Problems with 2005 Toyota Prius EXTERIOR LIGHTING

2005 prius with the same headlight issues as stated in pe09019. i understand this investigation has been closed, but i wanted to register another prius user with a similar issue. *tr

While driving our 2005 toyota prius, my wife was traveling at 65mph, at night when the right headlight went out. a moment later, all forward lighting failed. she cycled the headlight "on-off" switch and the good left headlight relit. a few minutes later all went dark again. she turned the headlight "on-off " switch off then on, and the left headlight relit. this repeated several times until she got home. on monday, 10-2-09 we took the car to san luis obispo toyota for repair. they had it till 10-5-09,replacing the right headlight, at a cost of $528.82. on 10-20-09 while i was driving on us101 at 65 mph in the dark, the left headlight went out. a moment later all forward lights went out. due to my wife's previous experience, i cycled the headlight "on-off" switch and got the right headlight to relight. this sudden loss of lighting recurred 2 more times prior to the sun rising enough so that i did not need the headlights. on 10-28-09, after returning from a trip, i had the left headlight replaced at miller toyota in anaheim at a cost of $362.31. on both occasions of the lighting failure the vehicle was traveling at 65mph, or approx. 100 feet per second. it took approx. 5 to 10 seconds to recognize the defect and make a correction that relit the lights. the vehicle traveled from 500 feet to 1000 feet per incident. fortunately there was no collision. at neither toyota dealer, were we advised that this was a recurring problem on prius's, which i found out on-line. *tr

The left headlight on my 2005 prius doesn't stay lit, but it will come back on if lights are turned off and then back on. the light will got out intermittently, staying on for about 5 minutes and then going out again. this is a safety concern. i have read other similar complaints, including on this website. i consider this to be very dangerous. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. while driving 70 mph at night the driver-side head-light failed. the driver was able to continue vehicle operation. the following day the passenger headlight became inoperative. the vehicle has not been repaired at this time for the malfunction. the failure and current mileages were 125,000. the vehicle identification number was unavailable.

My headlights went out on my 2005 prius while driving down the freeway at night in a storm... the only means i had to find my way to the side of the road was listening to the sound of the bumps on the side. i pulled over and sat in the darkness wondering if a car would come around the corner and hit me. i turned off my car and restarted it. the lights came on again and i was able to get to safely. i went into the local dealership and just found out that the lights needed to be replaced at about $1,000.00. that is ridiculous. this is a dangerous problem. i have had full care on my vehicle as recommended by the toyota company through my local dealership. i feel that this problem is potentially life threatening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my heart still races everytime i think about how that felt to be in the dark without knowing where i was on the road!!!!! please do something to help the next victim, who may not be so lucky. *tr

I have a 2005 prius i purchased in 10-2004. my problem is the same as the 338 plus previously reported problems with the hid headlights going out. the passenger light started going out at around 50,000 miles. it was at the time easily corrected by turning the headlights off and on again. when driving in town it is sometimes hard to tell if the headlight has gone out without leaning forward or watching for the headlights reflecting off a car in front of me. this has been mostly annoying until the driver's side headlight started doing the same thing. now it is dangerous. i do not feel safe driving my car at night because at any time not knowing the right light is out the driver side light will go out and i am driving with no headlights. the first time this occurred was returning from a long trip, driving 65 mph, 12:30 am. all of a sudden i had no headlights. luckily this had not occurred 40 miles earlier in my travels. i would have been driving on interstate, 65 mph through two way road construction, perhaps around a curve. i had three teenage passengers with me. it could have been disastrous. at times it now takes two or three attempts to get the headlights back on. the cost to repair, per my local toyota dealer is $300.00 each for the part that controls the headlight. this does not include replacement cost. *tr

Both hid headlights will turn off without notice while driving. turning lights off and back on will generally get these to go back on but that is dangerous. also, hid leveling system fails intermittently causing headlights to change position drastically. *tr

On my 2005 toyota prius, the passenger side headlight started turning pink when i turned on the lights. now it doesn't turn pink anymore but is quite dim -- about 30 percent of the brightness of the other headlight. my toyota dealership said to bring it in for repair but it would cost at least $400-$500. *tr

Headlights on 2005 prius go out. i have replaced them twice and they intermittently go out still. too much moisture in the air they go out. sometimes they will come back on if i turn them on and off. the drivers side headlight goes out and stays out for weeks. *tr

The hid headlights on my 2005 toyota prius started blinking on and off and then failed. only one light went out but i was afraid both would go. toyota wants $380 for the bulb, which is only $80 from sylvania and they want $125 for labor. to replace. i found out online that the bulbs keep going out or blinking so i don't want to spend that much money over and over. bulbs are a safety issue and if they are defective or the system is defective they should be recalled. *tr

