292 complaints reported

2005 Toyota Prius Exterior Lighting

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
292
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Oct 2016

LEFT AND RIGHT HEADLIGHTS SPORADICALLY TURN OFF WHICH IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT IN ROADS WITHOUT STREET LIGHTS. DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH TOYOTA MUST ISSUE A RECALL. LIGHT BULBS ARE NOT THE ISSUE. THE ISSUE IS IN THE COMPUTER OR BALAST THAT CONTROLS THE LIGHTS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2016
Oct 2016

WHILE DRIVIN BOTH HEADLIGHT TURN OF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE I CAN TURN OFF AND BACK ON THEY COME ON TO ONE OR THE OTHER OR BOTH GOING BACK OFF SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES THEY WORK PERFECTLY THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS YOU ONLY USE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2016
Sep 2016

ONE HEADLIGHT OR BOTH WILL RANDOMLY GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. HAS HAPPENED SPORADICALLY 6 OR SO TIMES OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS, INCLUDING THIS EVENING WHEN BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED. TOTALLY RANDOM, CAN HAPPEN ON SHORT OR LONG TRIPS, CITY STREETS OR HIGHWAY. SO FAR LIGHTS HAVE COME BACK ON BY CYCLING THE LIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2016
Aug 2016

BOTH HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER AND GO OUT, MOSTLY AT DIFFERENT TIMES THAN THE OTHER BUT CAN HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME. BY TURNING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF, THEN BACK ON AFTER 10 TO 15 SECONDS THEY WILL COME BACK ON. DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THIS LEAVES YOU IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THANK GOD FOR FOG LIGHTS, A LIFE SAVER AT 70 MILES AN HOUR. THIS CAN ALSO HAPPEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY BEFORE LEAVING FOR WORK.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2016
Jul 2016

ONE OF MY FRONT HEADLIGHT ALWAYS GOES OUT ONCE I MAKE A TURN BY USING A TURN SIGNAL. IF I SWITCH THE HEADLIGHT OFF AND ON AGAIN, THE HEAD LIGHT WILL COME BACK. I READ SIMILAR POST FROM WEBSITE, AND FOUND SOME PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ME. WE ALL SUSPECT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM BY THE MANUFACTURER.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2014
Jun 2016

HEAD LIGHTS TURN OFF AFTER BEING ON FOR A WHILE. TURNING OFF HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND TURNING IT BACK ON TURNS THE LIGHT BACK ON. HIGH BEAM STITCH DOES NOT AFFECT THE LIGHT WHICH IS OFF. THIS HAPPENS WHILE IN MOTION ON BOTH HIGHWAYS AND CITY STREETS. THIS OCCURS FREQUENTLY

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jun 2016
May 2016

I WAS DRIVING THROUGH NEVADA AT 11 PM AT NIGHT TOWARDS RENO (APPROX. 180 MILES AWAY) ON I-80 AT 75 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND ON MANUALLY WITH MY LEFT HAND, AND THE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN (I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN THE DARK, SCARED OUT OF MY MIND). THEN, ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED (I WAS DRIVING SLOWER THIS TIME). I DID THE SAME TURNING OFF AND ON AGAIN, AND THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON AGAIN, ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT DIMMER. A FEW MINUTES LATER (5 MINUTES?) I WAS PASSED BY A VEHICLE, THAT THEN SLOWED DOWN AND CAME IN BEHIND ME, AND THEN TURNED ON THE POLICE LIGHTS AND I IMMEDIATELY PULLED IN AN EXIT RAMP (FORTUNATELY THERE WAS ONE RIGHT THERE). AFTER THE POLICEMAN CHECKED MY LICENSE AND REGISTRATION, HE INFORMED ME THAT ONE OF MY HEADLIGHTS WAS OUT. HE ASKED ME TO TRY AND FLICK ON AND OFF THE LIGHTS A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND TO TRY THE BRIGHTS, BUT NONE OF THIS BROUGHT IT BACK INTO WORKING ORDER. HE THEN OUT OF THE BLUE MENTIONED TO ME (WITHOUT ME BRINGING THIS UP) THAT THE PRIUS' WERE NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH THE HEADLIGHTS, ESPECIALLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR (WHICH IS THE SIDE THAT WAS OUT, COINCIDENTLY). HE LET ME PROCEED USING ONE HEADLIGHT WITHOUT TICKETING ME. A FEW MILES LATER I PULLED INTO A REST AREA AND TURNED OFF THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES WHILE I WENT TO THE BATHROOM, AND WHEN I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR AND TURNED ON THE HEADLIGHTS THEY BOTH CAME ON, BUT WITHIN 20 SECONDS THE PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT WENT OUT AGAIN. WHEN I GOT HOME THE NEXT DAY AND TURNED ON THE HEADLIGHTS THEY WERE BOTH WORKING AGAIN. THIS INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT HAS OCCURRED A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST, AND I HAVE HAD THE TOYOTO DEALER LOOK INTO IT AND THEY CLAIMED THAT IT WAS FIXED. HOWEVER, THIS TIME IT WAS LIFE THREATENING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2016
May 2016

