Recalls

CampaignManufacturerManufacturing dateType# of units affectedDate Owner notified MfgRecall Initiated byManufacturers of recalled vehicles/productsReport Recieved DateRecord Creation DateRegulation Part NumberFMVSS Number
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS - SWITCH
04V558000TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.from 02/10/2003 to 09/03/2004V (Vehicle)18309012/20/2004MFRTOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.11/22/200411/23/2004
Defect SummaryCertain passenger vehicles may be equipped with an improperly designed brake light switch. a silicon oxide build-up occurs on the contacts inside the brake light switch, which can make it inoperable.
Consequence SummaryIf the switch is inoperable, the brake lights will not illuminate and can increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective SummaryDealers will replace the brake light switch. the recall began during december 2004. owners should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
NotesToyota recall no. ssc 40/lexus recall no. ssc 4lh.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration

Bulletins

BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
T-SB-0030-0805/12/200810024891Hid headlight system - diagnostic tips. *nj updated 6/17/08. *nj06/05/2008

Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
11/16/2012165000
 Both headlights turn off and on intermittently without warning while driving. it is very dangerous driving in the dark.
12/25/20121440001
 Both headlights suddenly went dark. my wife and i are about 95% sure the entire dash went dark as well. we stopped and toggled the headlight switch, and everything came back on. the dealership recommended replacing the high intensity discharge headlights, but they do not know why the dash would have gone dark. *tr
12/25/2012144000
 Both headlights suddenly went dark. my wife and i are about 95% sure the entire dash went dark as well. we stopped and toggled the headlight switch, and everything came back on. the dealership recommended replacing the high intensity discharge headlights, but they do not know why the dash would have gone dark.
10/19/20121800001
 Consistently a single headlight on my 2004 toyota prius would flicker and go out. it may go off again, in another five or 10 minutes, but i could get them to work again by turning them off and turning on again. *tr
12/25/2012144000
 Both headlights suddenly went dark. my wife and i are about 95% sure the entire dash went dark as well. we stopped and toggled the headlight switch, and everything came back on. the dealership recommended replacing the high intensity discharge headlights, but they do not know why the dash would have gone dark.
10/19/20121800001
 Consistently a single headlight on my 2004 toyota prius would flicker and go out. it may go off again, in another five or 10 minutes, but i could get them to work again by turning them off and turning on again. *tr
10/19/2012180000
 Consistently a single headlight on my 2004 toyota prius would flicker and go out. it may go off again, in another five or 10 minutes, but i could get them to work again by turning them off and turning on again.
12/01/20121038001
 My passenger side hid headlight goes out a few minutes after turning on. when turned off and on again comes back on only to go out a few minutes later. *tr
12/01/2012103800
 My passenger side hid headlight goes out a few minutes after turning on. when turned off and on again comes back on only to go out a few minutes later.
03/01/20111200001
 One of the headlights operates intermittently. turning the headlights off and back on causes it to light again. *tr
03/01/2011120000
 One of the headlights operates intermittently. turning the headlights off and back on causes it to light again.
08/01/20121400001
 Hid headlights turning off repeatedly, will go out randomly having nothing to do with movement, on time, the light will come back on if switch is turned off then on again but lights are unreliable. condition is obviously dangerous during night, fog or poor road conditions. random turning off has kept re-occurring until present time, where light will persist on for only a few minutes at a time. toyota dealer wants 1,000 or more to repair, while light bulb only costs less than 50 dollars on amazon, stating the defect may have to do with a fuse and or ballast. *tr
08/01/2012140000
 Hid headlights turning off repeatedly, will go out randomly having nothing to do with movement, on time, the light will come back on if switch is turned off then on again but lights are unreliable. condition is obviously dangerous during night, fog or poor road conditions. random turning off has kept re-occurring until present time, where light will persist on for only a few minutes at a time. toyota dealer wants 1,000 or more to repair, while light bulb only costs less than 50 dollars on amazon, stating the defect may have to do with a fuse and or ballast.
10/26/2012191800
 While driving my 2004 toyota prius home at night on a dark, winding road, both headlights suddenly went out!!!! there was no light! pitch black! crazy! i couldn't believe that my lights were out. my brights were not working either. i didn't know what happened to the car! i thought i was going to wreck/crash. i was about 18 miles from home. as i drove, i turned on my dome lights so the oncoming traffic could see me. after turning the car lights on and off, they came back on, but what a nightmare!!!!! i found out that other toyota prius owners had the same problem with there cars. toyota needs to fix this problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!! toyota needs to recall and replace these faulty headlights!
09/25/20122490001
 2004 toyota prius with hid headlights is used as a taxi cab. on september 25th, 2012 the drivers side headlight would begin to flicker and turn off after around five minutes of operation. the hid bulb replacement did not resolve the matter. headlights must be turned off and then on again in order to resume their operation. *tr
09/25/2012249000
 2004 toyota prius with hid headlights is used as a taxi cab. on september 25th, 2012 the drivers side headlight would begin to flicker and turn off after around five minutes of operation. the hid bulb replacement did not resolve the matter. headlights must be turned off and then on again in order to resume their operation.
