Problems with 2008 Toyota Prius EXTERIOR LIGHTING

While driving in the early morning before sunrise, several times, the headlights turned off suddenly. frightening while on the highway. luckily the lights turned back on. this happened at least 5 different times.

Right headlight flickers and intermittently turns off and on. about a week ago both headlights turned off while driving. this has happened 2x in the past week and half. luckily we turn them off then on and they have come back on each time. we have had the right headlight fixed several other times also. i just heard about the issues that other people have had which is why i am just now pursuing this.

The headlights intermittently, and without warning, go out. this happens every time the lights are turned on. by quickly turning the lights off and then back on, they have thus-far turned back on. they will remain on for up to ten minutes. the turning off happens whether the car is moving ot not.

Driving at night i noticed my headlights dimming. i turned on my high beams and my headlights went out completely and i was in the dark. i turned the headlights off and then back on again and they came back on at full light. i pulled to the side of the road and had my passenger check the headlights outside. the right front light was out and the drivers side was on. this had happened one time previously. i took my car into toyota and they ran a check and told me that my right hid bulb was out, but that the left was still working. they replaced both bulbs and said i was good to go. i worry, from reading all of the complaints on 2006-2009 prius headlights that this may or may not solve the problem. i consider this a safety hazard - losing lights at night. i have read there was a class action suit filed against toyota in 2011, but still, nothing has been done by toyota to fix this problem. the suit has ended and i am not able to claim anything. still, i am worried that this will lead eventually to someone's accident. this needs to be investigated and solved. there are too many complaints dealing with this problem.

Very dangerous situation...was driving home from the mountins down a windy road and both headlights on my toyota prius failed. brought car into toyota of manhatten next day and had to have both headlights replaced for $530.$300 for the light bulbs and 230 for labor. learned online that this is a common failure for 2008 prius, and that there was a class action lawsuit that was settled too early and does not cover older vehicles with complete light failure.

i've been told a few times i had a headlight out but half the time when i check it, it would be working. it's not just the headlight it's also the parking and front side marker light on the same side. these lights are expensive and should last a lot longer than 90k miles. seeing how it works intermittently and more than one i don't want to waste money to replace it. if it's going to happen again like most complaints i've read about. i've tried when it was out to turn the lights off and back on. it would work. while you're driving in area with street lights you wouldn't know it's out. there's 1064 complaints at the time i write this. when is toyota going to step up and correct this failure. is someone at nhtsa looking into this issue? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. while driving at approximately 55 mph, the headlights failed without warning. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the concealment devices accumulated moisture, which contributed to the failure. the lights were replaced but the failure recurred. the manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 150,000.

Headlights flicker, dim, and eventually go out altogether while driving. i have replaced the 12v battery and it still occurs. concerned for safety of myself and my family.

Front left headlight suddenly goes out while driving or stationary but will come back on once i turn headlights off then on again. happens constantly - at least 2-3 times per hour while i'm driving. i have to constant turn my lights off then on again to get the headlight to come back on. nothing is wrong with the bulb - it is not burned out or dim - the whole headlight just turns off. this problem has been on-going since i purchased the car in june of 2015 and happens every time i drive it during the night. it is extremely dangerous - what if my other headlight goes out, too?

My headlights go out without warning while i amdriving down the road. the have gotten worse and go out more frequently and sometimes stay off. i have replaced the lights several times and am still having problems. i need help because i have almost gotten tickets behind this problem. my thing is toyota knows abot this and refuse to have a recall on this issue.

I was driving my toyota 2008 prius in the pitch black at 70-75 mph in the badlands state park. the headlights turned off spontaneously. i had to make an emergency stop. no headlights!! they eventually turned back on.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the head lights suddenly failed to illuminate intermittently. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 104,000. the vin was unavailable.

Driver side head light turns on, then flickers and then goes out . i have been stopped twice. replaced relay ($75.00) no differance . .this happens when starting the car before even putting in gear

Right headlight goes out after a few minutes. have changed ballast and bulb twice, the problem recurred almost immediately both times.

I bought a used toyota prius 2008 .right side headlight keeps turning off at night. *tr

I was traveling on a major highway and all my lights went out. pitch black. luckily, there were very few cars on the road. i was able to pull to the side and put my flashers on and use their intermittent flashing to slowly find my way home (about 8 more miles). this could have caused fatalities - my own and others who may have crashed into me. this was a terrible situation and from what i have just researched, it happens with the prius. now i have the inconvenience (and expense?) od figuring out how to get this fixed so it will never happen again!!!! *tr

The left headlight keeps turning itself off when driving or not. when bumped next to the headlight cover it comes back on. the bulb and connector are fine. this is a safety hazard, that if the right one starts doing the same thin at night, it would put me into a dangerous and life threatening situation. i think toyota should have a recall on this problem. *tr

Drivers side headlight will dim then go out out after a few seconds of operation. if the lights are turned off and then on again the headlight will work for a few more seconds then dim and go out. the bulb has been changed but that did not resolve the problem. updated 12/21/2015 *js

About two years ago, one of my headlights began to cut out without warning. now, starting 2 months ago, both of my headlights stop working at the same time without warning, i have had 2 near-misses because of this issue, toyota, my car manufacturer, refuses to do anything to fix this highly dangerous issue, even though over 200,000 prius owners have reported the problem. who knows how many other owners out there who have not reported anything?!