LEFT HEADLIGHT IS DIM, GOES OUT, COMES BACK ON WHEN LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN, BUT THEN DIMS AND EVENTUALLY FAILS AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS WHETHER IN MOTION OR STOPPED, REGARDLESS OF SPEED, AND WHETHER TURNING OR GOING STRAIGHT. I READ THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON AMONG 2005-2009 PRIUSES, AND A DESIGN CHANGE IN 2010 FIXED IT. THAT MEANS IT IS CAUSED BY A DESIGN PROBLEM, AND TOYOTA SHOULD DO A RECALL TO FIX IT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Nov 2016
Mar 2016

DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT IN 2015 AND WAS REPLACED BY LOCAL MECHANIC. BEFORE IT WENT OUT IT HAD FLICKERED BUT CAME BACK ON. I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN IT WENT OUT AND WAS PULLED OVER BY POLICE. FORTUNATELY I ONLY GOT A WARNING. MARCH 2016 THE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AGAIN (I NOTICED IT IN MY DRIVEWAY) AND WAS REPLACED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON 21 MARCH 2016. THAT VERY DAY, THE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AGAIN (NOTICED IT IN MY DRIVEWAY). IT WOULD COME ON PERIODICALLY BUT KEPT GOING OUT. 25 MARCH 2016 THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE "COMPUTER SUB-ASSY, H" FOR $458.52. 28 MARCH 2016, THE HEADLIGHT IS OUT AGAIN (NOTICED IT AGAIN IN MY DRIVEWAY).

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2016
Mar 2016

THE HEADLIGHTS (HID) STOP FUNCTIONING INTERMITTENTLY. ONE OR THE OTHER OR BOTH WILL RANDOMLY SHUT OFF. THE LIGHTS WILL COME BACK ON IF THEY ARE TURNED OFF THEN ON AGAIN. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2016
Mar 2016

WHILE DRIVING THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT, I REPLACED THE BULB AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. IT TURNS OFF SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE WETHER IT IS DRIVING OR SITTING, WHEN I TURN LIGHTS OFF AND ON AGAIN LIGHT WILL TURN BACK ON FOR A MOMENT AND TURN OFF AGAIN, THIS HAPPENS WHILE I AM DRIVING AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AND BE PULLED OVER FOR NOT HAVING WORKING HEADLIGHTS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2016
Mar 2016

HEADLIGHTS GO OFF, ONE AT A TIME, INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE DRIVING ON ANY ROAD. IF I TURN THE LIGHTS ALL THE WAY OFF AND THEN BACK ON AGAIN THEY WILL USUALLY STAY ON FOR 15 MINUTES BEFORE GOING OFF AGAIN. I AM NOT AWARE THAT THEY HAVE BOTH GONE OFF AT ONCE, BUT I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE CAR AT NIGHT YET

