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.
Front passenger (right) side main headlamp goes out, it will relight when light switch is turned off, then back on.date of first occurrence is unknown. This happens when at idle or any speed. Sometimes the light will stay on for 30 minutes or more, but most of the time the light will go out every 4 minutes. I have to drive and look at the reflection of my car on the side of another car to see if my light is one or not. When I reset the light, people think I am flashing them to pull over. I have been pulled over for the light out and I was able to demonstrate to the peace officer that I can reset the light by turning it off and on, he told me to take care of it, yet there are no answers or a firm fix. Toyota should recall gen 2 Prius as this is a defect.
My passenger headlight shuts off by itself after a few minutes. When I shut off the lights and turn them on again, they both stay lit for several more minutes or sometimes longer. We took it to the dealer, and they charged over $100 to replace the bulb and there has been no change. I noticed that there was a recall on the 2006-2009 models for a similar problem. I suspect this might extend to the 2005 model. At times both lights go out in an unpredictable manner. This does not seem safe to me. Thank you
Driving down the freeway and the headlights went out. I flipped the switch and they turned on. This now happens every time I drive and it requires numerous flipping on and off of the lights to make them come back on.
Driving down the freeway 70 mph both headlights went out! turned them off and then back on they did not work. Turned them off and back on once again and they worked. Both lights should not go out at once!
While driving my vehicle at night the right headlamp suddenly went out. I turned the headlight switch on and off and the headlamp came back on. Approximately 7-8 minutes later both headlamps went out. Once again I turned the headlamp switch off and on and both headlights came back on. This continued to happen every few minutes until I finally reached my destination. Since then it has continued to happen sporadically. I feel that this is a very serious safety issue that needs to be addressed. I purchased new bulbs thinking that this was the problem but discovered that the design of the vehicle does not give adequate access to the bulbs for changing. It appears that it must have to be done by the dealer. I feel that this is also something that needs attention.
- Cranston, RI, USA
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Passenger side hid headlight goes out sometime after start up. If you switch the lights off then on again it runs for a period (approx 4 min) then goes out again. Replacing bulb has no effect. When searching for solutions appears to be a chronic problem among 2005/2006 Prius.
Front passenger headlamp goes out by itself. Will come back on if headlamp switch is turned off and on. Does not occur with hitting a bump in the road or depending upon weather. Very unpredictable. Once driver side headlamp did the same. Regularly the passenger headlamp fails!! also, rear passenger brake lamp works sometimes and doesn't work other times. Unpredictable.
Starting over a year ago and occurring every time needed, the headlight on the passenger side sporadically goes out. It can happen zero to multiple times during a single use of the car, sometimes up to every minute and a half while driving. Turning the headlights off and back on again cause both headlights to come back on. As far as we know, this did not start happening until after a maintenance visit and was stopped by a state patrol officer. Conversations with other Prius owners, replacing the headlight does not seem to resolve this issue. At +$350 to change the headlight at the dealer, I am hesitant to spend money on something that will not resolve the issue. While we have had no other troubles with this car and love the car, this recurring issue has caused us to hesitate driving the car at night.
Starting in approximately March and occurring daily through present day, one or both headlights sporadically go out. We started noticing this in March when driving at night. Our own tests indicate that it can happen when the car is at a complete standstill or at any speed. It can happen zero to multiple times during a single use of the car, sometimes up to every minute and a half while driving. Turning the headlights off and back on again cause both headlights to come back on. As far as we know, this did not start happening until this last March. We have had no other troubles with this car and love the car, aside from this issue. This has caused us to stop driving the car at night, which is extremely inconvenient.
Headlights go out while driving. Driver headlight went out while driving 55mph. Pulled over & noted driver headlight out. Turned car off & then restarted & both headlights went on. Drove a couple miles & noted headlight out & this time it was the passenger headlight that was out. This has happened a few times in the year @ 1/2. we also had a problem in the past with the headlights being aimed too low in front of the car causing trouble seeing. It turned out to be the auto aiming computer was malfunctioning & it was replaced by warranty. We also had to have the skid control brake computer ($2500.) replaced 12/06/2012 due to brake malfunctioning (brakes would hardly stop the car).
