Problems with 2007 Toyota Prius EXTERIOR LIGHTING

We own a 2007 toyota prius 4-d hybrid hatchback. for the last several months the headlights on the car turn off randomly after the car is started. sometimes it is one light or the other and sometimes it is both. this happens whether on dim or bright. the correction is to turn the lights off and then back on, which resolves the issue for a little while. on a one and half hour drive (daily commute) this takes place 3-4 times. the consequences of the light failure is either limited visibility on the side that is out or loss of visibility if both lights go out at the same time. the toyota dealer will only replace them if i pay for the repair of their defect. *tr

2007 toyota prius with high-intensity-discharge headlight failure. consumer states that the headlights begin to flicker or have intermittent failure. *kb the consumer was informed the parts would be free of charge, but he would be responsible for the labor. the consumer was informed the labor was $204.00. updated 06/08/10.*jb

I have a 2007 toyota prius that has the hid lights. the lights sometimes go out when driving, either the right or left. this had started once the car rolled over 36000 miles (after the warranty expired) i cannot afford to fix this problem which i believe toyota should be responsible for especially when the dealer i bought the car from says it will be around a $1300 repair. i believe this is a safety problem if the light sometimes turns off but then works later. i did not care if the car i bought had the hid lights or not. the car on the lot had the hid lights and it was going to cost more to downgrade the lights and have another car brought in. had i known i would have this kind of problem i would have paid to have the standard lights. *tr

Headlights (hid) both work intermittently everyday since car was one year old. *tr

I have a toyota prius 2007. i have 2 safety issues that i have complained to the dealer about but they are unable to fix so they ignored my concerns after realizing they could not fix the problem. first problem is the head lights. when driving at night the high beams do not shine on the road but shine into the trees. they say there is no adjustments for it. also people think i am shining my high beams at them when i am not. they are just too high....also the headlights do no illuminate the sides of the car and road so when making turns at night you cannot see where you are turning. i have to approach turns very very slowly because i cannot see the roads when turning. everyone that drives my car complains about this noticeable problem however toyota wont address it because they say there is no adjustment. 2nd problem their slip differential. whether there is snow on the ground or not when the tires start to slip they loose all power to the wheels. i have been in intersections when this has occurred and was almost hit. even when trying to drive over the stop in the car wash...sometimes i am unable to power over the bump. i get stuck often. again toyota says this is a normal function of the car. not something i would expect from a $24,000 car. our values have plummeted and there is no recourse for it. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph at night, one of the front headlights would suddenly shut off and occasionally both of the headlights would shut off which made it difficult to drive at night. the contact had to turn the vehicle off and restart it. the contact stated that she is familiar with nhtsa, pe09019, exterior lighting, headlights investigation. the failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

The headlights on my 2007 prius keep going off. one was replaced during warranty period. the car was less than a year old. the other went out 4 months later, less than 18 months old and was not covered by warranty. lights that last than 18 months are defective. i have been repeatedly approached by other prius owners with similar problems. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving over any potholes in the road at speeds of over 10 mph, the traction warning light would illuminate on the instrument panel. the vehicle also made a loud grinding noise while depressing the brake pedal and they would not engage. the contact confirmed that the brakes felt as if they were "locking." the manufacturer and a local dealer were contacted, both of which were not willing to offer any assistance. no repairs were made to the vehicle. on a separate occasion, the headlights intermittently failed to operate. the dealer replaced the bulbs in both headlights. there were no recalls. the failure mileage was under 1,000 and the current mileage was 20,400. updated 03/04/10. *lj updated 05/10/10

Random, intermittent failure of either hid headlamp. started around 48,000 miles. turning the headlamp switch off and on again reignites the failed light, until the next random failure. the dealer is replacing the computer(s) that control the lights. they want to replace the lamps, but they cost $400, and are not covered under warranty. *tr

Received another inspection ticket for no headlight. this happens on this car approximately every other month or so, where one headlight just stops working. this has happened at least 30 times since we bought this car new. sometimes you can just go out and bang on the headlight area and it comes on, and sometimes it doesn't and you have to replace the bulb. do you know how much it costs to replace a prius headlight bulb? anywhere from $600 to $1000 at a dealer, according to internet sources. luckily i can go to a parts place and pick one up for about $17.00 and do it myself, but this is getting ridiculous. this seems to be a problem with all prius'. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. since january of 2008 the right headlight failed intermittently when the headlight switch was turned off for a few seconds it operated normally. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the light bulb assembly needed to be replaced. the contact was concerned that the light bulb failure was a manufacturers defect; therefore, he should not pay for the repair. the manufacturer will be contacted. the headlight wasn't repaired. the failure mileage was 20,000. the current mileage was 95,000.

