Problems with 2009 Toyota Prius EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Headlights go out after a few days.. replaced over 8 bulbs. checked connectors, checked wiring.. no problem found and the problem still exist.

One of the front headlight sometimes work sometimes not.i just get this car today and after purchasing i saw this problem.

The headlights come on and off. bulbs have been replaced, fuses and still they periodically come on and off. when i take the to dealer they say no issues.

Every day one of my headlights are not working. one day it could be the left one, the other day could be the right one. i'm afraid both might go out during night time driving.

2009 toyota prius driver side headlight keeps going out, it works when you turn on the vehicle, and then it goes out, i have changed the bulb, and also change the ballast, but no luck, i got the warning 3 days ago, and now if i get pulled over, i will get the ticket,

Drivers side head light goes out periodically. research on line says that this is a problem with 2006 - 2009 prius. is there a recall? goes out while driving.

Driver side headlight problem. lights turn on when starting to drive but after a while into driving ...13 minuets (is when i noticed) headlight goes out. i drive home afraid to get a ticket. home is 5 minutes away. i pull in driveway and headlights come back on again. this happens every night when using headlights.

Hid headlight turns off shortly after turning on headlights, stays off.

My headlights keep randomly turning off on their own while parked or driving, in the dark or the light. to troubleshoot i have replaced the headlights and tightened the wire connections, but the problem continues. only turning the headlights off and back on seems to temporarily fix the problem...until the next time it turns itself off. i had a similar problem with my honda pilot 2005 a few years ago and there was a safety recall on the headlight wire harness kit that was corroded from humidity and overheating and failing. this has now happened dozens of time on my prius, mostly affecting the left headlight only, but a couple times on both headlights.

At not given moment driver side headlight with go off. if you turn off an on it will go on again. but, will go out again. if you try to put bright lights on all lights go off. all while driving.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. for the past several months, while the vehicle was being driven, the headlamps flickered on and off. the vehicle was taken to tarbox toyota (3671 quaker ln, north kingstown, ri 02852, (401) 884-5438) where it was diagnosed that the hid bulbs needed to be replaced. the hid bulbs were replaced, but the failure recurred. the contact stated that the failure was intermittent. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 129,000.

Right headlight intermittently goes out. sometimes turning headlights off and back on brings the headlight back on. the headlight usually does not turn on when the car is started up.

Last year my headlights started flicking on and then when i turned them off and then back on, they would both work again. sometimes it's just one headlight, either left or right and sometimes its both at the same time or one and then in a mile or two the other making it so both are out. i've had my bulbs replaced and since looked at again and was told the bulbs were both still good. i have been told it is a very expensive process for fixing the problem but it is extremely dangerous to be driving on the freeway at 65 mph with two kids in the car and have both headlights go out on you. it happens when i am driving. it doesn't matter what type of surface we are driving on. i happens every single time i drive my car.

The headlight low beams on my 2009 toyota prius drivers side and the passengers side keep burning out. i have changed the bulbs three times in the last four months. toyota has a recall on the 2010 thru 2011 prius headlight wiring harness for these years but not the 2009 prius. a serious safety issue could happen if both lights burn out before you get the bad one changed. the vehicle is stationary or in motion when the headlights burn out.

My headlight passenger side keeps going out after a few seconds of turning on. this keeps me from driving at night. my computer controls on my dash board that works the ac. and displays the information about the car does not work. my abs break light will not go off. this has affected my breaking system on my car. all of these items i have mentioned all occurred while i was driving the car.

Over the course of my ownership of the past 3 years, i have replaced 3 headlights, due to broken/faulty seals that allow moisture into the housing, and burning out the ballast which in my opinion is a design flaw as the ballast rests at the bottom of the headlight assembly. i currently am dealing with a right headlight that goes out and i need to turn the switch off and on for the light to return briefly. the headlamp assembly is about $250 plus labor costs of installation.

Lights flickering going out

The 2009 toyota prius is notorious for having head light problems. what happened is when the headlight are turned on they will automatically turn off sometimes it's the left one sometimes the right one sometimes both this happens regardless if you're driving on a highway on a city street or not in-motion. i have been pulled over numerous times for this due to the fact that i happens anytime the headlights are turned on it is dangerous due to the fact that when your headlights turn completely off on a regular basis you lose visibility. and considering 90% of the time when your headlights are turned on it's night time even worse. in order to fix the problem what you have to do is turn the headlights on and off and that will sometimes make them turn on again the then behold they will automatically turn off again like i said this happens to me at least 10 times every time i drive at night. if you look online you will find countless prius owners who have the same problem as me yet toyota has not put a recall on this. this is extremely dangerous when you are driving at night.

The headlight just go off while driving. once you turn the light switch off and then on they come back on for a short time. the dealer is wanting $1,400 to make the repairs. this is extremely dangerous while driving at night. there should be a recall on these vehicles.