07/16/20121600001
 The headlights go out randomly while driving at night. you have to turn them off and then turn them back on for them to work and they only last a minute after that. huge safety issue!! *tr
04/01/2011100000
 Single drivers side headlight goes off/on intermittently - fixed by turning headlights off/on
02/02/2012123000
 The passenger headlight and taillight stopped working. we replaced the taillight bulb only for it to stop working two days later. we replaced the taillight bulb once a week for a month, and for now it continues to work. the headlight, however, continued not working for about two weeks, then began working again only for the driver side headlight to stop working. after turning the headlight switch off then back on both headlights began working. however, after 10 minutes both went out again. ever since then, it is always a guess as to which headlight, if any, will work at dusk. sometimes they will both work for about a week before quitting. i was given an odi# of 10453541.
03/30/2011
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. the contact stated that the high intensity discharge (hid) headlights would intermittently fail. the failure recurred for approximately one year. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where they advised the contact that the balances on the front headlights needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and the current mileage was unknown. the vin was unavailable. kmj
02/02/2012123000
 The passenger headlight and taillight stopped working. we replaced the taillight bulb only for it to stop working two days later. we replaced the taillight bulb once a week for a month, and for now it continues to work. the headlight, however, continued not working for about two weeks, then began working again only for the driver side headlight to stop working. after turning the headlight switch off then back on both headlights began working. however, after 10 minutes both went out again. ever since then, it is always a guess as to which headlight, if any, will work at dusk. sometimes they will both work for about a week before quitting. i was given an odi# of 10453541.
03/30/20110
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. the contact stated that the hid headlights on the vehicle would intermittently go out for almost a year. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and they advised him that the balaces on the front headlights needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and current mileages were unknown. the vin was unavailable. tb
02/02/2012123000
 The passenger headlight and taillight stopped working. we replaced the taillight bulb only for it to stop working two days later. we replaced the taillight bulb once a week for a month, and for now it continues to work. the headlight, however, continued not working for about two weeks, then began working again only for the driver side headlight to stop working. after turning the headlight switch off then back on both headlights began working. however, after 10 minutes both went out again. ever since then, it is always a guess as to which headlight, if any, will work at dusk. sometimes they will both work for about a week before quitting. i was given an odi# of 10453541.
03/30/20110
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. the contact stated that the hid headlights on the vehicle would intermittently go out for almost a year. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and they advised him that the balaces on the front headlights needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and current mileages were unknown. the vin was unavailable. tb
02/02/2012123000
 The passenger headlight and taillight stopped working. we replaced the taillight bulb only for it to stop working two days later. we replaced the taillight bulb once a week for a month, and for now it continues to work. the headlight, however, continued not working for about two weeks, then began working again only for the driver side headlight to stop working. after turning the headlight switch off then back on both headlights began working. however, after 10 minutes both went out again. ever since then, it is always a guess as to which headlight, if any, will work at dusk. sometimes they will both work for about a week before quitting. i was given an odi# of 10453541.
03/30/20110
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. the contact stated that the hid headlights on the vehicle would intermittently go out for almost a year. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and they advised him that the balaces on the front headlights needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and current mileages were unknown. the vin was unavailable. tb
02/05/201088000
 Boyh headlights went out on narrow winding roads at night. almost crashed into tree. i turned the switch back off and than on and lights came back on. since than, the right headlamp goes on and off at night and sometimes both go out. the dealer says it will cost over $1000 to fix. i have read many complaints. am i entitled to some kind of help? my wife will take the car on occasion and it has happened to her. is there a recall? i dont think it is a light issue if they go back on what is being done about this?
11/10/2011110000
 The driver's side headlight went out while driving at highway speed. turning the lights off and then on restored the headlights. it happened a couple times in 2 hours of driving. at the end of the trip it was happening about every mile. i took the car to the toyota dealership and they replaced the driver's side lamp. last night 1/2 hour into a 2 hour night trip the headlights went out. it appeared that both lights went out this time. the lights went out every 30 seconds thereafter. upon arriving at the destination, i left the car running and checked out the light situation. the driver's side headlight would go out and the passenger side side appeared to dim. the running lights remained on. it appears that other prius owners have experienced similar problems. it also seems that replacing the lamp is not the solution to the problem. it may be an electrical or computer problem. i shall take the car back to the dealership next week. this is a safety issue during night driving.
09/01/2008170000
 Hid headlights go off intermittently while driving. headlights can be reset by turning healight switch to off and back on again. a search of the nhtsa and other websites demonstrate that this same problem is widespread for several year models of prius autos. the dealer estimates to replace the headlight bulbs is about $1000 per headlight, making this a serious problem because people will seek lower cost remedies which are not safe. toyota thus far has not officially recognized or attempted to address this issue. since a total loss of lighting can occur at anytime with serious consequences, a recall should be performed to correct this issue before fatalities occur.
01/20/2011
 The driver's side hid headlight, intermittently, unpredictably and inexplicably shuts off. it will occasionally return to service on its own, but usually requires a cycling of the light's power switch before full function is restored. after which, the length of time before the light shuts off again varies from a few seconds to not at all. after researching this issue, it seems to be a rather systemic problem with the 2004-2009 prius. obviously, the situation this condition creates is unsafe at best, can place me personally in an unexpected illegal position - and (should both lights go out together, as some have reported) could quite possibly be life threatening. for the safety of the driving public, i would strongly urge nhtsa to investigate this issue. toyota must take responsibility for their design flaw, and engineer a resolution to this problem.
05/15/200848000
 Front lights went dim. able to turn back on with switch. front lights continue to go out or get dim intermittently and i must turn switch on and off to get them back on. i have paid toyota for several new bulbs and diagnostics with no fix.
