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.
Noticed driver side hid headlight was out on freeway. After stopping and starting car, it worked again. Later noticed that it turns on for a second and turns off on its own and must turn off and on again a few times before it stays on... for how long? 42,000 miles on vehicle. This is dangerous in that it performs sporadically.
Driving to work in the early a.M., my driver's side headlight went out again. I turned off my headlights, then back on and both lights came back on. I had been driving for probably 20 minutes with just one headlight, and didn't know it, which was very dangerous. There must be something wrong with the electrical system supporting the lighting. This is a safety hazard and it has me worried every time I get on the road that both lights could go out at any time pre-dawn, dusk or night. It is likely making all Prius owners Focus too much on their headlights rather than concentrating on their driving, which is also very dangerous.
I have Toyota Prius 2008 with 52000 miles and both hid lights need replacing costing over $500. Was told they have never had problem at dealer and yet was able to find many incidents that indicate is common and a defect in the lights. Toyota gave me a case number, but would take no responsibility.
Driving to work in the a.M., and about 5 minutes after leaving the house, my driver's side headlight went out again. I turned off my headlights, then back on and both lights came back on. There is definitely something wrong with the electrical system supporting the lighting. This is a safety hazard and it now has me nervous every time I get on the road that it will go out at any time day or night. It is likely making Prius owners Focus too much on watching for signs their headlights are still on instead of concentrating on their driving.
Driving down the road last night (6/19) and my driver's side headlight went out as I was crossing over a bridge. I closely followed the car in front of me and as soon as I got off the bridge I turned off, then back on my lights, and both headlights came back on. This is a continuing safety issue that needs to be addressed!!!
- Huntingtown, MD, USA
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Hid headlights unexpectedly shut off while driving. When I turn them off, then back on, they work perfectly fine, but I don't know when they'll go out again. This is clearly a safety issue. It does appear that the hid headlight equipped Prius has some electrical or design defect.
Hid headlights that unexpectedly shut off while driving, but come back on when manually turned off, then on. Appears to be problem with the electrical system, not the lights, or a design defect.
Hid headlights unexpectedly shut off while driving. This is clearly a safety issue and appears to be a defect with the electrical system or design of the lighting components other than the bulbs because if I turn them off they come back on fine every time like there's nothing wrong with them.
I own a 2008 Toyota Prius and on two separate occasions the hid lightbulbs have flickered and gone out while driving. The replacement cost of the lightbulbs is in excess of $200.
2008 Prius driver-side headlight goes out frequently but will come back on if you turn the lights on then off again. There is a problem with Toyota hid lights as the vehicle is only 2 years old.
Toyota Prius hid headlights fail intermittently when driving. Sometimes it is the left headlight, sometimes it is the right headlight and sometimes it is both. Especially dangerous when both headlights turn off by themselves and we are driving at night.
2008 Prius with hid headlights. The problem is that the driver's side headlight goes out intermittently. Turning the lights off and back on again sometimes restores the defective light. This is a safety related issue that appears frequently on the Prius chat list and is an expensive fix. Toyota has chosen not to address this issue at this point.
I have a 08 Prius. The last few months I have been having problems with my headlights. I have people tell me I have a light out, but when I check its working. It seems that I am driving in the dark sometimes with just my fog lamps, I turn the lights off and on then they seem brighter. Headlamps cost $179. Plus labor. Toyota will not guarantee that is the fix and talking it may cost upwards of 4-5 thousand dollars for dependable lights. This seems like a crime too me. I hear of a possible recall of this problem but not really sure what to do about the problem now, I don't have 4-5 thousand dollars to have properly working headlights.
The hid headlamp of my 2008 Toyota Prius was working intermittently and I got a traffic ticket for it. Since I was unaware that the lamp was out, the ticket was only a warning. I had the lamp replaced at my expense at 36300 miles and $300!
I own a 2008 Toyota Prius that has intermittent headlight failure. I have been traveling to and from Washington hospital center and my residence in southern Maryland. Approximately, 75 miles each way daily to visit my mother in icu. I have been stopped on numerous occasions by the metropolitan police department as well as the Maryland state police for a headlight out. While being issued a citation, I turn my lights off and on again so the officer can see that it is a mechanical failure, not negligence on my part. This is a safety issue that needs to be repaired by Toyota.
2008 Toyota Prius headlights - the car only has 2 years and 30K miles and the passenger headlight flickered until it finally stopped working. Went to the dealer and they want over $300 to change a light bulb!! so trying to do it myself and I have to take the car apart. It is unbelievable!
2008 Toyota Prius--44,000 miles, led headlights keep going out--$166 part + $45 labor. I replaced one in January, 2010, now another April 19, 2010. These are very pricey lightbulbs and need to be recalled and not priced to the customer. The incident date below is the second occurrence. When the police stopped and issued me a warning to tell me that my front headlight was out, he also said that my rear tail-light was out as well. There are definite problems with Toyota and their Prius lighting and I'm tired of paying the bill. My bill today is $250. I also bought a $1100 extended warranty which was of no use.
2008 Toyota Prius hid headlamps are intermittent while driving. Public and personal safety hazard! replaced hid bulbs with the proper type, and the intermittent continue to occur. Phillips D4R hid bulbs are the recommended replacement bulbs. Hid headlamps wink off at random, when the brakes are applied. I think that the internal mechanism of the headlamp beam adjuster (which consists of a weighted, damped and movable subreflector) may be hitting the bulbs and causing them to prematurely fail, or the bulbs and ballast are faulty. Phillips D4R hid bulbs are extremely expensive, and are extremely difficult to replace because the access to the back of the headlamp assembly is very cramped and confined.
Hi, while driving to work this morning, my left headlight flashed and then stopped working. My 2008 Toyota Prius is about 1.75 years old with approximately 28,000 miles. I have heard from other Prius owners that they have had problems with their headlights. I have also heard the replacement cost for the headlight is $300. I find that hard to believe, nonetheless headlights in everyother car I have owned seem to have a life of 10 or more years. This is a safety issue because I drive to work early in the morning when it is dark and I sometimes don't return home until after dark. The bulk of my driving has been in the daylight, however I need my car to get to work. Also on 3 occasions my cruise control accelerated beyond where I set it. For example I reset the control after having hit the brakes. I got back to my speed and set the cruise control at 70mph. I noticed a short while later the car was going 95. I hit the brakes to slow down and the car immediately came out of cruise control and slowed down as it should. I now take the car all the way out of cruise control shutting it off after I hit the brakes. I next turn the control back on and reset the cruise. Using the cruise this way I have not had the problem of the car speeding up. II figure I will continue to use the cruise this way and observe whether there is any problem. However, I don't believe Toyota intended for the cruise control to be used this way. Thank you
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- Mequon, WI, USA