The headlights keep blowing out due to power surge. left - right - left - right - left - right now left again!!! every couple of months since i bought it last feb 2017.

My headlights intermittently shut off for no reason while driving down the street. some times it's only one, other times it's both. if i turn the headlights off and then back on they work again for a short time. this is very scary to have happen when driving down the interstate at night. it happens almost every time i drive. *tr

While driving the headlights will turn off. most of the time it is the right headlight and at other times the right or both of them will go out. if i turn the light switch on the steering column off and then back on it will turn them on for a few seconds. when taken to the dealership they said there is no recall but there are plenty of complaints. i was pulled over by a police officer and they let me off with a warning to fix it. it turns off even while sitting in my driveway as well as while driving. there is no rhyme or reason as to when. *tr

There is a warranty enhancement program for my 2009 prius which expires in march of 2018 for the combination meter known as csp ztv. i text manufacturer and they said its warranted. the first dealer i took it to refused to replace it 2 days ago saying it expired. i called toyota and they said it didn't after i read the date it started being in service and she said it is in place until march.the 2nd dealer refuses to repair unless they can duplicate conditions. i can not tell the weather to freeze i am not god but they are playing god with my money and my life to save their money and their jobs. i wanted repair done before it happens again but they are refusing. i could run out of gas and be killed because of faulty meter because you can't read display or get a speeding ticket. the dealer i bought it from can verify this is the problem but they are not a toyota dealer. what if we have a mild winter and it doesn't happen this year but happens fall of 2019 then i have to pay for it and its their fault not mine this is lawlessness because someone is trying to keep from paying for their error. this is stealing. how can i get a remedy to this? they should have been forced to do a recall instead of what they are doing it is not right to do to consumer. it is stationary for display lights but you don' t know when they will turn on and restarting car does not resolve problem. also when you can't leave car there because lights aren't on if car doesn't shut off this a dilemma and tow trucks don't carry these meters. also when car doesn't quit running it is stationary. the recall is csp ztv.

Right headlight goes off randomly all the time when driving in city streets or highways, i have to turn lights off and turn them on again until it goes off again, changed bulb did not help. this is happening for about 6 months now. *tr

2009 toyota prius passenger headlight goes off spontaneously while driving or stationary. when you turn off the headlight switch, then turn them on, the headlight turns back on for a while. then after a while the headlight turns off again. this defect was a nhtsa recall and extended warranty problem but the dealer said the warranty and recall has expired. they want to charge me over $500 to fix this defect. nhtsa needs to extend the recall and warranty because there have been accident deaths and injury related to this defect. you can see the defect documented on several youtube videos: toyota prius headlight failure. please issue an order for dealers to recall and extend the warranty to fix this headlight defect at no cost to owners !! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. while driving 65 mph, the high intensity discharge headlights flickered on and off. as a result, it was difficult for the contact to see the roadway. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 91,757. updated 05/31/17*lj the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired by replacing the light bulb. updated 08/30/2017*js

While driving, my headlamps will flicker and then go out. sometimes this could take 5 minutes, sometimes this could take 20. when flick the lights off and back on, they reset for a little while. the toyota dealership told me that they could not do anything, because they've seen this happen before. my vehicle began doing this at 98,000 miles and continue to do this at 130,000 miles. i've read on forums that other drivers have experienced this same things.

Headlights fail while driving. at first only the driver side would go out, then the passenger side would got out and most recently both lights have failed while driving at night.

Headlights completely failed at night on 8/31/16 when car parked on street and have not worked since. dealer reported not the bulbs and ran diagnostics, telling me it was the the 'body ecu' . i paid $703.86 for a new ecu on 9/1/16 which was put in today, 9/7/16, and did not solve the problem. car remains without headlights.

One headlight went out, then the next. i was driving on the interstate after dark and realized that both of my headlights had gone out while i was driving. turned switch off and then back on (i also put fog lamps on) and they worked for a short time, then they each dimmed and went out. i cannot safely drive at night and am unable to change the lights myself. i took the car to the dealer and the cost quoted was nearly $600 to replace the hid headlamps because the bumper must be removed to replace the bulbs. the dealer seemed unaware of the issue until i mentioned the class action lawsuit in 2011 against toyota for this very issue.

Headlights go out all the time. i've replaced the ballasts and the headlights 5 times in the last year. 1 month after new headlights and new ballasts the headlights are back out again. this has been a problem since i got this car. sometimes i can turn the lights on and off and it will work for a bit.

First the driver's side headlight went out, and then back on after a day or two. then the passenger side headlight did the same thing. i never know until i start up the car whether or not i am going to have both headlights working. this happens when i first start up the vehicle. i don't know if it also happens while driving.

Right headlight flickers out about 2-3 minutes after turning it on. by turning the switch off and on, the light comes back on. but if fails again in a few minutes. this happens while driving, but also happens sitting in the driveway with the engine off.

