Problems with 2005 Toyota Prius EXTERIOR LIGHTING

One headlight goes out - this happens several times a week. changing the bulbs only solves the problem for a few months. this is a common complaint in second generation prius models. *js

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. *tr

I believe there is a serious and undisclosed flaw in the toyota prius hid headlamp system. i have noticed the headlamps will extinguish individually and unexpected in an intermittent manner, causing a significant safety hazard to driver as well as other vehicles. i have contacted toyota about this, and although they have extended the warranty with this obviously flawed design, they refuse to take responsibility for the design and repair the systems. i have owned several other vehicles with hid headlamps, never have they become intermittent, which is indicative of a design flaw or a serious materials problem with the igniter system for the hid headlamps. i believe that toyota should be held responsible and recall the hid headlamp systems and take the necessary corrective action. *tr

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.

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). *tr

Tl* 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 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. *tr

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. *tr

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. *tr

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. *kb

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. *tr

The master warning light and another light came on warning of a possible misalignment of the hid headlamps on 2005 toyota prius. this could lead to blinding oncoming traffic if the lamps are misaligned. toyota dealer service department claimed that even though it was a common problem, repairs would cost ~$600 for a new headlight leveling sensor (load leveling sensor) and installation. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact was driving 60 mph when the automatic headlight sensor failed due to a design flaw and corrosion. the contact stated that the failure could potentially cause the headlights to blind the drivers of oncoming traffic. the manufacture was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 80,000.

The right headlamp works intermittently and has been for some time and lately the left is joining in. i have asked about this numerous times over the past couple of years when in the dealership for other services. it isn't a problem any time i have been in their presence; but they noted it in my file. likewise, as i cross my fingers yearly, they have both been working during inspection. thought i was crazy until i see tons of complaints on the internet as well as info that you had an investigation but closed it saying this isn't a safety issue. just want it to go on record with you as well because if something happens, you and toyota will be sued. this is obviously a problem with upwards of 2k people (that you know of) and see no safety issue in something as important as lighting? cars do not pass inspection with inadequate lighting and require replacement; but, you see no validity in a lighting issue that the consumer is unable to solve by replacement of the lighting unit?? just like the government, makes no sense! *tr

I have a 2005 (01/01/05) manufacture date prius. i don't remember the trim package. i noticed the drivers side head light would intermittently fail cycling the light off and on would resume operation. one week later while driving at night both headlights completely failed again cycling them off and on resumed operation. i was issued a warning while driving home from work by the police and demonstrated this fact. i have taken the car to the dealer who told me both headlights needed replaced and charged me 607.25 to replace. *tr

Tl* 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.

Tl* 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.

I am the original owner of my prius and it has worked wonderfully except for having to replace the headlights. about 4 years ago i had an accident and the front bumper and driver side headlight was replaced. it is now flickering and turns off. the passenger side headlight was also replaced 4-5 years ago and it died about 6 months ago. this is a serious problem since the head light flickers and dies while driving. i almost drove off the road on a side street because i could not see. *tr

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 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. *kb this happens repeatedly during any given trip.

Right front headlight would go off while driving. required that i switch lights off and back on to get the light to work again. i had the front right headlight replaced and three weeks later the left front headlight followed the same sequence of events. i purchased a new headlight and had two different auto mechanics replace it and the left front headlight will not work. i am scheduled to take the car back to the last mechanic next week. very unsafe to have this happen while operating the car at night and annoying and frustrating that the toyota dealership wants $300+ to replace their obvious manufacturing malfunction. *tr

Our neighbor noticed that our right headlight was out. it proved to be intermittent, going on and off at unpredictable intervals but getting worse with time. we had both headlight bulbs and modules replaced, a procedure that required the removal of the front bumper, among other things, and cost $1,212.98 at an independent garage. we suspected that the cost would have been even higher at a toyota dealership. now, beginning on or about october 23, 2014, the same problem has recurred, this time involving the left headlight. given the high cost of repair and the fact that, obviously, the fix is only temporary, we have not had the headlights replaced again but are attempting to avoid driving the vehicle at night or in bad weather. given the apparent frequency that prius owners have reported this same problem, my wife and i do not understand why toyota has not developed a generic fix and issued a recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that the headlights failed without warning. the contact had to play around with the headlight switch in order for the lights to illuminate. the failure had occurred previously but was only exhibited on one side of the headlights at a time. the recent failure was exhibited on both headlights. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer where he was advised that the control could possible be the cause of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 160,000.

