10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 3
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 2 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 72,132 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 headlights keep going out, making driving at night unsafe until you can get it fixed. It just happened again, March, 29, 2018. It happened 2/11, 6/11, 12/12, 1/13, 6/13, 3/15, 1/16, 7/17 and now. It wasn't raining, nothing interesting at all. Local driving.
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
Drivers's side headlight and high beam light going out at same time. Headlight bulbs on both sides were changed out in November 2016 (a little more than a year ago) and I only have a 10 mile commute to work. In November of 2016 driver's side light was also the one that burned out.
- San Gabriel, CA, USA
We were driving on the highway at about 70 miles per hour when the reading lights and dashboard flashed on and then off in a matter of about 5 seconds. The dash showed a triangle indicator light with an exclamation point. The dash also seemed to reset and showed the display as is the car had just been turned on. This incident happened twice within a 4 hour period. Once on the highway and once on a back road going about 40 mph. The car did not stop either time, but it is still concerning.
- Athens, OH, USA
Exiting off freeway at S. main in walnut creek California at appx 45mph both headlights went out at the same time. Could not be turned on. Interior headlight indicator remained on but headlights remained off. Highbeams worked.
- Walnut Creek, CA, USA
The low beam headlights tend to go out every 2 to 3 months sometimes one at a time and sometimes both.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
I have had to replace my low beams at least eight times over the last two years. The time between them burning out gets shorter every time. I have tried different brands and quality of bulbs, and I always replace them in pairs. My last two pairs are so dim that I cannot even see the road. I have been pulled over twice for these headlamps, and now I try to avoid nighttime driving, but it is not always possible. After some research I see that this is a common issue and known to Toyota. I do not have the funds for this expensive wiring fix and I do not understand why this important safety issue does not warrant a recall.
- Lanoka Harbor, NJ, USA
We have been having problems with the headlights on our 2010 Prius for 3-4 years and have never reported the issue. At least twice per year, one of the headlights will go out while driving. Sometimes it's the left, sometimes it's the right. We have always had to replace the bulbs after these events. (expensive). Tonight, (11/9/2017), while driving in the rain and the dark both headlights went out at the same time. This is a serious safety issue. An online search revealed that Prius headlight complaihts are numerous with issues being reported for years. We last replaced the headlight bulbs one month ago
- Dublin, GA, USA
Vehicles low beam lights on driver and passenger side extremely dim for more than six months of driving and when stationary. High beam lights working properly on driver and passenger lights as well as parking and brake lights. All interior lights work properly. I press car's ignition button while pressing down on brake and the car's indicator symbols flash to the display but do not disappear. When it does this I cannot release the car from park mode leaving me unable to use reverse or drive. Dealer examined car to explain that bulbs working properly however the housing for the low beam lights need replacing
- Miami, FL, USA
In the past year, my Prius has blown out headlights 5 times on both sides and low and high beam. This is nt only a dangerous problem but and expensive one. They say unless all the bulbs were replaced by a dealership, they cannot deal with the problem. I have the bulbs replaced immediately U[on discovery. This is a serious problem and I should be reimbursed for these bulb and installation costs. There needs to be a recall on this problem.
- Midlothian, VA, USA
The low-beam headlights generally must be replaced every 4 to 6 months; occasionally one low-beam will last a year, but may go out and come back on intermittently, without warning. This is not only a safety concern, but I have received repeated vehicle defect tickets that must constantly be addressed by visiting a repair shop to demonstrate that I fixed the bulb myself. The shop must sign the paperwork to attest the defective lights have been fixed before I can mail the form to absolve the ticket. This process is time-consuming and happens for one headlight, the six weeks later, to the other headlight. Presently, I just replaced the passenger side low-beam two weeks ago. Three days ago, the driver side low-beam went out. I bought a new bulb but the low-beam still didn't work. I returned that bulb for another new bulb which didn't seem to work either. My husband thought to test the bulb on the passenger side and discovered that both the new bulb and the current bulb that we thought was blown both work!! now, we are wondering how many bulbs we replaced that were actually working!!! my husband also checked the fuses, which are fine. It seems there must be a connection issue that should be resolved. I have some of the invoices and defect tickets but they aren't with me at the moment.
- Rome, NY, USA
Headlights burn out often and are extremely dim making it impossible to see without using brights. Lights are the same stationary as well as driving
- Ca, CA, USA
The headlight burn out very frequently and most recently the shop informed me that the light does not stay in the assembly because the headlight assembly has melted. I am forced to drive without headlights and this is very unsafe. New headlight assemblies cost at a minimum of $100 each and I am having problems shipping the items to guam where I reside.
- Mangilao, GU, USA
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the vehicle's low beam headlights would fail approximately every two months. The contact had to replace the low beam lights approximately 20 times since 2010. The contact called the jeyes Toyota dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle's low beam head lamps failed and the low beam lighting harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
- Van Nuys, CA, USA
I repeatedly must replace my low head-beam lights in my 2010 Prius. They have been going out at a rate of 2-4 times a year. I buy mid to high range quality bulbs and are very careful to keep the bulbs clean during installation. I notice there are many people with similar issues. How can we get this escalated to Toyota!
- Maple Valley, WA, USA
Both low beam headlights do not go on at all. Were working properly on way to a destination at 9pm, then did not go on after car was parked after 2 hours. This has never occurred before. Bulbs are not burned out, fuse is not blown. All other mechanisms on fuse working properly (backup lights, horn). Parking lights and hi-beams work. Very dangerous drive home, use of hi-beams on surface streets not safe for other drivers.
- Sacramento, CA, USA
My Toyota Prius is in good working order, as I just got it inspected for the NY state annual inspection on 3/23/2017. Last night, 4/2/2017, I drove my car to a restaurant and parked it there. When I got back into my car to leave after my meal, I turned on the ignition and switched the headlights to turn on while the car was stationary and parked, but both appeared to have burned out suddenly. Only the running lights switched on. To drive home, I had to use my high beams. I tried turning the car on and off, and switching the headlights on and off while the car was parked, idle and in motion to see if they'd turn back on, but they wouldn't. when I got home, I did some research and it seems that this is a long-standing problem for this model of car, as well as priuses made in the years prior. Please see the below links: www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Prius/2010/recalls/ https://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/Toyota-Prius-headlight-failure-sparks-class-action-suit/?_R=0
- Brooklyn, NY, USA
I keep replacing the low beams. They do not last longer than 3 months before they burn out again. I'm buying high end replacement bulbs that should be lasting years. I've noticed that they burn out following my car pausing when I apply the gas from a stop but it only will GO15-20 miles an hour then the car will surges forward and drives normal. Help there is something not designed correctly! please have Toyota fix this.
- Lansing, MI, USA
Earlier I reported that both headlights went out simultaneously. My mechanic replaced both headlights and they now work. 37 months ago the same thing happened. It seems highly unlikely that this is just a coincidence. Fortunately the first time it happened I was close to home but this time I was not.
- Wilmette, IL, USA
Headlights fail frequently. This happened over a period of 18 months. It began with a front driver-side headlight not working, then both headlights not working - each was replaced when noticed they were not working. The most recent time, 5 months after the last replacement, I noticed one headlight was out again, then, while in park, with the car still on, I turned the lights off then on again, and after that both headlights and one daytime running will not work. Needless to say this is incredibly dangerous.
- Timonium, MD, USA
- Phoenix, AZ, USA