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. while stationary and driving various speeds, all of the instrument panel indicators failed to illuminate. south dade toyota in homestead, florida was made aware of the failure and stated that it was a factory defect. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. the contact was referred to nhtsa. the failure mileage was 75,000.

Initially the passenger side headlight began to flicker. then it went out. when i turned the lights off and on again it came back on. since then completely randomly one light or the other, but more commonly the passneger side will flicker and dim, and then later go out. turning the lights off and back on will usually restore the light but more than half the time only to a dimmed or flickering condition. sometimes both lights just go out randomly and without warning.

Headlights are not reliable. *js

The driver's side headlamp has been going off intermittently for many years. now, both lights go out and i am driving with the fog lights only? very dangerous! if toyota knows about this, there should be a recall and fix! *tr

Was driving in the dark with my brights on and both headlights suddenly went off. flipped the switch and they came back on. 4/5 minutes later they went completely off again and i had to switch them in the dark. the bulbs are fine. the right headlight has been randomly going on and off again but wasn't a noticeable safety issue. both lights going off randomly in the pitch dark almost caused me to crash. *tr

Head lights go out. while driving at night lights went out. very unsafe. *tr

The headlamps go dark at random times while driving at night. this occurs on the highway or city street and more often shortly after beginning the drive rather than later in the trip. on numerous occasions one or both headlamps will shut off. i am able to restore the lights by switching the headlamps off and then on again. this has been a problem for two years since the car had 45,000 miles until now with 65,000 miles. *tr

Driving at night the head lights went out, could have been killed. had to turn headlights on and off for them to work. took car to dealer, said it might cost 1,000s of dollars to figure out what is wrong. sounds like a recall, now i can't drive my car at night!!! : (

On 10/7/14 i arrived home after work and noticed my right headlight was out. it was dark and i don't know when the light failed. over the next few days, i did not notice the light failing, however, i am very concerned that it will happen again, based on the numerous other complaints filed (and not filed). this is a huge safety concern for me. i live in los angeles and, as my car is black and if my headlights are out i am at risk of being hit in this very congested city. *tr

Driving up provo canyon at 4:30am and suddenly both headlights completely turned off. i had to come to a complete stop because i had zero visibility. i now have to toggle the headlight switch off and on every couple of minutes in order for the headlights to remain on. there appears to be a short, but from what i have read about this problem, it is a common issue with the 2008 toyota prius. the repair costs can be very steep--$800-$1800 dollars to have both headlights replaced and that does not guarantee that the problem will be fixed. toyota needs to recall the 2008 prius model and fix the obvious safety related issue with this model! i could have been killed on that early morning drive and now i have to constantly be aware that my headlights will not stay on as they are supposed to do!! it is more than annoying--it is a very severe safety issue that needs to be addressed by the corporation!! *tr

I have recently discovered that my headlights do not work consistently. sometimes the left is out. sometimes the right. sometimes neither. it is very scary to think about driving at night when i cannot be confident of the headlights. in trying to learn about this problem i discovered it has been widely reported but there has been no recall. i am extremely concerned as i have to travel a long distance at night. i purchased a toyota because of it's excellent reputation. now i'm wondering if my confidence was misplaced. *tr

Driving down the road and the headlights just go out, after flipping the lights off and on, they come back on. *tr

Well driving 65mph on freeway both headlights went off. turning them off and on 2x worked. it happened 2 more times within 20min. i stopped driving and have not drove at night since. luckily there was a car close both times. it was dangerous and terrifying. there needs to be a recall asap. *tr

Vehicle starts, runs for limited time -2-3 mins. shuts off vehicle starts no electrical visibility on dash.. blank. vehicle starts with electrical visibility, runs for 3-5 miles, looses electrical visibility. updated 12/4/2017*cn vehicle starts with electrical visibility runs for 3-4 miles .vehicle stops, shuts off in traffic. vehicle will not start. requires jump start,,. and runs enough to take car to dealer. vehicle will not start, requires jump start and will not hold charge. requires towing to dealer. ma 10/8

