Problems with 2007 Toyota Prius EXTERIOR LIGHTING

The headlights go at without warning. sometimes one goes out sometimes both while we are driving. bulb replacement does not fix the issues. this has continued to be a problem for years. toyota service has not offered a fix that works! i have been driving on the highway or local roads when, all of a sudden, all the lighting goes dark. i have had success in relighting the headlights by turning off the headlights at the main switch and then turning them back on. extremely dangerous. breaks are also a menace: on wet roads it is especially noticeable when using the breaks. if you are breaking and a tire goes over a more slippery surface than the pavement, such as a manhole cover, the abs system cuts breaking to all the wheels such that the car continues on as if the breaks are not being applied - the car effectively releases the breaks and you loose control of the car until its systems decide to return controls to the driver. this happens over and over and over. try it on a road with a bit of loose gravel on it or the leftover coarse sand from winter road maintenance or going through a milde pothole where gravel has spilled onto the road....breaking in these conditions will consistently cause the car to diminish breaking power to such an extent that the car is no longer lowing down. we own 6 cars of varying makes and this is the only car that has this issue. the other side of this same issue is that if you are pulling out into traffic and a drive wheel hits a slightly slippery patch, the engine power is cut for so long and so severely that we are at risk of being hit. this happens every single time. toyota service has not offered a fix. though we have told them abou this issue repeatedly, they typically do not write it down and tell us it is normal. it is not normal or safe.

The driver side headlight keeps going off, when driving the car, even with a brand new bulb in. also, one time, both headlights went out when i was sitting at a stop sign, and turned on the turn signal. huge safety problem! the lights come on when turned on initially then go off as i am driving on any road.

When my vehicle has the headlights on while i am driving one or both will spontaneously go off. this occurs more when it is wet out, and seems to occur more when i hit a bump, but it will occur often with no antecedent. if i turn the headlight switch off and then on again the headlight (or headlights) will turn back on but then may go off randomly again later while driving. the bulbs are fine. i've read online and this seems to be a common problem for the 2006 and 2007 prius. so common i doubt it is a random malfunction but a engineering/electrical design or equipment problem. very dangerous when driving at night. occurs almost every time i drive it.

The lights on this vehicle have been an issues since i bought it in 2012. the headlights randomly go off while driving, usually one at a time. they will come on again if you notice it and flick the switch. replacing the bulbs has not solved the problem(had one replaced) now my daughter is driving the vehicle and she has been stopped a number of times with a headlight out. i will again replace the bulb, but this does not appear to be the underlying problem, which appears to be a manufacturers problem to me.

I was driving after dark on the freeway. after 2 minutes the driver side headlight went out. i turned the lights off and back on. the driver side light went out again after another 2 - 3 minutes. this repeated for 3 more times. after the 5th time turning the lights off and back on, both headlights went out after about 3 minutes. this while moving at more than 60 mph on a dark freeway. i turned the lights off and back on again, and the precedure repeated from the beginning, i.e. left headlight went out 3 more times before i reached my destination. my prius has hid lights and this appears to be a common problem as these ars get older. does someone need to die first before the nhtsa gets toyota to fix this problem?

Headlamps go out suddenly and back on if switched turned off then on. bulbs werereplaced as part of recall and it continues to happen. over $500 quote to replace bulbs but no guarantee it doesn't continue to happen.

Headlights go out while driving, and come back on when headlights are switched from on to off then back on again. this can happen 1 time during a trip or multiple times. diag of issue is not easy and usually multiple parts are replaced trying to fix the issue.

I started to notice the right hid headlight bulb spontaneously go out while driving and read somewhere that this might be a pre warning that the bulb was at the end of its life. i went ahead and replaced both bulbs (which are ridiculously expensive) with brand new ones, yet this did not fix the problem. at any given time, the right bulb decides to turn off and sometimes the left one for no apparent reason (not tied to hitting bumps). this is extremely dangerous to be driving at night when at any given time the bulbs could go out. i read somewhere that this isn't really deemed a safety issue because its usually just one bulb that goes out and that gives you enough time to get to a service station, but if thats the case, tell me how i can get pulled over by the police for having a bulb out and how they justify the dangers associated with it? according to trafficviolationslawfirms.com: "traffic laws in each state contain statutes regarding nighttime driving and the appropriate use of headlights. driving with poor visibility due to conditions, such as poor or non-working headlights is a main cause of nighttime accidents. aside from being a main cause of nighttime accidents, driving without headlights after dusk or before dawn, will result in a driving without lights ticket from law enforcement." what will it take for toyota to issue a recall on a known and widespread issue? this reminds me of the movie "fight club": your driving 65 mph down a dark road and your headlights go out, a deer you cant see jumps out in front of the car, and you crash and burn with everyone trapped inside. now, should toyota initiate a recall? take the number of vehicles in the field, a, multiply by the probable rate of failure, b, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, c. a times b times c equals x. if x is less than the cost of a recall, they don't do one.