08/02/2011140000
 The headlamps keep switching off intermittently on my 2004 toyota prius. this has been happening fairly regularly over the last year, but last night (8-2-20110) both headlamps failed at the same time when on a dark, windy road causing me to almost crash into a tree (i couldn't see anything without the lights). when i switch the headlamp control on and off, the headlamps come on again, so it is unlikely to be the bulbs. sometimes only one lamp goes out, sometimes both; but they are failing very frequently and causing me a major safety concern. i have researched this issue online and there seem to be many consumers that have the same issue. please help.
06/17/201136550
 My 2004 prius with 36,600 total miles has a failing right headlight. toyota service in honolulu estimate cost of parts & labor totaling $500. to replace the failing headlight and $700 to replace both headlights, which toyota recommends.
03/11/2011162190
 2004 toyota prius has 160,000 miles. the left headlight has been failing intermittently for about a week. two nights ago, on a dark road, the entire set of front headlights, fog lamps, all suddenly went off. i am happy to say the hazards were functional, because no amount of turning the switch at the stalk would bring the lights back. i pulled car over and turned it off. i had driven approximately 50 miles with them on prior to the event. i let the vehicle rest with power off for approx 5 minutes and the lights were working normally, and continued without further problems for the last 25 miles of my drive home. there are a great many registered complaints about this particular issue. i feel it is indeed a safety issue and would appreciate some help in getting toyota to take a look at the root of this problem. please.
12/01/201020000
 I have a 2004 toyoto prius. since 2004, my headlights have gone out 5 times. the right headlight has gone out 3 times and the left 2 times. the last time i replaced the right headlight, it did not last 12 months.
12/31/2010105320
 Headlights went out on my 2004 toyota prius while driving down i84 in new york. at night! flipped switches and turned on and off and they went back on. had i been on a dark back road who knows what could have happened. why!
01/01/2009
 Intermittent hid bulb goes out. there is no particular event that takes place when the lights stop working. when turned on they always come on and at some point they will sometimes stop working. when i see they have stopped i will turn the lights off and back on and they work and will usually stay working the rest of the trip, but not always. i have been looking online and this seems to be a common problem. i was just at my toyota dealer and they said it is probably the bulb and then under his breath he unofficially said it is a crap shoot for solving the problem.
12/31/2010105320
 Headlights went out on my 2004 toyota prius while driving down i84 in new york. at night! flipped switches and turned on and off and they went back on. had i been on a dark back road who knows what could have happened. why!
01/01/2009
 Intermittent hid bulb goes out. there is no particular event that takes place when the lights stop working. when turned on they always come on and at some point they will sometimes stop working. when i see they have stopped i will turn the lights off and back on and they work and will usually stay working the rest of the trip, but not always. i have been looking online and this seems to be a common problem. i was just at my toyota dealer and they said it is probably the bulb and then under his breath he unofficially said it is a crap shoot for solving the problem.
08/15/201072500
 Headlights would go out, but come back on. at first, it was only one headlight, but one evening, when one headlight went out, i switched to high beams and both went out. i pulled off the road, turned the car off and back on and the lights worked for about twenty minutes. dealer had replaced bulbs previously. on august 19, dealer replaced headlamp systems at a very high cost. manufacturer sent me a check to repay part of this, when i complained. now, tonight, december 22, 2010, driver side headlight does not come on, except for a brief flash when locking or unlocking the doors.
05/04/2009121046
 Driver side headlight failure. spontaneously goes out. will come back when switch off and on.
07/10/2010150000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. while driving approximately 55 mph, the contact stated that the headlights shut off without warning. the dealer was not notified. the manufacturer was not notified. the vehicle was repaired by an authorized dealer. the current mileage was approximately 155,000. the failure mileage was approximately 150,000. bw
05/16/2010108000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. the contact stated that the headlights turned off by themselves. when the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership, the dealer stated that the headlights needed to be replaced. the contact believed the failure to be within the control system. the contact also stated that the center console on the dashboard stopped functioning. the contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 113,000. the failure mileage was approximately 108,000-bk
07/12/2008108000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. the contact was driving at various speeds and the driver side automatic headlight would flicker intermittently. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where they informed that the headlight would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure continued to occur. the failure mileage was 108,000. js
09/01/201096000
 Headlight on 2004 pries controller broken. may be due to oxide levels in contacts. smart key oxidation causes poor use. alarm goes off intermittently.
07/12/2008108000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. the contact was driving at various speeds and the driver side automatic headlight would flicker intermittently. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where they informed that the headlight would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure continued to occur. the failure mileage was 108,000. js
09/01/201096000
 Headlight on 2004 pries controller broken. may be due to oxide levels in contacts. smart key oxidation causes poor use. alarm goes off intermittently.
07/12/2008108000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. the contact was driving at various speeds and the driver side automatic headlight would flicker intermittently. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where they informed that the headlight would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure continued to occur. the failure mileage was 108,000. js
09/01/201096000
 Headlight on 2004 pries controller broken. may be due to oxide levels in contacts. smart key oxidation causes poor use. alarm goes off intermittently.
08/01/2010125000
 Have a 2004 prius. head light on right side keeps going out. after i turn the headlights off and back on, it comes back on for a shot time. waiting for both lights to go out while driving at night.