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2016
Jan 2016

I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT ON THE FREEWAY 280 AND SUDDENLY BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, IT WAS SO BLACK YOU COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING ON THE ROAD. TALK ABOUT SCARY, TRY DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON A ROAD THAT CURVES WHEN YOU ALL YO CAN SEE IS BLACK. I WAS ABLE TO JIGGLE THE SWITCH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES AND THE LIGHTS FINALLY CAME BACK ON. WITH MY HEART POUNDING I CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME ONLY TO HAVE BOTH HEADLIGHTS AGAIN GO OUT TOGETHER. THIS HAPPENED 6-7MORE TIMES UNTIL I REACHED HOME. I WAS ACTUALLY SHAKING BY THE TIME I GOT OUT OF MY CAR. WHY WERE BOTH HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONING AT THE EXACT SAME TIMES? I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERS THE NEXT DAY AND AFTER INSPECTION THEY TOLD ME I SIMPLY NEEDED NEW HEADLIGHTS. I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, BUT THEY INSISTED THAT IT WAS JUST THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT AND THAT THIS HAPPENED ALL THE TIME. WHY WOULD THEY BE USING HEADLIGHTS THAT THEY KNOW BOTH GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME??THIS IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS. PEOPLE COULD HAVE A HEART ATTACK IF NOT AN ACCIDENT! I SPENT $500 TO REPLACE THE TWO HEADLIGHTS. HOWEVER, I JUST RECENTLY EXPERIENCE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM OF BOTH HEAD LIGHTS GOING OUT. MY CAR IS AT THE DEALERS THIS VERY MOMENT FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I HOPE MY 2005 PRIUS GETS RECALLED FOR THIS HEADLIGHT PROBLEM SO OTHER PEOPLE TO NOT HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS TRAMA AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THIS HEADLIGHT PROBLEM IS COMMON TO THE PRIUS. OUTSIDE OF THIS DANGEROUS HEADLIGHT PROBLEM I LOVE MY PRIUS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2015
Nov 2015

WHILE DRIVING IN ANY DIRECTION IN ALL CONDITIONS, THE LEFT HEADLIGHT BEGAN FLICKERING IN MAY 2015, SHORTLY AFTER LEFT HEADLIGHT BEGAN FLICKERING. THEY DO NOT WORK AT ALL NOW.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2015
Oct 2015

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WILL NOT STAY ON, IT WILL STAY ON ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND THEN IT GOES OUT ! WHAT IS THE PROBLEM ???

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2015
Aug 2015

SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2014 I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS. THEY HAVE BECOME DIMMER AND DIMMER. THEN DURING THE WEEK OF 8/24/15, I STARTED MY CAR AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON, BUT WHEN I TURNED ON THE HEADLIGHTS, ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT BLACK. I HAD TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS, BUT NOTHING ELSE UNLESS I TURNED OFF THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS I WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER DARK. I HAD NO IDEA HOW FAST I WAS GOING, WHAT GEAR I WAS IN, IF I HAD ENOUGH GAS TO GET HOME, ETC., ETC. THE NEXT MORNING I TOOK A 20-MILE DRIVE AND WHEN I STOPPED, I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO SHUT OFF BY PUSHING THE IGNITION BUTTON. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES AND THE ENGINE FINALLY TURNED OFF, BUT THE DISPLAY PANEL WAS STILL DIMLY LIT. I THEN DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE WHATEVER WAS WRONG REPAIRED. AFTER A MECHANIC CHECKED IT OUT, IT WAS DETERMINED THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THEY HAD TO ORDER THE PART. THIS IS NOT AN ITEM THAT IS NORMALLY SERVICED AND I HAVE NO CLUE IF THE DEALERSHIP CHECKS IT DURING A SERVICING OF THE CAR. SO I WONDERED IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT. IN CHECKING ON THIS WEBSITE I FIND I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THAT I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE A RECALL ON IT. WHEN I PICKED UP MY CAR I ASKED ABOUT THE RECALL AND I WAS GIVEN PAPERWORK STATING IT WAS A "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM" FOR "9 YEARS WITH NO MILEAGE LIMITATION FROM THE DATE OF FIRST USE OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 2013". LETTERS WERE SENT OUT TO PRIUS OWNERS OF CARS FROM 2004 TO CERTAIN 2009 MODELS. I NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER AND AM VERY CONCERNED IF TOYOTA KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WHY DIDN'T THEY NOT DO JUST A "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM" BUT A RECALL? THEY WOULD THAT EVENTUALLY ALL CARS WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2014
Aug 2015