Intermittent and unexpected failure of both headlight bulbs (independent of each other, and not usually at same time). turning headlights off then on will usually remedy the situation temporarily. has been happening for about 18 months, possibly more. started when vehicle only had about 35,000 miles. one time almost had an accident driving at night, other driver said that she did not see me approaching due to headlight failure. has not been corrected. *tr

Headlights on 2007 prius go out unexpectedly. i have called toyota and they will not acknowledge the issue. *tr

My 2007 prius front headlamps overheat and without warning go out and then will work again once it cools off. toyota replaced one while in warranty but refuses to do the other since car is now out of warranty. they say "use headlamps only when absolutely necessary". this is a $300. item to replace. toyota knows of problem and now says they will charge only $150 for parts. this should be a recall item. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving at various speeds, either the left, right, or both headlights would fail. the dealer stated that the failure was the contact's responsibility. the toyota manufacturer agreed to pay for the parts, but not the labor. the current mileage was 42,000 and failure mileage was 20,000.

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

I purchased a new 2007 pruis in june of 2007. in dec., 07, the driver side headlight assembly got water in it. the dealer replaced under warranty. in mar. 08, passenger side headlight went out. the dealer replaced under warranty. aug.13, 09, driver side headlight went out again. dealer said it was no longer covered under the 1 yr warranty and i would be responsible for the almost $400 cost. not being happy about that ...... dealer did agreed to pay for replacement. 1 week later, aug. 22, 09, passenger side headlight .... out again. as well as the marker bulb on same side. dealer has agreed to replace bulb if i pay a $48 charge. while i understand that is a great discount and appreciate them working with me, i am boggled that i have had 4 headlights replaced on a car that is 2 years old and no one seems to feel this is a problem. i am tired of being told "headlights go out" , i believe this is a safety issue and should be investigated. it only takes typing in "prius headlight problems" on google to see the several hundred if not thousands of complaints in the forums for this very same problem. is it possible that it is not the bulb that is the real issue, but rather something bigger? please investigate. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the hid headlight bulbs became inoperative while driving less than 45 mph. the headlights illuminated intermittently. the dealer replaced the bulbs under warranty and stated that the failure should not persist. on a separate occasion, while driving 40 mph, the headlights failed again. the dealer stated that the bulbs needed to be replaced a second time in less than a year. the estimated repair cost would be $300 per bulb. the failure mileage was 25,000 and current mileage was 42,000. updated 2/5/09 *cn updated 02/10/09. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that when driving at various speeds, the headlights would intermittently fail or activate independently. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where they replaced the bulbs yet the vehicle continued to experience the headlight failure. the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 10,000. updated 09/28/11*lj the consumer stated one of the headlights was replaced under warranty. after the warranty expired, the other headlight started to fail. updated 10/07/11

Starting in november 2007, one of the hid headlights occasionally goes out. i think it can be either one. the first couple of times i thought it was the passenger's side but i did not stop to find out. the last time it was the driver's side for certain. turning them off and back on fixes the problem. sometimes it happened several times on one trip (less than one hour). i looked on prius online then here. when i saw other incidents i decided to make a complaint. i will take the car to the dealer in the next month for service. *tr the dealer service manager contacted toyota before doing any work on my vehicle. the told him to replace both hid bulbs, which he did. he was told that the bulbs overheat and cut out. the problem nolonger occurs, but as of this writing it has only been a month.

Starting in november 2007, one of the hid headlights occasionally goes out. turning them off and back on fixes the problem. sometimes it happened several times on one trip (less than one hour). i looked on prius online then here. when i saw other incidents i decided to make a complaint. i took the car to the dealer. light was fixed. *tr

The headlights on the 2007 prius turn off by them self. if you turn them off and back on they will be back on and turn off again, this is how i know it is not a lose wire. i worked with a fleet of prius and lexus hybrid cars. the prius has had this issue since 2006. multiple cars wit the same symptoms. the toyota dealership charges you up to $ 1,700 + to fix this issue. there are forums all over the net discussing this issue and many concern drivers on the road that do not know how to utilize the power of the internet. this is no longer a money issue, it has become a safety issue now. police have ticketed me over 5 times and i have gone to toyota and they charge me thousands. last week i almost ran over a little girl on a bike at dusk ...when i stopped and asked if she was ok she replied " i didn't see your lights sir, i am sorry" . *tr

Toyota prius hd headlights intermittently go out and then back on. when headlights go out, turning off and on will reset for several minutes. driving at night makes the headlight problem dangerous. lightbulbs are new, problem continues. *tr

2007 toyota prius, hid lights started going out at less than a year old. dealer would not replace. *tr

We have a 2007 toyota prius with high intensity head lamps. we noticed that within the first year of ownership the passenger headlight would do out without fading first. we also found out that if we turned our lights on and off they would come back on. i have been stopped by police 3 times because of this safety issue, been to the dealership twice (they can't duplicate my experience), and am finally headed back to them again. this is a safety issue as it occurs every time i drive with my lights on whether for safety or for light. this has not been a critical problem yet...let's not let it come to that before it is an issue with someone losing their life. *tr

Driver side hid headlight was lighted but failed during driving. driver side hid headlight would re-ignite after turning headlight switch off then on. *jb

Head lights on 2007 prius with 59987 miles keep going out and you have to turn them off to get them to come back on. dealership says it is going to cost 826.00 plus tax to fix the problem even though i have the platinum extended warranty. *tr