07/12/2008108000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. the contact was driving at various speeds and the driver side automatic headlight would flicker intermittently. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where they informed that the headlight would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure continued to occur. the failure mileage was 108,000. js
09/01/201096000
 Headlight on 2004 pries controller broken. may be due to oxide levels in contacts. smart key oxidation causes poor use. alarm goes off intermittently.
08/01/2010125000
 Have a 2004 prius. head light on right side keeps going out. after i turn the headlights off and back on, it comes back on for a shot time. waiting for both lights to go out while driving at night.
07/01/2010120000
 Intermittent failure of headlights.
09/09/2010129213
 Car: 2004 toyota prius problem: intermittent failure of both headlights while driving. last night while driving along an unlit country road, both headlights failed simultaneously. after stopping the vehicle the lights came back on by turning on and off the headlamps using the stalk mounted switch. this is a very dangerous situtation, many others have had the same problem. see the toyota recall website and try this search, trouble shooting prius hid bulb and hid ecu, and you will get this result,found: 62255 results for trouble shooting prius hid bulb and hid ecu. but the site only allows you to see and access 45 other other results, that are very generic and talk about other toyota models. why can't the public see the 62,255 search results. also check the forum at http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/47938-my-hid-bulb-replacement-my-06-prius.html. there are 175 posts dating back to 2008. this is unacceptable to have all the lights intermittently fail in any vehicle. this problem is widespread and deserves the attention of the nhtsa right now.
08/01/2010142000
 Unsafe nighttime headlamp lighting due to failure of height sensor, p/n 8940847010, 2004 toyoto prius. failure of height sensor caused headlamps to point down.
06/05/201081
 The headlights on our 2004 prius (80,000 miles) have gone on and off intermittantly over the past few years. however, it was not until saturday night while we were on the freeway when both lights went out simultaenously. we were told by the dealer that this happens quite often and the a new bulb would fix the problem. at $800.00 to replace a defective part, i think this is excessive and uncessary.
03/01/201087000
 High intensity discharge (hid) headlights wink off & on randomly, which causes a serious safety/visibility problem in the dark. i understand you opened an investigation on this issue a while ago but then closed it without a finding of a safety defect. please reopen it again. there is a continuously growing body of reports of this issue with the toyota prius. go to www.priuschat.com and search for the hid headlight thread to see what i mean. many owners have had to pay $500 to $1000 out of pocket to toyota dealers to fix this problem. in some cases, the problem has recurred a few months later. please ask toyota to issue a safety recall of prius models affected by this issue. i hope you can get toyota to do this before someone dies because of this problem. otherwise, you will have a situation similar to the unintended acceleration problem which has killed a number of people. thanks for your help!
03/10/2010122300
 My 2004 toyota prius has hid headlights and they have become almost completely fogged over in spite of my best efforts to clean them. the problem seems to be the inside of the lamp, which can't be cleaned. toyota wants $355 per headlight to replace the part + labor. this has become a safety issue and none of my other cars has had this problem,
11/03/20091450001
 Last fall the left headlight was noticed to be out on my 2004 toyota prius by a neighbor when i came home one night in november, 2009. made an appointment to get it fixed at my toyota dealer, but then it came on the next day. when i canceled the appointment with the dealer they mentioned to watch it, since the headlights were known to go on and off. we left within the next couple of days for a vacation drive from md to nc. headlight stayed on until we were in nc. went to a toyota dealer and was told it would be $900 to replace the headlight since the computer behind the light had to be replaced as well. at that outrageous price - for just one headlight - we did not get it fixed. the headlight then stayed on most of the rest of the trip, but periodically goes off. this is a safety issue and it should certainly not cost almost a thousand dollars to fix a headlight. *tr
03/10/20091260001
 The headlights on my 2004 prius intermittently go off. it is corrected by turning the switch off, then back on. *tr
02/14/2010130001
 I have a serious problem with my hid headlights not working and has caused me to not be able to drive the vehicle at night. the problem is that either the right or left headlight will stop working. if you stop and turn the headlights off & on the lights will function again. i live in a small town and have been stopped by the police 3 times. toyota wants over $2000 to change the hid computer and bulbs which i simply cannot afford. i searched the web and see hundreds of similar complaints. i believe that toyota needs to recall the prius for the headlight problem. *tr
01/10/20091650001
 Headlights, one or both, turn off without warning and the only way to get them to come back on is to turn them off and then back on. *tr
03/15/2009800001
 I have a 2004 toyota prius and the headlights go off without warning and this happens a lot. if i turn the switch to off and then back on the lights will work again but sometimes they go off again after a few minutes. this is very dangerous. *tr
01/29/20101
 This is an update to the complaint i filed on 2008/10/14, odi 10253642 about prius hid headlight failure. since that incident i have had the driver and passenger side bulbs replaced four times and swapped left-for-right for diagnosis twice. even with those new bulbs, which my dublin, ca, toyota dealer swears are the newer, good bulbs, the headlights always have failed again within one to four weeks. actually, those are the intervals at which i have *noticed* the failures, but i'm sure the bulbs failed sooner than that, because sometimes it's hard to tell while driving, and the lights always relight when switched off and on. there would have been even more replacements and failures, but i have delayed taking the car in for repair until i could drive into the dealership while the light was out, as proof that it has failed. it's obvious to me and every other prius owner that the bulbs are either not the problem or at least not the only problem--the electronic control module undoubtedly also or instead is faulty. toyota corporate continues to refuse to acknowledge the severity, persistence, and breadth of the problem. yesterday the dealer repeated the left-for-right swap because toyota corporate demands that diagnostic procedure. but the dealer admitted that no more information will be gained than was gained the last time they swapped left for right, when the light worked there at the dealer, but failed on me subsequently (the same-side headlight with the swapped bulb). they are simply avoiding the expense and liability of replacing the control computer. *tr
11/24/19981193951
 Driver-side hid headlight turns itself off at brief intervals. turning headlight switch off and on restores it, without fail. situation remained stable for over a year, nov. 2008 to jan. 2010. light turns out whether vehicle is moving or stationary. replacing lamp did not fix the problem -- in fact, new bulb turns off more than once a minute, while old bulb turned off about every 10 minutes. *tr
02/07/201095000
 My hid headlamp for my 2004 prius is nearly impossible to change on my own and it costs $600 (!?) to change at the dealer. how is a $600 repair for a minor thing like a headlight not illegal from an auto safety standpoint? do you know if there is a class action lawsuit about this issue?