Left hid headlight on my Prius keeps going off at random, sometimes it happens fast, sometimes it doesn't happen at all. By cycling the headlights on/off turn the light back on. This seems to happen to more than just my Prius because I have personally seen many priuses with their passenger side (left) headlight out.
1. driver's side hid-type headlight went out while driving at night. Went on & off intermittently for several days. Required a replacement headlight computer and bulb. Ridiculously expensive to get headlights functioning properly. 2. headlight leveling system malfunctions & warning light goes on intermittently, generally during & right after rain storms. Ongoing problem since car had approximately 32,000 miles.
Both hid headlights went out at the same time. I can toggle the light switch off and on and one or both lights came back on. Then went out again within a few seconds to a minute, over and over. Makes no difference if car is not moving at all or going 70 mph. I was able to drive the 15 miles home at night without incident. Went to dealer next day and they say all that is wrong is that the headlights are burned out. Estimate to replace both is $474.31. I do not believe that they would burn out at exactly the same time. And if they are burned out then why do they come back on and off. I have done research and found the class action settlement for 2006-2009 models. I also found that you have had hundreds of complaints about the 2005 model yet you have not considered this a safety matter. I disagree. Even if you don't help me, I want my complaint included in your database.
I was driving home on the highway at night when both headlights shut off. The right headlight has been turning off periodically, but this is the first time both lights have gone out. By turning the lights off and then on, the headlights returned to working order. This is a persistent problem, which both Toyota and NHTSA know about. Replacing the lightbulb appears to be only a very temporary, and costly, solution.
The passenger side hid headlight went out. The next time I used the car, the headlight was working again. Since the first occurrence, either headlight has gone out intermittently (I have not been aware that both have gone out at the same time). Each time, the headlights are found to be working again later. I don't know how often the problem is occurring. I don't do a lot of night driving, but I keep my lights on all the time. I suspect there are many daylight failures that go unnoticed.
My 2005 Prius began to have problems with the driver's side headlight. When I first turn my lights on, the headlamp works, but after a few minutes of driving, it goes out. Switching to high beams doesn't make any difference, but if I turn off my lights and turn them right back on, the headlamp works for a short while. I have researched this on Prius forums, and it is a very common problem. The dealer wants $2600 to fix it. I think it is a manufacturing defect and should be recalled and fixed at no charge.
When I started my 2005 Toyota Prius, I got a warning on the dashboard and the multi-function display that the automatic headlight leveling system had malfunctioned. This is a safety feature that corrects the aim of the headlights if you are driving with an unusually heavy load, so that your lights do not momentarily blind oncoming drivers. Unfortunately, when the sensor in the headlight leveling system fails, the headlights aim themselves to a default position that is unsafe; the headlights aim downwards, and illuminate the ground 20 feet in front of the car and no farther. It is not safe to drive in the dark faster than 20 miles an hour with the headlights like this. The problem begins with the sensor in the 2004 and 2005 model priuses, where a gasket fails and the interior parts of the sensor corrode and fail. Toyota knows about this problem and now offers improved replacement parts and has issued the technical service bulletin below. However, replacing this part at a dealer can cost upwards of $500, discouraging many owners from making the repair, leading to unsafe driving conditions for Prius drivers and everyone else on the road. There is no manual override to make it safe for a driver to drive in the dark. It seems like poor engineering that Toyota has implemented a safety device that, when it fails, creates a more unsafe condition than if the safety device were not there. Not to be overly dramatic, but it was a failed gasket and failed sensors that brought down the space shuttle. A repair suggested online involves springs from ballpoint pens, but this is ridiculous. A repair with the improved Toyota part ought to be made affordable, if not for free. Us tsb EL004-06 April 28, 2006. Automatic headlight leveling system warning light "on" or flashing. 2004-2005 Prius w/hid headlights. Replace rear vehicle height control sensor with improved one.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- El Dorado, CA, USA