2007 Toyota Prius ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

RIGHT HEADLIGHT FLICKERS WHEN STARTING CAR, THEN GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY. KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2005-2007 PRIUS. *TR

TOYOTA SOLD ME A BRAND NEW PRIUS WITH A HEADLAMP NOT WORKING. AFTER I SIGNED ALL THE PURCHASE PAPERS, THEY POINTED OUT THAT THE RIGHT HEADLAMP WAS NOT WORKING AND TOLD ME THAT IT WAS ALRIGHT TO DRIVE HOME AND RETURN THE NEXT DAYS FOR REPAIR. AFTER FOUR OR FIVE TRIPS TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE CONTROL UNIT. AT A LATER DATE WHEN THE CAR HAD ABOUT 50,000 MILES, I WAS DRIVING ON A FREEWAY FROM LOS ANGELES TO MENIFEE, CA, AT NIGHT IN THE HOV LANE. I SEEMED TO HAVE DIFFICULTY SEEING THE ROAD AND THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MY EYES. SO I SWITCHED LANES TO THE SLOW LANE WHERE, WITH LESS GLARE FROM THE ONCOMING CARS, I REALIZED THAT BOTH HEADLAMPS WERE NOT WORKING. THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION ON THE HIGH SPEED CROWDED FREEWAY, SO I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AT THE NEXT EXIT. TOYOTA REPLACED THE HEADLAMPS, AND I WAS COMPENSATED FOR THE COST OF REPAIR UPON THE OUTCOME OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. RECENTLY I NOTICED THAT THE HEADLAMPS WERE FAILING AGAIN AT AROUND 115,000 MILES. IMMEDIATELY I HAD TOYOTA REPAIR BOTH HEADLAMPS, AS I DIDN'T WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE HAZARD OF BOTH HEADLAMPS FAILING AGAIN. FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, THERE IS A DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW IN THE PRIUS THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED ESPECIALLY BEFORE BOTH HEADLAMPS FAIL AGAIN. I AM CONCERNED THE NEXT TIME THE HEADLAMPS FAIL I WILL HAVE NO ADVANCED SYMPTOMS AND BOTH MIGHT FAIL AGAIN SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE I'M ON THE ROAD AT NIGHT. *TR

I PURCHASED MY 07 PRIUS FROM A DEALERSHIP IN SEPTEMBER OF 2012. THERE WAS ONLY 1 PREVIOUS OWNER & AT THAT TIME MY CAR'S MILEAGE WAS AROUND 55K. I COMMUTE 1 HR AND 20 MINUTES TO WORK (ONE WAY) & MY FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER DROPPING MY SON OFF AT DAYCARE EARLY IN THE MORNING, ALMOST A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR. I NOTICED MY RIGHT HEADLIGHT WAS OUT. WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR, I TURNED THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON. BOTH MY HEADLIGHTS CAME BACK ON SO I DIDN'T THINK TWICE ABOUT IT. AFTERWARDS, ALMOST EVERY MONTH I NOTICED MY RIGHT HEADLIGHT TURNED OFF, WHICH STARTED TO CONCERN ME, BUT AFTER GETTING QUOTES ON HOW MUCH THE REPAIRS WOULD BE I KNEW IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME FOR ME TO BUDGET THE COSTS INTO MY MONTHLY EXPENSES. AFTER ANOTHER MONTH OR SO, I FOUND MYSELF DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 55 WESTBOUND (CARY, NC) AT AROUND 9PM AT NIGHT & BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. HIGHWAY 55 DOES NOT HAVE MUCH LIGHTING IN THE FIRST PLACE & I AM VERY LUCKY THAT MY 2 YEAR OLD SON WAS NOT WITH ME. I PANICKED BUT QUICKLY TURNED MY HEADLIGHTS OFF & ON AGAIN. FORTUNATELY, THEY TURNED BACK ON. NOW ALMOST EVERY MONTH, & ASIDE FROM ONE OF MY HEADLIGHTS FAILING NEARLY EVERY 2 DAYS, BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY SHUT OFF. IN FACT, MY HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF AGAIN THIS MORNING AT AROUND 5:45AM DURING MY COMMUTE TO WORK ON HIGHWAY 55. I DID SOME RESEARCH BUT FOUND TOYOTA HAS ONLY AGREED TO PAY FOR REPAIRS FOR '04-'09 MODELS (WITH THE SAME HID HEADLIGHT ISSUE) THROUGH THE EARLIER OF 5 YEARS WARRANTY AND 50,000 MILES OR REIMBURSE DRIVERS WHO HAVE ALREADY PAID TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. I'VE ALREADY CONTACTED TOYOTA AT 1800-331-4331 AND FILED A COMPLAINT BUT I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR (AT 102K MILES) WAS NOW INELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE AN OFFICIAL RECALL TO AVOID ANY SEVERE ACCIDENTS IT CAN CAUSE FOR OWNERS WHO CANNOT AFFORD UPFRONT REPAIRS. *TR