09/25/200995000
 I have a 2004 toyota prius with hid headlights. a few months ago i was driving at night and the headlights cut off completely. it was 11:30pm on a foggy, drizzly night, and suddenly i was driving 70 mph in pitch darkness. i was able to get them to come back on and drive home slowly. i took the car to the toyota dealer, where they replaced the headlights for $990. a few weeks later the same thing happened, headlights cut out at night. i took the car back to the dealer, where they kept it for several days. they then returned the car, assuring me that the problem was solved. since that time the driver's side headlight has gone out several times.
01/30/20101040001
 Hid headlamps repeatedly flicker, then go out. switching off lights and switching back on brings them back on for an intermittent period of time, then they go out again. i have had to replace both front headlamps at considerable expense. the most recent cost $436 for the lamp alone and $137 in labor. *tr
12/30/2009110500
 Hid headlights on 2004 toyota prius go out intermittently while driving without any warning. turning switch on/off will turn them back on. both have gone out creating extremely dangerous situation.*cw
05/02/2009640001
 This is a serious defect! lights can go out at anytime. we currently do not drive this car at night. this has been an ongoing problem for seven months. multiple intermittent headlight failures leading up to headlight replacements for passenger and driverside. the passenger side failed first (01/2009) and on average would fail 1-2 times per week. driver side failed for the first time this month (01/2010) and has only failed one time to date 01/16/2010. now one year later the passenger side has stated to fail again. all failures are similar in nature in that they will come back on typically after the car has been turned off for a period of time. however on occasion they may come back on by themselves. my brother and i have replaced the passenger side (2 hour process) and am in the process of purchasing two new bulbs from a local auto parts store. $150 ea vs toyota $325 ea and does not include installation labor. the average guy should not attempt this bulb replacement it is difficult. i still have the factory original bulb that we replaced. d2r 35w hid my platinum ext warranty ($1400 from dealer) does not cover light bulbs. *tr
08/01/2009900001
 Headlights on my 2004 toyota prius go off while driving. they come back on when i notice and turn them off and on again. this is a safety hazard. *tr
01/03/20101050001
 2004 toyota prius headlight problem - this is clearly a huge safety issue. when driving, my headlight (both) shut off intermittently. sometimes, one. sometimes the other. sometimes both. no incident yet but surely this is a major safety issue. i came very close to an auto accident on 1/3/2010 due to this issue! i called the dealer to have the headlights replaced and they are wanting $870 dollars to replace the bulbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $375 per bulb and $60 per headlight for service!!!!!!!! *tr
12/29/2009750001
 Both 2004 toyota prius hid headlights go out, it began with the drivers then passengers going out individually, and by turning them off then on again would bring the lights back on for several minutes, now both go out and do not come back on even after cycling them. toyota says its a replacement issue not a defect. seems to me that all the chatter online and toyotas indifference is coming to a head. i shouldn't have to pay to replace these defective lights. *tr
10/10/2009820001
 The passenger side headlight on my 2004 toyota prius went out at about 83k miles. it was an intermittent outage, and could be reset by turning headlights on and off. this is dangerous at night! toyota wanted to change both headlights and ballasts for a total cost of $1086. headlights are safety-related and i see that this problem is commonly complained about online. toyota national ofc. offered to reimburse me 1/2 after i fronted the total money to the local dealer repair shop. *tr
12/24/2009814501
 Hid headlight on 2004 toyota prius is intermittent. goes off at random times when selected on. comes back on by switching headlights off and back on. headlight went off 7 times in a 30 mile trip. *tr
12/10/20091895001
 Both hid headlights failed repeatedly on my vehicle. it took several attempts to restart the lights by turning them off and on. *tr
07/16/2007185001
 Intermittent failures of right side high intensity discharge (hid) headlight after 15 to 20 minutes of use. headlight simply shuts off without warning, and without any indication on the instrument panel. replacement/repair costs at toyota dealer were $998. after many months of complaint, to include pointing out the usa today article on this subject, toyota usa authorized repair at half price. toyota usa then reimbursed us via check for our total cost citing a supplier problem. *tr
11/12/20091132003
 I wrote this agency a few months ago regarding my 2004 toyota prius and the problems i was having with headlights alternating on/off. turning the light switch on/off would turn it back on. three or four months ago both lights started going out at the same time. turning the light switch on/off intermittently 5-9 times makes them turn back on. so far i have had this happen to me 3 times within the last week traveling 40-55 miles an hour. i have just read that you guys stopped your investigation. how many accidents or deaths do you need before anything is done about this. when headlights burn out they don't come back on. this is obviously an electrical or computer glitch that toyota has to be aware of. in all my years of driving, i have never had an experience as that of everything going dark and just having to hit the brakes. luckily when it happened last night the car behind us saw our brake lights and came to a safe stop. they flashed their headlights not knowing why our car was stopped in the middle of the road. i request a reply to this complaint since no one contacted me on my prior complaint. thank you. *tr
11/10/2009950001
 2004 toyota prius - headlights go out intermittently for no apparent reason - need to turn headlights off and back on in order to have the headlight come back on. at first, this only happened in the left headlight, lately the right headlight has been having the problem, luckily it has never happened to both headlights at the same time. would be particularly dangerous if this happened on a dark country road! *tr