The headlight on the passenger side just turns off for no reason. i saw it off when stopped. it has done it several times after about a half hour of driving. it goes back on, but i keep the fog lights on just in case it happens in the dark. i think it could effect both head lights and cause a safety problem at night. i drive on unlit streets at night. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact was driving between 35-40 mph when the headlights failed. the contact engaged the emergency hazard lights until she was able to drive to a safe location. the headlights began to function after the contact abruptly jolted the headlight switch however, the driver side headlight would only illuminate sporadically. an authorized dealer was notified of the failure but the vehicle was not repaired. the driver side headlight was previously replaced but not recently. the failure had not recurred since. the failure mileage was 138,500. updated 4/4/11 *cn updated 04/06/11

The headlight level switch failure (water-rust in switch) is causing real danger. when located in up while in dim - oncoming traffic impaired. when level switch ends down, the line of sight is only several feet in front of vehicle. a shorter person (wife) is unable to see any lighted road. driving really becomes bad with the bright switched on. oncoming traffic becomes impaired causing danger. the wife actually refuses to drive at night. just unable to see properly. i have tried unsuccessfully to contact directly to toyota with this situation. service garages want just under $ 500.00 to correct problem. i feel this should be a recall item because of quality, but more importantly the driving danger. the actual switch should be purchased much lower cost. the value of switch alone without the brackets.we feel the danger on highway to be a real concern. i have spoke with other 05 prius owners and each has express the problem. most have just had it repaired under warranty.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact was driving 35 mph when the head lights failed. the contact was able to reactivate the headlights by toying with the activation switch until the lights came back on. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised the contact that there were no recalls for the failure and repairs would be at the expense of the contact. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 126,500. updated 03/07/11*lj updated 04/13/11 updated 1/3/11 *cn

Hid headlight failed. high cost to replace ($250). *tr

The passenger side headlight would sometimes go out and then come back on after turning the car off/on. eventually both of the headlights had this problem along with them turning pink in color and back to white while driving. i took the prius into the dealership and since i purchased the extended warranty of 100,000 miles the hid electronic control units (ecus) will be replaced free of charge but the hid light bulbs are costing $350 to replace. i see that toyota has extended the warranty of the light bulbs to a five year/50,000 for the 2006-2009 prius starting feb 9th 2011, tomorrow. the mechanics say these bulbs should last over a 100,000 miles but the ecus are making them go bad early. i had a "wonderful" conversation with toyota extra care representative about this problem. he basically told me anything that anything that breaks that is not covered by warranty (headlights) because an item that is under extended warranty(ecu), is not covered. and then he went on to explain this by talking about what came first, chicken or the egg. i was hoping to get into more in-depth evolution discussion with him, but i ran out of time and patience. i still love our prius, 78000 miles. *tr

Drivers side hid headlight intermittant operation. headlamp goes on and off at various times in traffic at night. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that the passenger side headlights were turning an abnormal pink color. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that there was no way of knowing when the headlights were going to fail. the manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 51,695.

