Problems with 2008 Toyota Prius EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I purchased a new 2008 toyota prius in oct. 2007 with hid headlights. it is currently 28 months old and has 51k miles. the hid passenger headlight just prematurely burned out and i must have it repaired in order to safely (and legally) drive at night. this is a known toyota defect that needs action to correct. *tr

The lights started burning out. they continue to burn out every few months, or less. *tr

Hid going on and off constantly.

Just like many other prius seen on road, my prius got the headlight problem,it was starting two years before, sometimes its right headlight on would be suddenly off, if i turned it off and put it back on again and the right headlight would be coming back again. unfortunately, starting from last week, when i turned on the headlights, the right one just on for around 10 seconds, it would be automatically off but now the right light didn't come back again. i believe it is not only my car problem. i have seen many prius car on the road having this problem too. it may be caused the manufacturer defect. *tr

2008 toyota prius hid headlights failing after 45k miles or 750 hours. iniitially it was just the drivers side that would just turn off while driving, now it is both headlights at the same time. if they are turned off, you can then turn them both back on but there is no telling when they will shut off again. i called the dealership and was told that i would have to foot the cost of the replacement lights and labor. i have done some further research and found that i am not the only one having this issue. hid lamps have an average of 2000 service hours. these headlights did not even make it to 50% of the average service life. i am concerned that if i replace these items out of pocket that i will again have to replace them in two years. *cn

While driving my 2008 prius at approximately 2 a.m.on a mountainous road with many curves and wildlife the passenger headlight went out in both the high and low beams. i was startled and swerved, but luckily i maintained control of the car. i did not feel safe driving while it was still dark. at the first opportunity i pulled of the road in a safe place and spent the remainder of the night in the car. when it was light enough to continue i drove to my destination and called the local toyota dealer and was utterly shocked when i was told what it would cost to replace the bulb. i am on a fixed income and this posed a financial hardship. the car only had a little less than 20,000 miles. i have since learned that this is a common problem. not only is the cost to replace a bulb (yes a bulb) ridiculous but this poses a safety hazard and toyota should "be made" to correct this defect. *tr

2008 toyota prius with hid headlamps that flicker and impossible to replace. the cost to replace is prohibitively expensive. the owners manual incorrectly depict headlamp replacement. generally this is a major repair and not a maintenance issue.*cw

2008 toyota prius with hid headlights and 36,800 miles. one or both lights turn off intermittently usually on wet or damp days. nighttime driving is frightening just waiting for the lights to suddenly go off. this is a well documented safety related defect yet nothing has been done. *tr

While driving down the highway, the left headlight quit working. we took it to the dealer, and it was working fine again. this happened several times over the next few months before the dealership finally admitted that it was a known problem that was going to be handled under recall. i asked that they fix it now, and they advised i would have to pay the cost and then possibly be reimbursed as i was past the 36,000 mile limit for bumper to bumper repairs. ...a cost of nearly $1,100 to fix 1 headlight on a 2 year old car. i refused, and the intermittent outages continued, and progressively got worse. then the right headlight started doing the same thing. i am rolling the dice every night i drive the car as i cannot afford to spend $2,000 or more to fix headlights on a car with a known defect that dramatically puts me, my family, and everyone else on the road at risk of catastrophe. toyota has stated this will not be handled as a recall as it deems it to not be a safety issue as you still have 1 working headlight. that is untrue, as mine have gone out simultaneously several times. *tr

I own at 2008 toyota prius. recently, i was driving at night on a dark stretch of rt. 15 in pa and my headlight turned off. i thought i must have somehow hit something to cause it to turn of, i quickly turned the knob and it went on again. it has since happened a few times and may in fact have happened more frequently but i only notice it if i'm on a unlite or not well traveled road. i see from prius owners' message boards that it is an ongoing problem that toyota is well aware of. i see from a nyt article that it has been reported to your agency but you haven't taken action. i believe you should, because losing a headlight is a danger to the driver and to oncoming traffic. it seems doubly unfair that a driver can be cited for a violation that is beyond his/her control. i contacted the dealer who said it would be $385 to replace the light bulb have not gone in for the repair, it's expensive and from what i've read, the problem may be electrical rather than a burned out bulb. *tw these high-intensity discharge (hid) headlights are not an option on the car, it's the only bulb that fits the prius, but if the problem is electrical then changing the bulb for $385 will not stop the headlight unit from shutting off again without warning, sometimes in dangerous situations. please take toyota to task for this, they know the problem exists but they are passing the buck to the owners without guaranteeing that the problem will be solved and we'll be safe driving at night. toyota has known about the faulty brakes, the sticking gas pedal and headlights suddenly turn off , what else are they hiding from consumers? it's time for nhtsa to step and force toyota to fix our headlights before tragic accidents happen.

