We were driving at night on a highway in NH, traveling about 55 miles per hour when the road went black. Our headlights had stopped working and we couldn't get them back on. Finally turning the key back and forth they came on. Then I guess the right one when off at the same time a state trouper pulled us over for driving with out lights. We told him the story and said we didn't far to drive now and got the light back on with twisting the back and forth. He did let us go as we promised not to drive at night until they were fixed. We were coming back from The Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital where our son was discharged after serious surgery.
When I called my dealer he said it should be fine but they could look at it 6/15. They verified a failure replaced the HID bulb and charged us $322.78. Told us the other side will also go. Couldn't afford the price of 2 so we didn't l do it. Now the other side is acting out"?????????????? And I only have one eye to drive with
Someone would call to my attention that my right front light was out. I would tell my wife, she would check and it would be on. After this happening repeatedly called my dealer and said they would check it out when next I brought it in. Of course, it worked fine. They told me they checked it all out and could fine no problems with the lights.
My Toyota Prius began developing problems with the headlights within 2 years of purchase. At first I thought it would correct itself. Sometimes the headlights would go out every couple of weeks, then every week, then every other day and now almost daily. I took problem to my Toyota dealership and they wanted to charge me $960+ to fix the problem. Now I find out that there is a class action lawsuit involving thousands of Prius owners. Why isn't Toyota responsive to these complaints? Why must someone sue them before they will address the problem. I have been a faithful Toyota owner for over 20 years but I am considering switching to another car manufacturer. I have owned upwards of 12 Toyotas but with all the recalls of Toyota vehicles lately I will buy no more Toyotas!!! Please help!!!
The day I took my prius in to have 4 new tires put on, I was told by the service person at the dealer that my headlight needed to be replaced. He explained that water had gotten int the headlight and caused it to go out. He stated that it could cost up to $1,200 to replace. I have been trying to find a salvaged one as I've been told it would reduce the cost by 50 percent.
SAFETY CONCERN. A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 08 PRIUS. SHOULD BE A WARRANTY FIX. HAVE HAD THIS INTERMITTENT ISSUE FOR 8 MONTHS. A NEW BULB SEEMS TO FIX IT FOR A WHILE. TYPICALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE.
- James D.,
Santa Clarita, CA, US
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
Over a year ago the left head light was not functioning and my wife got a ticket. When she got home I took a look and the lights worked fine. The next evening when she came home I noticed that the left headlight was not working. I attempted to replace the lamp but the car was designed so that a simple fix turned into a dealer fix for several hundred dollars. The problem has gotten so bad that every time the vehicle is driven at night, one headlight stops working, we turn the lights off then on and they work. Soon the other light goes out, the lights are cycled they come on, then both lights go off. This continues and it seems as though if the lights have a chance to warm up they stay on. I have two Toyota Hybrids, the Highlander has an other problem, and I am terribly disappointed in Toyota. I will never purchase an other Toyota and will discourage anyone from buying one. Toyota seems to ignore inherent problems with their designs!
Prius has consistently had a headlight or taillight out every six months since I drove it off the lot brand new. Whenever I took it into the dealership to be looked at, they claimed I was crazy and that there wasn't a problem with the car. When I shared this with the police officer that repeatedly pulled me over for a missing light, he went with me to the dealership and told them that indeed the car had a severe lighting issue. Despite the officer's statement, and four years of complaints from me, the dealership would not cover the bad lights under warranty, and charged me around $2000 to replace lights in that time. I will never buy another Toyota from that dealership, and will be very hesitant to ever buy another Toyota, period.
From checking the internet this appears to be a recurring and very dangerous problem with the HID headlights. It's expensive and there is a class action suit underway but Toyota, having long known of this problem, should have had and still should have a recall. The only reason that they haven't recalled them is because of the money involved. This shows that they do not have a proper sense of corporate accountability. If they persist in this behavior they will lose my business forever. I recently got a recall notice on this same car for the steering intermediate extension shaft and the hybrid electric water pump which they will fix but if they think that the headlight problem is less important they are nuts. The lights go out without warning and for a few seconds leave you driving blind. They are opening themselves up to huge lawsuits if people are injured or killed especially since they openly admit to knowing of this problem from tens of thousands of customers. If they had a half a brain they'd just bite the bullet and repair the problem before it really costs them as well as the health and lives of customers.
Every time we are driving at night with the HID headlights, the passenger side headlight will intermittently go out. Can get to turn back on by turning lights off and then back on again. Will turn back on, but not guaranteed how long it stays on. No tickets yet, but pain in the ass. Fearful that dealer will cost me a bunch, but not necessarily solve the issue.
