The headlights flicker or/and turn off without notice and quite often, regardless if the vehicle is stationary or in the middle of the freeway at night. Replacing the hid bulbs doesn't remedy the problem. This may be very dangerous.
2008 Toyota Prius lights complaints
Page 4 of 21: complaints 71 to 100 of 583, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Just purchased this vehicle. Left headlight will flicker a few times and then go out. The whole light is off, both low and high beams will not work. If I turn the lights off and then back on it will work again.
Headlights flicker and turn off and on. Have had headlights replaced 3 times and problem reoccurs. Lights are on when I start driving then turn off and sometimes turn back on.
While driving in the dark my passenger side headlight went out. Then a few days later it switched to the driver side headlight going out. Now while driving at night they will go off at least 10 times on my 9 mile freeway drive. It is not safe!
My 2008 toyota prius has hid headlamps. When the vehicle was still under warranty, aon of the headlamps went out, so I took it to toyota, and they replaced the burned out headlamp and also replaced the other headlamp, saying that there was a problem with the headlamps, and the new headlamps should solve the problem. I had to replace another headlamp at about 80,000 miles, and the opposite side headlamp at about 90,000 miles. Since I replaced the last headlamp, the right one, it went out again, so I replaced it again. Now that same headlamp keeps going out, and then it goes back on, it doesn't appear to be heat related, as sometimes it is off when I first start the car and shortly thereafter, it comes on. If I flash the bright switch back and forth it makes no difference. It always seems to be the low beam. If I repeatedly flash the hi-low switch, eventually the low beam will go out, then if I turn the light switch off and on again, the low beam returns back on. I have replaced the lamp with one that I thought was burned out and the same thing happens. I have checked on line, and have read how people taking their prius to the dealer are being charged from $300.00 to $4000.00 for changing various parts, and still are having the same problem. I have bee stopped by the police twice for having 1 headlight out, and I never know when it is going to be out. I have read of some people having the problem with both headlights, and know that it is an accident just waiting to happen. I have even tried to see if there was an option available to change the headlights from hid to halogen, but could not find any such option available. Since this seems to be a widespread problem, and an obvious safety issue, shouldn't toyota step up and offer a solution? I would appreciate if this problem could be investigated. Thank you.
One headlight turns off randomly. Every now and again turning the lights off and on again will fix the problem for a short time.
My headlights went off while I was driving at night. I was out in the country, in the mountains on a curvy road, where there were no street lights. It was pitch dark and a very dangerous situation, to say the least. I'm lucky I didn't run off the road or get in a wreck. I'm 74 years old and my vision is not as good as it used to be and I had to drive 40 miles to my house, with just my fog lights. I called my local toyota dealer, to see if they knew what caused my headlights to go out and if there was a recall on the problem. They said it was probably a light bulb problem and there was no recall on the problem. They said it would cost me $120 just to assess the problem. I checked on the internet and found this to be a widespread problem for this car and replacing the light bulbs cost around $500 and it doesn't solve the problem. In many cases it reoccurs. So, I don't know what to do. Why would I spend $500 on the problem, when it doesn't solve the problem?? I can't believe there's no recall on a problem of this nature, as it's a very dangerous defect!
Headlights randomly shut off, can sometimes be turned back on if headlights are turned off and then on, but they never stay on. Very unsafe when driving at night. Toyota should recall and fix this issue.
My headlights go out without warning while I amdriving down the road. The have gotten worse and go out more frequently and sometimes stay off. I have replaced the lights several times and am still having problems. I need help because I have almost gotten tickets behind this problem. My thing is toyota knows abot this and refuse to have a recall on this issue.
The headlamps go dark at random times while driving at night. This occurs on the highway or city street and more often shortly after beginning the drive rather than later in the trip. On numerous occasions one or both headlamps will shut off. I am able to restore the lights by switching the headlamps off and then on again. This has been a problem for two years since the car had 45,000 miles until now with 65,000 miles.
Either headlight, or both, may suddenly go out. Turn off switch then back on and light(s) restored. Happens frequently (say six times per evening) and has been doing this for about two years. Frequently stopped by police.
Cluster went blank and vehicle would not power off, key fob stuck in ignition. Toyota service recommended replacing combo meter but I am one month out of warranty. I was driving tried to park but car would not turn off, but would come to a stop in the parking lot.
My headlights are flickering before going completely out. Sometimes it's the left, sometimes the right. Turning the light switch off, then on, seems to rectify the issue but only temporarily. A very small % of the time would both lights go off completely. Again, turning light switch off, then on, fixes it temporarily. There is no exact timeframe in which the lights start to flicker. And sometimes I notice it happening when going over a bump, but that is not always the case.
My headlights intermittently go off and it will change which headlight (between my two white front headlight and gold headlights). It happens while I am driving. I can turn my headlights on and off and it sometimes fixes the problem. On one occasion all my headlights went off.
My passenger side headlight blinks off while driving (in motion). Turning the lights off then on again corrects the problem for a short time, but then it goes off again. Replacing the bulb did not correct the problem.
Headlights go out unexpectedly.
Both headlights cut off at the same time while driving at night (55-65 MPH) on an unlit winding road above a reservoir. Managed to stop the car near the right side of the road without going off the edge and although the headlights did not come back on, we used the high beams to get us down the hill to our destination.
