Hid headlights turn off intermittently. Problem first occurred in early 2009 and a toyota dealer replaced both headlights (one had stopped working and dealer stated the other had issues). Problem recurred late 2011, with either light sometimes not working, but then re-lighting by itself. Usually, turning the headlights off and back on manually will resolve the issue for a time. Also, both of the tail lights will sometimes stop working. Usually, if I take the cover off from the inside and turn the light socket (where it snaps into the plastic molding) the light will turn back on. Unfortunately, I can't tell how often I am driving with one or both tail lights not functioning, as I don't look at the back of the car often. I have found them non-functioning 3 times in the last 3 months, and each time the bulb was fine and began working when I turned the socket back and forth.
2008 Toyota Prius lights complaints
Page 12 of 21: complaints 311 to 340 of 583, newest first, as owners wrote them.
My hid headlights started to fail at 30k. The dealer replaced the left one. A few months later the right side failed. Since then I have experience the one or the other headlight going out and when I shut the car off and restart it may or may not come back on. The latest event was 30 dec 2011. I was at the dealer trying to price a bulb and verified the light was not working. When I left the dealer the bulb started working again. I saw the lawsuit was settled but my car was out of warranty. I feel this is a safety issue toyota should recall and resolve before someone gets killed on a dark winding road.
Hid bulbs turn off randomly while driving. The cost was over $700 to replace.
My passenger headlight will sporadically go out. Shutting off and turning back on works, but the light dims and then goes off completely. I don't know how long it's been this way, but it is a recent occurrence. It happens whether the car is parked or in motion- no certain speed causes it to happen.
In august 2011, a princeton, nj, police office stopped me to report that my right headlight was not working. On september 1, 2011, I paid lawrence toyota $281.84 to replace the right side headlight. Later that month, when I drove home, I noticed that the right light was not shinging against the garage door. When I got out of the car, I saw the headlight was not working. Early in october, the front end of the car was damaged by another vehicle, including both headlights. The body shop replaced the headlights. Shortly after I took the car home, I notice both the left and right headlights failed randomly. While driving, I notice the light would not be uniform along the pavement. When traffic was stopped at a light, one light would reflect from the car in front of me. When I took the car back to the body shop, they confirmed that the lights would go on and off spontaneously. They replaced both lights and the "modulator" that governs the headlights. The problem persisted. They took the car to freehold toyota who "adjusted" the lights and modulator. When I drove the car away from the body shop, I light was higher than expected; reflecting off tree branches well above the car. A few days later, I drove the car to a store and noticed the right light was not shining against the wall of the building. A person the car that pulled in before me commented that the left leadlight was aimed so high that it blinded him, making his rearview mirror unusable.
Prius 2008 headlights turns off intermittently. One can never be sure when or how if fails. At times it works fine then it does not.
2008 toyota prius. Consumer writes in regards to both headlights failed while driving at night. *tgw the consumer stated the headlights did not flicker, nor was there any gradual flickering dimming of the lights. About a month before, one headlight went out. The next day, the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but both headlights were operational and no repair was made. The dealer informed the consumer the lights were working and that the hid headlights sometimes exhibit an erratic behavior when they were in the process of failing. The consumer agreed to let the dealer replace the hid bulbs at a cost of $ 555.32.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. The contact was driving 30 MPH when the drivers side headlights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed the bulb needed to be replaced. The failure occurred on three previous occasions. The manufacturer was not notified, but the vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 10,000 and the current mileage was 100,000.
Headlamp went off and on while driving. Driver's side headlamp was replaced and now the passenger's side is doing the same thing only a couple months later.
I have had intermittent trouble with headlights on either side of the car going out spontaneously while driving. I have been able to correct it by turning the switch off and then back on again and they come back on. I have now had an instant where both headlights went out at the same time. This is quite scary when you are traveling at 65 miles an hour with limited street lights.
My 2008 toyota prius headlights work intermitently. Sometimes one side goes out, flickers or both go out. This occurred while driving at night on the freeway several times. I turned the light switch off and back on and the lights work again. It is extremely dangerous. I have contacted toyota and they say there is nothing they can do but replace the bulbs at a big cost. I looked on a blog and many are experiencing the same problem. This is a safety hazard. What can I do?
Around or just after 40,000 miles the right headlight on my 2008 toyota prius started turning off while driving. Turning the lights off then on corrects the problem -- but this is annoying and dangerous when driving at night.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. The contact stated that the headlights failed without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced both headlights. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance with the repairs. The failure and current mileage was 39,000.
Hid headlight bulbs go out and come back on sometimes both at the same time. I am told by many other prius owners that this happens a lot.
Hid headlights flickering on and off - 2008 prius w only 28,000 miles.