My non HID headlights on my Prius are having the EXACT same issue that I see others having with their HID lights. They intermittently turn themselves off. The solution is to switch the lights off and on again and they come back on. This has happened at least twice while driving at night (both lights went out). Once, while following my husband home, he told me I had one headlight out. I have no idea how many times this could be occurring during the day.
I took the car to a Toyota dealership and they acted like they had no idea what in the world the problem could be and would have to run their $120.00 diagnostic test before they could tell me anything. I found that completely unacceptable since they know that thousands of other Prius owners are experiencing the identical problem.
In March 2012, someone told me that my right headlight was out. However, when I got home and looked at the lights, the right headlight was on. It goes off and on intermittently. When it goes off while I'm driving, often if I turn the headlights on and off again, the right headlight will be working again. I'm told that the problem is with one of 2 bulbs involved in the headlight, one costing $20, the other $300+. It's the $300+ bulb that is the problem and must be purchased through Toyota.
Passenger side headlight went out in November, tried to replace bulb myself, took it to Firestone - they said to take it to the dealer, took to Conicelli and it was fixed FREE, told it was "under warranty". Recently, trouble w/ driver side headlight, called for an appointment. Told it's not under warranty. Looked up lawsuit on internet but Toyota's deal was no blame/no recall but 5 years 50,000 extended warranty. But in November, I had 60,000 miles. Called Conicelli, they said they did it as a courtesy! Well, why did you lie to me? If you told me it wasn't covered but you were doing it anyway, I would be still singing your praises!! Made me wonder why the ommision of the facts? So I took it to Tri-County Toyota, cost $211., out in about 15 minutes. Now from what I read, this can happen again and again. UGH! why no recall? Opened case at Toyota, was told that if enough people open cases, that may create a recall. So if you love your Prius but are having this issue with cars over 50,000 miles, make a case too!!
your wife & children are driving in the country it's pitch black out and the headlights go out 3 different times I took it to the dealer they said it will cost $500.00 to replace the headlamps I am ticked if i don't get some good positive results from toyota I'm going to dump the car and go back to US cars.
i can't believe our government allows this kind of problem go on with out a fix. while driving the interstate you lose all your lights with out warning. this could become a serious problem
Update from May 3, 2012: i was able to find a co that i could purchase lights from for over half the cost from the dealer.
I have the same issue with the headlight which was reported for most of Prius 2006 - 2009 vehicles i.e. the Headlight turns off while I am driving.
Mine is a US vehicle and currently I am residing in Canada. When I went to Toyota dealer to get it fixed, they are not ready to accept that it's their fault and making me pay for the expense to get it fixed
As per the lawsuit, Toyota has agreed to extend its warranty on headlights to 5 Yrs or 50,000 miles.
Wanted to quick resolution please as I cannot spend money on manufacturing defect.
I have been having this problem for a few months but now it is worse. I discovered a warning ticket in my glove box that indicates my teenager got a warning ticket about this during the summer of 2010 but did not tell me. Now this happens every time I drive the car! I have to turn the lights off and then back on again for them to work. I discovered there was a class action suit but that is only good for 50000 miles so I am SOL. Now I have to pay a diagnostic to a dealer and pay for a repair that Toyota knew was a problem!!!!
Periodically, beginning sometime in the summer of 2011, either the left headlight, or both headlights, will randomly turn off. Turning the headlights on and off will usually fix the problem, but only temporarily. It doesn't seem to matter is the car is moving or standing still when the lights go off. Because we travel frequently, this can be a serious safety hazard when driving on a highway. We are now scheduling our driving so that we can avoid as much night driving as possible. I'm not willing to be soaked by the dealership to have this problem repaired.
My 2008 Toyota Prius headlights go off spontaneously over the past year. It is dangerous and embarrassing. I like the car, but this is a deal breaker if Toyota does not have the integrity to fix it. I know there are thousands of other complaints. If it were a minor issue, I could see them being resistant, but this is a serious safety issue.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
We were driving at night on a highway in NH, traveling about 55 miles per hour when the road went black. Our headlights had stopped working and we couldn't get them back on. Finally turning the key back and forth they came on. Then I guess the right one when off at the same time a state trouper pulled us over for driving with out lights. We told him the story and said we didn't far to drive now and got the light back on with twisting the back and forth. He did let us go as we promised not to drive at night until they were fixed. We were coming back from The Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital where our son was discharged after serious surgery.
When I called my dealer he said it should be fine but they could look at it 6/15. They verified a failure replaced the HID bulb and charged us $322.78. Told us the other side will also go. Couldn't afford the price of 2 so we didn't l do it. Now the other side is acting out"?????????????? And I only have one eye to drive with
- dick.donahue, Marlborough, MA, US