2008 toyota prius with approx. 60,000 miles on it. right (passenger) hid headlamp turns off intermittently while driving. replacing with a new bulb does not solve the issue and toyota will not look at the car even though i have a record of this issue happening before the warranty was up. now the driver's side hid headlamp is turning on and off as well. this is extremely dangerous to drive at night or even during the day while it is raining, etc... was driving home in the rain last night and both headlamps turned off. extremely unsafe and irresponsible for toyota to not take any responsibility. *tr

The right headlight was intermittently going off and on. didn't realize it until stranger pointed it out. i would turn the headlights off and on and the light would turns on again. i tried to use the high beam because i couldn't see road and then both lights went off.it is a very dangerous situation when its night and your far from home. there is no warning lights on car to indicate that the headlights go out. i am at the dealership right now and they have informed me they have to replace both lights at $150 each plus $100 each for installation - totaling $500+. the car has 66k miles. this cost is ridiculous and it is a safety issue not having any headlights. *tr

2008 toyota prius passenger side hid xenon headlamp going on an off randomly. went to toyota dealer they said it was the bulb and when replacing the bulb the mechanic found out the headlamp connector was corroded. i paid for a new bulb and connector. my problem is how a vehicle with only 40,000 miles could have corroded wire connectors already. the bill was $353. *tr

I purchased a new 2008 toyota prius in june 2008 and had several major issues with the auto. currently, i have a problem with my headlights. they flicker and now the driver side headlight does not stay lit. initially, toyota said that i would have to pay for the repair because although i have only had the car for approx 19 months, i have exceeded the 36000 mile warranty. they wanted almost $300 to change a light bulb! i complained and was told to call their 800 number by a repair tech at the dealership. i did. meanwhile, the dealer offered to do the job for 1/2 price. i said that i would like to think about it and was then contacted by toyota of n.a. concerning my call made to them. they knew about the dealer offer and asked if i was happy with that offer. i told them that i believed the repair s/b done for free. they then told me that the 1/2 price offer 'could' be retracted if i wasn't happy with it. toyota wasn't going to waste "good will" money on a customer that still wasn't happy with their offer. i indicated at that time that i wanted to think about it but when i called the dealer the next day, i was told that the offer had been retracted due to a call from toyota n.a.. i never indicated to them that i wasn't going to take the offer but i do believe toyota has a serious defect with the electrical system on 2006 ' 2009 prius cars. i have researched the issue and found numerous owners with the same defect! i also have direct knowledge of a prius car with defective headlights that have failed twice in the 1st two years of ownership with as little as 45,000 miles on the car! that prius is on it third set of headlights! *tr

At approximately 37,000 miles my drivers side headlight, which is an hid bulb, started to flicker and turn off. most the time it would happen within the first few minutes of starting the car. if the lights were turned off and back on it would work again. approximately 1,000 miles later i noticed a new symptom where both headlights would turn off simultaneously, this would happen rarely. i brought the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the issue was my bulbs(which when i was sold the vehicle was told would last 100k miles) and that i would need to replace them. i explained that if both bulbs are turning off at the same time how can it possibly be the bulbs especially if it has happened more than once. they insisted that it was the bulbs. i refused to replace them until further researching and since then i've found many similar cases. many owners have complained of very early bulb failure and issues with ballasts that require replacing. today i have 42k miles on the vehicle and at the drivers side bulb fails every time i drive the car, and both bulbs fail about once a week. for bulbs that are being described to last the life of the car, 40,000 miles seems rather short lived. *tr

Right headlight goes out and you have to turn light switch off and back on for it to come back on. the time range on the light going off varies from time to time. it can happen as fast as every 2-3 minutes. the ballast and bulb has been replaced and this did not correct the problem. *tr