While driving, the low and hi beam headlamps repeatedly turn completely off. it seems to occur randomly every single day, sometimes alternating between either headlamp going out and sometimes both headlamps turning off at the same time. at night this is quite concerning. once the headlamps turn off, i must quickly turn off the and on the headlight switch until the lights come back on. if only one headlamp is off, it immediately comes on after turning off then on the headlamps. if both headlamps turn off, it sometimes takes many attempts to get them back on. it may be worth noting that i have the hid headlamps from the factory. i am in the process of taking the car to the dealership to have the problem corrected. *tr

I was driving at night on i-75n and another car pulled up beside me and gestured that something was wrong. we both pulled off the interstate and they told me that i had no tail lights and no license plate light. they were afraid that someone would ram me since i had no rear end running lights. i also noticed that my glove compartment light was out. i opened the hatch and then slammed it and the right tail light and license plate lights came back on. i proceed home under flashers in the right hand lane of the interstate. the next day i took it to the cobb county toyota dealer and they said that all the bulbs were burned out. i asked how could all those lights go out at once and they said it happens. i authorized them to replace all the bulbs. they later contacted me and said that they did not have a replacement bulb for the glove compartment and i told them to forget about that and we could replace it later. the lights are working fine but strangely the glove compartment light started working after they replaced all the other rear lights and that light has faithfully worked to this day even though it was not replaced during the same service call to replaced the "burned out" tail lights and license plate light the brake lights, turn signal and flashers all worked on the evening of 12/20/10 during the time that the tail and license plate lights went out. having had this happen at high speeds on a busy interstate at night was most upsetting and to have all these lights go out at once seems suspicious, particularly when the glove compartment light was declared as "burned out" by dealer, not replaced and now works perfectly. *tr

12/20/2010 left head light replaced not working. 8/30/2011 right headlight replaced not working. 10/30/12 left headlight not working. when start car light would turn on flicker then go out, replaced headlight at time (second replacement) worked for several months then went to flicker mode then off when car lights turned on. left headlight still not working, light goes on when car started but flicks off in 30 seconds. 1/14/2014 right headlight not working, replaced. new bulb placed light works 50% time. no flicker either it will go on or not. both headlights replaced twice so far. returning to mechanic again. *tr

Had car since new in 2005. bought an extended service agreement that was prepaid. the car had regular maintenance at manufacturers recommended intervals. the electrical system has been a source of frustration regarding all head and tail lights. the lights fail frequently,especially all rear lights with no warning. many have been replaced. the headlights are a huge headache. to have the dealer replace the bulbs cost about $250-$300. if there is more than just a bulb replacement, the cost could go as high as $1000+. this is highway robbery. *tr

The brake light went out on the driver side. luckily i was pulled over by a police officer who was courteous to let me know the rear driver-side brake light was out. i believe this a hazard that toyota has failed to correct because the led brake light bulbs are not repairable/replaceable, an since the led had failed and the driver-side taillight assembly is now useless and non-functional. i went to the toyota dealer and they quoted my 800 dollars to replace the taillight including labor. i don't like how the led brake light is intended for over 100,000 hours of life but hadn't lasted more than four and a half years of use. and the worst part of the situation is that the led bulbs are not replaceable/repairable and thus a greater difficulty to repair and bring back to safe operating condition. *tr

Either or both high-intensity headlights turn off while driving without driver input. this is the exact same problem described in the class action settlement for 2006-2009 prius vehicles. according to the lawsuit, the headlights prematurely fail by flickering or turning off intermittently, often requiring costly repairs. although toyota has denied these claims, girard gibbs llp is pleased to announce that the parties reached a proposed settlement that has been granted preliminary court approval. among other things, the settlement will provide: ' a free warranty extension for hid headlight bulb and electronic control units (through the earlier of 5 years and 50,000 miles); and ' cash reimbursements to many class members who paid for headlight repairs. unfortunately, my vehicle year was not included in the class. however, as previously stated, the problem with my vehicle is identical to those in the suit. the repair cost me $593.75. i contacted toyota and asked them to reimburse me for the repair. their response was that my vehicle is no longer under warranty and my vehicle year is not part of the class action suit. they will not reimburse me for the repair. however, the vehicles in the class action suit were no longer under warranty. updated 05/04/11

Intermittent headlight problem passenger headlight turns off intermittently while driving when i turn the lights all the way off then back on again the light will work again for a while. i have been stopped by police twice so far. *tr

Driver's side headlamp turns off intermittently. no pattern identified. no solution except cycling headlamp switch sometimes works, sometimes not. this began after headlamp was replaced after it began dimming noticeably and producing light of a pinkish color. no further repairs attempted because can't reproduce problem reliably e.g. when in repair shop. *tr

