Problems with 2007 Toyota Prius ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I owned a 2007 prius and lately it has these problems. the left head light goes out while driving more often than the right headlight. on several occasion, both headlights went out on it's own during driving. this is a serious problem that can lead to death if drivers were nears hazardous road such as california hwy 1 where drivers can fall off the cliff on turns with sudden headlights went out. to reset the lights by turn off and on again but the problem repeat with one light goes out every 5 minutes while driving. i think toyota needs to issue a recall before someone got serious injury from this clearly a flaw in design. steve *tr

Headlights go out while in on mode. *tr

I own a 2007 toyota prius and the driver headlight intermittently turn off. i can turn the headlight switch off and back on and it usually turns light back on for awhile. the dealer cost for the headlight was $300.00 plus. *tr

I've been having issues with my right headlight going out intermittently. if i cycle the power the headlight usually comes back on. the dealer says there's nothing wrong. i've been pulled over once for an equipment violation already. last night the headlight went out leaving me with limited visibility. as i rounded a corner i almost hit a deer standing on the shoulder as i couldn't see him/her due to the limited visibility. *tr

Driver's lights intermittently turn off. passenger light first went out, now both! defective hid lighting system. reported to dealer, only they simply want to charge me $500 to replace both lights. toyota refuses to address issue as defect. *tr

I have a 2007 toyota prius with about 40,000 miles on it now. at about 37,000 miles, my driver's side hid headlight would periodically go out while driving. soon afterwards, the passenger side headlight would go out, an once both went out. the lights would come back on if the switch was turned off and then back on. i had the car checked by toyota and had to replace the driver's side bulb for about $400. now, the passenger side bulb is starting to go off more frequently and will have to be replaced. i was shocked that these hid bulbs did not have a longer life, failed so suddenly and at their high cost of replacement. it is a serious danger to be driving at night and have your headlights fail, particularly when replacement is not a simple or inexpensive task. the bulbs are not easily accessible. public forums show that this is a common occurrence in the toyota prius, the replacements are from a different manufacturer and have no reported problems, yet no recall was made. *tr

I own and operate a 2007 toyota prius. to date i have been extremely satisfied with the vehicle. however, recently i have been experiencing intermittent failure of my passenger headlight and occasionally the brake light on the passenger side. this is a safety concern because i do not know when the light is on or off. the other day i was pulled over by the police and received a repair order. the cost from the dealer to replace the bulb is $535.00, apparently this is maintenance and a non warranty item. personally i think there is a design flaw if it requires a mechanic to change a lightbulb. i am posting a message here in hopes that this will convert into a safety recall. i am going to work with the dealer and toyota to try and get this repair covered. wish me luck! *tr

Started noticing my passenger side head light going out sporadically. just as the others, by turning them off, then on, the lights come back on. was actually stopped by a va state trooper, who advised his father-in-law had the same problem & that this was a manufacturer error. so, i took this issue to my dealer due to having an extended warranty. they called my warranty company before starting work to fix this $500 issue (which, all they did was replace the bulb). it then started occurring on my driver side. when i took it in to have this fixed / looked at, was advised the warranty company had denied the charge with the dealer & the dealer had comp'd the charge as a courtesy. based on these reports, i just called the dealer to advise them of these issues & am hoping for a resolution to this issue. *tr

I bought a 2007 toyota prius on august 1, 2007. i didn't have any issues with my car until august of 2008 when i started having issues with my headlights and tail lights (they would go off and then when i turned the lights off and flipped back on, they would come back on again). twice while driving at night, all of my lights went out (headlights, tail lights and dash board lights)! i brought car into dealer and they didn't know what was wrong but replaced the headlights (to the tune of $1200 a piece). i didn't have trouble with my headlights after than until this year (august of 2009). my passenger headlight is going out and then flipping back on for a bit (although the bulb seems dull) when i turn lights off and then back on again. the problem is they won't stay on and it seems insane to pay $2400 a year for what obviously seems to be a vehicle defect; not to mention the safety issue of only having 1 headlight that works or tail light and dashboard lights going out while driving at night! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact attempted to park the vehicle into the residence garage, driving at approximately 2 mph. suddenly, there was an unintended acceleration. the brakes were engaged and the vehicle continued to accelerate causing the vehicle to crash into a closet in the garage. the contact suffered injury to the neck area. the vehicle front bumper sustained damages. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. the identical failures occurred on two separate occasions with no injuries. in addition, the contact experienced malfunctions with the automatic ignition switch, windshield wipers, and the front driver and passenger side automatic window mechanism. the failures occurred sporadically. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was approximately 18,000. the vin was unavailable.