Hid headlights go out when driving. sometimes can be turned on again by turn off headlight and turning the switch back on. the headlights go out one at a time. *tr

I own a 2008 toyota prius. given the already many complaints, i would like to add my comments on this prius. first this car is very unsafe due to poor visibility. you can not see out of this car. second, i had the headlight failures that these cars have. i have had both headlights replaced in this car. the headlights would go out while driving in the dark. many times i had to turn the switch off and back on while driving in the dark to get the headlights to come back on. this is not safe and many, many prius's have this problem. the dealer replaced the headlights but not without a struggle on my part. last point i would like to make is that this 2008 prius has the same exact issues with brakes and stopping that the 2010 does according the accounts i have read. for example, i went over a railroad track recently which when it hits an uneven surface it is very hard to stop! i almost hit a car that was turning just past these tracks because it feels like the car does not have a good "grip" to the road. it happens also with even a small cluster of small pot holes. this car is not safe in my opinion. i do not understand how the headlights alone did not make a recall. it is an ongoing unsafe situation. the car not stopping however is something that needs to be recalled and not just limited to the 2010 prius. *tr

Driver-side headlight turns off after driving for a while. it happens consistently. if i turn the lights off and then on again, it'll work for some time and then turn off again. dealer mentions that they will need to diagnose the problem and will charge about $200 for that. *tr

The hid left headlight works intermittently on my 2008 prius. my car is beyond warranty for this and toyota has offered "customer support" for this problem at a reduced cost. the reduced cost is in excess of $1000 for control ecu and bulb replacement. prius forums suggest i contact you for assistance in this safety matter. *tr

I would like my name added to the formal complaints regarding the toyota prius headlights. i know that you have many cases on file. i have a 2008 prius and find it deplorable that the owners have to pay such high prices to have our headlights fixed. this should be a factory warranty recall. it is truly unacceptable. please push for a recall. in these hard times, it is almost impossible to maintain a vehicle. when you buy a car, you expect that the headlights of all things (especially on a 2008 vehicle) would actually work. thank you. *tr

I was driving down the road, and the driver's side headlight suddenly quit working. i turned the lights off and then back on; the headlight began working again. this happened three times in a 10 mile stretch. the following day the same thing happened with the passenger's side headlight. my parking lights have done the same thing as well. *tr

My 2008 toyota prius headlights stops working all of a sudden without any warning. if i turn off and turn on the lights again, they work fine for few minutes and suddenly stop working again. since the lights stops working randomly, this is very dangerous while driving alone in remote roads that do not have adequate street lighting. i request nhtsa to investigate into this promptly. *tr

I have a 08 prius. the last few months i have been having problems with my headlights. i have people tell me i have a light out, but when i check its working. it seems that i am driving in the dark sometimes with just my fog lamps, i turn the lights off and on then they seem brighter. headlamps cost $179. plus labor. toyota will not guarantee that is the fix and talking it may cost upwards of 4-5 thousand dollars for dependable lights. this seems like a crime too me. i hear of a possible recall of this problem but not really sure what to do about the problem now, i don't have 4-5 thousand dollars to have properly working headlights. *tr

While driving, the driver's side headlight will fail (turn off) for no apparent reason. turning the headlight switch off then on will restore the headlights functioning. i have been stopped by the police once for this, and have noticed it now on my own many times since; almost every time i drive. *tr

I have a 2008 toyota prius. the hid bulbs did not last over a year. *tw

Prius is 2 years old. driver's side hid headlamp fails intermittently. note the numerous complaints on this website re: hid headlamp failure. toyota offered to install a new bulb without charge for the part (normally $150 dollars) but insisted on charging $93 labor. 93 dollars to change a bulb? a bulb that should last for many, many years? when will toyota admit to a defect? i paid extra for hid headlamps for this? *tr

