On several occasions I have taken my 2007 back to the dealer for intermittent headlight failure, while driving! One light would go out, or both would go to while driving the vehicle creating a potential life threatening situation. The dealer could not identify the problem, then on october 23 2009, they were finally able to replicate the problem and said I needed two new headlight units at the cost of $400 each (parts and labor). I decided to document this potential life threatening problem to the federal safety agency, so you could add my complaint to the complaints that you have already received in order to pressure toyota motors to take corrective action.
2007 Toyota Prius lights complaints
Page 26 of 37: complaints 731 to 760 of 1,061, newest first, as owners wrote them.
For some time the headlights on our 2007 toyota prius have been behaving strangely, with one or the other going out intermittently, then later coming back on. Last weekend while driving at night on dark, narrow, twisty mountain roads, they both suddenly went out. The car can not be driven at night due to the risk of headlamp failure and crash. Toyota dealers quote $1000-plus cost to repair an obvious design flaw with serious safety implications.
When driving with the headlamps on, one headlamp (usually the driver's side but it has occurred which the passenger side as well) will go out. If I turn the lights off and turn them back on the both lights will work again. This is intermittent and I can't make it happen. At my last service they could not reproduce the problem and looked at me like I was nuts. I live in the country and do a lot of night driving. I am beginning to notice this happening on a weekly basis.
Toyota prius hd headlights intermittently go out and then back on. When headlights go out, turning off and on will reset for several minutes. Driving at night makes the headlight problem dangerous. Lightbulbs are new, problem continues.
Headlights go out intermittently and out remain unlit. This has occurred four times in a year and a half. At one point in time both lamps went out at the same time. The dealer maintains that this is not an on going issue with this vehicle. Each time I have gone in for repair the dealer maintains that the problem is either that the bulb is, loose, burnt, or defective. These bulbs are in excess of $150.00 each.
Toyota prius headlamps are intermittent. Toyota dealer replaced the bulb but it's still intermittent.
Have had problems with 2007 toyota prius several months. Different times neighbors and other drivers pointing out headlight that was out. Turned them back on and thinking nothing was wrong with my headlights when I got out of the car and looked but noticed they had been dimming trough time. Could not tell which lights were out because then they would work. 2 near misses when other driver noticed my headlights were out but due to heavy traffic was able to drive due to other drivers lighting. Driving the other night with family in car and lights went out completely. Panicked and turned them back on and they came on but still dimmer. Coming home from work the other day and then stopped by police in which I explained my headlight problems and informed them that my plans were to take prius to dealership. After this incident and driving at night with my family in car this was my final step. Took 2007 toyota prius 10/20/09 to dealership and they said it would cost me replacing the headlight. Of course at my cost. They performed diagnostic testing and could not find any problems other than the headlights needed to be replaced at a cost of several hundred dollars.
I have a 2007 toyota prius. The driver side head light goes out now and then as I am driving. It is unpredictable. If I turn the lights off and then back on, the light works again. It has been going on for 2 months. Now the other light is doing the same thing.
Hid headlight on driver's side went out.
The right headlight went out on my 2007 prius that has 40k miles on it. I didn't know the headlight was out. It was pointed out to me at the time of routine maintenance. I don't know how long I've been driving without a headlight. There's no warning signal in the car to alert me to the problem. I had the bulb replaced and it is working now, but I have since learned that this problem is not uncommon and is likely to recur so I'm concerned about it.
2007 toyota prius intermitant headlamp issue.
I am the owner of a 2007 toyota prius. I am having problems with both headlights. My headlights will turn off every time I drive. Most of the time just one will go out. I can turn the switch off, then back on and the headlight will work for a short time and go out again. Only a few times have they gone out at the same time, very scary situations. I have done research online and am not the only prius owner with this problem.
Hid headlamps failure. Driver side headlamp was going out randomly in august 2009. Vehicle is in warranty (20k miles) and dealer replaced bulb at no charge. In october the same problem began to occur on the passenger side. Again, the dealer replaced bulb at no charge. These bulbs are very expensive and difficult to replace and should last longer than 20k miles.
Head lights failed to work while driving at night.
2007 prius headlights - both go out, intermittently.
2007 prius started driving with headlights on. Drove from a well lit area with many street lights into an without any overhead lighting. Realized that the lights were not operating, while I was trying to determine what the problem was, looking at the headlight switch, I veered into an adjoining lane, luckily there were no vehicles in that lane. Eventually I turned the lights off and then back on again and they worked properly. Now the lights randomly turn off, passenger or driver side, while driving. I continually check the lights and turn them off and on to restart the lights. I have not had the lights fixed, I am waiting for toyota to issue a safety campaign and to extend the warranty on this issue.
I have a 2007 toyota prius, and the driver's side headlight has been giving me problems for about the last 20k miles(50-70k). Toyota dealer said it would cost over $400 to replace the bulb, but I can turn the lights on and off to make it light up again. Seems like this is an electrical problem and not the bulb. When searching for a cheaper alternative, I ran across how many of the prius are having the same problem. I live in a very rural area with curvy winding roads getting home in the evening. When that light cuts out I can hardly see the road. I don't know how this isn't a safety issue, especially when it could happen to both as I read has happened with others.
Intermittent failure of driver's side headlight. The light will come back on if the light switch is turned off and then back on, and will remain on for a an unpredictable period of time, some times as long two weeks before failing again. Toyota has advise me to bring the vehicle to a service facility when the light is out, but the light fails on weekends, holidays, or late at night when the dealership is not open. An internet search disclosed that this headlight failure is a fairly common defect in 2007 prius.
