2008 Toyota Prius ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

AROUND OR JUST AFTER 40,000 MILES THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT ON MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS STARTED TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING. TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF THEN ON CORRECTS THE PROBLEM -- BUT THIS IS ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. *TR

IN AUGUST 2011, A PRINCETON, NJ, POLICE OFFICE STOPPED ME TO REPORT THAT MY RIGHT HEADLIGHT WAS NOT WORKING. ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2011, I PAID LAWRENCE TOYOTA $281.84 TO REPLACE THE RIGHT SIDE HEADLIGHT. LATER THAT MONTH, WHEN I DROVE HOME, I NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT LIGHT WAS NOT SHINGING AGAINST THE GARAGE DOOR. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, I SAW THE HEADLIGHT WAS NOT WORKING. EARLY IN OCTOBER, THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, INCLUDING BOTH HEADLIGHTS. THE BODY SHOP REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS. SHORTLY AFTER I TOOK THE CAR HOME, I NOTICE BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT HEADLIGHTS FAILED RANDOMLY. WHILE DRIVING, I NOTICE THE LIGHT WOULD NOT BE UNIFORM ALONG THE PAVEMENT. WHEN TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT, ONE LIGHT WOULD REFLECT FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE BODY SHOP, THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE LIGHTS WOULD GO ON AND OFF SPONTANEOUSLY. THEY REPLACED BOTH LIGHTS AND THE "MODULATOR" THAT GOVERNS THE HEADLIGHTS. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THEY TOOK THE CAR TO FREEHOLD TOYOTA WHO "ADJUSTED" THE LIGHTS AND MODULATOR. WHEN I DROVE THE CAR AWAY FROM THE BODY SHOP, I LIGHT WAS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED; REFLECTING OFF TREE BRANCHES WELL ABOVE THE CAR. A FEW DAYS LATER, I DROVE THE CAR TO A STORE AND NOTICED THE RIGHT LIGHT WAS NOT SHINING AGAINST THE WALL OF THE BUILDING. A PERSON THE CAR THAT PULLED IN BEFORE ME COMMENTED THAT THE LEFT LEADLIGHT WAS AIMED SO HIGH THAT IT BLINDED HIM, MAKING HIS REARVIEW MIRROR UNUSABLE. *TR

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS (TOURING MODEL) -- DRIVER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT BEGAN TO FAIL IN SEPT 2009. BECAME MORE FREQUENT AS TIME ELAPSED (WOULD OCCUR 3+ TIMES DURING 30 MINUTE TRIP). TURNING LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON TEMPORARILY RESOLVED ISSUE, BUT DRIVER BULB WOULD EVENTUALLY FAIL AGAIN. RESULTED IN REDUCED VISIBILITY AND POTENTIAL BLIND SPOT FOR DRIVER IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. RESEARCHED ONLINE - SUSPECTED ECU. CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE AROUND DECEMBER 2009. WAS ADVISED THAT ECU WAS NOT THE PROBLEM - BULB REPAIR SUGGESTED. DEALER DIAGNOSTIC SUGGESTED. DID NOT GO TO DEAL TO SPEND $100 TO TELL ME A LIGHT BULB SHOULD BE REPLACED. RECEIVED NOTICE JAN 2010 THAT SYMPTOMS MATCHING MINE WAS DUE TO HEADLIGHT REACHING END OF LIFE. ORDERED AND ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE BULBS IN JAN 2010. DID NOT BRING TO TOYOTA AS COST TO REPLACE BULBS WAS AT LEAST 6X MORE THAT "DO IT YOURSELF". ATTEMPT TO REPLACE BULBS RESULTED IN MIXED SUCCESS. WAS ABLE TO GET BOTH HID HEADLIGHTS REPLACED AND FUNCTIONING (AFTER PASSENGER SIDE OR DRIVER SIDE WOULD NOT REMAIN ON CONSISTENTLY). TESTED HIGH BEAMS - AFTER HIGH BEAMS WERE DISENGAGED BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, BUT HEADLIGHT SWITCH REMAINED ENGAGED. DISCONNECTED AND RECONNECTED WIRING. ONLY PASSENGER SIDE BULB FUNCTIONED. AFRAID TO USE HIGH BEAMS AND NO FAITH IN HEADLIGHTS. RELUCTANT TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE DEALER CHANGE BULBS, SAME PROBLEM OCCUR, AND SPEND HUNDREDS OR 1,000+ DOLLARS. ORIGINAL BULBS RETAINED AND I WILL BE PUTTING THEM BACK IN ONCE WEATHER IS WARMER. STRONG BELIEF THAT BULBS ARE NOT TO BLAME AND ECU OR OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENT IS AT FAULT. DOZENS OF SIMILAR ISSUES REPORTED ONLINE. *TR