10/23/20091200001
 Headlamps turn off intermittently. *tr
10/06/2009704001
 Intermittent headlight failure on my 2004 toyota prius, with just over 70,000 miles. this is truly dangerous--someone is going to get killed because of this. the problem seems to be widespread--why has there not been a recall? does someone have to get killed first? *tr
10/05/2009870001
 Headlights turn off spontaneously, must be restarted by turning switch on and off. *tr
10/01/2009900001
 I have a 2004 toyota prius, and my left headlight has turned pink. it is now continuously pink. i was told by my dealership that it would cost $400 to replace the headlamp because it is a xenon headlight. my understanding is that xenon headlights should last longer than mine did. *tr
03/12/2007460001
 Hid lights fail in my 2004 prius and have for several years now - intermittently with no warning. at times, both lights fail at the same time, leaving me on a dark road unexpectedly. i have one replaced at the dealer, only to have it fail again. this is clearly a safety issue. hundreds of these have been reported. *tr
02/01/2009850001
 After several years of use, the headlights, most often the right, but sometimes also the left, spontaneously turn off. this happens about every 15 minutes while driving at night. we have to turn off the lights and turn them back on to get them to light again. this sometimes does not work, and we are stuck for a some time on the freeway without headlights. people on forums say it will likely cost $1000 - $1800 to repair, which we cannot afford. *tr
08/21/20091620001
 2004 toyota prius. both hid headlights will occasionally turn off like the bulb burns out, but if you turn off the headlights and turn them back on it turns on again. mostly right headlight, but occassionally the left will do this. not a loose connection. acts like a relay is tripping on overtemperature or overcurrent and resetting itself after the headlights are turned off. this has been occurring in my car since i purchased it in march 2007. took it to repairman, but it was going to cost over $2000 to replace a circuit board and headlight assembly. i don't have that money and from what i've read on prius owners websites this is a common issue. *tr
08/16/2009729451
 Driver side headlight goes out intermittently. sometimes turning the car off and back on solves it. now, the passenger side headlight is out. last night, the passenger side was out, so i switched to high beams. that turned off both headlights! i was on a long, dark winding road, under trees, so had no ambient light. the headlight connection has been fixed twice by the dealer. *tr
08/09/2009395001
 Passenger side headlight flickers very dimly. i just noticed it today, on my mother's prius. did some research, and was amazed at the cost to have the dealer fix this. if it was just the cost of the bulb itself, i could swallow the rather large $130 price (at kragen) and do it myself, but the notes here, and on many other sites indicate that bulb replace sometimes fixes the problem (for a short period of time), and at other times, it does nothing. i would hate to throw $130 down the toilet. the primary issue though, is that the headlight goes dim/out intermittently, without warning or pattern, and there is no way to reliably get it re-lit. i don't feel save asking my 69 year old mother to turn the headlights on and off if it's dark out side (and if it's not dark, how would you know it was working or not). i agree, it does sound like a defect as many many people are having the issue, but more importantly, a serious safety issue. how long must we want before some action is taken by the nhtsa? *tr
04/01/20081
 Left headlight of my toyota prius 2004 will turn off with no apparent cause, you can turn off the lights and immediately turn on and it will come back on again, this action is dangerous specially driving at night since you?ll have to briefly drive without the lights on. this issue has a non-harmonic frequency but it just keeps repeating, sometimes on a trip for 10 miles it can go off up to 5 times and some other times on the same trip it will not go off. by now the failure hasn't?t been corrected since dealer will charge over $1500 to fix it, which i don't agree to pay since this is their failure. *tr
01/01/20081
 Left headlight will turn off with no apparent cause. you can turn off the lights and immediately turn on and it will come back on again. there doesn't appear to be anything that triggers. dangerous when driving at night since you have to briefly drive without the lights on .. to turn off and back on again. when spoke to dealer about replacing was quoted $600... because we have to remove the front bumper to get to the headlight (toyota design flaw?) but the bulb itself costs $400!! this first started occurring in january 2008 and we lived with it for a year before spending the $558.15 that it cost to replace the one bulb in february 2009. we were prompted to do so especially since our daughter was learning to drive and we could not allow her to have to deal with this safety issue. the light is working properly now, but i am not convinced that it won't happen again ...if the bulb was the problem you wouldn't think turning it off and then immediately back on would fix it temporarily. when i spoke to toyota to complain about the cost and apparent defect they gave me no indication that this was a reported problem. she made it seem like i was the only case.. deceitful i think. after searching online i discovered on my own that this was a known problem that many others had. *tr
05/05/2009900001
 The headlights on my 2004 prius keep going on and off. toyota will not cover these under warranty and change $875 to replace 1 bulb. *tr
05/10/2009962511
 Right front headlamp operating intermittently. dealer repair quote was over $500. online advice suggested that toyota should/would repair at no cost. initially dealer service manager wanted owner to pay labor, over $300, and dealer would supply part. owner stated that since this was a safety and defect matter, toyota should pay full cost. after 24 hours, dealer agreed to replace headlamp at no cost. both headlamps were replaced at no cost to owner. owner is 30 year customer of this dealership. service manager stated that toyota will probably post a recall notice on this matter. *tr