Head lights on 2007 prius with 59987 miles keep going out and you have to turn them off to get them to come back on. Dealership says it is going to cost 826.00 plus tax to fix the problem even though I have the platinum extended warranty.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. The hid headlights continually fail. He has to repeatedly turn the lights on and then off for operation. No repairs were made. The failure and current mileages were 70,000.
Front passenger headlight intermittently goes on and off with no reason. If the other headlight would burn out, I would be left in the dark. Replaced headlight and computer sub assembly $514.00 old part not available the day after this was repaired, the other headlight started doing the same thing! Suspicious?
I bought a 2007 toyota prius on august 1, 2007. I didn't have any issues with my car until august of 2008 when I started having issues with my headlights and tail lights (they would go off and then when I turned the lights off and flipped back on, they would come back on again). Twice while driving at night, all of my lights went out (headlights, tail lights and dash board lights)! I brought car into dealer and they didn't know what was wrong but replaced the headlights (to the tune of $1200 a piece). I didn't have trouble with my headlights after than until this year (august of 2009). My passenger headlight is going out and then flipping back on for a bit (although the bulb seems dull) when I turn lights off and then back on again. The problem is they won't stay on and it seems insane to pay $2400 a year for what obviously seems to be a vehicle defect; not to mention the safety issue of only having 1 headlight that works or tail light and dashboard lights going out while driving at night!
The driver's side headlight turns off while driving. If I turn it off and back on, it will come back on, but it will only remain on for a short period of time. The dealership says that it is a problem with the computer that controls the hid headlights.
My 2007 prius with 36,655 miles experienced the intermittent headlamp failure. Drivers headlight would randomly go off, but work fine other times. Eventually, it failed completely. I contacted my local toyota dealerships service department. Their diagnosis determined circuit check revealed an internal short in headlamp ecu (electronic control unit) caused bulb to short. Replaced ecu and bulb. Operational test verified repair. Repair and parts covered under goodwill policy. The installed parts note part #90981-20015 bulb, hid and 81107-47150 computer sub-assy. My regular mechanic said that the ecu is equivalent to an igniter, which regulates voltage and current going to the headlamp, similar to a fluorescent ballast. My mechanic said the ecu is covered under the 3 year / 36k warranty. My replacement was covered at no charge under a ?goodwill policy? Because I was only 655 miles over 36k. (the initial headlamp failure occurred when I was out of town & mileage less than 36k.) the toyota service manager stated off the record that service managers can internally approve such replacements up to 70k miles. However, those in the 80-100k mile range will likely not be approved. I attempted to convince them to also replace the passenger side headlamp as a preventive measure, but they refused. I?m sure it?s a ticking time bomb. With 42,554 current miles, both headlamps now work correctly. This is a known issue with the toyota prius and should be recalled! Someone could be killed or seriously injured with random headlamp failure at night or in poor visibility conditions. And even if it weren't a dangerous situation, it is a known defect which they are aware of and responsible!
Headlights dim or go off by themselves. Come back on if you turn lights off then on. Dangerous at night.
Headlamps go out at random times. Sometimes one bulb sometimes both. Two times at night both bulbs went out along with all the dashboard lights. The car was completely dark. The first time my husband was on the interstate traveling at about 75 MPH the second we were traveling on a road with no over head lights. We could not see the lines, we nearly crashed. We have to quickly turn the lights off then on again to get the lights back on. The repair for this problem is $1200. I have read on the internet some people have paid as much as $2500.
Passenger side hid headlight goes out and stays out until entire headlight system is turned off and then turned back on. Very unsafe.
The r-h ( right-hand, passenger side ) hid headlight on my prius was operating intermittently. I have taken it to my local dealer to have it repaired. They did not have the correct part in stock ( 1st time in ). They did not have the time to diagnose the problem ( 2nd time in ). They could not duplicate the complaint ( 3rd time in ), despite the malfunction occurring when I arrived at their location. ( they shut off the car and the headlights to park the car - contrary to my direction. ) the "bulb" has been replaced, and for now the headlight is functioning properly. Nearly out of original warranty ( 3yrs/36k mi ).
I purchased a new '07 toyota prius in may, 2007. In the last two months, we noticed that sometimes the right headlamp was working, sometimes not. I took it to the dealership where I purchased the vehicle for an estimate on replacing the bulb. Generally, my husband performs all maintenance, etc, on our automobiles. He was unable to get the headlamp assembly disassembled, even while using the owner's manual as a guide. Initially, we thought it could be a problem with the electrical system, because if it works sometimes and not others, then maybe it was a short and should be repaired. The dealership looked at the headlights and told me that my car had the hid headlamps (interpreted, this means expensive) and to replace it would mean removing the bumper, etc, etc. They told me that it would have been covered under warranty, however, my car's odometer was at 36,900. They told me I should make an appointment and bring it in for replacement of the bulb, and it would cost about $150 for the replacement. For the record, I paid $1,499 for the most comprehensive extended warranty that they offered, and still this problem is not a covered repair. When my husband called for the appointment, they quoted him in excess of $300 to replace the bulb. In my research, I have found that this type of bulb should last the life time of the vehicle, hence the reason that it is so hard to get to that a regular person cannot replace the bulb. I feel very strongly that toyota has an obligation to replace the headlamp or repair the "short" in the electrical system, even thought it is slightly past the warranty miles, and seven months under the 36 month warranty period. The problem began well before the original warranty had expired, and my only fault was that I did not recognize this problem soon enough. Toyota is well aware of this problem and is content to allow the dealers to take advantage of prius owners with this problem.
My 2007 toyota prius hid headlights go off frequently with (of course) no notice. I received a warning ticket in may 2009, and have contacted toyota, as I have discovered that there are hundreds of other prius owners with the very same problem. Toyota will cover the cost of repair sometimes, but not always.
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