On a 2007 prius gas gauge showed 2 bars and was driving across a bridge in california when the gas engine stopped. looked at the gas gauge and it still showed 2 bars. was fortunate enough to be on a section of the bridge with a breakdown lane. 1/2 mile further on and we would have been stuck in one of the traffic lanes. the vsc, check engine, and hybrid system failure indicators where on - but not the low fuel!!! got towed to a dealer. service manager told us that the car was out of gas and that the "gas gauge was stuck" that's why it didn't show empty. he blamed it on the bladder design of the fuel tank and said it was "a design defect" that toyota new about. this is a significant safety issue - we could have been killed. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that the high intensity (hid) headlights would become inoperable intermittently. the dealer stated that there was a wire defect that caused the shortage in the headlights. the front driver's side headlight was replaced for $400 at the contact's expense. less than six months later, the passenger side headlight was replaced. in addition, the entire lighting assembly was replaced for $350 at the contact's expense. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 30,000 and current mileage was less than 48,000. updated 04-17-09 updated 04/21/09.*jb

Right headlight will not stay lit. goes on an off randomly. turning off the switch and back on will turn the light on for a random amount of time. nothing done yet to correct the problem. toyota implies that i am responsible for the cost to get it fixed. many reports on web indicate this is a very common problem with model year 2007 and 2008 prius. it may be an over heating of the computer that controls the lights and typically cost $1500 to $2000 to get it fixed. last night it was 46% and it stayed lit for the 27 mile trip home from work. summer months it fades out after the first 5 minutes of driving. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. he stated that he was unable to start the vehicle. the dealer stated that the battery died because the vehicle sat for more than ten days. the dealer charged the battery and there had been no further occurrences. the manufacturer stated that the battery cables should be disconnected when the vehicle sits for 7-10 days in order to prevent the failure. the contact felt that the remedy was unsafe. the current and failure mileages were 5,800.

Tl*- the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact attempted to start the ignition. the engine failed to start as a result of a dead battery. the engine functioned after a jump-starting the vehicle. the failure occurred on two separate occasions, and approximately two weeks after the first occurrence. the battery had been replaced twice. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer with an estimation of five different times. a specialist diagnosed the vehicle and stated the vehicle was operating normally. the failure mileage was unknown. the current mileage was 35,000.

My head lights in my 2007 toyota prius turn off for no reason. sometimes it is just the right headlight but more recently it is both headlights. the dealer said that the original lights were faulty and that there is a new bulb (2nd generation) that will fix the problem. they want $587 to fix a problem that they admitted that was faulty. i have had it into repair shops that tell me the headlights are not the problem its the computer and the dealer tells me its not the computer. this started in early 2008. *tr

The headlights on my 2007 prius goes out constantly especially at night time there which causes total darkness and blindness. when i flip the switch they will come back on for a while. i know you know about this problem. i feel you should make toyota recall these cars. the dealer will charge 300.00 per headlight to replace the bulb but we know that is not the problem. they wouldn't come back on if it was the light.. please please do something!! its terrifying and very dangerous. the liability for you and toyota will be great should fatalities occur. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

1. sitting in traffic only rt. 287 n. the battery level dropped quickly and significantly to the point of my being unable to engage the electric engine which is the initial method of sending power to the wheels. 2. consequences: bumper to bumper traffic had to be directed around me which caused more traffic and put me in danger of becoming involved in an accident. 3. investigated possible recall but none was documented. *tr

All late model toyota gas electric autos. i find them very dangerous in parking lots, as they can and do backup with no noise. i was almost run over by one on a foggy day last week. the driver never turned on light and didn't see me when backing out of parking spot. i was able to get out of the way that time. suppose i had been blind? not a sound to let me know the car was there. i really think the car company should install a backup alarm of some sort on all these autos. *tr

I have a 2007 prius, starting around 39,000 miles, i noticed my right headlight was out, but the next time i started my car it was working. after a few weeks i noticed both the left and right headlights would randomly go out. i took my car into the dealer multiple times, but when i was at the dealership they could not duplicate the problem. i was told to bring my car back when the problem existed. i took my car in to the dealer and at that time both lights were out, at the same time. the tech that wrote up my ticket saw both lights out, the reached in the drivers side window and turned the lights off, then back on. both lights worked, they kept the car overnight and could not duplicate the problem. i have since taken in the car and duplicated the problem, the service manager was made aware of this problem. they checked my car out and suggested to change both hid lights and the computer that controls each light, one for each side. the cost of this repair will be over $1,500. lately this failure occurs consistently everytime i start the car. i drive to work at 5:00am in the morning so this problem poses a hazard as now both lights will go out at the same time. i have had cars flash their lights when i have not notice both lights have gone off. the lights now seem to dim, then go out so i do not notice when the street lights are bright. i have read on priuschat.com/forums, that this is a problem that many people have written in to complain. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph, proceeding to a traffic light. while coming from a complete stop with the accelerator pedal depressed; the pedal was non responsive. the consumer turned the engine off and then restarted it. the vehicle accelerator pedal became operable. in addition, on a separate occasion traveling at 45 mph the vehicle began to decrease in speed. the identical failure occurred without warning. the manufacturer was notified on two separate occasions, and he advised her to have the vehicle taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. the authorized dealer was unable to duplicate the failure or detect any diagnostic codes. the vehicle has not been repaired for the malfunction. the failure mileage was 1,000. the current was 15,500. updated 08/03/10. *lj the consumer stated she has experienced a sudden loss of power while driving. when she applied the accelerator pedal there was no response. she tried shifting into drive several times, and there was still no response. updated 09/02/10*jb