10/20/2008750001
 2004 toyota prius has had headlight replacements five (5) times on the passenger side and now has the same problem on the driver side. 2006 toyota prius has had both sides replaced. both cars suffer from intermittent operation which can be temporarily recovered by turning the headlight switch off then back on. all toyota wants to do is replace bulbs when the bulb obviously is not the problem. i am sure they are being disingenuous with customers in an attempt to postpone the inevitable. it is way past time for a recall - please! *tr
07/01/2009650001
 I was appalled to find that it cost over $500.00 to replace the passenger side headlight and was told to expect that the driver's side light would likely need to be replace in the near future. *tr
06/13/20091260001
 Either of the headlights will randomly turn off while driving. when i quickly turn off the headlights and turn them back on, they work again for a while. the problem seems random and intermittent. it happens to both the driver's side and the passenger's side headlight. *tr
01/05/20091
 Head lights on a 2004 prius going out and being able to turn the lights back on by just turning the system off and then turn it back on again. just like a computer, if something is wrong, shut down and start over. this happens almost every time i drive the car now, the consequences are not being able to see at night and during the day safety is diminished without the headlights. the headlamps were replaced but did not repair the problem. the old parts are not available. *tr
05/16/20091240001
 On my 2004 toyota prius, the lights go out randomly. of course, at night. i took it to two toyota dealerships, and the first couldn't replicate the problem. the second dealership said the fix for one light would be an astonishing $850 because it's a defective electronic controller. since my lights worked intermittently or after being turned on and off...and after searching the internet and discovering this defect is common. i'm thinking lights cutting out while driving, is quite dangerous, and it's a potential hazard for both drivers and pedestrians. many prius owners believe this is a product defect in need of a recall from toyota before someone gets hurt. *tr
03/21/2008750001
 Hid right headlight goes out randomly. if i turn headlights off and on again, it relights, but then goes out again between 15 minutes and 3 hours. has been happening for over a year on my 2004 toyota prius.*tr
05/08/20091650001
 2004 toyota pruis hid headlight intermittently goes out while driving. turning lights off and then back on brings the light back on for a while. there have been three instances during the past 3 months where both headlights have gone out, resulting in total loss of light during the night. exceedingly dangerous! this has been an ongoing problem for the past 6 months but i only recently found out about being able to report it to this site. *tr
04/25/2009701211
 Both head lamps go for no apparent reason. by turning off lights and relighting they come back on, but then after a short period of time they go out again. the bulbs are not burned out the hid electrical system is defective. *tr
02/11/2008750001
 I own a toyota prius 2004 and the headlights go on/off whenever they feel like it. when they go off if you turn the switch they go back on. are there any other complaints on this issue? *tr
01/01/2009720001
 Headlights will go out intermittently. either side will fail. if you turn the light switch to off and then back on the lights will come back on. no particular amount of on time or bumps in road cause the failure. bulbs are hid type. dealer wants over $630 to replace bulbs. non dealer mechanic advised that it may be something other than the bulb, possibly the hid controller. dealer is the only source and very expensive. this is a major safety issue, these are the headlights. this failure now happens every time the car is driven with the headlights on, varies from 5 minutes to an hour after the car is started. this has been going on for about 3 months. i have seen on line that other prius owners are experiencing the exact same problem. no solutions have been presented. *tr
04/05/2009789001
 I have a 2004 toyota prius that has the driver's side headlight going off and on while driving. i understand it is a hid light and i also understand that many many prius owners of different years are having problems with these bulbs. the bulbs and installation seem to run from $300 up. this is something toyota should be fixing, recalling if necessary. not only is this a danger to the prius owners but to others on the road and many times the owner does not know that is it out. and replacing is at a very high expense to the owners and the problems seem to reoccur with the same owners. i need to replace mine but want to know what is being done about this before i spend the hundreds of dollars to replace it. *tr
02/15/20091550001
 Contacted toyota in february 2009 with the following complaint/description: recently my driver side headlight had been blinking off intermittently while driving. i then would have to turn the lights off and back on to get the light to come back on. last night (feb. 15th, 2009), i was taking my daughter back to college and both headlights unexpectedly turned off while driving on a very dark stretch of highway. needless to say, this was very unnerving. i tried to quickly turn off lights and then back on. they came back on on after a few tries, but then they did the same thing to me on my return back to home. this was a 6 hour round trip on a sunday. i did not have any recourse but to try to make it home. i feel this is an extreme safety issue and took it to the dealership monday. the dealership ran some tests and said it was the hid bulbs and not the computer ($375/bulb!!!!!). i then visited a prius chat site that another customer told me about as we were waiting for our vehicles. apparently this problem is very widespread. i am now forced to only be able to drive my prius during the day because i never expected a $900 price tag to change out the bulbs on the headlights, and i am unable to pay that cost right now. also, i live off of hwy 78 in saint clair county which is a very curvy, hilly rural road with very little light. if the lights had spontaneously blinked off on me on this road when either i or one of my teenagers were driving the vehicle, it could have had a far different result. will it take a death or injury to initiate a recall on the headlights? to replace bulbs on 2004 prius, you must remove the front bumper and have a special tool to remove back of headlight assembly. *tr