HID HEADLIGHTS UNEXPECTEDLY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I TURN THEM OFF, THEN BACK ON, THEY WORK PERFECTLY FINE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'LL GO OUT AGAIN. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE. IT DOES APPEAR THAT THE HID HEADLIGHT EQUIPPED PRIUS HAS SOME ELECTRICAL OR DESIGN DEFECT. *TR

HID HEADLIGHTS THAT UNEXPECTEDLY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, BUT COME BACK ON WHEN MANUALLY TURNED OFF, THEN ON. APPEARS TO BE PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, NOT THE LIGHTS, OR A DESIGN DEFECT. *TR

HID HEADLIGHTS UNEXPECTEDLY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OR DESIGN OF THE LIGHTING COMPONENTS OTHER THAN THE BULBS BECAUSE IF I TURN THEM OFF THEY COME BACK ON FINE EVERY TIME LIKE THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2008 PRIUS WITH HID BULBS AND THEY BOTH STARTED GOING OUT A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER OWNING IT WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT. IN JUST A MATTER OF MINUTES, I HAD NO LIGHTS AT ALL! I WAS IN A URBAN AREA, SO THE STREET LIGHTS WERE THERE SO THAT I COULD SEE. BUT IF I WERE IN THE COUNTRY, AS I USUALLY AM ABOUT ONCE A WEEK, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN BIG TROUBLE. *TR

I OWN AT 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. RECENTLY, I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT ON A DARK STRETCH OF RT. 15 IN PA AND MY HEADLIGHT TURNED OFF. I THOUGHT I MUST HAVE SOMEHOW HIT SOMETHING TO CAUSE IT TO TURN OF, I QUICKLY TURNED THE KNOB AND IT WENT ON AGAIN. IT HAS SINCE HAPPENED A FEW TIMES AND MAY IN FACT HAVE HAPPENED MORE FREQUENTLY BUT I ONLY NOTICE IT IF I'M ON A UNLITE OR NOT WELL TRAVELED ROAD. I SEE FROM PRIUS OWNERS' MESSAGE BOARDS THAT IT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA IS WELL AWARE OF. I SEE FROM A NYT ARTICLE THAT IT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO YOUR AGENCY BUT YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN ACTION. I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD, BECAUSE LOSING A HEADLIGHT IS A DANGER TO THE DRIVER AND TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT SEEMS DOUBLY UNFAIR THAT A DRIVER CAN BE CITED FOR A VIOLATION THAT IS BEYOND HIS/HER CONTROL. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO SAID IT WOULD BE $385 TO REPLACE THE LIGHT BULB HAVE NOT GONE IN FOR THE REPAIR, IT'S EXPENSIVE AND FROM WHAT I'VE READ, THE PROBLEM MAY BE ELECTRICAL RATHER THAN A BURNED OUT BULB. *TW THESE HIGH-INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID) HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT AN OPTION ON THE CAR, IT'S THE ONLY BULB THAT FITS THE PRIUS, BUT IF THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL THEN CHANGING THE BULB FOR $385 WILL NOT STOP THE HEADLIGHT UNIT FROM SHUTTING OFF AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING, SOMETIMES IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. PLEASE TAKE TOYOTA TO TASK FOR THIS, THEY KNOW THE PROBLEM EXISTS BUT THEY ARE PASSING THE BUCK TO THE OWNERS WITHOUT GUARANTEEING THAT THE PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED AND WE'LL BE SAFE DRIVING AT NIGHT. TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE FAULTY BRAKES, THE STICKING GAS PEDAL AND HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY TURN OFF , WHAT ELSE ARE THEY HIDING FROM CONSUMERS? IT'S TIME FOR NHTSA TO STEP AND FORCE TOYOTA TO FIX OUR HEADLIGHTS BEFORE TRAGIC ACCIDENTS HAPPEN.

