Problems with 2007 Toyota Prius EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I was driving down the highway and both headlights suddenly went out. the fog lights remained on. when we went inside a store and came back out to continue driving, they came back on again. they then failed again, both headlights, in a separate instance, turning themselves completely off while i was driving on the interstate, in an area with no lights, leaving me in the dark. i was able to resolve the issue this time by turning the light switch off and then back on again, but i am concerned this will continue to happen. i have done some research, and it seems this is an ongoing issue with prius' within the same year (and surrounding years) as mine, and something the company probably needs to deal with. *tr

I have been told a few times over the last couple of months now that we had a headlight out in our prius. i would later go back and investigate, flipping the lights back on to check. but the lights were on full blast, no problems. i dismissed this as people not seeing things correctly. obviously the headlights were working, that it until we got on the interstate last night and both of the headlights went out while we were driving 70mph. we managed to get home by the dim light of our fog lights, but this is very dangerous! fog lights were not meant for nighttime driving. when we got home, we started playing with the headlights again, and like magic, they decided they were going to start working again. they turned on full blast, no flickering or anything. looking up our issues today, apparently this is an issue with the hid headlights and is a common known problem for the prius. people have paid hundreds or even thousands of dollars to have their headlights replaced only to have the same thing happen again. seems like the guts of this car are flawed and need to be repaired. presently i'm stuck. i'm not going to spend hundreds of dollars to replace headlights that really don't need replacing when people are saying it does not good. toyota really need to address this. can't have headlights going out when you're going 70 on the interstate. someone is going to get killed from this. *tr

The passenger side headlight went out a few weeks ago. it came back on intermittently, and then both headlights went out. *tr

The hid headlights on my 2007 toyota prius appear to be defective. when i turn the lights on initially, they both illuminate, but the lights dim progressively, and after several minutes the lights are essentially dark. this occurs in both headlights and started only this month. this is a significant safety issue, as it is very dangerous to drive without working headlights (particularly when one assumes that the headlights are working since they turned on initially). it is my understanding that the issue is beyond replacing the hid headlight bulbs; according to the repair shop i visited, there may be a defect with the hid electronic control units (ecus). i understand as well that this is a defect that has occurred in numerous toyota prius vehicles and that toyota in 2011 agreed to a settlement of a class action lawsuit that provided some repair coverage for certain owners. *tr

Within approx. 5 minutes of starting my car with the headlights they automatically turn off. you are able to keep clicking them back on, but then they turn off again. thus making it impossible to drive at night, for fear of causing an accident. huge safety factor. *js

I was driving at 5:00 am on 5-3-14 to the beach and my headlights went out in complete darkness. luckily there was no other traffic around and i was scared to proceed on my trip. i turned the headlight switch and the headlights came back on. i proceeded on my trip with caution and when it got light i drove without my headlights and safely got to the beach. this incident could have resulted in a bad car accident and death since i was in complete darkness. what should i do ? *tr

While driving at night, on numerous occasions, either one or both headlights cease to function. by turning them off and back on again, they work for awhile, but then may or may not go out again depending on who knows what. my right headlight was replaced at 15,000 miles and the left one was replaced at 20,000 miles - both under warranty. i was told at the time that it would have cost me over $200 each if it was not under warranty. just looking at complaints for the 2007 prius cars for this year alone, 23 out of the 60 complaints on this website sound exactly like mine. i understand that this has been an issue with all the 2006-2009 toyota prius cars and that toyota somehow fixed this problem when they revamped the car in 2010. my dealer said to bring it in to see if it was a ballast problem or faulty lights--all very expensive to fix and there is no guarantee i won't have the same problem again in the near future. (see toyota chat line where folks have been charged up to $2500 only to have their lights go out again in a few months) i don't understand why toyota doesn't have a recall to fix this problem. not only is this a waste of time and money to the owner of this car, it is a safety hazard. no warning light goes on in the car to say the headlights are not functioning, and it isn't always easy to tell the lights have gone out, depending on how well the roads are lit. what is toyota waiting for? does someone have to die because their headlights unexpectedly go out while driving at night before something is done to fix this issue? i hope not. *tr

The headlamp on my prius periodically turns off while driving. it comes back on after turning the lights off and on again, but will still periodically turn off after this reset. *tr

My right headlight went completely out. i went and purchased a new set to replace both lights and had them professionally installed. not even 3 months later my driver side headlight went out. within 2 weeks of this happening my passenger side just went out again. i had nothing at that point and had to drive with high beams on to make it home. i have only owned this vehicle for 4 months and feel this is going to be a constant situation to deal with. *js

Left headlight would spontaneously turn off while driving. briefly fixed by turning off and on again. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. while driving at approximately 50 mph, the instrument panel, the headlights, and the tail lights failed to illuminate. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the headlights were replaced but the failure persisted. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. the failure mileage was 75,642.

