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.
Hid left side would go out then back on. Will work good for several weeks then intermittently will happen again. Presently its is working, last week Friday was the last incident.
For quite some time it looked like my headlights could barely shine into the distance because they pointed down so much. Months later, I received a warning sign saying that the "headlight auto level" mechanism was broken. After researching this issue online and speaking to several mechanics, it became clear that the problem was caused by the part used by Toyota. The part Toyota uses in its older cars was not sealed, meaning salt can get in and corrode the wiring. This is such a clear oversight that I asked Toyota to fix it and/or issue a recall, but all they offered to do was note the problem even though they had heard of similar complaints.
The hid headlight are unexpectedly shutting off. This is a clearly a safety issue. It does appear that the hid headlight equipped Prius indeed contains a design defect. Toyota dealer is charging me $750 for the repair. The Prius was bought in the usa and moved with us when we moved to Canada in 2010.
The right, passenger headlight goes out and by turning the headlight switch off and back on, the headlight comes back on. It will go off again and I will have to perform the same procedure to get it to come on again. This happens repeatedly during any given trip.
Passenger headlight keeps going off...when it goes off, I can turn the headlight switch off and then on again and the headlight comes bask on. As of 11.29.11 after many incidents, the headlight is now dimming more and more.
- Erie, PA, USA
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Prior to this major problem, my driver's side headlight would go out intermittently and the come back on. On 11/19/2011, both headlights went off after being on for about 10 minutes. When I tried to put the high beams on all front end lights went out. I made it safely to my destination. The next day I check the headlights and they both worked fine. I checked the fuses and all were fine. I usually drive with my headlights always on, but decided to leave them off all day in hopes that the problem wouldn't repeat on my 6 hour drive home. Four hours into my drive home, it was getting dark so I turned my headlights on and they worked, but within an hour they both went off. I turned them off and then back on and they came on again. Over the next hour the both headlights went out multiple times and I was able to get them back on by turning them off and then back on. For the last hour of my drive the headlights stayed on and worked fine. I've heard of other Prius owners having similar problems and I believe that since non-working headlights are a major safety issue that Toyota should recall the Prius and fix this issue.
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the head lamp leveling system was corroded, causing the headlight to move up and down abnormally. The dealer was notified and advised the contact that there were no recalls for the vehicle. The dealer replaced the head lamps at the owners expense. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,206 and the current mileage was 19,421.
Headlamp would go out at random intervals. Always came on when first switched on but would go off while driving. Would reproducibly come back on when the switched was flipped to off and back on again. Would then go off again at later time. No way to tell whether operational while driving.
I was driving with my two children on the 405 North freeway just South of the 10 freeway at 9pm in my Toyota Prius 2005. I had issues with one of the headlights already. It would flicker and then turn off without warning. Last Sunday, however, both headlights failed, including all interior lights, as I was speeding down on of the busiest freeways in the country at nighttime. It was pretty terrifying.
The headlights went off suddenly (of course I was night driving); I stopped, turned the lights off and back on and they worked for about 15 minutes. The driver side light then went out and I had to pull over, turn them off, back on and the light came back on. This is currently an intermittent problem but one that needs resolution.
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Prius. The contact was driving approximately 65 mph with the headlights activated and suddenly the driver's side headlight changed to an orange illumination and then became inoperative which resulted in the reduction in visibility. When the light switch was turned on and off repeatedly the driver's side headlights began to illuminate properly for a brief moment. The vehicle was not repaired nor was the failure diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 69,000.
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the headlights failed without warning. The contact spoke with the manufacturer and was told that the bulbs most likely caused the failure. The headlight bulbs were replaced but to no avail. The contact spoke with the manufacturer a second time and was told that the computer which operated each headlight could possibly need replacing. That vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 150,000 and the current mileage was 158,000.
When driving at various speeds, one or both of the hid headlights will go out. If I turn them all the way off, then back on, they will light up, but may go out again or may stay lit. The vehicle is a 2005 Toyota Prius with hid headlights. Note: The headlights will not relight on their own; they must be turned off then back on.
The headlight leveling control warning signal came one, the car has only 36000 miles. This is a very expensive fix and has safety issues, and appears to be a defect on many similar models.
While driving my 2005 Toyota Prius on an expressway at night the passenger side headlight went out. There was no lights on the expressway and I nearly hit a parked car on the side of the expressway. I pulled over at the next exit and checked the headlights. The passenger headlight was indeed out. I turned the car off and went into the restroom. When I came out and restarted the car the headlight was on. Five minutes later the headlight went out again. I turned the lights off, then on again and it came back on. This happened at least twenty times during the four hour trip home. Scary and dangerous in my book.
On 7/31/11 I noticed my cruise control would not set. The light came on indicating the cruise was on, but I could not get the speed to hold. The next day, the cruise control worked. Midday on 8/1/11 while parked, I shifted to the D position, but the light indicated I was in N. I shifted back and forth between R and D several times, but the light indicated N. I took my foot off the brake and the car moved backward. The light indicated N and the knob was in the D position. It did this several times. I turned the car off and back on and everything worked like it is supposed to. On 8/1/11 at approximately 10:30 P.M. I was driving home on a narrow, two-lane rural highway. On a blind curve, both of my headlights went out. I could not see anything. I tried cycling my headlights off and on and nothing happened. I applied my brakes and stopped. I opened my door to see where I was in the roadway and determined I was on the fog line on the opposite side of the road and there was a hillside less than 5' from me. I was able to drive to the shoulder on the right side of the road by using the light from my door. I was extremely lucky no cars passed by while my lights were out. I could have been killed or caused a catastrophe. I turned the car off and back on and both headlights came back on. A motorist stopped to assist. I was able to follow him to a store where a friend met me and I followed him home. During the drive home one of my headlights kept turning off. Both did not go off together again. I took the car to the dealer on 8/3/11 and was told I need a new auxiliary battery and two new headlights. Cost is going to be around $700. I read about a class action suit regarding 2006-2009 Prius' headlights and that Toyota knows there is a problem with them. I believe there should be a recall because of my harrowing experience and those of many others.
I have a 2005 Toyota Prius with hid headlights. They began failing, first it was only the drivers side light, and infrequently. I found that when I turned the lights off and on again, the headlight worked again. Because of the high cost of replacement, I lived with the problem. Recently, both lights failed on a back country curvy road. For an instant everything was totally black. I quickly turned the lights off and on and was able to swerve to get back on the road. As a result, I am going to have to pay nearly $1,000 to have both headlights replaced at my expense, since I had more than 50,000 miles on my Prius. Toyota customer care told me that I would not be covered by a class action case for the hid bulb replacement because my car is a 2005 and is not covered in the case. This is a safety issue and should be a recall.
Passenger front hid headlight was intermediately operational for a short period of time. Eventually it would not come back on. Toyota dealer quoted $350+ for part and $150+ for labor, per headlight. According to other Prius owners and internet articles, this issue is apparent to be a manufacturer defect; but Toyota refuses to admit in order to prevent a recall. Unwilling to paid for Toyota's mistakes, the vehicle was driven with only one headlight for some time. Until recently stopped by police and issued a traffic violation warning. For safety reasons and to prevent future violations, replaced the burnt hid bulb ($50+ from amazon.com) personally (followed proper procedures). A week later, that same bulb went out. More evident indicating the issue is not with the bulb; but with the electrical system and Toyota is not willing to paid for their own mistakes. Shame on Toyota!!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Pickerington, OH, USA