My right headlight began flickering around 2-3 months ago. i then purchased 2 hid bulbs to replace both sides at 1x. immediately after the replacement a few weeks ago, my right light would flicker then both headlights would turn off. id immediately have to turn lights on and off then they would come back on. the lights would stay on for about 45 seconds then flicker and off again and id have to start the cycle again. i travel 120 miles a day and this has limited the ability to use the vehicle safely and with peace of mind.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving at any speed, the headlights would fail to illuminate. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed but was not repaired and the details were unavailable. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 71,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel lights failed to remain illuminated. the contact stated that the failure recurred several times. the contact also stated that when the failure occurred it was impossible to shut the vehicle off without removing the negative battery terminal. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

One headlight started to flicker and then both headlights went out while driving. tried to turn off and back on and went on for a few seconds and then they were done. had to drive back in the dark. we were out of state and it happened during the 4th of july holiday weekend so we had to cut the trip short and get extra hotel nights as we could no longer travel at night.

Right headlight failed. i had this headlight replaced about 20k miles ago, along with the other on the left side. the previous replacement was due to lights flickering off while driving; a very unsafe condition to develop while night driving. intermittent lighting continued until the headlamps were replaced. now, 20k miles later, the headlamps are failing again. this is neither safe nor consumer friendly.

Head lamps randomly shut off. sometimes it is one light and other times is it both lights. very dangerous for my pregnant wife to be on the road and have the headlights shut off!

The headlights on the vehicle continue to fail, day in and day out. now both headlights shut off and won't stay on for longer than a minute.

Like so many others have reported, one of the hid headlights will suddenly stop working. turning the lights off and then on again "fixes" the problem for that moment. but the problem can reoccur within a few minutes. i have experienced this problem most every time i have driven the vehicle at night since the initial incident. given all the other complaints, and the 2011 class action lawsuit on this issue which toyota settled without admitting guilt, this is a safety issue well-known to toyota. evidence shows the problem is not the light bulbs but the electronic control unit (ecu) or other electrical issue. i have enquired to toyota customer service. they acknowledge the class action lawsuit and say my vehicle qualifies under the lawsuit, but they will not take responsibility for fixing the problem. the best they offer is for me to pay to get new light bulbs and then submit my receipts to them for possible reimbursement. given the many comments by others that the problem continued even with new bulbs, this "resolution" by toyota seems hardly adequate. nhtsa must and should take action and demand toyota properly repair/resolve this issue. i bought this used vehicle in october 2014 at a toyota dealership in the phoenix area.

The left head light functions intermittently. it will turn off while driving smoothly, fast or slow. i can drive over bumps and uneven roads and have the light on the entire time, or sometimes it shuts off. my car has new bulbs and the connections have been checked for correct installation. after reading many forums,i've heard that the dealers will replace the computer, light bulb and light assembly for at least 2600$. consumers should not have to pay for functioning light assemblies. please look ivy this problem.

I bought a used and regularly serviced 2007 toyota prius in september 2014 with 69,000 miles. this week of april 5th, the airbag symbol showed up on the dash along with the headlights not working properly. when i took the vehicle in to the local toyota dealership, i was told that the steering wheel spiral coil was broken and ;that my airbag system was disabled. this happened at 85,000 miles. it cost me almost $500 to have this coil replaced. the service manager said this was simply due to normal wear and tear. i also have outside hatch rubber opener that is gooie and sticky and the hatchback door often will not open. updated 10/31/2017*js

My headlights began flickering intermittently about two years ago. dealer said nothing is wrong because they worked when i was there. 18 mos ago the driver side went out. bought two bulbs but before i could replace the driver side came back on again and the passenger side went out. then they went back to being intermittent - as they are now. basically they flicker or go on and off. ridiculous.