I own a 2005 toyota prius, and the headlights have both gone out. they are supposed to last 10 years. for a while, when i turned off the headlights and turned them back on, they would work. however, they do go out when i am on the road quite often. i have been quoted by the dealership that replacing a single lightbulb will cost over $400 including parts and labor. this is a safety issue because i drive to work in the early in the morning and late at night, and my headlights do not function reliably. i have heard this complaint from other prius owners, who are otherwise happy with their vehicles. for a lightbulb that is supposed to last 10 years, this is definitely a faulty and dangerous part issue. *tr

I have a 2005 toyota prius. at first the lh headlight would internittently go out. it would also come on during my drive also. then my rh headlight would do the same. i have had four instances where both headlights have gone out completely leaving me in a serious situation since i live in a rural area with no street lighting and curvey roads. i have read online of the thousands of people blogging and complaining of their same problems. i was told by lancaster, ca. dealership it needs headlamps replaced. online people all state they haved had them replaced and the problem still exists. mine goes out sometimes minutes after turning on the car. other times it goes for about 20 minutes before shutting off. it is random and seems to have no pattern. i do not believe it is only the headlamps because of what the numerous people online have said is the result after their headlights being changed. it still goes out on them, just every 30 minutes not every 20 seconds they write. this is not acceptable. i have also tried like the online people suggest by turning on the switch back and forth. it works so how could it be the lamp only? the dealership wants $600. to change the lights. i say they need to address this. *cn

Front passenger headlight goes on and off. it is a 2005 prius. getting more so that it is off more than on. *tr

While driving our vehicle (2005 toyota prius) the driver's side headlight just goes off without notice. unable to repair due to it costing approx $800.00 to replace bulb. tonight the passenger side headlight also went out. it will go back on if we turn off the headlights then turn them back on. we live outside of city limits. imagine driving in the dark and your headlights go out. *tr

Hid front left bulb -- failure to light consistently. *tr

Left highbeam intermittent on my 2005 prius. *tr

The hid headlamps in my 2005 prius are pointing downward. i've read online of other complaints and an investigation and wanted to add my instance of the issue as well. *tr

We have a 2005 prius. the passenger side headlight started to flicker about a month ago. finally failed completely. estimate for replacing both bulbs 105.00 labor 376.00 for each bulb. total of $850.00. this is crazy and unsafe. i am forced to drive around with one headlight out, waiting for the other to fail, because i don't have $850.00. the car only has 53,000 miles on it. this is just wrong. toyota needs to do something to fix this problem. *tr

Failure of hid front left lightbulb in 2005 toyota prius; $420+ quote to replace it at dealer. *tr

Just purchased certified used toyota prius, 2005 - driving at night last week and drivers head light went out. next day they both worked but after a few miles noticed in back of another car it went out again, now it's got my attention and i notice it all the time randomly. googled it and found its like that on 2005-2008 prius' with hid lights and that i should file a claim. called toyota today they are going to have someone call me back tomorrow. *tr

Passenger side headlight and parking light stopped working. had a new headlight bulb put in about 8 weeks before the lights stopped working. *tr

In 2009 was the first time the warning light was displayed regarding the headlight leveler sensor. contacted toyota and because it was out of warranty, they would not repair unless we paid in full for repairs. advised the sensor alone was approx. $400, plus whatever labor is involved. have lived with the intermittent warning light coming on and going off ever since. in december of 2011, began having problems with the passanger side headlight going off for no reason. replaced the bulb and it still goes off intermittently while driving. if the headlamp switch is turned off and back on from inside the car, the headlight comes back on. i see that there was a recall for similar issues recently; however, it only covered toyota prius vehicles year 2006 and newer. i've gone on several prius chat sites, and apparently other 2005 prius owners have the same issues. i would like to know why other year prius were not included in the recent recall. *tr

Hid headlight automatic leveling system failure causing headlights to go to fixed downward position. as a result, headlights don't safely illuminate the road. i have had no accidents as a result. *tr

Both the right and left headlights will intermittently go off. the lights will come back on if they are turned off and then back on. both headlights have not went off at the same time but at different times from each other. *tr

Toyota prius hid headlights blink off and on. sometimes stay off until switched off, and back on. repair cost including labor, bulb and new hid driver "chip" excessive at $1,200 per side. driving with unreliable headlights is dangerous. *tr

Sudden headlight failure, if i turned off the headlight and turned it back on again it will turn on again. but it will randomly turn off again. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. intermittently the head-lamps fail without warnings. usually the head lights resume normal operation after driving for several minutes. the manufacturer will only cover the cost of the parts not the labor. the current mileage was 45,000. the failure mileage was 40,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that the drivers side headlight would intermittently stop illuminating. the contact stated that she would have to turn the headlights on and off several times in order to keep the light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the lights fixture needed to be replaced. the dealer also stated that this was a widespread issue. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 96,000.

