Problems with 2010 Toyota Prius EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Toyota prius low beam headlights suddenly go out due to known issue with wire harness. no recall issued and owner is responsible for cost of repair

Low beam headlights turn off/fail. i have replaced 7 low beam headlights in the past year, four in the past 2 months. in the two most recent cases both low beam headlights failed within minutes of each other while driving at night at highway speeds. i had a toyota dealer check the wiring harness per toyota warranty notice after the last outage and they stated nothing was wrong. when i had the lights checked by a different toyota dealer in jan 2019 they indicated the socket for the bulb was melted. bulbs have gone out under, wet, dry, hot, and cold conditions. the most recent outage occurred on march 8, 2019 while driving on the interstate..

Previously had no issues with low-beam lights. used in the morning- working fine. came out after work and both low-beam lights would not turn on. high-beam lights work fine. car was stationary and in park when lights were attempted to turn on. tried turning light switch and car off/on multiple times without success. had to drive home in the dark with high-beam lights.

Abs failed. warning lights do not appear. heard others have similar issue. toyota will fix the abs only if the warning lights appear. warning lights appear only when car is not on completely. brakes went out with no warning at all. brakes went out with no warning while driving. light bulb leaks moisture has since purchase. light bulbs blow frequently.

Headlight would burn out a year after replacement. manufacturer issued a variant of a recall intending to provide a fix for high rate of burnout. i took my car in to a dealership to receive the fix and the dealership caused a problem with the front windshield wiper apparatus. wipers would now work if the headlights were off, but would no longer work once the headlights were turned on. this would occur whether stationary or moving.

There's a voluntary recall that toyota is doing on the prius right now that seems dangerous and poorly executed. the low beam headlight wiring harness has a defect that causes it to burn out headlights or short out in a way that the headlights won't work. sometimes you can get the headlights working again by wiggling the wiring harness, but i've had this occur several times while on back country roads and you just have 1 headlight, which seems super dangerous. toyota won't fix it unless you come in with the headlight busted which means you have to make an appointment and either drive the car around illegally with 1 working headlight or just not drive it for a week while you wait for your appointment. this is a safety defect and they need to replace the wiring harness without hoops to jump through.

I keep having to replace the low beam headlights in my 2010 toyota prius. what is going on? my commute to and from work everyday is 3 hours and with daylight savings time i am usually going to work in the dark or coming home in the dark. my lights went out on my way home in the dark once and i had to use my high beams to get home safe. i am sure this was blinding to oncoming traffic as indicated with all the flashing of high beams i got.

Three headlight bulbs have burned out requiring replacement before the odometer reached 70,000 miles. toyota sent a notice of a warranty enhancement program in 2017 on this issue, describing the proposed repair as the installation of "voltage adjustment wire harnesses." as instructed, i took my 2010 prius to a dealership on january 19, 2018 and was told that it required a repair, but the parts were not in stock and were on back order. in a follow up call to the dealership on april 26, 2016, the representative said the parts were still on back order, and there was no indication of when they might be received. the admittedly defective electrical system in my car can and has caused my headlights to burn out prematurely, which is an obvious safety problem. even though toyota recognizes the problem, they seem to be dragging their feet in correcting it.

The headlights keep going out, making driving at night unsafe until you can get it fixed. it just happened again, march, 29, 2018. it happened 2/11, 6/11, 12/12, 1/13, 6/13, 3/15, 1/16, 7/17 and now. it wasn't raining, nothing interesting at all. local driving.

I find myself changing my headlights more frequently with the prius then any other car ive ever had. this is ridiculous and most definitely a safety issue. front lights are needed, i'd like to assume they put them there for safety, right? driving with hfh beams is just rude to oncoming traffic. double safety issue here.

Every 4 to 6 months headlights are burning out.

Drivers's side headlight and high beam light going out at same time. headlight bulbs on both sides were changed out in november 2016 (a little more than a year ago) and i only have a 10 mile commute to work. in november of 2016 driver's side light was also the one that burned out.

We were driving on the highway at about 70 miles per hour when the reading lights and dashboard flashed on and then off in a matter of about 5 seconds. the dash showed a triangle indicator light with an exclamation point. the dash also seemed to reset and showed the display as is the car had just been turned on. this incident happened twice within a 4 hour period. once on the highway and once on a back road going about 40 mph. the car did not stop either time, but it is still concerning.

Exiting off freeway at s. main in walnut creek california at appx 45mph both headlights went out at the same time. could not be turned on. interior headlight indicator remained on but headlights remained off. highbeams worked.

We have been having problems with the headlights on our 2010 prius for 3-4 years and have never reported the issue. at least twice per year, one of the headlights will go out while driving. sometimes it's the left, sometimes it's the right. we have always had to replace the bulbs after these events. (expensive). tonight, (11/9/2017), while driving in the rain and the dark both headlights went out at the same time. this is a serious safety issue. an online search revealed that prius headlight complaihts are numerous with issues being reported for years. we last replaced the headlight bulbs one month ago

The low beam headlights tend to go out every 2 to 3 months sometimes one at a time and sometimes both.