2008 toyota prius, VIN [xxx], both driver side and passenger side headlight go on and off while in the on position. Started nov. 2010 with both headlights going out on a trip out of town. Then for about 5 months no problems. Now since april 2011 the drives side headlight occasionally goes off, but the passenger side constantly goes off. I will turn on my light to drive at nigh and the passenger light will be on at first then within a few minutes it will go out. I can get it to come back on if I switch the headlight switch off and back on, this turns off all the lights momentarily and then it will come on again for a few more minutes, then have to constantly repeat the process over and over. I have gone online and found forums where there are hundreds if not thousands of the same complaints and toyota has done nothing to remedy the problem all but to charge outrageous prices to temporarily fix the problem that will just start all over. I have gone to our local dealer who gave us a quote and said it was a problem that they were not aware of. Come on, they are sweeping it under the rug and ripping off pruis owners. I certainly hope it doesn't take someone dying to get toyota or someone to realize what a major problem there is and that it needs to be addressed immediately. I do not feet this is an issue with the bulb itself, as the bulb works, it has to be something wrong with the electrical, as many others have replaced the bulbs to only have the same problem return in a short period of time. Your help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Headlights on my 2008 toyota prius intermittently go out. The left side or the right side or both headlights at the same time. A very very hazardous condition at night! I checked the toyota site, but no sign of a recall going on. I can't understand why a recall hasn't already been issued, as I understand they are aware of the problem.
One headlight on my toyota prius keeps going out. 3 new lamps in just 6 months. It is only on the passenger side.
My 2008 toyota prius headlights keep going out, the bulbs are fine, but I have to turn off and turn on the light many time on highway to make them stay on. That is not safety way ever. If I forgot to turn it off and on again, I can cause an accident or police officer will give pull me over.
We have a 2008 toyota prius purchased in october 2007 and have had intermittent problems with the headlights going off during operation. We have had this problem for the past 6 months. When contacting toyota they have not helped at all saying that they extended the warranty to 50,000 miles for this and we are over that mileage mile stone which is very convenient for toyota. The cost to put in two new headlights is over $600 which I cant afford. With all the complaints I'm reading about its amazing that a recall is not in affect or that the department of transportation isn't ordering a recall.
Both headlights and inside lights failed, suddenly and without warning, while traveling on a dark stretch of interstate highway at night. For the past two months, the right headlight failed suddenly on occasion, but it could be turned back on my switching off the headlights and then turning them back on. This is the first time all lights failed, and it almost caused a crash.
I will start the car and both headlights are on then one or the other will just turn off, luckily both have not turned off at the same time. Sometimes they can be on for a long time and sometimes a short time, there is no rhyme or reason for it. It happens all the time, enough that I was stopped by the police for having a headlight out.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. The contact stated that two years ago, the headlights began illuminating intermittently. The headlights were replaced by an authorized dealer yet the failure continuously recurred. Both the dealer and manufacturer advised the contact that the headlight failure was due to production and that they were able to repair the failure, but at her expense. The vehicle was not further repaired. The current mileage was 55,000 and the failure mileage was 26,000.
Headlight passenger side going while driving coming back on do not know when both will go out. Cost to replace one headlight $150 for bulb $95 to replace. Have heard other owners having same problems and more then one time. Have heard of overheating problem causing early outage of bulbs over and over. Also problem with computer causing these problems. Problem show up for first time I believe in 2010. It is getting worst and I'm no longer driving.
I have a 2008 prius and have had to replace both the left and right hid lamps. Approximate cost is $150 per replacement. I feel that the hid failure is a hazard, both of the hid lights came on and went out periodically over time before eventually failing, finally. The hids should last longer than 2 years and intermittent outages should not be a part of a critical night time operating system.
Condensation builds up inside the hid headlights during humid days, after rain, and after carwash. Inside of headlight is streaked with water stains.
Purchased new 2008 prius august 13, 2008. Has hid headlights. Present mileage 45000. Around january 15, 2011, first noticed headlights appeared to not be on in early evening. Check switch, turned it off-on, headlights came on. 2nd time, 2 days later, lights again seemed to not be one, checked switch, which was on. Turned switch off then on, lights came on. Subsequent times, problem with driver side headlight intermittently turning off. Sometimes turns on without doing anything, other times must turn switch off, then on. No noticed problem with passenger side headlight. Dangerous when headlight switches off at night. Noticed on websites that others experiencing same problem. Contacted dealer from whom purchased vehicle. Told that since car out of warranty, would have to pay for any diagnostic and repair costs (estimated $300-$500 cost). Indicated problem is most likely bulb going bad, but couldn't guarantee repair work would fix problem. Asked dealer why hid bulb goes bad after only 30 months of operation (have original headlights in 2004 chevy cavalier and 1976 gmc pickup). Was told that should only expect 24 months of life with hid bulbs which contradicts what was told by dealer when car purchased that bulbs should last lifetime of car. Toyota implies that issue is my problem to solve.
Passenger side headlamp goes out and come back on intermittently-had to hold headlight switch manually to have headlight stay on.
While driving at night I noticed the left headlight was out. When pulling into garage I turned lights off and back on and the left headlight had came back on. With knowing this I have noticed this repeating over and over again. If I turn the lights off and on again the headlight will come on again. It has also occurred that both headlights have gone out at the sametime. We were pulled over by the police for the headlight being out. So we turned the lights off and on again and the headlight came back on. This seems to be a on going problem with the hid headlights of the prius. This is a very dangerous situation!
2008 prius; headlights go off randomly, and can be turned back on by recycling the off-on switch. This is very dangerous, as it has happened with my 15 year old son driving and he panicked when the lights went out. Was told by dealer the would need to replace the bulbs (even though they still work) for $560, and that may not solve the problem. Next step is to replace the computer which controls the lights for $1200. So, possibly $1,760 for headlights! This is a crime, and I feel like toyota and their dealer have raped me. I am totally disgusted.
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