8.1
pretty badTypical Repair Cost:
$326.00
Average Mileage:
69,410 miles
Total Complaints:
18 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (14 reports)
- replaced bulbs (4 reports)
lights problem
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- Inexpensive Fix - I bought my replacement bulbs for $65.00 on ebay. No problems for 50K .If you search the site there are installation threads.
2011Jun 01
Prius
- Automatic transmission
- 40,000 miles
6-9 months ago the passenger headlamp went out and stayed out after less than 40000 miles on it. For comparison, my Sport Trac has over 150000 miles and has the original bulbs. After hearing of the ridiculous costs to change these bulbs I elected to give it a go. After all, it's only a headlamp right?. Well, you have to tear the front end apart to get to the bulb. While I was at it I replaced both bulbs.
Tonight the wife comes home and both headlights are out (low beams only) as well as the passenger side tail light. Everything else appears to be working properly. The fuses are intact. Turning the switch and/or the engine off and on hasn't helped. Just over 45000 miles on it.
Tomorrow I guess I'll head over to the Toyota dealer and see what kind of excuses they come up with to avoid the fix per their lawsuit.
2011Apr 01
Prius
- Automatic transmission
- 55,000 miles
This issue of the lights randomly going off on their own is dangerous when driving at night. I have to continually turn the lights on and off while driving. While reading various complaints, the cost to remedy the problem can be as much as $1000, which I do not have. I have been waiting for Toyota to recall and fix the problem but to no avail.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2010Oct 13
Prius 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 62,000 miles
I bought my 2007 Prius brand new. I put on 75 miles a day. I started having headlight problems a couple years after purchase. One light would go out and then come back on when shutting on/off. I took it to the dealer and they said nothing about it to me accept for it would cost me $225.00. I had them do it and shortly after that the other started doing the same thing. I started reading all the complaints of exactly what I was experiencing. Today (2/1/2012) I took it back to the dealer in hopes of getting it replaced an reimbursed for the otherside. I told them to check the recall on the headlights. He told me there wasn't really a recall but they extended the warranty from 3 yr 36000 to 5 yr 50000. Of course I was out of warranty. So now will have to pay another $225.00 for the other side. After reading some complaints I realized that it started happening agai and the dealer told them it was the computer causing the problem and it would cost $100.00 per side. I bought a Toyota for reliability.This is ridiculous!! This problem needs to be RECALLED!!!
2011Dec 17
Prius
- Manual transmission
- 90,012 miles
Very annoying that one headlight will go out while driving and I have to switch it on and off to get both back on.
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
2011Dec 01
Prius LX
- Automatic transmission
- 67,000 miles
Toyota dealer will not fix unless mileage is under 50000 miles
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2011Jul 01
Prius
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS SO UNSAFE AND SUCH A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE DISTRACTION, LOSS OF VISIBILITY AND STARTLING TO THE DRIVER, I AM SURPRISED THAT NO ACCIDENTS AND RESULTING DEATHS HAVE OCCURRED YET WITH THIS RANDOM LOSS OF HEADLAMPS AS THE ROOT CAUSE. TOYOTA HAD BETTER STEP UP AND RESOLVE THIS AS A RECALL BEFORE THE LAWSIUTS START TO PILE UP AND THEN THERE WILL BE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT. I HAVE HAD 4 TOYOTAS, THE FIRST 3 WERE GOOD CARS, NO MORE, I AM GOING BACK TO GM OR FORD. AFTER THE LAW SUIT, TOYOTA WILL BE PAYING FOR MY NEXT AMERICAN CAR!!!!
2011Nov 19
Prius
- Automatic transmission
- 69,000 miles
I just got the car from Carmax and I noticed the problem on the first night of driving it. The passenger side headlight would turn off for no apparent reason and when I reset it will turn back on again. I tried bringing it to Carmax but the light was working fine. It's been going on for the past days but not sure how to fix the problem.