Both of my cars headlights turn off intermittently and for no reason (the bulbs and ballasts have been replaced and are in working order). i will be driving down the road at night (interstate 70mph) and occasionally both headlights will just turn off. i have almost gotten in a wreck multiple times due to the fact i'm driving at night and out of nowhere my lights go out. this is a huge safety issue. when looking this up online, i'm not the only person with my year/make/model that is having this issue. this has been happening on and off since my vehicle was at 75,000 miles. last night specifically i almost got in a wreck going 70mph on the interstate because of it. many times i can turn the headlights off and back on again and one or both will work again. *tr

The headlights intermittently fail - turn off - during driving (without warning). fortunately, so far only one headlight has failed at once. toyota is aware of this issue, but so far there haven't been enough problems, apparently, to justify a safety recall. seems like a very serious thing - and it is just a matter of good fortune on toyota's part that there have not been fatalities (to my knowledge). *tr

Either headlight, or both, may suddenly go out. turn off switch then back on and light(s) restored. happens frequently (say six times per evening) and has been doing this for about two years. frequently stopped by police.

The first time both lights went out, we were traveling south on i-95 near richmond, va. prior to this, we thought the lights had dimmed a couple times, but when we checked them, they were fine. there is no mistake when you loose both headlights while on high beam, there are no fog lights, so it gets very dark. i think going to low beam gave us some light (the fog lights) but do not remember, i then turned the light switch off and back on immediately, which turned the lights back on. since that first incident of them both going out, we have seen both the driver's side headlight alone, the passenger side headlight alone, and at least half a dozen times both lights go out at the same time. all but once, turning the light switch off and then on turned the lights back on. the last time both went out, i had to turn the switch off and back on several times to get the lights back on. with a cost of over $200 per light, i decided to change the passenger side light and see if that light would stay on. it made no difference. i found in the user's manual that low voltage could cause the high intensity discharge (hid) lights to go out, so i had aaa check the engine battery. the test showed the battery was good, but it only had 364 cold cranking amps so i had a new battery put in. we were told by two other sources that the right battery had 450 cold crank amps so i thought that might account for the hid light problem. that was just a few days ago, and the passenger side headlight has still gone out several times since the bulb and battery were replaced. so far, we have not had both lights go out again. *tr

Headlights are malfunctioning while i am driving making it extremely dangerous .. i live in a canyon and drive alot at night and have almost had some extreamly deadly collisions due to this issue not only that but have spent a insane amount of money in court fees and fix it tickets

While driving, the left hid headlight went off. turning the lights off and then on allowed the left headlight to come back on. this problem has happened over a several week period. headlight illumination is suddenly cut in half without any warning. this seems like a safety recall item to me. *tr

The right headlight and sometimes both headlights go out randomly on our 2008 toyota prius. this is extremely frightening! i have learned to quickly turn the headlights off and then right back on. sometimes this takes care of the problem, sometimes for a short while, sometimes longer. sometimes i have to pull over and fiddle with the light switch until i, once again, have headlights! since i used to leave my headlights on all of the time, day or night, i did not realize, at first, that i was having a problem. i would just think "wow, it's really dark out here!" the headlight icon on the dashboard always indicated that my lights were on, so i thought everything was fine. i had to wait until i got home to have my husband check the lights. sometimes they worked properly so it took us a long time to figure out that we have a big problem. our local toyota dealer gave us the run around and acted as is they knew nothing about a headlight problem, told us to come right in and they would replace the headlights for either $8.00 or $12.00 each with no labor cost; and then changed and said they would fix the problem for $526.00! i said, "no, thanks!" and went to see another local shop which specializes in toyotas. they suggested that we look on the internet to see if there were any recalls relating to this problem. while no recalls are listed yet, i found many complaints from toyota prius owners stating exactly the same problem we are having. please help all of us! suddenly having no headlights while driving in a poorly lit area is causing me grave (pun intended!) concerns! i try not to drive at night or in the rain, but i am not always able to avoid doing so. i am very frightened and would like to have my headlights fixed, but not at highway robbery prices! having headlights go out after only 6 years seems like a very short time to me, compared to the other cars we have owned! *tr

Right headlight continues to go off while driving down the road. my daughter drives this car now and got pulled over last wednesday night and got a warning ticket for headlight being out. when she got home she noticed it out. she stopped the engine then restarted and the light came back on. her friends have told her several times over the last 3 months that she had a light out, but every time she checked it was working. this is a huge safety concern, i looked it up on internet and see that many others are experiencing the same issue. please help us toyota! *tr

On may 25, 2014, i was informed that one of my headlights was out. upon doing some research, i discovered that many other toyota prius owners had the identical problem, and that following a class action suit, toyota agreed to reimburse owners for repair of the faulty parts, but only up to 5 yrs/50k miles. my prius had under 35,000 miles but was 9 months over the age warranty. the toyota dealership charged $739.19 to replace toyota's defective headlight bulb along with their defective module, and toyota refused to provide any relief for this known safety issue after the vehicle beyond 5 years. toyota failed to issue a recall for this defective headlight issue, which of course is an issue of safety. *tr