For the last year or so, i've had trouble with the headlights on my prius. i first noticed it last spring - i was driving back home along the highway and suddenly noticed my headlights were out. i flipped them off and then tried to turn them back on again and they came back on. over the next several months it happened again - but it was hard to notice because i did not do much driving at night and when i did, it was in well-lit areas. when i moved for a new job, i noticed this happening more frequently - though i suspect i'm just more aware of the problem because i'm doing more nighttime driving and in more rural areas. the disturbing part is that now both headlights will go out - particularly after making a left-hand turn. again, by flipping off the lights and then turning them back on, the lights will then work. but on a least a few occasions, they will go out again within a few minutes. now, i'm noticing that one headlight will often go out - though not the same side. i've had mechanics look at it who are unable to do anything other than replace the bulb; but they don't believe that the bulb is the issue. my preliminary research online has shown me that my model prius has a history of headlight issues that sound identical to mine. any assistance would be appreciated - i am a teacher in a rural area with limited funds who cannot avoid driving at night. *tr

I was returning home from a trip with a friend and driving on major freeway late at night, very dark with little visibility in a rural, unlit area. .all lights in vehicle shut down while driving 70-75 mph. we could not see anything even the road, was like driving blind and very frightening trying to navigate the prius off the road safely without getting hit by other vehicles. once i stopped the vehicle off the side of the road in the far left lane we turned the vehicle off, but left the hazard lights on and let the vehicle sit for a few minutes. we started again, lights came on, and i drove the vehicle another 100 miles without any incident until we entered the city. i had a similar problem driving the 12 remaining miles home, but the front yellow lights worked and i had the hazard and brake lights working. the city lights improved visibility. i took the vehicle in and the only problem they could find was with one of the headlights. i was told i needed to replace both. i can't emphasize how dangerous and frightening this experience was for my friend and i, still unsure how we avoided a tragedy. i would like the nhtsa to investigate and make a recommendation to have some type of warning in the vehicle. *tr

Driving along interstate 70 at night, headlight intensity suddenly dropped. stopped in a safe place on the next exit ramp and determined that both high beam and low beam of the left headlight had gone out. resumed the rest of the trip at a safer speed. next morning, tested the headlights and they all worked ok, but later in the week the same thing happened. *tr

The headlight went off while i was driving. i found out that headlights can only be changed by the dealership. the earliest appointment to change a lightbulb is the following wednesday (more then a week later), and the estimated cost for the change is over $500. this causes incredible hardship - this is something the buyer should have been told of before buying the vehicle. *tr

Date and mileage are approximate. while driving at night my headlights went out completely. since then, they continually go out randomly. sometimes it will begin with one or the other going out and then both. at this point, i am able to turn them off and on again and they come back on for awhile....i am quite concerned about this as sudden darkness while driving at night is a serious safety hazard. does an accident and/or death need to happen before action is taken?... i am also quite confused that there has not been a recall as this problem seems to be quite common.......updated 08/20/15 *bf updated 12/10/15 *js

Right headlight will go off. recycling the switch will usually relight the lamp. *tr

Today (and many other days) one or both of my headlights and/or taillights have extinguished completely on their own while operating the vehicle at low and high speeds. this is especially frightening when both headlights extinguish where we live (out in the country where streetlights do not exist). on several other occasions, i have been pulled over on the way to work by various law enforcement organizations (local police, sheriff, highway patrol) due to my headlights and/or taillights being out. turning them off and then on, or tapping the taillight with my hand (obviously impossible to accomplish while driving) solves the problem for a few minutes at a time. every day, at least 5 of my coworkers inform me that i have a headlight and/or taillight bulb which needs replacing. i drive this car as a commuter to work and to drive my children. it concerns me greatly that toyota ignores this problem! *tr

The bulbs turn off intermittently for no reason. i already replaced the bulbs but the problem did not go away. this is very unsafe. i made my research and there are many complaints of this kind of problem with the 2007 prius. toyota should recall and fix this problem. this is very unsafe. *tr

While driving at night, both headlights simultaneously turned off, without warning. some panic,but, turned light switch off/on (pure luck on my part) and lights again came on -- probably within 10 seconds of having an accident or going off the road. no emergency pull-off lane, or area was available. *tr

In february 2014 my driver's side headlight went out. i had it fixed. the very next day my passenger side headlight went out. in september 2014 the driver's side light went out again. had it fixed and again, the very next day, the passenger side headlight went out. my headlights are prematurely expiring. this represents a safety concern. *tr

Right headlight flickers and goes out, leaving only left headlight on. turning headlights off and on causes both headlights to work again. problem repeats randomly in about 10 minutes. i also noted that once both headlights went off. *tr