Sometimes one headlight turns off. when i turn the headlights on and off, the headlight comes back on. this has happened on the freeway. it does not happen every day.

Headlights go off without warning, sometimes left, sometimes right, sometimes both. inconsistent and notice only at night. can't fix and can't find solution. headlights don't need to be replaced - there is something wrong with car wiring or other. i've had this car since 2009 and only had problem last six months or so - probably starting 1/2016. car has approx. 65k miles on it. very unsafe - especially at night in city when i can't follow another car and i can't tell if my headlights are on or not!

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. while driving at night, the low beam headlights dim intermittently. the contact drove the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the headlight assembly was damaged and needed replacement. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the contact also stated that the failure occurred daily. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

I became aware the past few months that my right hid headlight was going off and on when i was driving. i was first alerted to it by other cars flashing me. then time would go by and it seemed to work. yet, the problem returned. one time the left light went out as well, and i was without either light. but generally it is just the right light. if i turn the light switch off and on, then both lights work, again usually until i get home, i am aware that these expensive bulbs (more than $600 for both) are the common solution, but i know someone who had the replacement bulbs go out, as well ,after a few months. so it must be the circuit. i will try to limit my driving to day time, and to be diligent to remember to be on the lookout for sudden light failure and switch,the lights on and off. my memory isn't as sharp as it once was, being an elderly retired person. this makes me quite nervous especially on icy roads in an area that darkens early. suggested repairs are currently above my means. thank you for hearing this. *tr

During the winter months when it gets below 30 the lights on the vehicle dashboard go out when the vehicle is turned on and remain off while driving and you can't see how fast you are driving or any of the instrument panel or warning lights to know if you need gas, tires are low, etc. i took into a dealership and they said there had been a recall on it but i do not see it listed.

One of my two hid headlights goes out while driving. i can turn light off and they may or may not come back on. sometimes light flickers and does not achieve full brightness. can be dangerous at night. both bulbs were replaced in june of 2013, passenger side in april of 2014 and now the drivers side needs replacement.

Within the last few weeks, the headlights randomly turn off. sometimes the driver's side, sometimes the passenger side...sometimes both at the same time. tonight, i had both headlights and dash lights shut off while driving home down a dark, wet, very curvy, leaf covered road. quickly turning the lights on and off briefly solved the problem. this should never happen and poses a tremendous threat of bodily harm not only to the drivers/passengers in the prius, but to other travelers as well. i am extremely disappointed in toyota for refusing to be accountable and accept responsibility for the safety of the many consumers who have experienced this problem.

Takata recall the passenger side headlight is not working.

Headlights, high intensity discharge turn off. both headlights turn off while driving.

The ballasts for the hid lights in the 2009 prius are famously unreliable. mine demonstrated this last evening in a very unnerving way. the headlamps would simply turn off without warning, sometimes one, and many times, both, leaving me to the mercy of street lights! this is incredibly dangerous. i checked on it and found that this happens to hundreds of prius drivers. isn't toyota concerned that its $1,200 charge for fixing its own defective equipment (for the ballasts are known for this) will lead to death of poor persons who cannot afford the fix? shouldn't there be a general recall for such a consumer-safety issue? (sure, cycling the lights turns them back on, but when you are driving in the dark, it isn't easy to think well.)

The passenger side head light works intermittently. when illuminated a faint flicker can be seen. don't know what precisely causes it to come back on but it does. changing the head lamp did not resolve the problem. this seems to be a recurring problem with the prius.

Driving at night, the drivers side hid would flicker and then shut off completely. last night for the first time while driving a dark road, both hid shut off leaving me in total darkness.

This has been a recurring problem. the headlights will turn off without any warning. they turn back on if i flip the switch off and then back on again. the fact that the lights are on every time i leave the house (i can see their reflection against the garage wall) means they are not burnt out, but the fact that i have almost been hit multiple times by people who then honk and flash their brights to tell me my headlights are off means that they are turning off on their own. through internet searches and chat forums, i have learned that i am not alone in this dangerous issue with my 2009 toyota prius.

The hid lights have become intermittent. first the left one would randomly go off and then later come back on, on more than one occasion. more recently the right one is showing the same behavior.

My 2009 prius right headlight goes out periodically and without warning. if i turn the headlights off & on again, it works again, but only for a period of time.

Both headlights go out without warning when driving down the highway. *tr

2/14/2015 as i was checking my vehicle i saw a lot of condensation in the drivers side hid headlight assembly. after researching i saw this is a common problem with subsequent problems of headlights going on and off with no warning. the headlight seal problem is a common issue and there was a class action lawsuit. unfortunately it ended 2011 and i didn't know at that time i would experience the issue at a later date. there should be a recall for this $400 plus repair. the part alone is $375. *tr