I was driving down the interstate when all of the sudden my headlights went completely out thank god i was able to pull over and get them working again this happened in march for the first time and has now happened 7 times since this is very dangerous and i think this needs some attn.. thanks bill

Passenger side hid head light will intermittently go out. but, the light will work properly again if it's turned off/on again. *tr

Driving the car the headlights will just go out. 6 months ago it use to happen once or twice a week but is getting worse and now on august 16, 2015 9:30 pm, it happened 2 times in a 35 minute drive on the highway. had this been on one of the windy back roads without streetlights it would have been a lot more dangerous. by searching the web we have figured out that we need to turn the lights off and back on to get them to come back on. it happens at 25 mph, 45 mph or 55 mph.

My wifes 2007 prius headlights continue to flicker while driving at night. then one side or the other will go out. the headlights have been inspected by 2 certified mechanics neither can find any faults in the headlights or bulbs even applying contact grease to assure electrical continuity. attention nhtsa administrators ( this certainly could become a deadly problem.) we have had both lights go out simultaneously. the driver must immediately turn the light switch off then on to restore lighting. i hope they never fail to re-light!! of all the problems- attention surely must be given to these lights. almost a thousand complaints here..how many people keep taking this problem to the dealers, only to have it repeat itself? immediate action is required by the nhtsa.

Driver side headlight will intermittently turn off. when the driver side headlight goes out if the head lights are turned off and back on the driver side will be on for a few minutes.

My headlights randomly quit working, sometimes the left, sometimes the right, sometimes both. i can restart the headlights by turning the switch off and back on. this has been going on for 3 or 4 years. the dealer can't reproduce the problem (they always work there), and there is no suggested fix. *tr

On my way home from work, my drivers side headlight went completely out. the area i work in is extremely foggy and adequate head and fog lights are required. driving without my headlights is extremely dangerous. toyota needs to take responsibility and replace the faulty electronics in the headlights of the second generation prius. *tr

My 2007 prius has the hid (high intensity) headlights. sometimes both headlights go out at the same time and sometimes just the passenger side headlight goes out. i originally thought that the problem was the bulbs so i replaced both bulbs just a few weeks ago with new bulbs, but the problem is still occurring. sometimes when i turn the light switch off and then on again the headlights come on again. it seems to be a random occurrence but it is happening more and more frequently. this is a very dangerous situation especially when driving at night. *tr

I just purchased this car less than a month ago used from a toyota dealership. while entering a freeway onramp, my drivers side headlight went out completely. i had to pull over and turn the lights off and back on then the light functioned properly for the rest of my drive. *tr

The hid headlights intermittently flicker on and off, sometimes staying off for the majority of a drive. at times, both fail. i see there was a successful toyota prius hid headlight class action settlement that covers owners of prius made 2006-2009 with an extended warranty. but i just purchased this vehicle a month ago and was not informed by the dealership of the problem and am beyond the 50,000 miles or 5 year period of the extended warranty. is there any way i can still have toyota fix this in my vehicle? *tr

My right headlamp has been intermittent for a couple years. it would resolve if i turned headlights on and off, it has become much more of a problem in frequency. i live rural without street lamps and it is becoming more dangerous. i was driving on a country road and hit a deer.

While returning home the lights (both) flickered and the left headlight went out. after a stop for groceries and preparing to leave both headlights were working. as we neared our home the left light went out again. both situations happened around 8:00 and 8:30 pm. since the first incident we have had the left, right and both lights fail on at least a dozen separate occasions. we have discovered this problem has affected hundreds of thousands of prius'. toyota is responsible for this known problem and must fix these failures.

Headlights go out intermittently, random malfunction. will come back on if you turn the headlights off and back on. they work normally some of the time and then will shut off as you are driving. *tr

Headlight hid lights goes off without any reason. problem has been found in various vehicles as per the online forums. *tr

On a regular basis, one headlight will go out or sometimes both will shut off at the same time while i'm driving. they will usually come back on after turning off and on but it is an extreme hazard as there are many dark roads in texas. it has been happening since i purchased the vehicle in 2014.

