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.
I have a serious problem with my hid headlights not working and has caused me to not be able to drive the vehicle at night. The problem is that either the right or left headlight will stop working. If you stop and turn the headlights off & on the lights will function again. I live in a small town and have been stopped by the police 3 times. Toyota wants over $2000 to change the hid computer and bulbs which I simply cannot afford. I searched the web and see hundreds of similar complaints. I believe that Toyota needs to recall the Prius for the headlight problem.
I have a 2004 Toyota Prius and the headlights go off without warning and this happens a lot. If I turn the switch to off and then back on the lights will work again but sometimes they go off again after a few minutes. This is very dangerous.
This is an update to the complaint I filed on 2008/10/14, ODI 10253642 about Prius hid headlight failure. Since that incident I have had the driver and passenger side bulbs replaced four times and swapped left-for-right for diagnosis twice. Even with those new bulbs, which my dublin, ca, Toyota dealer swears are the newer, "good" bulbs, the headlights always have failed again within one to four weeks. Actually, those are the intervals at which I have *noticed* the failures, but I'm sure the bulbs failed sooner than that, because sometimes it's hard to tell while driving, and the lights always relight when switched off and on. There would have been even more replacements and failures, but I have delayed taking the car in for repair until I could drive into the dealership while the light was out, as proof that it has failed. It's obvious to me and every other Prius owner that the bulbs are either not the problem or at least not the only problem--the electronic control module undoubtedly also or instead is faulty. Toyota corporate continues to refuse to acknowledge the severity, persistence, and breadth of the problem. Yesterday the dealer repeated the left-for-right swap because "Toyota corporate demands that diagnostic procedure." But the dealer admitted that no more information will be gained than was gained the last time they swapped left for right, when the light worked there at the dealer, but failed on me subsequently (the same-side headlight with the swapped bulb). They are simply avoiding the expense and liability of replacing the control computer.
Driver-side hid headlight turns itself off at brief intervals. Turning headlight switch off and on restores it, without fail. Situation remained stable for over a year, Nov. 2008 to Jan. 2010. Light turns out whether vehicle is moving or stationary. Replacing lamp did not fix the problem -- in fact, new bulb turns off more than once a minute, while old bulb turned off about every 10 minutes.
- Auburn, NY, USA
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My hid headlamp for my 2004 Prius is nearly impossible to change on my own and it costs $600 (!?) to change at the dealer. How is a $600 repair for a minor thing like a headlight not illegal from an auto safety standpoint" do you know if there is a class action lawsuit about this issue"
I have a 2004 Toyota Prius with hid headlights. A few months ago I was driving at night and the headlights cut off completely. It was 11:30pm on a foggy, drizzly night, and suddenly I was driving 70 mph in pitch darkness. I was able to get them to come back on and drive home slowly. I took the car to the Toyota dealer, where they replaced the headlights for $990. A few weeks later the same thing happened, headlights cut out at night. I took the car back to the dealer, where they kept it for several days. They then returned the car, assuring me that the problem was solved. Since that time the driver's side headlight has gone out several times.
Hid headlamps repeatedly flicker, then go out. Switching off lights and switching back on brings them back on for an intermittent period of time, then they go out again. I have had to replace both front headlamps at considerable expense. The most recent cost $436 for the lamp alone and $137 in labor.
Hid headlights on 2004 Toyota Prius go out intermittently while driving without any warning. Turning switch on/off will turn them back on. Both have gone out creating extremely dangerous situation.
This is a serious defect! lights can go out at anytime. We currently do not drive this car at night. This has been an ongoing problem for seven months. Multiple intermittent headlight failures leading up to headlight replacements for passenger and driverside. The passenger side failed first (01/2009) and on average would fail 1-2 times per week. Driver side failed for the first time this month (01/2010) and has only failed one time to date 01/16/2010. Now one year later the passenger side has stated to fail again. All failures are similar in nature in that they will come back on typically after the car has been turned off for a period of time. However on occasion they may come back on by themselves. My brother and I have replaced the passenger side (2 hour process) and am in the process of purchasing two new bulbs from a local auto parts store. $150 ea vs Toyota $325 ea and does not include installation labor. The average guy should not attempt this bulb replacement it is difficult. I still have the factory original bulb that we replaced. D2R 35W hid my platinum ext warranty ($1400 from dealer) does not cover light bulbs.
2004 Toyota Prius headlight problem - this is clearly a huge safety issue. When driving, my headlight (both) shut off intermittently. Sometimes, one. Sometimes the other. Sometimes both. No incident yet but surely this is a major safety issue. I came very close to an auto accident on 1/3/2010 due to this issue! I called the dealer to have the headlights replaced and they are wanting $870 dollars to replace the bulbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $375 per bulb and $60 per headlight for service!!!!!!!!
Both 2004 Toyota Prius hid headlights go out, it began with the drivers then passengers going out individually, and by turning them off then on again would bring the lights back on for several minutes, now both go out and do not come back on even after cycling them. Toyota says its a replacement issue not a defect. Seems to me that all the chatter online and Toyota indifference is coming to a head. I shouldn't have to pay to replace these defective lights.
The passenger side headlight on my 2004 Toyota Prius went out at about 83K miles. It was an intermittent outage, and could be reset by turning headlights on and off. This is dangerous at night! Toyota wanted to change both headlights and ballasts for a total cost of $1086. Headlights are safety-related and I see that this problem is commonly complained about online. Toyota national ofc. Offered to reimburse me 1/2 after I fronted the total money to the local dealer repair shop.
Hid headlight on 2004 Toyota Prius is intermittent. Goes off at random times when selected on. Comes back on by switching headlights off and back on. Headlight went off 7 times in a 30 mile trip.
Intermittent failures of right side high intensity discharge (hid) headlight after 15 to 20 minutes of use. Headlight simply shuts off without warning, and without any indication on the instrument panel. Replacement/repair costs at Toyota dealer were $998. After many months of complaint, to include pointing out the usa today article on this subject, Toyota usa authorized repair at half price. Toyota usa then reimbursed us via check for our total cost citing a "supplier problem."
I wrote this Agency a few months ago regarding my 2004 Toyota Prius and the problems I was having with headlights alternating on/off. Turning the light switch on/off would turn it back on. Three or four months ago both lights started going out at the same time. Turning the light switch on/off intermittently 5-9 times makes them turn back on. So far I have had this happen to me 3 times within the last week traveling 40-55 miles an hour. I have just read that you guys stopped your investigation. How many accidents or deaths do you need before anything is done about this. When headlights burn out they don't come back on. This is obviously an electrical or computer glitch that Toyota has to be aware of. In all my years of driving, I have never had an experience as that of everything going dark and just having to hit the brakes. Luckily when it happened last night the car behind us saw our brake lights and came to a safe stop. They flashed their headlights not knowing why our car was stopped in the middle of the road. I request a reply to this complaint since no one contacted me on my prior complaint. Thank you.
2004 Toyota Prius - headlights go out intermittently for no apparent reason - need to turn headlights off and back on in order to have the headlight come back on. At first, this only happened in the left headlight, lately the right headlight has been having the problem, luckily it has never happened to both headlights at the same time. Would be particularly dangerous if this happened on a dark country road!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- South Beach, OR, USA