HEADLIGHT ON THE DRIVER SIDE KEEPS TURNING OFF EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES. THE ONLY WAY TO TURN IT BACK ON IS TO FLIP THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A DEFECT IN MANY TOYOTA PRIUS 2005 MODELS. I WOULD LIKE THE DEALER TO FIX THE ISSUE EVEN IF TYE CAR IS BEYOND THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY AS THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2015
Aug 2015

TRAVELING ALONG AT NIGHT AND HEADLIGHT SUDDENLY STOPPED SHINING. DROVE ABOUT 100 MILES USING OTHER PEOPLE'S HEADLIGHTS. WINTER CONDITIONS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2015
Aug 2015

FRONT LEFT HEADLIGHT TURNING OFF AND ON INTERMITTANTLY. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Nov 2014
Jul 2015

ME AND MY FAMILY TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH IN THE DARK WHEN A TRACTOR TRAILER ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTED TO CHANGE LANES WHEN WE WERE DIRECTLY TO THE LEFT OF IT. LUCKILY THE LANE TO OUR LEFT WAS OPEN AND WE WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY CHANGE LANES TO AVOID COLLISION. IT TURNS OUT OUR 2005 PRIUS HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AND THE TRUCK DID NOT SEE US. HAD TO TURN LIGHTS OFF THEN ON AGAIN TO GET THEM TO WORK. THE REST OF THE WAY HOME ONE LIGHT WOULD GO OUT, THEN THE OTHER WOULD GO OUT. HAD TO TURN SWITCH OFF THEN ON AGAIN TO GET THEM TO TURN ON AGAIN. THIS IS DEFINITELY A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS CAR. WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2015
Jul 2015

LAST NIGHT WHILE DRIVE 1.5 HOURS HOME, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT WOULD SHUT OFF, AND IF I NOTICED AND FLIPPED THE LIGHTS OFF THEN ON, IT WOULD COME BACK ON. IF I DIDN'T NOTICE, THEN THE PASSENGER LIGHT WOULD ALSO GO OUT LEAVING ME IN DARKNESS. I BEGAN TIMING THE INTERVAL, AND IT CAME OUT TO BE INTERMITTENT BETWEEN ONE AND TWO MINUTES, REGARDLESS OF TERRAIN, SPEED OF VEHICLE, SMOOTH OR BUMPY ROADS, STRAIGHT OR CURVY ROADS, ETC.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jun 2015
Jul 2015

WHEN I DRIVE MY RIGHT HEADLIGHT JUST GOES OUT. THEN I TURN OFF MY LIGHTS THEN TURN THEN ON AND IT CHIMES BACK ON. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2014
Jun 2015

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT IS INTERMITTENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST TWICE BEFORE AND I BELIEVE THE BULB AND SOME OTHER ELECTRONICS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER CHARGES A HUGE AMOUNT FOR THIS REPAIR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2015
Jun 2015

NOTICED PASSENGER HEADLIGHT APPEARED TO BE OUT INTERMITTENTLY. WOULD TURN BACK ON AFTER RESTARTING LIGHTS. CONSISTENTLY WINKS OUT AND WILL RESTART AFTER TURNING LIGHTS OFF AND ON AGAIN. ALSO NOTICED NOW THAT THE DRIVERS HEADLIGHT WILL ALSO GO OUT AND BOTH LIGHTS ARE OFF AT CERTAIN TIMES, NIGHT OR DAY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2015
Apr 2015

THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS GO OUT ON A MUCH TO FREQUENT BASIS. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH HEADLIGHTS MULTIPLE TIMES. THIS LAST TIME, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP (NORTHSHORE TOYOTA) TO ASK IF THEY COULD CHECK THE HEADLIGHTS. I THOUGHT IT COULD BE A BAD CONNECTION. THEY CHECKED THE HEADLIGHTS AND SAID THEY BOTH NEEDED REPLACING, ALTHOUGH ONE WAS WORKING WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. THEY DID NOT MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT AN ISSUE WITH THE HEADLIGHTS, AND GLADLY TOOK OUR MONEY FOR REPLACING THE LIGHTS. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I LEARNED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH HEADLIGHTS ON TOYOTA PRIUS. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2015

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2005 Toyota Prius has 292 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.