight went out. I almost wrecked. I then turned them on an off and they came back on. This is the second 2006 Toyota Prius we have owned with the same issue. There should be a recall....does someone need to die over this common issue?
- Beaverdam, VA, USA
The headlights will shut off randomly while I am driving, the solution I have found is to flip the switch on and off again and they turn back on, but this only works temporarily and they soon shut off again. This can be very dangerous especially when driving on a dark road at night along a curve. The Toyota specialists recommended that I replace the bulbs but that did not fix the problem.
- Del Mar, CA, USA
On July 20,2014, I noticed my passenger side headlight is out. I started the car and put the light on, it came on fine.. while driving on high way at night all the sudden the light went out again passenger side. I pulled it on the side and inspect driver side light was working fine but the passenger side was out. I turn the light off and on again it came back on. At this time I am scratching my head that what is going on. I take my car to the mechanic he tells me the bulb is fuse. It cost me $300. To change the bulb. After few days after the bulb goes out again. I take it back to the mechanic he checks every thing is fine, tell me the bulb went out again. Scratching my head again "bulb went out again after few weeks" I went to amazon and bought another bulb.. and it went out again. I was pulled over September 20, 2014 buy cops to fix my headlight. Headlight are still going out and I have to keep buying the headlight bulb.
- Baltimore, MD, USA
For the last two years my Prius' passenger side headlight turns off and on indiscriminately. I've replace bulbs, I've replaced fuses, and even the whole light assembly at a total cost of close to $3000. I still have the problem to this day. I get pulled over about every two weeks or so from police and for my job the car does not pass the internal inspection of my company. I have read on many sites that this is a common problem with this model of Prius justifying a recall. Thank you
- Winter Springs, FL, USA
Passenger headlight goes on and off intermittently.
- Seal Beach, CA, USA
My wife and I purchased a used 2006 Toyota Prius. After about 6 months one headlight would go out. We could cycle the switch and the headlight would work again. After replacing the bulb with a original bulb. Both headlight have gone out. I took the vehicle to our local Toyota dealership. They quoted a repair of $3800. I began looking for a lees expensive shop to do the repairs, when the owner of a shop[ informed me that Toyota had settled a class action lawsuit concerning the hid ( high intensity display) units. That settlement has now passed the date to submit a claim. All claims had to be submitted by May 30th 2011. We had not purchased our vehicle at that time. Why has there not been a recall done on these vehicles" obviously Toyota is aware that there is a problem with in the system or they would not of settled the class action suit. We now have a vehicle that we paid $15000 for that can not be driven at night or when it is raining out, because the faulty headlight installed by the manufacture. How can the government allow a major vehicle manufacture to allow these cars to stay on the road, and risk serious injury"
- Rock Hil, SC, USA
As I was driving my 2006 Toyota Prius at night, I noticed the road seemed "dim" on the right side. I turned the lights off then back on and it was brighter. Later I noticed the same thing and pulled off the road to find the right headlight was not on, but it came back on after turning the switch off and on again. This has happened several times over the past couple of months, sometimes affecting the left headlight as well. Once, last month, as I was driving down the highway, both headlights turned off! fortunately I was able to quickly flip the headlight switch off and on to remedy the situation. The headlight bulbs have been checked and do not seem to be the problem. Help!
- Charlotte, NC, USA
My headlight goes out. I alerted the dealer when purchasing the car. They said it just needed replaced. They didn't tell me this was common problem, nor did they offer to correct it. I found other complaints of this problem on this website. No notification was given to consumer.
- Omaha, NE, USA
Both of my hid headlights went out (turned off) during normal highway driving. Since then, the lights have continued to turn off randomly during normal driving. When I turn the switch off and then back on, the lights operate fine for a while, then go back off. This is a very dangerous issue and I see it is a common issue.
- Ringgold, GA, USA
- Stafford, VA, USA