My 2007 prius has the hid headlamps, which are too costly to repair and will randomly go out while driving at night...clearly dangerous. i try to have the bulbs replaced and toyota dealer says its a 200.00 to 300.00 dollar job to repair (money that i do not have) while the car was still under warranty the las vegas dealer fixed the issue ( or i thought they did) but less then two years later i am having the same problem and now toyota will not repair it cause it is not under warranty. this is wrong they tried and failed to fix now i guess i am no longer a good customer. why will they not fix a danger situation. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Head lights - symptoms except that some times its the left, sometimes the right. if i turn the switch off and then back on corrects it. *tr

I have only had the 2007 prius since 06-22-07 so less then a month old when i pulled into garage after driving with headlights on and noticed the drivers side headlight was out. passengers works fine. i turned switch off then on and it came back on. took it to dealers they said they tested it and no problems found. 3 days later i pulled up in front of a reflective window and low and behold my drivers side headlight was out again. i go in wed, to have it looked at, i told them i want the whole socket replaced. no injury or ticket from police yet... but i live in dear country and i need good illumination to see where i am going so please post there may need a recall on this part. *tr

I bought a new 2007 prius and from the first 30 days of having the car i have had my headlight on the passenger side keep going out. i have taken it back to the dealer many times and they keep replacing the light bulb. i have been pulled over by the police 2 times because of it. they are now telling me that i will have to replace the light bulbs at $400.00 a shot because it is out of warranty. i will be driving at night and all of a sudden my light goes off. it isn't always the same side it goes back and forth. since i have seen that many other toyota prius owners are having the same problem i know that something is not right and toyota needs to stand behind fixing the problem. it is dangerous when you are driving down the highway at night and all of a sudden your lights don't work. *tr

Drivers side xenon headlight intermittently fails while driving. switching the headlights completely off and back on again restores functionality. unsure of frequency of occurrence as its difficult to know if a headlight fails until driving in a very dark area (i.e no roadlights, other cars, etc). seem to notice it occurring approximately twice per week. *tr

07 toyota prius touring edition, passenger and drivers headlamps continue to go out while driving. lights will illuminate after a power on and off but will extinguish after 3 secs. *tr

My 2007 toyota prius headlamps go out intermittently. i can turn them off and on...then they work. one of the headlamps was replaced...the problem still occurs. i informed the dealership. the dealership said it would cost $300 per lamp to replace. this been happening since i purchased the car. *tr

2007 toyota prius hid headlight failure. passenger side is intermittent,, quite often both lights will fail leaving no lights and a very dangerous situation. driver has no warning that headlights are off , especially during poor weather,, but daylight conditions. just after warranty period ended. dealer suggests bulbs,, others suggest controller. new (expensive) bulbs are probably only a temporary fix,, leading to continued future failures. *tr

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

One headlight intermittently but frequently fails; turning the light switch off and on will temporarily cure the problem. the local toyota service manager states that this is a common occurrence and that the electronic control unit integrated with the headlamp is probably at fault. since the front bumper has to be removed to gain access to the headlights, this is an expensive repair procedure. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated while driving, the headlights would become abnormally dim before failing intermittently. the contact would have to repeatedly switch the lights on and off before operating as normal. the dealer advised that the headlights would need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 70,000 and the current mileage was 79,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. since 2007, the contact thought that the headlights were intermittently dimming; however, a police officer notified him that the lights were off. the driver thought that the bulb caused the headlights to shut off; however, the failure was due to a chip in the computer. the headlights intermittently shut off and turned back on rapidly for approximately 2 hours and failed again within 15 minutes. the failure has occurred for since the vehicle was purchased in 2007. the contact attempted to find instructions on replacing the bulbs and found via the internet that the computer chip caused the failure instead of the bulbs. the dealer stated that they would diagnose the failure for $90. the contact stated that they do not need the dealer to diagnose the failure and has requested that the dealer make the necessary repair. the warranty has expired. the current and failure mileages were 57,000.

Driverside front headlight intermittently went out. took my automobile to original dealer on march 9, 2010 and it was replaced. during my conversation with the service advisor, he indicated that the passenger side headlight might experience the same problem. he was correct. on march 10, 2007 the passenger side began having the same problem. this is the same problem described in nhtsa -pe09019. i am concerned for my safety and others who will be affected. in addition i have no assurance that this replacement will not be required over and over at a very high dollar cost. please advise. *tr

2007 prius frequent failure of one hid headlight - mostly the left. have taken it to the dealer and he says he cannot repeat the failure. this happened 2 times a week for about 6 months, and is now becoming dangerous. *tr

My 2007 toyota prius with hid headlights has had intermittent headlight failure 7 times since the first occurrence in january 2007. i took my car to the service department of dealer from whom i bought the car new. the service writer told me that since the problem is intermittent and the headlights are currently working it is likely that they might not find the cause of the problem. so, i did not leave my car with the service writer. *tr

My vehicle is a 2007 toyota prius. the headlights have started to work intermittently. makes it very dangerous at night. replacement is very difficult and expensive, due to bad engineering/design. however, many owners report that even replacing does not always solve the problem, which seems to be a toyota prius -wide defect. for safety and consumer protection reasons, these should be recalled and repaired. *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