Both headlights suddenly went out while driving on an unlit mountain highway. happened again the next night while driving on another highway. turning the light switch off and on again brought the headlights back on. previously, driver's side headlight would suddenly go out intermittently. this was the first time both headlamps went dim at the same time. very scaring and dangerous situation as there was no visibility as soon as the lights went out. *tr

12/18/13 is the first of many incidents when the headlamps suddenly go dark. the problem is random and intermittent, sometimes the left, sometimes the right, sometimes both go dark at once. this is a serious safety issue. replacing the headlamp does not correct the defect. *tr

Starting in 2014 our prius headlights usually one side or the other side would sporadically go off. and most dangerous they both go off. this is especially dangerous when driving at night at high speeds. i've had both lights checked on and they are working no bulb issue. my mechanic said this is an issue with this year and model car. *tr

Headlight randomly goes out. if lights are turned off then on, it comes back on. light goes out approximately every 5-10 minutes while driving. i've read other reports on this issue and believe toyota needs to develop a fix for this problem. *tr

I love my prius but my headlight situation is terrible. i drive 56 mile one way to work. i leave at 5:00 so i do a good bit of night driving. my headlights go out averaging 10 times per trip. all i have to do is turn them off and then back on. but when you are going 70mph it makes you nervous. worse is on country roads with no streetlights, when they both go off simultaneously it scares the dodo out of me and the wife. usually one goes out at a time but occasionally both at once. toyota replaced both bulbs twice and the computer board that controls each light independently once, while it was under warranty. but the older the car gets the more this happens. *tr

While driving vehicle at night, noticed that passenger side head lamp turned off. vehicle was stopped on the curb and tried to turn the headlight switch on off again, but could not turn on one head light. i was afraid to drive the vehicle with one lamp, since local township police can give me a violation ticket. the high beam works but not the low beam. toyota needs to fix this issue via product recall. *tr

Left front headlight. it goes out after 5 minutes of driving. i replaced the bulb and it still goes out. the cost of bulbs are very expensive and toyota should be made to replace this item and have all 2007 prius recalled. one accident could cause a major catastrophe on the roads because lights turning off in the middle of a drive is unnerving and dangerous. *tr

I have a 2007 touring prius with hid headlamps and 1 of the headlamp assembly started leaking water and toyota of kingsport, tn. replaced it on oct. 28th 2013 and charged me $342.30 after discount. now the new headlight and the other one is going off while driving and this happened on may 29th 2014. there is no way a headlight should fail in 6 or 7 months. thank you for listening to my complaint, as i can't afford to keep replacing these very expensive headlamps. i went online and it seems i'm not the only one with this problem and can you get toyota to do something about this? i would appreciate any help you can give us prius owners with the hid headlamp system. *tr

I bought this car new. in 6 years, 88k miles with regular routine maintenance, i am on right headlamp number three. it turns off of it's own accord, with no warning light or dimming. it just goes completely dark. at first, you could turn the lights off and back on and it would work again for a little while, but that ultimately failed. because these are monodirectional hdl lamps, they retail around $125 --- to replace one at the dealer has been estimated at around $550. i replaced the first one myself, and had the second one replaced at a local garage. now on the third bulb which is failing. it is a safety hazard, not to mention it makes my vehicle illegal and unsafe to drive at night. i never know when it's going to go out; i have been pulled over but not cited by local police for having the light out. i know that this is a common issue for prius vehicles in '05 through '07 - the dealer acknowledged as much. however, because i am out of the warranty period, the onus to pay for this defect falls to me. ironically i purchased the car to save money and gas and now am having to shell out $500 every 18 months or so because of this continually failing right head lamp. i have read it may be a housing in the lamp assembly; that was estimated to cost around $2000 to replace. seriously. toyota does nothing - no recall, no warning, nothing. it's wrong and it's negligent not to address this. *js

Passenger headlight would go out intermittently. driver's side headlight would go out intermittently. driver's side headlight went out permanently. took car to dealer where driver's side headlight was replaced. three days later passenger side headlight went out. bought an hid headlight from amazon at one third the price and replaced passenger side headlight. one week late driver's side headlight went out permanently thirty days after being replaced by the dealer. *tr

The right headlight had to be replaced. it would turn off and if i turned the lever on and off while i was driving it would come on for a while. on a dark night it was dangerous. i replaced the right headlight and it cost a total of $229.55 which i thought was outrageous. now the driver's side headlight has gone out too. i might have to drive it only in daylight unless i can find a cheaper way to replace the headlight. i was stopped by the police for the first headlight out, but given a warning. i bought the car to save money but headlight replacement costs are way too much in my estimation. *tr