PASSENGER-SIDE HIGH INTENSITY HEADLIGHT STARTED INTERMITTENTLY FAILING. THE LIGHT GOES OUT RANDOMLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. TURNING BOTH HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN TEMPORARILY FIXES THE ISSUE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT, NOTICED THAT PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LAMP TURNED OFF. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON THE CURB AND TRIED TO TURN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON OFF AGAIN, BUT COULD NOT TURN ON ONE HEAD LIGHT. I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH ONE LAMP, SINCE LOCAL TOWNSHIP POLICE CAN GIVE ME A VIOLATION TICKET. THE HIGH BEAM WORKS BUT NOT THE LOW BEAM. TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE VIA PRODUCT RECALL. *TR

BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THEN, ALSO WITH TAILLIGHTS. I'VE BEEN PULLED OVER 4 TIMES BY POLICE FOR LIGHTS OUT. NEXT DAY, THEY'RE FINE, OR A DIFFERENT LIGHT IS OUT.VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY, AS WE LIVE IN A RURAL AREA WITH WINDY ROADS AND NO STREET LIGHTS. *TR

BOTH FRONT HEAD LAMPS SHUTOFF AT THE SAME TIME WHILE MOVING AT ABOUT 25 MPH. TURNING OFF THE HEAD LAMP SWITCH AND TURNING THE SWITCH BACK ON RESTORED THE LIGHTS. *TR

SINCE TWO YEARS OLD THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE OCCASIONALLY FLICKERED, AND THE PASS. SIDE HAS GONE OUT. TURNING THEM OFF MOMENTARILY AND BACK ON SOLVED THE PROBLEM. LATELY IT'S GOTTEN WORSE, AND I FINALLY HAD MY MECHANIC REPLACE THE PASS. SIDE BULB. THE NEW BULB ($85) WAS WORSE AND NOW I'M TOLD THE "BALLAST" NEEDS REPLACEMENT FOR HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. OF COURSE THE SAFETY ISSUE AT NIGHT IS PRIMARY, BUT TOYOTA WAS DERELICT IN THEIR DUTY NOT TO ADVISE CUSTOMERS OF THIS HIGHLY UNUSUAL, POTENTIAL COST WHEN SELLING ME THE CAR. I'VE NEVER PAID MORE THAN $15 FOR A HEADLIGHT AND HAVE ALWAYS REPLACED THEM MYSELF. ALSO, THE OWNERS MANUAL SUGGESTS AN EASY REPLACEMENT. MY MECHANIC HAD TO PARTIALLY REMOVE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. THAT WAS ANOTHER MISREPRESENTATION. *TR

HEADLIGHTS WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TAILLIGHT ALSO GOES OUT AND COMES BACK ON INTERMITTENTLY. CAR IS NOT DRIVEN OFTEN AT NIGHT AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2007 PRIUS GOES OUT CONSTANTLY ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT TIME THERE WHICH CAUSES TOTAL DARKNESS AND BLINDNESS. WHEN I FLIP THE SWITCH THEY WILL COME BACK ON FOR A WHILE. I KNOW YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL YOU SHOULD MAKE TOYOTA RECALL THESE CARS. THE DEALER WILL CHARGE 300.00 PER HEADLIGHT TO REPLACE THE BULB BUT WE KNOW THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM. THEY WOULDN'T COME BACK ON IF IT WAS THE LIGHT.. PLEASE PLEASE DO SOMETHING!! ITS TERRIFYING AND VERY DANGEROUS. THE LIABILITY FOR YOU AND TOYOTA WILL BE GREAT SHOULD FATALITIES OCCUR. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