On 12/03/09 we were ticketed for a left headlight out on our 2008 toyota prius. we didn't know it was out or going out. it looked on to us. two miles from home it looked as bright as ever. the next morning, as much as we tried, the garage could not find a bulb out, going out, weak, on or off, nothing was wrong! we had a funeral to go to and paid the fine. two weeks later, a letter was mailed from toyota listing issues regarding these hid lights stating that these suddenly go out, and on and off, among other things, near the end of their life. my car is a 2008. my husband and i cannot replace these expensive, exotic hid bulbs because access is in a very tight place and the bumper must be removed--seriously!!!! even if we could do it, these hid bulbs cannot be purchased in a normal automotive store. anyhow, again on 10/17/10 i was several hours out of town, driving home on the interstate, at night, on a weekend, and the other headlight went out!!! i could not put in a new bulb myself. i had no one to call with this exotic hid light and certainly no one that would take off a bumper on the interstate. sudden, complete light outage at night is a very serious safety issue. on top of this, hid headlamp problem, any light bulb needs to be relatively easy to replace. at $150. per bulb, very pricey light plus bumper removal labor expense at 1 hour ($288), the toyota dealership service clerk actually said "you chose this option." help before someone gets killed on one of these dark roads (chances are this has occurred with no one alive to know this was the cause)!!! *tr

Toyota prius headlights intermittently fail. when driving with the headlights on, one or both headlights will fail. upon turning the lights off and back on using the headlight switch on the turn signal handle, the light(s) will come back on. the issue began in late 2009 and has continued to occur about 50% of the time when the car is used at night. it is usually limited to one headlight or the other and failure of both lights at the same time has only been seen once. toyota customer support has stated to myself (and other owners) that the issue is "premature failure" of the hid (high-intensity discharge) headlights installed on 2006 - 2008 model priuses. they are aware of the issue and are offering "discounted" lights for only $150 each, with no discount offered for the labor-intensive process of replacing the lamps, which requires removal of the bumper. the vehicle is not compatible with any other type of bulb (such as the halogen bulbs that are standard on the newer prius models), so owners are forced to pay toyota an incredibly high fee (even after the discount) to get their cars safely back on the road. i have not had the issue resolved because of the high cost. this issue has been observed and documented by hundreds of owners on the priuschat.com forum and hundreds or thousands more on other websites. previous nhtsa investigation documented that this problem may have been present in as many as 100,000 vehicles. this is a safety issue that needs to be dealt with by the manufacturer. the issue is apparently resolved in 2009 and later models because the hid lamps were replaced with halogen, but the danger of headlight failure on earlier models will remain high until toyota makes the earlier models compatible with more reliable headlights. all of this assumes toyota is being forthright in their claim that the hid bulbs are the culprit. if there is a bigger issue, consumers should obviously be made aware of that, as well. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius which was purchased in 2008. he stated that the exterior hid headlights failed intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they replaced the light bulbs but would have to remove the entire front fender in order to reach the headlight assembly. there were no recalls for the type of failure as described. the contact was concerned with the unpredictability of the headlight failure and his safety at night. the vin was not available. there was no particular speed described at the time of the incident. there were no repairs made to the vehicle to date. the failure and current mileages were under 38,000.

Thank goodness nothing happened yet but my toyota 2008 prius has headlight issues. my passenger side headlight keeps going out. i find out that it costs anywhere between 200 to 300 dollars or more to repair. and fixing it does not guarantee it won't happen again! toyota sent me a letter explaining the problem and that if i bring it in to a dealer that it will only cost me 150 dollars plus labor. well thanx for nothing toyota. *tr

Led brake tail lights too bright. blind driver behind vehicle at night. *tr

The headlights on my 2008 toyota prius went out while driving at night in a very rural setting! i was able to turn them back on by turning off/on the headlight switch. yet, only one or both lights would come on. as my car has 49,000 miles in less than 2 years, it is out of warranty. i took it to the dealership and was told that the bulbs had a short in them. yet i thought the bulbs were to be longlasting? also, it was a safety factor that they both went out at night! i have seen other reports on blogs that this has happened to others. can you help before someone gets hurt! finally, the repair cost for the lights was enormous! it was $254 per light to be fixed! i am just blessed that this did not occur in a busy intersection or with oncoming traffic! *tr

My hid headlights started to fail at 30k. the dealer replaced the left one. a few months later the right side failed. since then i have experience the one or the other headlight going out and when i shut the car off and restart it may or may not come back on. the latest event was 30 dec 2011. i was at the dealer trying to price a bulb and verified the light was not working. when i left the dealer the bulb started working again. i saw the lawsuit was settled but my car was out of warranty. i feel this is a safety issue toyota should recall and resolve before someone gets killed on a dark winding road. *kb