Driver side headlamp went out and passenger side headlamp flickered. this made it very difficult to see. after turning the lights off and on again the lights came back on...but continued to act up. i sent an email to toyota below is the email thread of their response. i am shocked by the response!! they told me the hid headlamps are designed to turn off to prevent overheating! see below. from: "ask toyota" <[email protected]> to:[xxx] sent: saturday, september 14, 2013 6:09:08 pm subject: headlamp/ballast problem [incident: 130913-000071] thank you for contacting toyota motor sales, u.s.a., inc. we apologize for the issues you are experiencing with the hid headlights on your 2007 prius. by design, hid bulbs will turn off if the bulb is starting to overheat in order to protect the electronic control unit. there are times by simply turning off the headlights and then back on; the hid bulbs will turn back on. we are not aware of any part updates regarding the hid headlight system for the prius. we can't guarantee that a design change would be made, but your honest feedback may help us to evaluate different alternatives. your email has been documented at our national headquarters under file #1309140862. if we can be of further assistance, please utilize the following link to find a variety of avenues to contact our offices, http://www.toyota.com/support/contact.html. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

My headlight on drivers side keeps going out. i turn the lights off then on again but now the light is almost burned out. i was told i need about 350 for the whole assembly. that's to much! no normal person has that just laying around and i've been pulled over for it twice now. if i would of know the maintenance on this car was so expensive i wouldn't of bought it! *tr

In order to start, the brakes must be depressed. the electrical switch that detects the brake pedal being depressed also controls the brake light indicators. this switch has started to fail, operating intermittently. the symptoms are inability to start the vehicle to "ready" mode for driving and the brake lights not operating which is extremely unsafe. once the car has started to "ready" and can drive, the brake lights may or may not operate during driving. *js

Passenger-side high intensity headlight started intermittently failing. the light goes out randomly and unexpectedly. turning both headlights off and back on again temporarily fixes the issue. *tr

Driver side headlight, keeps going out.switch off the lights then back on it works for a little while, but stills go out. *tr

Right headlight flickers when starting car, then goes out intermittently. known issue with 2005-2007 prius. *tr

I have previously filed a complaint regarding this vehicle # 10520690. now this vehicle can no longer be driven at night as both headlights go out while driving. this is extremely unsafe and scary. if this were the only vehicle i had to drive i would have a real problem because i can not trust to drive it after sunset. toyota needs to fix this problem! *tr

Since about 3 months after buying this, the headlights will randomly go out all the time. i have been pulled over countless times. it's a complete safety hazard. it's not the bulbs. it's the underlying ballasts. which i'm told can cost upwards of $3k to fix. it's a lot of them from 2006-2009 models. they were sued over it but they never recalled it. i bought mine after all that was long and done so i can't do anything about it. it's a manufacturer default that they should fix!

While driving home late at night, the hid headlights started failing. first, the driver's side went off, then the passenger side went off. after driving to the shoulder in the dark, i turned off the lights and switched them back on. i was able to make it home with the passenger side light working for the rest of the way. driver's side failed again after 10 minutes. i ordered replacement bulbs online and replaced both lightbulbs. passenger side seems to work fine. driver's side however turns itself of anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hour. i am told by toyota dealer that the ballast may be defective. ballast replacement is about $250 parts and $100 labor. my headlights were already changed under "warranty" at around 35,000 miles for the same problem. going by the countless complaints about the prius hid headlights on the internet, why is there no recall? toyota is clearly creating a security risk that may cost lives. is the nhtsa going to wait until someone actually gets killed because of failing headlights before mandating a recall for toyota? *tr

Headlight and taillights go out and then come back on. also, when on they seem to be very weak. *tr

Both front head lamps shutoff at the same time while moving at about 25 mph. turning off the head lamp switch and turning the switch back on restored the lights. *tr

My passenger headlight went out after replacing it 6 months prior. i am aware now that other prius owners have similar issues with headlights. *tr

My headlight problem has gone on for as long as i have owned the car.i have asked the dealer to check the lights on numerous service calls and was always told they could not find a problem. the bulb was replaced at a cost of $300 but the problem persists. the right light goes out . it comes back on if i turn the switch on and off, however i do not always realize the light is out. i have been stopped numerous times and given work orders to get my light fixed. i am tired of this problem and i don't know how to fix it. *tr

Driver side headlight will begin to flicker and then shut off completely. turning the lights off and turning them back on relights the headlight only for it to happen another 10 to 15min later on average. *tr

We own a toyota prius and have had the dealer replace the headlight 4 times. the first time we simply got in the vehicle and when we turned it on we realized it was not working. after we had it fixed about 2 months later we got pulled over and given a warning to get it fixed. we did so again and again with no solution. since our last time the dealership has advised us to go to the toyota dealership but there telling us that is simply a bad headlight and it will cost about 200 to fix it. i showed them where in 8 months it was changed 3 times and they simply said it must be human error because everything else looks fine. *tr

I was driving at night when my headlights went out. i tried the brights with no effect. i had to turn them off and turn them back on again. it has happened twice now. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that while stopping the vehicle, the headlights failed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where it was stated that the headlights needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 85,000.