HEADLIGHTS ARE INTERMITTENT ON BOTH SIDES. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS TWICE IN LESS THAN A YEAR AND THE ISSUE STILL PERSISTS. IT ISN'T THE BULB THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FREQUENTLY FAILS TO TURN ON. SOMETIMES IT TURNS ON, THEN SHUTS OFF WITHIN THE COURSE OF A DRIVE. SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T TURN ON AT ALL. IT SEEMS LIKE IT MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AS THE BULB ITSELF CONTINUES TO LIGHT, IT JUST DOESN'T LIGHT ALL THE TIME. THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT, IN THE MEAN TIME, IS PERFECTLY FINE AND NEVER HAS PROBLEMS, WHICH ALSO SUGGESTS SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL/CONNECTOR ISSUE. *TR

THE FRONT HEADLIGHT STARTED GOING ON AND OFF PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING, WE WENT ON A TRIP TO HUNGARY AND THE LIGHT STARTED ACTING UP. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS WITHIN GERMANY WITH NO RESOLUTION BUT EXPENSIVE BILLS DUE TO THE MECHANICS HOOKING IT UP TO COMPUTER SYSTEMS TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS CAUSING US SAFETY ISSUES WHILE DRIVING ESPECIALLY ON NOT CLEAR DAYS DUE TO THE EARLY MORNING FOG. I HAVE CONSULTED WITH MY BROTHER'S BODY SHOP TO SEE IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY RECALLS OR DEFECTS ON THE LIGHTS, NOTHING. I AM TAKING IT AGAIN THIS WEEK TO THE TOYOTA SHOP IN MANNHEIM GERMANY. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED SINCE FEB 2012. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME RESOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THE LIGHTS CAUSE US AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE HAD THE TWO FRONT HEADLIGHT BULBS REPLACED WHICH ARE NOT INEXPENSIVE. THANK YOU IF YOU NEED TO CONTACT ME DO IT VIA EMAIL, THIS IS MY PARENTS PHONE NUMBER IN PA, I CANNOT TYPE IN MY NUMBER IN GERMANY. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHEN I TURNED MY CAR ON TO GO HOME MY DASH LIGHTS DID NOT WORK OR BACKUP CAM OR SEAT BELT ALARM NOTHING WAS SHOWING I COULD NOT TELL IF I WAS GOING FORWARD OR BACKWARDS ETC I PARKED IT TURNED OFF 2 TIMES THEN 5 MINS LATER IT CAN BACK ON AUTOMATICALLY FIXXX THIS. *TR

LEFT HEADLIGHT STARTED JUST GOING OFF COMPLETELY AT NITE, NOW BOTH ARE GOING OFF WHILE DRIVING. CHECKING ONLINE, IT SEEMS THAT MANY OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM, AND ONE OF THE VENDORS OF HEADLIGHTS FOR TOYOTAS MANUFACTURED DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHTS. THUS NOT ALL TOYOTAS HAVE THE PROB, JUST THE ONES WITH THIS VENDOR'S HEADLIGHTS. BUT IT STILL SHOWS MANY DO HAVE THE BAD HEADLIGHTS. TOYOTA IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THIS ISSUE AND REPAIRING THE DEFECTIVE ONES AS THEY SHOULD. IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE...ALMOST 2000 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER CONTROLLERS AND HEADLIGHTS. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED AND IN ANY CLIMATE. FLICKERING THEM OFF AND ON ALLEVIATES THE PROBLEM. BEEN HAPPENING FOR CLOSE TO 2 YEARS NOW. *TR

HID HEADLIGHT RANDOM FAILURE WHILE DRIVING PRIUS. UNRELIABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE DURING THE NIGHT. *TR

HEADLAMPS TURN OFF ON THEIR OWN INTERMITTENTLY. THE LEFT LIGHT WILL GO OFF MORE THAN THE RIGHT. I USUALLY CORRECT THE SITUATION BY TURNING OFF THE LIGHTS THEN BACK ON. THIS PROBLEM HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY. I READ IN AN ONLINE FORUM (PRIUSCHAT) THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS CAR HAVE INTERMITTENTLY WORKED SINCE THE CAR HAD ABOUT 30,000 MILES. THE LIGHTS RANDOMLY TURN OFF. USUALLY ONE AT A TIME BUT SOMETIMES BOTH GO OUT. TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON FIXES THE PROBLEM, BUT ONLY TEMPORARILY. I READ THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BULBS GOING BAD BUT I CAN ATTEST THAT IT IS A CLEAR DEFECT. REPLACED THE BULBS AND IT STILL HAPPENS PERIODICALLY. *TR