HELLO....I JUST RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM TOYOTA ENTITLED CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM..(NO MENTION OF RECALL). IN IT, THEY SAY THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT...AND WHILE THEY'VE BEEN CHARGING FOR THEM AT 300 DOLLARS EACH, THEY NOW REALIZE THAT IT'S SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL ISSUE....THAT CAUSES THE LIGHTS TO FAIL...NOW, IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING ELSE, IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE A RECALL...NOT A "HIDE THE PROBLEM" KIND OF CUSTOMER SUPPORT LETTER......SOMEONE SHOULD BE MONITORING THIS ONE TOO....IF TOYOTA CAN HIDE SOMETHING THAT IS A RECALL-WARRANTED PROBLEM, WHAT NEXT..? IT WORRIES ME.... *TR

I HAVE A 08 PRIUS. SEVERAL DAYS AGO SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT ONE DAY-TIME RUNNING LIGHT WAS OUT. TWO NIGHTS AGO I CHECKED AND BOTH LIGHTS WERE WORKING SO I THOUGHT I WAS OK. LAST NIGHT AFTER DRIVING ABOUT AN HOUR, BOTH HEAD LIGHTS WENT OUT. I TURNED THE SWITCH OFF AND ON AGAIN AND THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. ABOUT A MINUTE LATER THE RIGHT LIGHT WENT OFF. AFTER ANOTHER HOUR OF DRIVING THE LEFT LIGHT WENT OUT AND I REPEATED THE TURN ON CYCLE AND IT STAYED ANOTHER COUPLER HOURS. (I DROVE HOME WITH THE FLASHER AS THIS WOULD HAVE ENABLED ME TO SEE THE ROAD A LITTLE IS CASE THE LIGHT WENT OUT AGAIN., ) I MADE IT HOME OK AND AM CONTACTING MY DEALER TODAY. *TR

TOYOTA PRIUS HID HEADLIGHT - MY PRIUS HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY. SINCE THEN THE LOW AND HIGH BEAMS GO ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THE BULB WAS FINE AND IT WAS A SHORT IN THE ELECTIRCAL THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I JUST DRIVE WITH IT AND KEEP TRYING TO SHAKE THE WIRES AND DETERMINE WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS. NOW (A MONTH LATTER) I GET A LETTER FROM TOYOTA TELLING ME IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE BULB ALL ALONG. THE SOLUTION IS TO AVOID USING MY HEADLIGHTS (THAT WAS THE SUGGESTION IN THE LETTER, ONLY USE THEM WHEN REQUIRED BY LAW) AND IF I HAVE TO USE THEM ALLOW THEM TO COOL BEFORE I TURN THEM ON AGAIN! WHAT A BUNCH OF IDIOTS FOR SUGGESTING NOT USING YOUR HEADLIGHTS! I'M STILL UNDER WARRENTY, BUT WILL NOW HAVE TO PAY ~$200 EACH TIME THIS PROBLEM BULB BURNS OUT - UNLESS I FOLLOW TOYOTA'S ADVICE AND SKIP USING THEM AT ALL :). *TR

WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT WILL FAIL (TURN OFF) FOR NO APPARENT REASON. TURNING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF THEN ON WILL RESTORE THE HEADLIGHTS FUNCTIONING. I HAVE BEEN STOPPED BY THE POLICE ONCE FOR THIS, AND HAVE NOTICED IT NOW ON MY OWN MANY TIMES SINCE; ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE. *TR

TOYOTA PRIUS 2008, DRIVER'S SIDE HID HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AT 29K MILES <2 YEARS OF USE, DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS TELL DIFFERENT STORIES ON WHETHER IT'S A WARRANTY REPAIR; BULB PRICING RANGES FROM $30 TO $350; SANDY SPRINGS TOYOTA SOLD US THE WRONG PART; OWNER'S MANUAL GIVES WRONG INSTRUCTIONS: THE LIGHT BULB CASING LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THE DIAGRAM; SOME ONLINE SOURCES CITE A TOTAL COST + LABOR $1700; SOME DON'T RECOMMEND DOWNGRADING TO A NON-HID BULB; SOME SAY THAT THE VOLTAGE IS VERY HIGH AND POSES RISK OF ELECTROCUTION WHEN REPLACING AT HOME; *TR

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLAMP KEEPS GOING OUT. REPLACED BOTH HID HEADLAMPS AS TOYOTA CORPORATE TOLD ME TO DO AND PROBLEM CONSISTS. SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH CHILDREN IN CAR AND BUSY PEDESTRIANS ON DARK ROADS WITH STROLLERS AND BABIES NOT COUNTING DEER OR OTHER ANIMALS. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO RECALL ISSUE. IM TIRED! *TR

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS PKG 6...LOST POWER AT 65MPH...ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND I LOST CONTROL OF CAR...PULLED OVER...LIGHTS SAID THERE WAS NO FUEL BUT I HAD REFUELED EARLIER THAT MORNING. TOOK TO DEALER...COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. ALSO, HID HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY DON'T WORK...VERY UNSAFE...HAS CAUSED TROUBLE WITH POLICE...I AM BEYOND IRRITATED WITH TOYOTA. *TR