2007 Toyota Prius Exterior Lighting

OUR 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS A DEFECT IN THE HEADLIGHT CIRCUITRY. WHEN DRIVING WITH THE LIGHTS ON THE HEAD LIGHTS WILL SHUT DOWN SOMETIMES ONE AT A TIME AND MORE FRIGHTENED BOTH WILL CUT OFF 2 TO 3 TIMES DURING MY COMMUTE HOME. THIS HAPPENED YESTERDAY 3 TIMES ON THE WAY HOME. TO GET THE LIGHTS TO TURN ON I HAVE TO TURN THE SWITCH OFF AND THEN BACK ON. THE LIGHTS WILL USUALLY STAY ON FOR 20 TO 30 MINUTES BUT WILL THEN SHUT OFF AGAIN AT SOME POINT . WE DRIVE A VERY DANGEROUS FREEWAY ( CALIFORNIA 60 BETWEEN MORENO VALLEY, CA AND THE JUNCTION OF INTERSTATE 10) AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE LIGHTS HAVE CUT OUT TOTALLY CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION AS I WAS DRIVING A VERY WINDY ROAD, IN THE DARK AND SEARCHING FOR THE LIGHT SWITCH TO FLICK IT OFF AND ON. I NOW DRIVE WITH MY HAND ON THE LIGHT SWITCH THROUGH THE BADLANDS SECTION OF CALIFORNIA 60 WHEN MY HAND SHOULD BE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. WE WERE PULLED OVER BY A RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICER AFTER SHE NOTICED THE LIGHTS ERRATICALLY BLINKING ON AND OFF. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT CREATE THE PROBLEM BUT THAT THERE IS A COMPUTER CIRCUIT THAT CONTROLS THE LIGHTS AND THAT IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $800. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED AS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTS OTHER THAN A BURNED OUT BULB. I HAVE GONE ONLINE AND THERE ARE OTHER DRIVERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE. PLEASE ASSIST ME BY ADVOCATING ON MY BEHALF WITH TOYOTA TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. *TR THANKS

HID HEADLAMPS GO IN AND OUT WITH NO WARNING ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. RESEARCH ON LINE SHOWS SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLIGHT PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS SUDDENLY, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER EXPERIENCED EXTREMELY LIMITED VISIBILITY. THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO FUNCTION WHEN THE CONTROL SWITCH WAS TURNED TO THE "OFF" AND "ON" POSITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INSPECTED AND REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 74,000.

STARTING AT APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR OLD, THE TOYOTA PRIUS HID DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT STARTED TO FLICKER OCCASIONALLY. IT WAS MENTIONED TO THE DEALER HOWEVER IT NEVER SEEMED TO BE FAILING WHEN AT THE DEALER. THEN AT ABOUT TWO YEARS OF AGE, THE HEADLIGHT WOULD BLINK COMPLETELY OUT OCCASIONALLY, AGAIN MENTIONED TO THE DEALER BUT WOULD NOT DUPLICATE AT THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT JUST CYCLING THE SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON WOULD RESTORE THE HEADLIGHT. IT IS NOW FAILING ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS BUT NOT WHEN AT THE DEALER. THE PASSENGER SIDE IS NOW DOING THIS AS WELL AND I HAVE A REAL FEAR OF BOTH LIGHTS FAILING AT THE SAME TIME AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AS OF TODAY, NO REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE BUT TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A CASE NUMBER BUT REMAINS FIRM THAT AN EXPENSIVE DIAGNOSIS SHOULD BE MADE WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FAILURE. I WILL BE GETTING IT REPAIRED AND THIS HEADLIGHT ISSUE COULD AMOUNT TO $1000 OR MORE. THIS IS A BADLY DESIGNED BULB AND ASSEMBLY. CONSIDERATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE TO REPLACE THIS BULB WITH EASE CONSIDERING THE FAILURE RATE IT IS EXPERIENCING. THE MOST RECENT DATE IS THE ONE LISTED BELOW. *TR

2007 PRIUS HID HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO OBSERVABLE PATTERN. WHILE DRIVING, ONE CANNOT TELL WHEN THIS HAPPENS THUS DRIVING WITH ONLY ONE HEADLIGHT. ONLY TIME I CAN TELL IS WHEN I COME UP BEHIND A VEHICLE AND MY LIGHTS SHINE ON IT. UPON OBSERVING THE INTERNET IT APPEARS THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR PRIUS'. (DON'T WANT TO GET A TICKET OR IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF IT! IT IS REPORTED THAT $1100 TO $2600 TO GET THIS REPAIRED, HOPEFULLY. *TR

THE HEADLIGHT ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS SHUTS ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE I AM DRIVING. WHEN I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY SAY THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT HAPPENS TO BE WORKING WHEN IT IS THERE. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN DEFECT AMONG 2007 PRIUS OWNERS. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE LIGHT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WILL FREQUENTLY GO OUT, LEAVING ME WITH ONE HEADLAMP. IF I CYCLE THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WILL COME BACK ON FOR A WHILE, AND THEN REPEAT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, DRIVING WITH ONE (OR NO) HEADLIGHT. MY CAR HAS ABOUT 65,000 MILES, THOUGH IT IS ONLY 2 AND A HALF YEARS OLD. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2007 AND 2006 PRIUS MODELS WITH THE HID HEADLIGHTS. *TR