1. THE RIGHT-FRONT HEADLIGHT OFTEN GOES OUT AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A WHILE. (FORTUNATELY, BOTH HEADLIGHTS DON'T HAVEN'T OUT YET!) THIS REALLY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE - WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL? 2. THE BACK-UP CAMERA OFTEN STOPS WORKING FOR A FEW DAYS AT A TIME. THIS IS A PROBLEM, GIVEN THE VERY POOR VISIBILITY THE MIRRORS HAVE BEHIND THIS CAR. *TR

APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AFTER HAVING MY BATTERY REPLACED BY A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN TEMECULA, CA THE DIGITAL DISPLAY ON MY DASHBOARD STOPPED WORKING AND NO LONGER DISPLAYED MY SPEED, GAS TANK GAUGE, TRIP MILEAGE OR TOTAL MILEAGE. AFTER ANOTHER WEEK OR SO PASSED, THE DISPLAY, OR CLUSTER DISPLAY, AS IT IS LISTED ON A TOYOTA REPAIR ESTIMATE FROM NOVEMBER 3, 2011, WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY BY AGAIN DISPLAYING MY SPEED, GAS TANK GAUGE, ETC. THE DISPLAY WOULD SOMETIMES WORK FOR A FEW HOURS AND THEN STOP WORKING, AND NOT WORK AGAIN FOR SEVERAL DAYS OR A WEEK OR MORE. CURRENTLY, IT THE DISPLAY CONTINUES TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY ONLY, CAUSING ME TO DRIVE FOR DAYS OR A WEEK OR MORE WITH NO VISUAL DISPLAY OF HOW FAST I AM DRIVING OR HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE REMAINING IN MY TANK. THIS FAILURE OF THE CLUSTER DISPLAY IS A HAZARD TO ME AND ESPECIALLY TO MY YOUNG TEENAGE DAUGHTER BECAUSE WE DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE HOW FAST WE ARE DRIVING OR HOW MUCH GAS WE HAVE REMAINING AT ANY GIVEN TIME WHEN THE DISPLAY STOPS WORKING. I HAD MY VEHICLE INSPECTED BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN TEMECULA, CA AND THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE COMBO METER SINCE THEY BELIEVE THERE IS AN OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE COMBO METER, BUT THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THEIR RECOMMENDATION WOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY THEN ADVISED ME THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUSTER DISPLAY, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ORDERED AND THEY COULD NOT COVER THE COST OF FIXING THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICES AT 800-331-4331AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE DIRECTOR, WHO OFFERED ME A 40% DISCOUNT ON THE COST OF REPLACING THE COMBO METER ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS AND SAID IF A RECALL WAS ORDERED I WOULD GET A FULL REFUND. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM ON MY TOYOTA PRIUS OF AN INTERMITTENTLY FUNCTIONING CLUSTER DISPLAY PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD FOR THE REASONS STATED ABOVE AND WARRANTS A RECALL.

THE PASSENGERS SIDE HID HEADLIGHT ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS STARTED TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. IT WILL COME BACK ON FOR A WHILE WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF AND BACK ON. THIS CONSTITUTES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I OWN A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS AND THE DRIVER HEADLIGHT INTERMITTENTLY TURN OFF. I CAN TURN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON AND IT USUALLY TURNS LIGHT BACK ON FOR AWHILE. THE DEALER COST FOR THE HEADLIGHT WAS $300.00 PLUS. *TR

HID HEADLIGHT IN 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS KEEPS GOING ON AND OFF. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA. IT IS EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE THE BULB. I WANTED TO ADD MY NAME TO THE LIST OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TOYOTA 2007 PRIUS (US MODEL) HID HEADLIGHTS ARE INTERMITTENT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AND REPLACEMENT BULBS DON'T FIX THE ISSUE. LIGHTS MAY EXTINGUISH AT ANY TIME WITH NO WARNING CREATING A DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION, PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT. THOUSANDS OF OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY TOYOTA. *TR