2011Nov 12
Prius Touring Hybrid
- Automatic transmission
- 73,000 miles
driving on freeway both headlights went out . lucky it was late at night not much traffic
pulled over waited tried lights again came back on. down the road stopped by police for only having one headlight. officer was nice only gave warning but could have been ticket
arrived home both headlights were now on... try not to go out at night, cannot trust headlights
2011Aug 08
Prius 3.2L
- Automatic transmission
- 105,000 miles
this problem is ongoing, i have been stopped twice by the police and pretty soon i will get a ticket. i have heard of other people fixing the problem only for the problem to come back 2 weeks later. even though i have over 100000 miles on this vehicle toyota should still have to pay. this problem has happened at least once a week for over a year.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2011Nov 22
Prius
- CVT transmission
- 92,000 miles
The Toyota Prius headlight problem where they go off (one or the other or both) but come back on when you cycle the headlight switch is unsafe. To have to take a second mortgage out on your house to get it fixed is ridiculous. Toyota needs to step up and take ownership of this fiasco and do right by the owners (i.e pay for it).
2011May 01
Prius
- Automatic transmission
- 90,000 miles
I see this is not a new problem. Many Prius Owners are experiencing this issue. My Head lights randomly go off. Left, Right or Both; They will come back on if I turn the switch off and on. I think Toyota needs to acknoledge that this is a design poblem and should fix it.
2011May 26
Prius
- CVT transmission
- 50,000 miles
Both headlights went out while driving 65 at night. I pulled over and turned the light switch off and on a few times and eventually the lights came back on.
2010Apr 01
Prius LX
- Automatic transmission
- 45,000 miles
There was a class action suit against Toyota on this problem. They never did a recall. The settlement was for Prius under 50,000 miles. Mine now has 75,000 and Toyota will not help. Now both head lights are going out and I don't think it is right that I pay $600.00 to fix head lights that have a known problem. The most I have ever paid for a head light on a car I owned was maybe $20.00. I even purchased the 100,000 5 year extension on the waranty when I bought the car. The lights are not covered.
With all the problems Toyota has had with recalls I think I will look for a Ford or Chevy next time I buy.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2010Feb 01
Prius
- Automatic transmission
- 80,000 miles
Absolutely ridiculous that a recall has not been submitted for this problem. Having your lights turn off while driving at night on the interstate doesn't constitute a safety hazard?! I love my Prius, but this issue is extremely annoying and even more dangerous.
2010Jan 01
Prius ES 3.2L
- Automatic transmission
- 77,000 miles
The dealership had no way to test the lights to see if they were bad and assumed that the intermittent turning off of lights was the bulbs going bad and never checked to see if it maybe something else like the switch or a short,etc....for a two year old car to need new head light at a cost of 430.00 is costly. What if it was not the bulbs that were bad .How would I know? I had them both replaced for safety reasons. I did not want both the lights going out one night.
2008Jul 01
Prius Hybird
- CVT transmission
- 30,000 miles
While driving down the interstate, raining, going 70 miles an hour both headlights went out. The dealer said it was not a safety issue so I had to pay the $800.00.
2009Jan 01
Prius Touring Hybrid
- CVT transmission
- 40,500 miles
Looking at the various forums on the Prius, this is a common problem with the Prius 2 type - the HID headlamps will turn off - one side or the other, while driving. If you turn the headlights off and then back on, they may both work, or switch status, i.e. the one which stopped working might work, while the other lamp is out. If you turn on the foglights, sometimes the headlights go out. And, sometimes, both headlights go out. Toyota service claims no knowledge of this issue (which is amazing, since it has been reported on Prius forums since 2006, and simply wants to change out the currently non-working lamp (at around $400). Since I cannot identify a current, non-working lamp, they can do nothing...
Since both headlamps will occasionally stop working while driving,
but one or both might work when I turn them off and back on, it is a real pain, and dangerous.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2011Nov 23
Prius
What a way to start the Thanksgiving holiday - being pulled over by state trooper. The proverbial question - Do you know why you were pulled over? No I do not, I said pensively. Well, he says, Your left headlight is out. I flipped the lights off and on again. The headlight came on. He let me continue.
ohsem
Duluth, MN, USA
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