2007 toyota prius. consumer states vehicle is a lemon. *tgw the consumer stated she had numerous problems with the vehicle. the battery was dead, but tested good, the touch screen display was inoperable due to a loose connection at the rear of the multi display/ hatch area. a short wire was found. the battery died five more times due to a short. the headlight bulbs had to be replaced, due to them going out after driving for an hour. the hid module had an intermittent short. *jb

2007 toyota prius only high beam headlights worked. consumer states that the switch works and the light on the dashboard for the high beams work but the headlights will not switch from high to low. *kb the dealer stated the fuse box needed to be replaced. *jb

Toyota sold me a brand new prius with a headlamp not working. after i signed all the purchase papers, they pointed out that the right headlamp was not working and told me that it was alright to drive home and return the next days for repair. after four or five trips to the toyota service department, they replaced the defective control unit. at a later date when the car had about 50,000 miles, i was driving on a freeway from los angeles to menifee, ca, at night in the hov lane. i seemed to have difficulty seeing the road and thought something was wrong with my eyes. so i switched lanes to the slow lane where, with less glare from the oncoming cars, i realized that both headlamps were not working. this was a dangerous situation on the high speed crowded freeway, so i pulled off the road at the next exit. toyota replaced the headlamps, and i was compensated for the cost of repair upon the outcome of a class action lawsuit. recently i noticed that the headlamps were failing again at around 115,000 miles. immediately i had toyota repair both headlamps, as i didn't want to experience the hazard of both headlamps failing again. from my personal experiences, there is a dangerous design flaw in the prius that must be addressed especially before both headlamps fail again. i am concerned the next time the headlamps fail i will have no advanced symptoms and both might fail again simultaneously while i'm on the road at night. *tr

Indicator lights flashed. malfunction indicator lamp stayed on. at 2,644 miles, 12 v. battery dead & replaced. i was told to keep the gas tank half or a quarter full or the reserve gas tank would cause the car to run on battery. the battery might have died because the car sat too long before it was sold/at 8,879 miles, i went in. after filling the gas tank & taking out the nozzle, gas spewed & bubbled out. the car stalled while driving slowly & while in park. indicator lights flashed. the malfunction indicator lamp and master warning lights stayed on. it took 5 min. to turn off the car. i started the car. those lights stayed on. i was told i left the "trunk door" open & ran down the battery. (not true.) there is a gasket around the access hole and if a person "is a little bit off," the gas will regurgitate. (i was not " off" & did not top off the tank.) they reprogrammed the computer. the gas tank had not been filled so i knew they did not fill the gas tank and try to recreate the situation as they said they would. i bought gas at a different pump. i stopped at a stop light. i could feel a loss of power in the car. when i pushed the gas pedal, the car would not move. i turned the car off and on 3 times before it would move. it crept slowly through the intersection as the traffic signal turned red. i took the car in at 8,936 miles. i was told if my problem is associated with the battery that was taken out of my car, it is not at repair person's responsibility because he did not touch my battery. when a battery is disconnected for a certain amount of time, if something is not reset, it could cause problems. then, he said no trouble found/my car stalled and/or had a loss of power. i took it in at 9,014 miles. no trouble found. i was told that my problems could have been caused by a faulty gas pump overfilling my tank. the gas station is new. the manager said the pumps were inspected. ...

Vehicle does not achieve advertised fuel consumption performance. i have complained about this since the first service visit. today a factory technician got unachievable results suggesting that our real world experience after 29,000 miles with the vehicle is normal. he claimed to have gotten 66.984 mpg after a 42.2 miles of 55 mph highway and "in town" driving, noting only that an out of fuel fault had never been cleared. *tr

The mileage is between 30 and 35 mpg, which is a long ways from the sticker claim. the headlight goes on and off intermittently, even though replaced several times. second headlight is also failing. the blower works only intermittently, usually after hitting a large bump in the road. *tr