Hid headlamp on passenger side went out. flashed repeatedly and is now functional again. *tr

the high intensity headlights (hid) bulbs (right and left) are keep going out. i replaced 4 times and keeps happening. i researched online and found out that this is a common issue on toyota prius model 2004-2007. many people have shared about this specific problem. *js

2007 prius dashboard lights malfunction - completely dark. see nhtsa # 10544698 and many other complaints regarding dashboard lights/cluster going completely dark and engine will not shut off. this is an extremely serious safety issue and dealerships will not repair for free. the part needed is a combination meter/cluster that costs around $1000 to repair from the dealer. please everyone - push for national recall as this is an extremely dangerous safety issue. *tr

Rear tail lights defective wiring. causing intermittent lighting. almost rear ended by semi truck at night. bulbs fine wiring defect. very common on internet. *tr

While driving on the highway, both headlights shut off. this caused a near accident with other motorists on the highway. by rapidly toggling the headlight switch on and off, the headlights turned back on. this has been a persistent issue even though i have had the bulbs replaced at a great expense. *tr

The headlights have started working intermittently. first one at a time and now both. if they go out, turning the switch off and then on again will make them come back on. the repair cost for the headlights to be replaced is $350 + it is extremely dangerous to have headlights that do not work reliably. the fact that the repair cost is so extreme will lead to many of these cars to not be fixed. toyota should take responsibility for the defective lights and issue a recall. *tr

My priuses hid headlights will intermittently turn off while driving. initially, when starting the car, they will both work, but will often turn off or be very dim. it is almost impossible to see the road when it is dark and raining. we have even been pulled over one of them being turned off and received a ticket. i have replaced both bulbs ($175/ea) at the auto store and this did not correct the issue. *tr

The drivers side headlight goes out on its own, a few minutes later the passenger side light will go out on its own. leaving no lights, if i turn them off and on again the headlights will work again but not for long periods of time. i have replaced the bulbs in both and they will work for a few months with no issue and it starts all over again. this has happened numerous times since i purchased the car and now i learn they got out of recalling because both lights don't go out at the same time, well mine do.

The headlights went out by themselves. i turned the switch off and then back on and the lights came back on but this problem repeated itself multiple times (20+) on my way home. *tr

Headlamps and tail lights subject to intermittent periods of failure to stay lit while driving. not regular, nor consistent to one light and not the other. general unreliability of electrical road illumination system. creates a high potential for dangerous accidents with oncoming vehicles failing to recognize my vehicle profile accurately when approaching on narrow roadways.

For the past year, one of my front headlights goes on and off intermittently. i've had toyota look at it twice and they can't figure it out. they've tried replicating it and nothing. this is a safety problem that i've learned is common among prius between the years 2006- and 2009. toyota needs to figure this out and should have a recall. *tr

This vehicle has an issue with its headlamps. while driving down a major street in the dark , the passenger headlamp flickered between 1-3 seconds before shutting off completely. we tried turning the headlamps off and back on again, but this did not seem to work. this is obviously unsafe especially when it happens on the rural roads closers to home. we have taken the car to different toyota dealers in which none can find a solution. we've replaced the costly bulbs in both lamps (because we noticed they were both affected) and got the same result on the same day of the replacement. since then the car was involved in an accident at night when a driver did claimed to not have seen the prius and that the lights were off. four years later the lights still go out and don't seem to stay on longer than 2 minutes. this car was purchased to transport our children, as our other vehicle is a pickup truck and not as spacious or fuel efficient. however, we work in the morning, when it's still dark and just don't want to risk it. we also have been cited by police because the one or the other lights goes out in the dark or those random rainy days. truthfully , we only want to be able to safely drive the car we paid for, but don't get to use other than on very specific occasion like daylight savings or off days prior to rain or sunset. if we didn't have another vehicle , we would be swamped with fines .

2007 tooyota prius. occasionally at night, the headlights go out without warning. *mw the incident happened three times. *jb

Driving down dark mountain road and both lights went off. terrifying as i tried to keep car from driving off mountain in dark. screamed with grandchildren in car & thought we would crash. minute later parking lights came on & i had to try to get down steep curvy mountain with parking lights *js

My family was almost killed when both headlights went out at the same time on a dark mountain road. this should be a recalled item. people will die when both lights go out and they are not as lucky as we were. i paid over $600 to have both of these lights replaced. i am shocked that this item has not been issued as a recall item. *tr

The tail lights intermittently go out when driving at night, while the brake lights are fine. it is related to a problem with poor quality tail light sockets on this model and year. replacement bulbs do not address the problem. this seems to be a common problem, not unique to my vehicle only. *tr