Since new this car has had headlight problems. toyota replaced 1 headlight bulb that actually did not come on at the dealership .you never know when a light will go out , or which one. they always come back on if you turn the switch of and on. the car has been to 3 dealerships , the lights have always came on for the techs. i filed a complaint with the company , then researched the problem. i found over 2000 similar complaints. apparently this agency decided that your headlights going out is not a safety issue. when they went out on a foggy mountain road 11-27-12 everyone around us thought differently. my 65 year old wife was driving and was crying before we got off of the mountain. the prius has been a great car. toyota has not been honest or responsible. we are trying to get the car fixed so someone else does not get our problem. either way this car is gone. *tr

Toyota prius hid headlight - my prius headlight went out while driving down a highway. since then the low and high beams go on and off randomly. i took it to the dealer and they told me the bulb was fine and it was a short in the electircal that they could not find. they suggested that i just drive with it and keep trying to shake the wires and determine where the problem was. now (a month latter) i get a letter from toyota telling me it is a known problem with the bulb all along. the solution is to avoid using my headlights (that was the suggestion in the letter, only use them when required by law) and if i have to use them allow them to cool before i turn them on again! what a bunch of idiots for suggesting not using your headlights! i'm still under warrenty, but will now have to pay ~$200 each time this problem bulb burns out - unless i follow toyota's advice and skip using them at all :). *tr

2008 toyota prius. brakes seems to "lose hold" when driving at slow speeds and hitting a bump in the road. the loss of braking seems to only last for a fraction of a second but is very disconcerting. also, driver's side headlamp kept malfunctioning, going off periodically when driving. dealer could not replicate problem in shop, so stated there was no problem. took car back three additional times for same issue. finally dealer said there'd been numerous complaints and changed out the headlamp at a cost of $250.00. ($150 for the headlamp and $100 for labor) later got a letter from toyota acknowledging the faulty headlamp issue, but said toyota had given us a discount by only charging $150.00 for the headlamp instead of the regular $300.00 cost. $300.00 for a headlamp seems excessive and if it's a common issue why is toyota not issuing a recall for this matter.*tr

Drivers side headlight failed. did not work at all after turning headlights on and off. i was traveling for work (about 2000 miles of driving over 4 days) and did not have time to either repair the problem myself or take it to the dealer. during the 4 days of driving with one headlight, i noticed the passenger's side headlight failing as well, intermittently, leaving me with no headlights. if i turned the lights off then back on, the passenger side worked, but the drivers side still didn't. the passenger side light would stay on for hours after cycling the power, so it seems to me like a random intermittent problem, not due to overheating or bulb life. *tr

Toyota prius 2008, driver's side hid headlight went out at 29k miles <2 years of use, different dealerships tell different stories on whether it's a warranty repair; bulb pricing ranges from $30 to $350; sandy springs toyota sold us the wrong part; owner's manual gives wrong instructions: the light bulb casing looks nothing like the diagram; some online sources cite a total cost + labor $1700; some don't recommend downgrading to a non-hid bulb; some say that the voltage is very high and poses risk of electrocution when replacing at home; *tr

I own a 2008 toyota prius and the driver side hid bulb burnt out on 11/19/2009. i normally drive my car to and from work. i promptly called toyota service department on 11/20/2009 and i asked the female customer representative if the hid would be covered under warranty. i purchased an extended warranty when i purchased the car back in january of 2008. she said she did not know if it would be covered; i would have to come in and see. at 11/21/2009 7:30 am, i roll into toyota's dealership and one of the service managers replied to me that the bulbs were only covered up to 36,000 miles even with the extended warranty. he was rude and i promptly left toyota. *tr

Headlights on toyota prius 2008 started dimming and going out intermittently at 50,000 miles. lights will go back on when turned off and then back on again. i have been stopped 3 times by the police for a headlight out and been let go with a warning. in addition, the abs system activates for no reason on dry roads and brakes are slow to engage. *tr