For years the driver side hid headlight goes off every few minutes. I have to turn the headlights off then on again for both to relight. The driver side light then stays lit for only 2 to 5 minutes. This problem poses a serious risk to me as well as other motorists. This problem needs to result in a formal the federal safety agency recall.
Hid lighting , headlights go off intermittently when driving . Need to turn light switch on and off to turn back on. Ongoing problem unexpected unable to predict
Driving at 35 miles per hour on a rural paved road both headlights failed simultaneously nearly causing myself and my son go off the road down an embankment while trying to get the lights to come back on at night. The hid headlights have been an issue in the past with a class action lawsuit being paid. I need to get this repaired and want toyota to cover the recall warranty work.
My wife, 2 children, and I were on a rod trip last night. About an hour into the trip, I noticed that I thought one of the headlights appeared to be flickering (but both had been fine art he beginning of the trip). We stopped about an hour later to rest, and I saw that the passenger headlight was out. We decided that the flickering must have been the headlight failing, and that we needed to get it repaired after getting to our destination. Our real problem happened about 2 hours later when my wife was driving and suddenly both headlights went out while traveling 65mph and we were plunged into total darkness. Fortunately, we were approaching an exit off ramp, and we were able to safely get off the freeway and to a gas station using the light of our hazard lights. After getting to the gas station, we were able to get both headlights back o by toggling the headlight control on and off. We decided the safe thing to dosas to get a hotel and resume our trip in daylight. The hotel was only a short distance down the road, one of our headlights began flickering again and went out again in the short time it took us to get there. Toggling the control again got the lamp back on, but need to take our car to get serviced as soon as possible before driving it at night again. After experiencing this problem, I found several articles on line, including the following: http://www.toyotaproblems.com/trends/prius-headlights/ this seems to be a serious problem that is not isolated to our case or even just a few cassie's. I urge the federal safety agency to reopen their investigation, as many drivers' and passengers' lives could be in danger because of this engineering defect.
While driving at night one or both of the front headlights will go out. Sometimes they also go very dim. When either headlight goes out, I have to turn off the lights and turn them on again. I have almost gone off the road a few times on a windy stretch of road where the lights kept going off every few seconds. I've already gotten a ticket over this, when I was on a well-lit main road and didn't even know a light had gone out. I've been dealing with this for 9 months. Everything I read says that buying the expensive new headlights again doesn't fix the problem. I try to avoid driving at night, but I can't always, and I shouldn't have to. Nothing draws the attention of the cops like blinking your headlights on and off repeatedly while going down the road. We had a few really stormy days and my choices were to leave my headlights off, which was completely unsafe in that heavy of a tucson monsoon, or to drive knowing I'd only have one headlight on after a few minutes, and I wouldn't know which one, or to drive in a storm, calling attention to myself for only having one headlight, and inviting a second ticket.
Passenger side headlight will come on normally but then will dim and go out while in operation (parked or in motion). Headlight will come on again briefly when headlights are turned off and then on again, but then dims and goes out. Mechanic said bulbs are fine, that the problem is the computer.
Ever since my fiance and I have had this car (late 2015, bought used with about 98,000 miles on it) there has been intermittent headlight failure! We thought we needed the headlights replaced and that would solve the problem. First of all, the specific headlight type for this vehicle (VIN [xxx]) is very expensive. About $100 per bulb! Secondly, they are so difficult to replace that my trusted, long-time auto shop had to remove the entire front bumper to replace them, costing me $300 in labor. That's a total of $500 for repairs, just for headlights! Then, just a few months later, the intermittent headlight failure started again. It is happening now (sept 16, 2016) and is a threat to my safety. I have been pulled over twice by the police for having a "burned out headlight," but I switch the lights off and back on again and they work fine for another 20 minutes or so. This problem is absolutely a threat to the safety of drivers, passengers, and others on the road at night. Headlight replacement itself is so outrageously expensive that it is absurdly unfair that unsuspecting vehicle owners should be responsible for the cost. Toyota needs to recall these vehicles and pay for the repairs to the electrical system. I am afraid that if toyota does not take responsibility for this problem, they will eventually be sued by someone who is hurt in an accident caused by this problem. Problem happens while the vehicle is stationary, in motion, on city streets and highways, while turning, while going straight forward, and reverse. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. The contact stated that the high intensity discharge (hid) indicator on the passenger side malfunctioned while driving various speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle needed a new hid light. The dealer did not repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Headlight go out while driving car . Sometimes one light goes out and both have gone out at highway speed.
Right front headlight fades out after 9-10 minutes of driving. Toyota dealer says it's due to some "overheating" issue and wants $600+ to replace!!
Problems started in 2010 driver head light would go off, replaced the relay with no effect, just lived with it would turn the lights off and back on and would then work. Now at 72,500 miles both head lights and all running lights go out while driving! You can't see anything and other drivers can't see you! Very dangerous! Water pump went out should have been covered with a recall a year later but toyota would not reimburse the part.
I was driving down the interstate at 11:30 going 70mph when both of my headlights shut off. I was able to flick the switch off and on again and they came back. In the last two weeks the drivers side light has intermittently been shutting off but this is the first time I've had an issue with both simultaneously.
The headlights have started to randomly turn off -- sometimes just one or the other, other times both turn off at the same time, requiring that I turn them on again manually. This has happened a few times in the past week on the interstate, along a rural stretch with a 70mph speed limit in maine.
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