The low-beam headlights generally must be replaced every 4 to 6 months; occasionally one low-beam will last a year, but may go out and come back on intermittently, without warning. this is not only a safety concern, but i have received repeated vehicle defect tickets that must constantly be addressed by visiting a repair shop to demonstrate that i fixed the bulb myself. the shop must sign the paperwork to attest the defective lights have been fixed before i can mail the form to absolve the ticket. this process is time-consuming and happens for one headlight, the six weeks later, to the other headlight. presently, i just replaced the passenger side low-beam two weeks ago. three days ago, the driver side low-beam went out. i bought a new bulb but the low-beam still didn't work. i returned that bulb for another new bulb which didn't seem to work either. my husband thought to test the bulb on the passenger side and discovered that both the new bulb and the current bulb that we thought was blown both work!! now, we are wondering how many bulbs we replaced that were actually working!!! my husband also checked the fuses, which are fine. it seems there must be a connection issue that should be resolved. i have some of the invoices and defect tickets but they aren't with me at the moment.

Headlights burn out often and are extremely dim making it impossible to see without using brights. lights are the same stationary as well as driving

I repeatedly must replace my low head-beam lights in my 2010 prius. they have been going out at a rate of 2-4 times a year. i buy mid to high range quality bulbs and are very careful to keep the bulbs clean during installation. i notice there are many people with similar issues. how can we get this escalated to toyota!

Both low beam headlights do not go on at all. were working properly on way to a destination at 9pm, then did not go on after car was parked after 2 hours. this has never occurred before. bulbs are not burned out, fuse is not blown. all other mechanisms on fuse working properly (backup lights, horn). parking lights and hi-beams work. very dangerous drive home, use of hi-beams on surface streets not safe for other drivers.

The headlight burn out very frequently and most recently the shop informed me that the light does not stay in the assembly because the headlight assembly has melted. i am forced to drive without headlights and this is very unsafe. new headlight assemblies cost at a minimum of $100 each and i am having problems shipping the items to guam where i reside.

My toyota prius is in good working order, as i just got it inspected for the ny state annual inspection on 3/23/2017. last night, 4/2/2017, i drove my car to a restaurant and parked it there. when i got back into my car to leave after my meal, i turned on the ignition and switched the headlights to turn on while the car was stationary and parked, but both appeared to have burned out suddenly. only the running lights switched on. to drive home, i had to use my high beams. i tried turning the car on and off, and switching the headlights on and off while the car was parked, idle and in motion to see if they'd turn back on, but they wouldn't. when i got home, i did some research and it seems that this is a long-standing problem for this model of car, as well as priuses made in the years prior. please see the below links: http://www.carcomplaints.com/toyota/prius/2010/recalls/ https://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/toyota-prius-headlight-failure-sparks-class-action-suit/?_r=0

I keep replacing the low beams. they do not last longer than 3 months before they burn out again. i'm buying high end replacement bulbs that should be lasting years. i've noticed that they burn out following my car pausing when i apply the gas from a stop but it only will go15-20 miles an hour then the car will surges forward and drives normal. help there is something not designed correctly! please have toyota fix this.

My low beam hi-intensity lights continue to burn out every six months or so. a single headlamp does not offer sufficient illumination of the roadway and i feel unsafe driving at highway speeds. the last time it burned out i was traveling down an interstate highway at 65 mph. *tr

On jan 24, 2017 while driving this car at night both headlights turned off. when i turned the knob to turn the lights back on only the parking lights came on. the car was in motion on a city street when this happened. *tr

Earlier i reported that both headlights went out simultaneously. my mechanic replaced both headlights and they now work. 37 months ago the same thing happened. it seems highly unlikely that this is just a coincidence. fortunately the first time it happened i was close to home but this time i was not.

I got in my prius about a month ago and turned the headlight switch on, and neitherof my low beam headlights worked. i thought it seemed odd that both lights went out at the same time. i purchased the most expensive bulbs at my local auto parts store and replace the bulbs. they worked great until about an hour ago. i started my car and when i turned the head lights on, both of them came on for a fraction of a second and then immediately went out. i had to drive home with my bright lights on.i started reading prius forums and came to realize that hundreds of people with the same prius model and year were having the same exact symptoms in their cars. there's obviously an electrical problem with the 2010 prius. it's time to issue a recall. now i'm going to have to by another set of bulbs which will cost me another $60. please help us. it's unfair that 100's of us have to suffer from such a flaw. thanks *tr

Headlights fail frequently. this happened over a period of 18 months. it began with a front driver-side headlight not working, then both headlights not working - each was replaced when noticed they were not working. the most recent time, 5 months after the last replacement, i noticed one headlight was out again, then, while in park, with the car still on, i turned the lights off then on again, and after that both headlights and one daytime running will not work. needless to say this is incredibly dangerous.