We are have a problem with our 2005 toyota prius. the headlights (one or both) goes out without warning. the is a known safety problem with headlights on the prius. toyota will not issue a recall because they have not been directed to by the government. *tr

2005 toyota prius, repeated headlight failure. i have been issued three police summonses for headlight failure and have only owned this vehicle for two years. i replaced both headlights three weeks ago and the passenger headlight is out again. *tr

My 2005 prius' right headlight (hid) turns off. after turning the lights off and back on, it lights up again. it's very strange because if the bulb was dead, it wouldn't come back on. just recently, someone made me aware of the issue. but, who knows how long it has been going on. there is no pattern or unique incident that causes the bulb to turn off and on. it happens multiple times on trip between 2-4 miles (sometimes more than 2 or 3 times on a short trip). since i became aware of the issue, i don't take the car on long trips. my local mechanic said "dead bulbs don't turn on and off, they just stay off." sometimes my bulb will stay on for 10-20 minutes, then go out. doesn't sound broken to me. the mechanic told me the ballast could have a problem, but that costs several thousand dollars to fix (not to mention replacing one bulb is like 200 dollars).. *tr

We purchased a toyota 2005 prius in august of this year. it had 92,000 miles on it but was in exceptional condition. just this week october 15 the passenger side headlight started blinking and one day later went out. *tr

Toyota prius headlights- the replacement cost for one bulb is ridiculously high- about $199 plus labor ($110). the new lightbulb overheats after two minutes and turns off. if i turn the lights on and off again the bulb will come back on--for two minutes at a time. this is incredibly dangerous. i hear a new bulb is coming out to remedy the problem, but since mine was "used" i cannot return it for an exchange when the new bulbs come in. because it is halogen, they will only guarantee the bulb if they install it. it's a monopoly. we are stuck paying their high prices for the bulb-- and are required to go to the dealership to change a simple headlight. (although i dare not mention the installation process, which is anything but simple-- including removing the bumper!) *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that the headlights failed and would not illuminate. the contact became aware of the headlight failure when she was pulled over by a police officer. the headlight switch had to be moved to on and off position several times for the headlights to illuminate. one headlight was replaced, however the failure was not corrected. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage was 103,754 .

2005 toyota prius with hid headlights which has self leveling feature. have noticed for a while the headlights are shining low, can't see sufficiently ahead of car. headlights can not be manually adjusted. found online several reports indicating the control module that sends the leveling message to control the headlights which is mounted on the driver side rear axle fails when water enters the device and corrodes the unit. poor contruction of this unit lead to water infiltration and has resulted in a dangerous situation due to the poor headlight performance. toyota has been contacted and they have not answered if a recall is warrented even though apparently the malfuncioning unit has been redesigned to stop water infiltration nor will they provide the necessary repair without charging for it. *tt

Driver's side hid headlight on my 2005 prius goes out intermittently. if i turn the headlights off and then back on, the bulb stays lit for a little while, until it happens again. from what i'm reading on the internet, this is a common problem that toyota is aware of but will not resolve. this is a safety issue - it's difficult to see with only one functional headlight. i paid good money to get the upgraded headlights, toyota should stand behind their products and fix the problem. *tr

2005 toyota prius: headlights turn off intermittently. happens each time vehicle is driven, even on very short drives. it is necessary to turn headlights off, and on to get lamps to work again. occasionally, both lamps go out at the same time. very dangerous! i have children, and am fearful of driving with them in this vehicle at night because of this issue. i have told my toyota dealership about this issue, and was told they are aware of the issue, and i should turn them off and on to resolve. they also told me to replace would be over $400/each. additionally, i'm fearful i will get a moving violation while driving at night. *tr

2005 toyota prius experienced headlamp failure at 90,000 miles. since both headlamps failed at the same time, and n both regular and high-beam modes, the problem seems to be with the electrical circuit for the headlamps. dealer quotes $1200 to fix. seems like a rip-off. *tr