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.
Headlight intermittently shuts off. It will later come back on again. Same with a tail-light. There are lots of complaints about this please come up with a solution. It seems to be an extremely expensive fix at a dealership due to defective parts.
The headlights on my Prius sometimes don't come on or may come on and turn off while I'm driving. It's usually the driver's side, but the passenger's side has done it once. If I notice it, I can usually turn off the lights and turn them back on and then they both work. It has happened both when I first turn on the lights (while stationary) and also when I have been driving for a few minutes. The problem is becoming more frequent. Hitting bumps or pressing connectors has no effect. It does not appear to be a loose connection. The bulbs work fine after cycling the switch. This has happened multiple times.
The headlamps on my Prius go out intermittently while driving. Sometimes one goes out and sometimes both. It is very dangerous when they both go out while driving at night. I can usually turn the switch off and on to get it back on, but that is uncomfortable when driving down a dark road and have to get the lights back on. This is an ongoing problem and happens regularly.
I believe its a glitch in the car's computer. At unpredictable and intermittent intervals the electronic heads up display does not operate. This leaves me with no speedomoeter, no fuel level indicator, no bright or dim indicator for the headlights, and the cruise control does not work. During the incidents the car also might not respond to the power off button, so it keeps running. This problem might last for a day or two and then it starts to work again.
- Wasilla, AK, USA
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The headlights on my 2006 Prius have been going on and off sporadically since appx. 2010. First, only one headlight on the driver's side would go and off. I asked my Toyota dealership multiple times about the problem, but they could never correctly diagnose or fix the problem. I was stopped more than once by the police for having a headlight out. Usually if I turned the headlights off and then on again, both lights would turn on. In 2014 I had both headlights replaced by my dealership, which cost over $1,000. In June of this year (2017), both headlights starting going out at the same time, and I took it in to my Toyota dealership. They said they could not get the problem to "repeat" while they had it in for service and offered other help or explanation for solving the problem. This is a very dangerous problem because the lights will often go out unexpectedly when I am driving at night.
Purchased 2006 Toyota Prius used on Aug 17, 2013 (61,500 miles). Within a month I was pulled over by police for passenger side headlight out while driving at night, but when headlamps are turned off and on again the headlight came back on, and the police officer thought he was crazy so he just issued a warning. The headlight continued to go out intermittently and I replaced the bulbs myself in November 2013 (philips hid headlight bulbs $95). The headlight still went out intermittently and I finally replaced both headlight assemblies in July 2016 by an independent mechanic (approximately $1000 at 143,000 miles). Passenger side headlight still goes out intermittently. NHTSA launched a probe in April 2009, but then dropped the investigation after Toyota said it would initiate a "consumer service campaign" to address the issue. Then there was a class action settlement in 2011, all of which the previous car owner missed. Toyota uses "campaigns" to avoid recalls. Toyota's website (https://www.Toyota.com/recall) does not list previous "campaigns" related to the VIN so buying the car used I had no way of knowing of previous "campaigns" that still needed to be addressed. Upon purchasing in August 2013 I took the car to a Toyota dealership in san marcos, tx for a steering wheel recall but was not alerted to any other recalls or "campaigns" at that time.
While driving the right headlight will flicker and turn off. It can be turned back on by turning off and on the headlights. I got pulled over last night because I couldn't tell it had turned off while driving in town at night. I can tell when it goes off while driving in the country and get it to turn back on. I have read many online forums that dealerships will replace many expensive things trying to fix it but it still does not fix it.
Car I purchased for my daughter, had its headlights go out last night in the rain as she was taking an exit off road. Fortunately no one was hurt but she is very shaken up. She said the lights just went out leaving here in almost complete darkness.
For the last 8 years I have had the headlights intermittently go off independently of each other. Now they are going off or dimming more consistently. They have been replaced thinking that it was a bulb or headlight issue but it has become clear that it is a wiring issue. The replacement headlight is more than $600 each and I know that replacing another one will not fix the issue. There needs to be a recall because problems are all over the internet with this issue. This happens while driving at any time or sitting in the driveway with or without the motor running.
Toyota Prius 2006 right headlight will spontaneously and at random turn off. It happens when you are driving the vehicle. Often the car will illuminate both headlights and it is only after driving several minutes, the right headlight will turn off. Very difficult to reproduce. I feel this is a significant safety issue. Cost estimates from research have been shown to be $400 to $1200. Toyota has still not issued a recall for this problem
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Prius. While driving 20 mph, the headlights malfunctioned. The contact could not see the road in front of him due to the malfunctioning headlight adjuster. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000. The VIN was not available.
I noticed in the past month that the headlights turn off unexpectedly while driving. First the driver side then both headlights then the passenger side. They go back on when I turn the switch off and then on and the problem is unexpected and not reproducible. I was told at the dealer that the headlights needed to be replaced. They would not acknowledge there is any known issue with the headlights turning off by themselves. I replaced both headlights 2 days ago and will monitor the situation.
While driving on a dark unlit windy road, the headlights seemed to be getting dimmer, then both spontaneously turned off. I had absolutely zero visibility of the road and I instinctively slammed the brakes. I was approaching a sharp turn with a guard rail and a steep ravine into a river. The car came to rest about 8 inches from the guard rail. Upon cycling the headlights on and off, they both lit up again. I turned in the fog lights as a back up and continued my drive, slowly. Since then, I have observed the lights fading and then turning off, usually only one light at a time, but sometimes both.
While driving the right passenger side headlight flickers on and off and then turns off completely a few minutes after starting the vehicle. This occurs every time the vehicle is driven.
My 2006 Toyota Prius drivers side headlight goes out completely. It turns on when first engaging the light switch and turns off when in transit. It will relight after I turn the lights off and then back on again. My dealership has stated there is no issue with my headlights and provided me an inspection sticker for the vehicle. I need this issue to be fixed.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Chelsea, MI, USA