I own a 2008 prius purchased new. i have the hid headlights. the car has 49,000 miles. the headlights go out and will come back on sometime on their own or by turning the lights off and back on. this is very dangerous. i do not think it is the bulbs that are bad due to the come back on. i went online and found that this problem is happening to alot of prius owners and the outrageous prices that dealers are charging to replace the bulbs just for it to recur. *tr

I have about 57,000 miles on my 2008 toyota prius. when driving at night the headlights will go out. not both but either the left or right headlight. the left more than the passenger side. if i turn the lights off and back on the lights re light. as my running lights are on, oncoming traffic can still see me coming, but my vision is greatly reduced. *tr

Under normal driving conditions both the passenger and driver front headlamps have gone out. by switching the light control off and on, then the headlamps come on for 10 - 30 seconds and then go off again. this occurs every time the headlamps are turned on. it is a definite safety issue. i took the prius into the dealership and was told that the hid mechanism and the lamps needed to be replaced. the original warranty is up, but i have an extended warranty. even with that, the dealership is charging $300 to fix the problem. i will ask for the old parts. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. while driving at night the head lights intermittently fail. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. since the technician could not identify the cause of the failure, he could not provide a remedy. the failure mileage was 30,000.

A recall is necessary on this prius headlight issue. they are continuing to fail right and left and the dealerships are ripping people off to the tune of over $300 to change a headlamp. they fail at less then 16k miles either totally or by intermittently going on and off. *tr

I drive my car and the driver side headlight goes off. i can switch the light on and off and it will come on for a few minutes to a little while and then go back off. it happens all the time. replaced the bulb and check the fuses. *tr

After owning our 2008 toyota prius hybrid for 2 years, we have had to replace both headlamps already. they both failed prematurely. fortunately for us our dealership replaced the headlamps with no charge as we are well under the 36,000 mile warranty. my question is what is going to happen when that warranty expires, and it will soon. will toyota or our dealership keep replacing these headlights bulbs. i think not! they will more than likely make me pay for them! with the 35 complaints that are listed here about the same issue, one would expect/demand that toyota would voluntarily cover the costs involved with replacing these headlight bulbs, that keep going out prematurely. surely this is a safety hazard as we need 2 working headlights to avoid being ticketed by the police. my wife and i are extremely disappointed with toyota that these headlight bulbs keep failing prematurely! why is there not a recall issue about these headlight bulbs. surely they should last a lot longer than 2 years. i have owned vehicles that never had the headlight bulbs replaced. one in particular was a 1987 camaro with 187,000 miles on it. neither headlight bulbs were ever replaced on that vehicle in the 12 years we owned it. *tr

2008 toyota prius headlights: the driver side headlight goes out unexpectedly. if the lights are turned off and back on the headlight comes back on. this occurs with both low- and high-beam operation. the problem is intermittent and very dangerous. i took the vehicle to a repair shop to diagnose the problem and they said the lights worked fine for them and they couldn't replicate it. they checked the connections thinking that may have been an issue. the problem has gotten worse. i had an occasion driving to work along a very dark rural section of open road where there are large herds of deer and elk often jumping the fence and wandering close to the road. on one occasion my lights went out and i had to turn the lights off and on again while also trying to slow down without causing an incident. upon the lights coming back on i immediately saw several deer that had wandered out of the growth by the side of the road and into my path no more than a 100ft in front of me. i had to brake very hard to avoid them. without adequate lighting if i had tried to pull off to the side of the road in a controlled manner i would have likely driven right into the deer. this caused an extremely dangerous situation that could have been a lot worse. i am now furious at the quoted cost to replace the bulbs. but, i have no option but to shell out the money to replace them. i'm even more furious that toyota seems to be ignoring the problem in the hope it will go away. i regard this as a huge safety issue that i believe toyota should address with a recall to fix the obvious defect in the prius lighting system. this problem detracts from an otherwise excellent car. *tr

Both headlights on our 2008 prius began flickering on and off, and ultimately would flicker off at night leaving us with no lights. if we turned the lights off and then on again, the lights would work for a few minutes then turn off again. the car was only two years old. when we took the car to the dealership, we were told we would need to replace both bulbs at a cost to us of over 600 dollars. toyota dealership replaced both lights, the next day the passenger hid headlight was already out again, so we took the car back, and they said the brand new bulb must have been defective. i don't believe them, it seems obvious there is a problem with these hid lights. *tr