Vehicles low beam lights on driver and passenger side extremely dim for more than six months of driving and when stationary. high beam lights working properly on driver and passenger lights as well as parking and brake lights. all interior lights work properly. i press car's ignition button while pressing down on brake and the car's indicator symbols flash to the display but do not disappear. when it does this i cannot release the car from park mode leaving me unable to use reverse or drive. dealer examined car to explain that bulbs working properly however the housing for the low beam lights need replacing

I've had to replace my low beam head lamps 4 times in the past 6 months. first i was on a 2 hour long trip when my passenger and i could specifically see both headlights were getting dim. after about an hour of driving they had both gone out completely and i was forced to use my high beams on the interstate. when we arrived in town, both bulbs were replaced and the driver's side bulb lasted 3 months before dying out. i rode around like that for a week because i kept forgetting until i'd drive at night and the shops were closed. so about a week after my driver's side bulb died, i went to the auto store and bought a new bulb, only to find out my passenger side bulb had gone out that same day; i didn't notice because it was during the day. thankfully i was already at the auto shop and was able to have two new bulbs installed at the same time. well...with my brand new bulbs i was confident that it was going to be fine this go-around and they were bright for a couple months. until my driver's side bulb went out unexpectedly when i was parked in my driveway. i was getting ready to leave and saw the reflection on my neighbor's window -- no more driver's side light. i put my plans on hold until i went to the auto shop and they replaced the bulb no problem. four days later, the passenger side bulb goes out. i'm fed up with having to get new bulbs every few months (or days for that matter). it's occurred when i was parked, driving slow in the city, and going fast on the interstate. it doesn't matter the state in which the vehicle was being handled. the lights are going out consistently and it's occurring far too frequently. *tr

In 2014 my regular beam headlight went out. the dealers wanted $130 to put in a new bulb saying the bumper had to be removed. my husband bought a bulb at the auto parts store and installed it without removing the bumper. since then i have replaced several bulbs on both sides and was finally told by sylvania that i need to change both at the same time which i did about a month ago. a couple of nights ago, i started the car and both headlights were out and the fuses were intact. i put in two more bulbs, but i can barely see with them although they are lit. the beam is very weak. the dealers want over $100 to do a diagnostic to find the problem or before they will give me a quote of the cost to remedy the problem as stated by toyota in a technical bulletin. this was my third prius, and last one. *tr

Headlights have burned out 4 times in the past 3 years- both at the same time and previously one burned out within a week of the other.

Low beam headlights go out at least 2 times a year. i have to replace the low beam bulbs at least twice a year. wiring seems fine, no damage they just go out randomly throughout the year.

In the past year, my prius has blown out headlights 5 times on both sides and low and high beam. this is nt only a dangerous problem but and expensive one. they say unless all the bulbs were replaced by a dealership, they cannot deal with the problem. i have the bulbs replaced immediately u[on discovery. this is a serious problem and i should be reimbursed for these bulb and installation costs. there needs to be a recall on this problem.

Three times in the past 12 months i have had my one or the other of my headlights dim and go out. the first time i replaced both headlights assuming the light needed to be replaced so i should just do both. it has occurred two additional times and finally, last night, i returned to my parked car to discover both headlights were out. i was forced to drive home switching between high beams and no lights. replacing bulbs every few months seems excessive. losing headlights in the dark is dangerous. this problem needs to be addressed by toyota and a recall needs to be initiated.

For the past year, the low beams on my 2010 prius continue to burn out within a few months of being replaced. i have had to drive twice in the dark with no low beams and had to use my high beams until i was able to get home/buy new bulbs. it doesn't matter what brand or type of bulb i use, they are burning out within 45-60 days of replacement. it's extremely dangerous especially since i spend a majority of my time driving for work. the toyota dealer i took my vehicle to in may 2016 told me there was no problem, they'd never heard of any problems with the lights, and that i just needed to buy "expensive" bulbs. after installing the most expensive bulbs i could find, both headlights burned out within 60 days. it's very frustrating buying new bulbs every 2 months.

Low beam headlights failed with less than 10,000 miles since last replacement.

Low beam headlamp bulbs fail repeatedly in less than 6 months. this happens regardless of bulb brand or model. i have had these professionally installed at multiple shops. happens on both sides, but the latest is on driver side.