HID LAMP INTERMITTENT OUTAGE IN MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. *TR

HID HEADLIGHTS ON 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. TURNING LIGHT SWITCH OFF/ON SOMETIMES MAKES LIGHT(S) COME BACK ON. DRIVING COUNTRY ROADS AFTER DARK WITH NO HEADLIGHTS IS VERY DANGEROUS. TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM, BUT STILL WANTS AN ARM AND LEG TO REPAIR PROBLEM. APPARENTLY HEADLIGHTS, AND COMPUTER BOARD WITH BALLASTS NEED REPLACED TO COMPLETELY FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

WE WERE WRITTEN A WORK ORDER TICKET BY A POLICE OFFICER FOR HAVING ONE HEAD LIGHT NOT WORKING. WE HAD CHECKED OUR HEADLIGHTS WHEN WE STARTED OUT, BECAUSE A MONTH OR SO BACK WE HAD NOTICED THAT THE LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING FOR A WHILE BUT THEN WAS WORKING AGAIN SO WE THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS JUST SOME WATER IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE LIGHTS WE'RE ALWAYS ON WHEN WE STARTED. WHEN WE STARTED OUT (THE EVENING WE GOT THE WORK ORDER TICKET) THE LIGHTS WERE ON BUT 5 MILES AWAY WE GOT PULLED OVER AND WE WERE SHOCKED BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WE HAD NOT VIOLATED ANY TRAFFIC LAWS. WHILE THE OFFICER WAS WRITING US A TICKET THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON BUT WE STILL GOT THE TICKET. IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE LIGHT IS ON OR OFF BUT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AS THE OFFICER EXPLAINED BECAUSE THE DRIVERS SIDE HEAD LIGHT IS THE ONLY ONE THAT PROTECTS YOU FROM ON COMING TRAFFIC. THE BEST WE COULD DO ON OUR RIDE HOME WAS TO RESET OUR LIGHTS ABOUT EVERY 3 MINUTES BY TURNING THEM OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. THE PROBLEM STARTED GRADUALLY AT 36,000 MILES AND WE HAD DRIVEN FOUR THOUSAND MILES BEFORE WE KNEW FOR SURE THAT WE HAD A HEAD LIGHT PROBLEM AND NOT A SPORADIC ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM. WE ARE GLAD THAT DURING THAT TIME OPPOSING TRAFFIC DID NOT GET DRAWN OFF BY OUR SINGLE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT THAT WE WERE UNAWARE OF. *TR

THE HID HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS TURN OFF UNEXPECTEDLY. SOMETIMES IT IS ONE LIGHT SOMETIMES BOTH. *TR

WE OWN A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH HID HEADLAMPS. AT AROUND 48,000 MILES THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER INTERMITTENTLY ON BOTH SIDES AND EVENTUALLY WOULD GO OUT COMPLETELY. SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER SIDE GOES OUT, SOMETIMES THE DRIVER SIDE GOES OUT, SOMETIMES BOTH. THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON BY TURNING THE SWITCH OFF AND ON AGAIN ONLY TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM A FEW MINUTES LATER. IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHETHER THE LIGHTS ARE OUT WHEN DRIVING AT DUSK AND AT NIGHT WHEN ONE LIGHT IS OUT. *TR

HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT ON RELATIVELY NEW VEHICLE. PURCHASED 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS TOWARD END OF 2007, BEGINNING OF 2008. PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AT 28,000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY IN JULY, 2008. FIVE MONTHS LATER, DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT STARTED TO GO OUT AND WAS INFORMED THIS WOULD NEED REPLACEMENT, REPLACEMENT COST APPROXIMATELY $200/EVENT. NOW PASSENGER HEADLIGHT PLACED JUST OVER 1 YEAR AGO HAS GONE OUT AGAIN. DEALER OFFERS NO RECOURSE EXCEPT REPLACEMENT EACH TIME. DO NOT FEEL REPLACING HEADLIGHTS EVERY YEAR IS SAFE OR FAIR, ESPECIALLY AT EXCESSIVE CHARGES FOR SERVICE. *TR

MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD SUDDENLY TURN OFF AND I WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY TURN IT BACK ON. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER BY POLICE AND GIVEN 2 VERBAL WARNINGS. WHEN I NOTICE THE LIGHT IS OUT I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF THEN ON AND THE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AGAIN. I AM NOW NOTICING THAT THE HEADLIGHT WILL "TURN OFF" ANYWHERE FROM 15 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR AFTER TURNING ON. MY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WAS REPLACED WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY (6 MONTHS AGO @ APPROX 33,000 MILES). I NOW WONDER IF BOTH HEADLIGHT WERE GOING OUT WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE? (I HAVE FOG LIGHTS AND DRIVE IN THE CITY). I AM NOW AT 42,000 MILES. (I DRIVE APPROX 2,000/ MONTH). SO WITHIN A 6 MONTH PERIOD BOTH LIGHTS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. UNFORTUNATELY, I AM NOW OUT OF THE STANDARD WARRANTY AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY $400+ OUT OF POCKET TO REPAIR. *TR