My toyota prius has hid headlights. both the left and right headlights randomly stop working. at times however, both lights go out at the same time while driving. this creates a very dangerous situation while driving at night. the lights will typically come back on if i toggle the lights off and back on. i've read that there was a class action suit against toyota for this very issue. i contacted a toyota dealership and they recommended i replace the headlights, at considerable cost. but in my research it seems that the problem persists with many people even after their hid bulbs were replaced. why there has not been a recall for this baffles me. i'm wondering who had to die before it becomes a national issue. *tr

Since shortly after purchasing a new 2008 prius i have had issues w/ 1 headlight going out while driving. if i pull over, shut the car off & restart it, the light usually comes back on. sometimes i have to do this several times to get the light back on.the problem has escalated to both headlights going out at the same time. i was driving alone on a dark curvy road at 10pm going 35 & suddenly both of my headlights went off! i couldn't see a thing & was now driving in the pitch dark on a curvy road! i pulled over as quickly as i could & actually hit a mailbox because i couldn't see anything. if someone was walking their dog i would have run over them while trying to pull over.after continuously turning the car on & off, turning the lights on & off, turning the high beams on & off, i finally got the lights to go back on. while driving the rest of the way home,1 headlight went out.this is very dangerous.not only are you left driving in the dark & no one else or other cars can see you but it causes panic as it is totally unexpected & how a driver reacts when this happens can cause an accident (if not having headlights doesn't do it). a new driver or older person driving when both headlights go out would certainly cause them to panic. i have been pulled over by police for having a light out. this problem started when the car was only a few months old; toyota replaced the bulb under warranty; this did not solve the problem as the lights have continued to go out. having 1 light out is bad but having both go out while driving is asking for an accident & for someone to get killed. if i can be ticketed for having a light out because the car is considered unsafe than a safety recall s/b issued. these cars are getting older; please re-open this investigation so that we don't have another gm ignition issue where people have died & we find out the problem was known about for years. *tr

Right head light would go off on it's own. light was replaced by dealer about a year ago. now both headlights go out!!!!!! *tr

Low beam headlights have failed . drivers right headlight fails mostly, but left headlight fails about 33% of the time. i have lost both headlights after a while and is extremely dangerous at night! we have had to stop driving at night because headlights will not stay on past 5 mins. i have looked into the class action lawsuit and at 60000 miles i do not qualify for the settlement. i am very concerned with the safety of my family. i hope toyota finds a real fix for this problem, or the 1000+ dollar fix will be for nothing. at this point i have lost faith in toyota and i hope this issue is addressed properly. *tr

I was driving my 2008 toyota prius and the hid left headlight suddenly went out. while driving in the dark, i had to turn off my headlights and turn them back on. when i did this, both lights came back on. this issue happened several times over the course of an hour. *tr

The hid headlamps on this vehicle were part of a class action suit several years ago alleging the lamps failed prematurely. toyota settled the suit by acknowledging the defective parts and extending the warranty to 5 years or 50,000 miles. i was forced to have both headlamps replaced right at 50,000 as one had gone out and almost immediately the other started going on and off intermittently. it created a significant safety hazard at the time. on friday february 28, 2014 i had another headlamp go out while on a dark stretch of rural highway in central missouri. i was fortunate enough to get home, but was forced to have the lamp replaced at significant cost ($247.38) the next day. this headlamp lasted approximately 45,000 miles. toyota has refused to accept responsibility for this item which i feel is creating a very significant safety hazard. while i was fortunate enough to be in a dark area at the time of the failure that made the issue quite obvious, drivers in a more urban environment would have easily never noticed. even for those who did notice most drivers would be unaware of the proclivity for these lamps to fail and the imminent danger they are in driving at night on a single lamp with these particular lamps. unfortunately headlamps have been such a reliable part that most drivers will feel it's a once in a blue moon event and there is no urgency for the replacement. it appears that while they said as part of the suit settlement that they had resolved the issue with the lamps failing prematurely they quite clearly have not. they are most definitely putting drivers in danger. it is my hope that nhtsa will look into this issue. *tr

The headlights both flicker and go out even after replacing with brand new bulbs. this is extremely unsafe as the headlamps may turn off during adverse weather or dark conditions. i have wasted a lot of money replacing head light bulbs when the problem seems to be with the computers in the headlamp fixtures. this seems to be a very common problem with this make and model and it is a very costly repair for something that never should have happened in the first place.

When i was on the freeway, one of my headlights just went out. i had the same exact headlight replaced only one year ago. a few days later, both of my headlights had the same problem. they would flicker and then just go out while i am driving at high speeds. if i turn the light switch on and off while i am driving they sometimes come back on. sometimes i have to pull over and restart the car for them to come back on. this issue is not safe! please help. *tr