My headlight caught fire and severely burned my car. i was driving down the road on a city steet and saw a wisp of smoke and pulled over into a store parking lot. i had no warning lights indicating anything was wrong. it began to smoke more, and i cautiously opened the hood to see a fire coming from my drivers side headlight area. within seconds there was a blaze, and it took 3 fire extinguishers to put it out. the fire department confirmed that the fire originated from the headlight. i had previously experienced problems with my headlight becoming dull and cloudy. an earlier nhtsa investigation did not result in a recall. i think it's the same problem with the headlight, only much worse. if there were not multiple fire extinguishers available the car could have easily exploded before the fire department arrived. it could have easily caused harm to other people.

My 2010 toyota prius began having chronic problems with exterior light going out, starting in may 2016 and persisting until now (november 2016). we have replace the bulbs repeatedly just to have them go out again. i consider this a very dangerous problem, and makes this vehicle unreliable. dealership denies a system failure and suggests to replace bulbs with expensive ones. this does not remedy the pr oblem.

On april 14, both my low-beam stopped working. unfortunately i was forced to drive home in the dark, on a winding canyon road alternating between no light and high-beams. i took my car the next morning to toyota of n. hollywood for repair. i assumed it would be a fuse or loose wire. i thought it highly unlikely that both lights would go out at the exact same time. my service manager informed me this was not uncommon. he quoted me $110 for parts and labor. reluctantly i gave the "go-ahead" for the replacement (what choice did i really have???). about an hour after leaving my car for the replacment, i received a call from the service mgr. informing me that the housing on for the left light was "melted" and it would need to also be replaced at a cost of $350. i asked if this was covered under warrenty (2010 car with 40300 miles) and was told no. i said that this sounds like a design flaw, as surely the when the housing was created, the heating element and output of the standard light bulb would be taken into consideration in the desgn. my service mgr. informed me that it was not uncommon as it happens to tacoma's quite frequently. again, i reluctantly gave the green light for the repair, and requested that i be given all parts upon when i picked up my car. after getting off the phone, i realized through an online search that 1) there was a recall in place for 2004-2009 prius for lighting issues; and 2) there was a recall for tacoma's for the melting issue. clearly this is still a issue. i found another person on this very site who shared the very same problem he had four days before me. the recall for the prius must be extended. looking online, there are hundreds of complaints going beyond the scope of the years included in the original recall. this little repair cost over $540 dollars. shameful on toyota.

Both of my low beam headlights went out suddenly. i didn't realize it until i was driving onto the freeway and had to turn on my high beams so i wouldn't crash while on the dark onramp of the freeway. the housing of the left low beam is blown out. i brought in my prius to the dealership and they would not cover this even though i have the platinum warranty.

Low beams continually blowing. this time together. i am told this may be a costly fix. very dangerous.

Over the last 3 years, my dim bulbs have been blowing frequently. i usually don't notice this until i drive at night, which i try to avoid. last weekend, it happened again. they had been replace about 3 months ago. bright lights work fine but no dims. i have never had this problem with other cars. it is really more aggravating now that my son has moved far away and i have to search for someone to replace them. i recently read online that this is a problem with prius cars. why no recall?

2010 toyota prius headlights burn out frequently. one of the headlights burn out every 5 to 6 months. i can't just replace the burnt out bulb as the other one then burns out.

One of my headlights went out a couple of months ago, so i replaced both. a few weeks later, i was driving on an interstate highway at night, roughly 8pm, and my both of my headlights went out. they would not come back on. only the high-beams were functional. after speaking with my local toyota dealership, this is a known issue of a faulty wiring harness. the local dealership refused to replace the faulty wiring. i find it difficult to comprehend how a car's most basic safety feature, maybe aside from the brakes, is suffering from a known issue and nothing has been done. without an intervention in this matter, toyota's willingness to ignore this problem, as they have with many others in the past, will certainly lead to death.

Headlights stopped working. i got into my car to drive to work and found one bulb out. that night i got into my car to drive home and found the other bulb out. i had to drive home in the rain with no headlights, using my high beams whenever possible. changed out the bulbs numerous times and nothing came on. when taken to the dealership was told an updated wiring harness was needed and would cost me nearly $800! if the wiring harness needed to be updated, toyota clearly knew there was an issue causing the headlights to short. i now have a vehicle that i cannot drive safely because i cannot afford to fix toyota's defective equipment!

Headlights have gone off while driving at night. replacement of the bulbs began in 2013. only recently while driving at night on the interstate and back roads,did we realize that were sometimes working and this was a reoccurring issue.

Low beam headlamps contiually fail. i've had to replace lights no less that 8 times since 2012! not only an expense, but poses a significant hazard. i was told recently the the cause is a known defect in the wiring harness which has since been corrected. however, on 2 occasions the local toyota dealer told me that the "system" i fine and that i have to be more careful in replacing the bulbs. the car can be parked, or active. there is now warning or specific milage. seems random. most recent occurrence 01/24/2016.

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota prius. the contact stated that the low beam headlamp bulbs were dim. the headlamp bulbs were replaced, but the failure persisted. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 94,000.