While driving my car, a 2005 toyota prius, the headlights will just stop working. it began with the right headlight, sometimes it is both headlights. the headlights will sometimes come back on if they are turned off and then back on, sometimes the car must be turned off and then on again. the dealer has said that it could be fixed by replacing the entire headlight unit (not just the bulb) at over $300 each or possibly the computer control board at over $1000. this is a recurring issue. because it is now affecting both headlights, the car cannot be driven at night. *tr

About 3 months ago my headlights on my 2005 prius started to go out then come back on. at first i assumed it was a headlight that needed to be replaced but when i was going to buy the headlights i was told if it was a dead headlight...it would never come back on. my warranty was about to expire. i took it into the dealer in wisconsin and they said they had fixed it. however i could see up against the wall that it was not. i told them i would not leave till they fixed it. they gave me back the car and the headlights worked for a few days then started the on off thing again. problem is you are not sure when it happens...if the road is lit at all it's harder to tell. but i when i had to make a trip out east there were roads with no light so all that was seen was the parking lights. i thought i was going blind. i have heard from others that this has happened to many and i will be joining a class action law-suit. this is life threatening and toyota knows very well about it and all the dealers are just pretending not to. there must be a recall right away!!!! to add insult to injury, now the air conditioning heating is all messed up and my windows fog up and i can't get them to clear. it's a mess! *tr

The headlights on my toyota prius go off and on randomly. *tr

The headlight on my 2005 prius goes out. if i turn off the head light completely and wait a while and then turn it back on, it comes back. it repeats this issue constantly. *tr

Passenger side headlight turning off intermittently. i understand this is a common complaint with prius and that repair costs are significant. this is a huge safety issue - headlights turning themselves off while driving.... *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. the contact stated that the headlights have been failing without warning over the last two months. while driving 65 mph, the two front headlights failed. he was able to safely maneuver the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. when he turned off and restarted the vehicle, the headlights illuminated again. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the hid bulbs were failing. the technician stated that the warranty would not cover the failure; therefore, the contact would have to pay $575 for the repair. the vehicle has not been repaired. a report was filed with the manufacturer and they stated that they would call the contact back. the failure mileage was 82,000 and current mileage was 96,000.

Like so many other complaints i've read today, i am experiencing problems with one of the headlights turning off intermittently, without reason (it happens when just sitting idle). when the light goes off, i flip the headlight switch off and on, and it comes back on. it will then remain on for a while (could be 30 minutes, or it could be 2 minutes). i was told that this is unlikely to be the hid bulb or ballast. i have read many complaints on different forums. this is a serious safety concern, and toyota should find the cause, and recall for repairs. *tr

Events leading to failure: ordinary driving. the failure: right headlight stops working. frequency: hard to tell since i can't see the headlights while driving. can only get indirect evidence such as light reflecting from the car in front of me-if it is close. when i first noticed this, about a year ago, it was infrequent. the frequency has increased as far as i can tell to the point that i believe it is daily now, although still not constant. no consequences so far, but potential for wrecks at night is obvious, and driving without headlights is a crime, i think-certainly unwise. over the last year i have taken the car into the dealer twice when i thought the headlight was malfunctioning, but when i got to the dealer, it was on. today when i took it in, it was malfunctioning. at the dealership over the last year, i have been quoted repair prices by the dealer, from $600 to $1700 (for both lights), the latter being recommended. the request for incident date below is inappropriate since there have been hundreds of incident dates. i am completing it since the form will not allow me to continue if i don't select a single date. the selection of one date below is not a waiver of the many other dates. *tr

Passenger side headlight fades then goes out. turning the switch off/on will turn the headlight on again 'but still it goes out. *tr

Left headlamp will not stay lit. turning lights off and back on again re-lights it. replacing bulb has not helped. found on the internet that others are having the same problem. feel that toyota should recall the vehicles to fix the problem. *tr

I have a 2005 prius and have an intermittent problem with the head lights. one of them will turn off but if i turn off the lights and turn them back on, the headlight comes on. i have heard of similar problems with other prius, i feel this is a safety issue, and possible a design issue/flaw since the condition is intermittent (not related to loose wires per my toyota dealer) and could result in total loss of lights. so far, both headlights have not shut off at the same time, but both are affected. *tw