THE HEADLIGHT ON MINE TOYOTA PRIUS IS INTERMITTENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-50 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED. SUDDENLY, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND DECREASED VISIBILITY. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS NONFUNCTIONAL. THE FAILURES OCCUR SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000. UPDATED 03-27-09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED BOTH HEADLIGHTS KEPT GOING OUT. HE HAD TO TURN THE SWITCH OFF THEN ON AGAIN. UPDATED 03/31/09. *JB

I HAVE A 2007 TOYTOA PRIUS WITH HID HEAD LIGHTS THE PASSENGER SIDE GOES OUT ABOUT EVERY OTHER DAY. WHEN I TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF THAN ON THE LIGHT WILL COME BACK ON. *TR

HID HEADLIGH GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY BEGINNING WHEN CAR WAS NEW, BUT ONLY A FEW TIMES. LATER, HID HEADLIGHT BEGINS TO GO OUT MORE FREQUENTLY, BUT THEN RESUMES NORMAL OPPERATION LATER. IS A DEFINATE SAFETY ISSUE AS DRIVE MAY NOT ALWAYS REALIZE ONE HEADLIGHT HAS GONE OUT. COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT. *TR

MY VEHICLE IS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE STARTED TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT. REPLACEMENT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE, DUE TO BAD ENGINEERING/DESIGN. HOWEVER, MANY OWNERS REPORT THAT EVEN REPLACING DOES NOT ALWAYS SOLVE THE PROBLEM, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A TOYOTA PRIUS -WIDE DEFECT. FOR SAFETY AND CONSUMER PROTECTION REASONS, THESE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED. *TR

BOTH HEADLIGHTS ON OUR 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HAVE BEGUN EITHER TO FLICKER AND DIM, OR ELSE FAIL COMPLETELY, AND APPARENTLY AT RANDOM, WHILST THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. THE PASSENGER-SIDE HAS SUFFERED THE PROBLEM FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, AGAIN SPORADICALLY, BUT ONLY RECENTLY HAS THE DRIVER-SIDE BEGUN TO SHOW SIMILAR TROUBLES. IT HAS PROVED VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT, WHEN THE LAMPS CAN SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY FAIL, AND LEAVE THE DRIVER ENTIRELY AT THE MERCY OF HIS OWN, UNILLUMINATED, SIGHT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS QUOTED A REPLACEMENT COST OF OVER $800 FOR BOTH LIGHTS, AND CLAIMS THEM NOT COVERED UNDER THE COMPANY WARRANTY. *TR

THE HID BULBS ON MY 2007 PRIUS HAVE BEEN FAILING SINCE LAST FALL AND CONTINUE TO DO SO AT SOME POINT ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHT. IF I TURN THE LIGHTS COMPLETELY OFF, THEN BACK ON, THIS SEEMS TO "REBOOT" THE LIGHTS. *TR

THE HEADLIGHT IS PHYSICALLY GOING OUT. I NOTICED IT WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY LAST NIGHT AND HAD ONLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT SHINING AGAINST THE GARAGE DOOR. I DID THE SAME THING I HAVE DONE BEFORE, I TURNED THE LIGHTS OFF THEN BACK ON AGAIN AND IT AGAIN CAME ON. THIS IS TYPICALLY HOW I HAVE NOTICED THE LIGHT HAS GONE OUT, WITH WHAT SHOULD BE TWO LIGHTS SHINING AGAINST THE BACK OF AN SUV, VAN, TRUCK, GARAGE DOOR ETC.. LIKE LAST NIGHT, LAST WEEK IT WAS DOING IT FREQUENTLY ENOUGH THAT I WOULD SEE THE LIGHT POP OFF WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. OTHERWISE IT HASN'T BEEN VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE I'M DRIVING IT. ALWAYS WHEN I PULL UP TO SOMETHING. *TR

A SECOND INCIDENCE OF THE SAME PROBLEM. SEE ODI NUMBER 10285154. ON THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLAMP ON A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS WAS INTERMITTENT.(DATE OF INCIDENCE WAS 9/16/09). THE HEADLAMP WAS REPLACED. ON 10/27/09, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP. THE LAMP GOES OFF. TO REACTIVATE, THE HEADLAMP SWITCH IS TURNED OFF AND THEN TURNED BACK ON. HEADLAMP IS TO BE REPLACED ON 10/30/09. NHTSA CLOSED ACTION WITH TOYOTA A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO ON THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS STATED THAT BOTH BULBS WOULD NOT GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. AS A FORMER AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL, I SAY THAT THIS SECOND OCCURRENCE INDICATES THAT BOTH BULBS COULD GO OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY AND THAT THIS CASE WITH TOYOTA SHOULD BE REOPENED. SINCE I DO NOT KNOW THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, I DO NOT KNOW IF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED ON THE REPLACEMENT LAMPS. *TR