This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
2006 Prius. Within first 18 months of owning the car (I am original owner - took possession of car in March of 2006) experienced headlights going off by themselves. Took the car in for service thinking headlight needed replacement. Was told by service rep (at greentree Toyota in danbury, ct) that it was not the headlight but a problem with connection that Toyota recognized but was not sure how they would address. I waited for solution. As time goes on, more frequent incidence of headlight spontaneously turning off. I received a notice from Toyota company approx. 4 months ago stating the problem was a defect/connection problem. My Toyota dealership/service dept. Told me it was not and refused to fix the connection problem. Both headlights will go out at exactly the same time, leaving me in complete darkness. If I quickly switch the headlights off then back on again they will illuminate. The headlights going off at the same time happens at least once every 20 minutes.
We own a 2006 Toyota Prius. The right (passenger side) front headlight works intermittently. It will turn off without warning. If you turn the lights off and then on again, it comes back on as if nothing is wrong. It will then blink out again at a later time without warning. This is a dangerous product defect. It is impossible to tell if the light is on or off unless someone tells you. We have been stopped by the police for this problem, but not ticketed yet because we can make the light come back on by turning the lights off and then on again. Toyota refuses to recall or fix the problem. Instead, they charge$500 to replace the lights, without addressing the mechanical defect. Many many other Prius owners/drivers have voiced the same complaint.
Headlight (driver's side only) sometimes turns off while driving. If I turn the lights switch off and back on, the light will turn on and work properly for a while.
Headlights intermittently go off when placed in the on position. Sometimes one, sometimes both. Does not matter if it is low or hi beam. This problem is ongoing since incident date. Toyota sent letter describing how hid bulbs reach the end of their life by intermittently going out and states that you should minimize turning them on and off which can't be prevented if they go out while you're driving. I don't accept this to be fact, I think it's an electrical problem.
- Milford, VA, USA
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Prius hid bulb failed before its estimated lifetime. These bulbs are very expensive (us$ 300.00) plus labor (us$ 200.00) and they failing over and over again. This item should have been recalled by Toyota and replaced for free, since customers paid premium price up front for security benefits of the accessory in question.
Headlights failed on my 2006 Toyota Prius. One about 36,000 miles, second one about 37,000. It cost over $500 to replace them. Now one of the new ones has failed again. I wrote Toyota for help and they had an extended warranty salesperson call me saying "you need to protect yourself against what may happen in the future." I asked if headlights were covered and he said yes, but that I needed to wait 30 days after buying the policy. Wrote Toyota again saying that was unacceptable. No response. I know many other Prius owners have had this problem. Since my light has gone out right away I'm wondering if it is an electrical or computer problem with the car.
Intermittent and frequent failure of hid headlights in 2006 Toyota Prius. One light or the other and sometimes both will go out. Turning the light switch from on to off and back on will relight the bulb but at lower brightness. Frequently must do this several times as the bulb may stay on for a few minutes to 1/2 hour. Toyota refuses to acknowledge design / faulty components in hid control / power module.
Intermittent failure of lights. Car had 20,000 miles on it when headlight starting failing intermittently. After about another year the other side started failing intermittently. I and others on yahoo Prius group have the same problem with the headlight going off intermittently. Could cause an accident, as at times they both go off. After turning them off and then back on they burn but you never know if one or both will go off. Toyota knows there is a problem with the headlights on the second generation Prius but has made no attempt to recall or repair the problem. We are all left on our own to solve the problem.
Headlights turn of intermittently on both my daughters 2006 & 2007 Toyota Prius. Mostly the right one sometimes both. If you turn the headlights off then back on the headlights come back on for a while then you have to do the same thing again. Also I notice many other priuses that have the same problem. Please look into this problem. Thank you.
2006 Prius. 62K miles. One headlight started going out intermittently about 3 weeks ago (Jan.2010) now a minute or so after the first one goes out the second one goes too leaving me in total darkness. The fix is to turn the switch on and off. A bulletin I received last year says you can kill the hid by turning off and on while still hot. This the only way to keep the lights going! I got a ticket last week for a light out and of course I made it come back on for the officer but he wasn't impressed. Now I have to get it fixed and I have read all the blogs and clearly replacing the bulb is not way to correct this.
I have a 2006 Prius with hid headlights. A little over a year ago I noticed that one or sometimes both headlights would go out intermittently. We live on a street without streetlamps and I had some scary moments several times when both lights went out. When I told my dealer about it, they said they could do nothing as the lights were working when they examined them. Finally, I got a letter from Toyota (attached), which said they would lower the replacement price of the headlights (but not warning of the problems I had been having). I had my dealer repair the lights at a cost of $559.25. The dealer told me that if I complained to Toyota, they would reimburse me. A case manager at Toyota said they would pay for the parts (about $300). I have now read of hundreds of other people with my model car who have had identical problems. I feel that Toyota should issue a recall for a dangerous problem like this, or at least notify the dealers so when owners complain of the problem it is repaired under warranty.
2006 Toyota Prius - hid headlamps go out at random intervals and come back on when turned off and then back on. Thousands of reports on www.mycarstats.com. unsafe at night, especially in rural areas where deer roam the highways. My passenger side headlamp was replaced for free by Toyota rep and dealer after showing them the mycarstats.com complaint reports. Toyota also reduced price of hid lamps by one-half in a letter received about three months ago. Many have had to pay $400 to $1200 for repair and replacements. Prius front bumper has to be removed to replace headlamp.
My 2006 Toyota Prius loses braking when trying to brake on uneven surfaces. The dash will light up the icon which displays uneven ground and when I apply brakes there is a momentarily lapse when the brake pedal does not respond. Also my left headlight and left taillight go on and off periodically.
While driving with my Prius the headlights turn on and off at their own will. Sometimes it's the right headlight, then the left headlight. This morning I was driving to work and both headlights went out and I had to pull over. Turned the car off then back on and the headlights were on again. A few moments later, the right headlight went out. This is very unsafe for me as I drive mostly early in the morning and late at night when headlights are required. Toyota should cover this as a warranty item.
I drive a 2006 Toyota Prius. I have experienced odd skid-like behavior while applying the brakes on bumpy roads or loose gravel. Most notably this happens at low and decelerating velocities (maybe 15 mph?) when the vehicle encounters broken pavement or loose gravel. It is often associated with the Prius' 'slippery surface' icon on the dash being lit. When this occurs it feels like the brakes do not function for a brief period. I have not had an accident as a result, but the experience has occurred at least 4 times over the four months I've owned it. Also, the front hid headlamps flicker on and off periodically making it dangerous to drive at night. I will report these problems to Toyota and based on the high volume of identical complaints I believe they should cover the cost of fixing these problems.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Bethel, CT, USA