Left front headlight burned out. *tr

I have a 2005 toyota prius (pkg 6) with appr. 18,000 miles. about a month ago, by driver's side headlight started to go out (going off and on) until it finally went out completely. on february 27, 2009, i took the vehicle into the dealer (longo toyota in el monte, california), who told me i would have to spend $358 (parts and labor) for just the one headlight. after much discussion with the service rep at the dealer and the toyota sales rep, toyota agreed to pay for the replacement of both headlights with me paying for the labor of the replacement. the total cost to me for the labor was $201.76. if toyota hadn't agreed to pay for the replacement of the bulbs, i would have been out of pocket $716.14 (parts and labor). as it was, i still had to pay $201.76 for the labor. it is my opinion that a vehicle that is only 3-1/2 years old should not have to have it's headlights replaced. i also understand from talking to the service rep and doing further research that this is a common occurrence even in much younger prius'. i feel that this problem needs to be researched further by the nhtsa and a determination made on whether there needs to be an official recall for the headlight replacement problem on prius'. *tr

Tail light and both headlights went out within a few weeks of each other. folsom lake toyota charged by $450.00 to replace the first bulb that i purchased 4 weeks later from napa auto parts for $93.00. folsom lake toyota claims they ran a diagnostic and that there are no electrical problems four weeks before second headlight and license plate bulb went out. *tr

The headlights on my 2005 toyota prius randomly turn off while driving. sometimes one goes out, but when they both go out all of the lights inside the car go out too. when i turn the lights off and then back on they will work for a short time. additionally, after this started the electronic ignition began to have problems. i have replaced the bulbs several times. this has been a regular problem for about 3 months. we have received a warning ticket because of a headlight outage. *tr

I have a 2005 toyota prius. the headlights will go out, sometimes both, sometimes one or the other. however, they come back on when i turn them completely off and back on. this is a safety concern for obvious reasons, and can cause my vehicle to not pass inspection. there is no specific event that makes the headlights go off. it happens intermittently and unexpectedly. adding to the safety issue...i live in the country where there often are no shoulders on the highways or county roads, and no street lights. there are lots of steep ditches and creeks. when i first started having the problem and would completely turn off the lights and then turn them back on, they would stay on for a long time, sometimes several hours before going off again. now, they stay on only a few seconds to a few minutes. i've got two theories, one is that it could be a short??? -and the other that the cooler temperatures seem to affect it slightly, though neither of these seem to make logical sense. please check into this as other prius owners have had the same unresolved problem. we can't all just go replacing the computers and light bulbs at the high cost you sell them for, especially when it doesn't fix the problem...unless toyota wants to pay for it, of course, and then that's time without transportation. thanks for your consideration on this matter. *tr

Right headlight goes out intermittently. can turn light switch off/on and it will relight for a while. began having problem at about 95,000 miles. dealer said it's a bulb for $350. i declined to have it replaced. now the left headlight also goes out,. turning switch off/on will relight for a time. might have to turn off/on 4 or 5 times in a 6 mile trip. the dealer suggested that a filament might be broken and making intermittent connection. these are high intensity discharge lamps - i don't think they have filaments. i am currently searching on line for replacement parts to fix this myself. *tr

Passenger-side headlight goes out while driving. turning the lights off and then on again resolves the issue. i only notice this when i see the car's reflection in the rear of the car in front. *tr

Headlights intermittently turn on. left and right side sometimes do not turn on. they later turn on after multiple tries (turn on and off repeatedly). both lights turn off while driving. inspection at toyota dealer found possible fault with one headlight. cost to replace headlights estimated at $900. *tr

1. toyota prius hid light faulty. - the lights go off and when turned off and on come back up. 2. called the dealer and the dealer quoted - $350 per bulb and $300 in labor charges = $1000 to replace 2 head lamps. 3. logged a complaint with toyota. toyota said there was nothing wrong with the parts and offered a 50% reimbursement which still ends up to $500 out of pocket expenses just to replace 2 head lamps. *tr

2005 prius with hid headlamps that need replacing which will cost $450.00 each. this is an outrageous sum of money to pay for headlamps on a 4 year old vehicle. *tr

Headlight on 2005 prius intermittently fails. sporadic, but sometimes recurs every few minutes. turning the lights off and on quickly corrects problem essentially 100% of the time. estimate to replace bulb exceeded $400, and no guarantee the problem would be corrected. online searches shows this is not an isolated problem. others describe both lights going out simultaneously, an obvious hazard. *tr