01/08/20081
 Hid headlights intermittently go out. turning the headlights on and off recycles the lights for a few minutes. *tr
03/11/2009910001
 The hid headlights on a toyota pruis (2004). the headlights flicker on and off periodically, changing what headlight goes out and sometimes both for no apparent reason. i can turn one or both back one by turning on and off the high beams (which both work no matter what) or by turning on and off the headlights. this has occurred on our mountain road, in which both headlights went off, without even hitting a bump. it is dangerous, i have been pulled over numerous times for a headlight out and when i took it into the dealer, they reported it as a $393/each replacement of a bulb that i have learned will go out again in 20,000-40,000 miles. *tr
03/09/20091080001
 2004 prius headlight on passenger side started flickering about 400 miles ago and has now stopped working. will cost $500 to replace. this is ridiculous. i understand that this is an ongoing issue with the prius, regardless of the year. i have read on the internet in chatrooms of several people with this issue. is anything being done to resolve? *tr
01/02/2008790001
 My hid headlights go out at random intervals, if i turn them off and back on the headlight may remain on for days, weeks or months without doing the above procedure again. sometimes it the left light other times its the right light, so far it has not happen to both lights at the same time. *tr
02/25/2009600001
 Beginning at about 60,000 miles one of the headlights on my 2004 toyota prius began to fail intermittently. switching the lights off and on seemed to temporarily fix the problem. now at 100k miles both headlights are failing, leaving me driving in the dark until i turn the light knob on and off several times. the lights are now failing every time i drive at night and several times per trip. *tr
01/01/2008801
 My 2004 toyota prius has hid headlamps. the drivers side lamp will extinguish, usually after a few minutes. if i turn the lights off and then back on the headlights come back on only to go out again after a few more minutes. the right side headlight works ok. *tr
06/20/2008800001
 Hid headlights turnoff on the 2004 prius. first episode started last summer. cost $600 dollars to replace one of the headlights. it has been approximately 7 months and the other head light is starting to turn off. this issue is dangerous and needs to be fixed before someone gets hurt. *tr
02/14/20091
 Both headlights on my wife's 2004 toyota prius started going on and off. first the driver's side went out and came back on, eventually both of them went out and we were driving at night in the mountains. this seems to be a common problem with prius owners after researching the issue. toyota repair cost have been estimated around $1000. *tr
08/01/20081350001
 High intensity discharge headlights intermittently going out. no rhyme or reason as to when the outage occurs but turning the circuit off and back on again will re-illuminate the hid headlight...but for how long?? *tr
01/30/2009760001
 The hid headlight on my 2004 toyota prius has not been working right on the passenger side for a while. it was going off from time to time. but, now it appears not to be working at all. i took the car to the auto shop and was told that this is a common problem with many prius cars and that it will cost $457.99 to replace the unit. this appears to be an ongoing issue/defect with many prius cars, which needs to be addressed asap since this is a huge safety issue. there should be a recall on toyota prius headlights since there seems to be a great deal of complaints on this issue which involves the safety of the consumers. thank you very much for your immediate attention to this matter. *tr
03/01/2008500001
 For the last 30,000 miles on my 2004 toyota prius, left hid headlight keeps going off. however, when i switch headlights off and back on, it would go on, and stay on, for couple minutes, sometimes hours. after that it goes off again. at toyota dealership they told me that computer with the headlight assembly must be replaced. it would cost me around $400. my car is still under warranty, but they said it does not cover it, even though at the day of the purchase of my car, i bought bumper-to-bumper additional warranty. why the headlights are not covered remains a mystery. research that i did on the issue, showed that many people are having the same problem with their toyotas and have no choice but spend hundreds of dollars on something that looks like a defect in the headlight assembly. i think toyota should make a recall for this particular part. *tr
06/01/20081000001
 Drivers headlight continuously goes out. i can replace bulbs and it may last 1 week. i can turn my headlights off and back on then it will start working but no more than 1/2 a mile. this is definitely a safety hazard with going down the road and flipping your headlights on and off to get them to work. took to dealer he told me that most prius was having this problem but it would cost around 500 to get it fixed. after researching i found a message board with 35 pages address the same complaint with the headlights. not having both headlights operational is a safety problem that needs to be addressed with the root cause ascertained and repaired by the manufacturer. *tr
10/14/20081069001
 Driver-side hid headlamp in 2004 toyota prius was noticed to be very, very, dim (effectively off) around 2008/10/14. turning headlamps off and on restored brightness. but the problem recurred at unpredictable times--frequently enough to be a serious safety problem. frequently the driver can't tell while driving, whether one headlamp is off, and obviously it's unsafe to fix it by turning it off and on while driving. toyota dealer replaced driver-side headlamp on 2008/10/15, for $600! on 12/15 the driver noticed the same headlamp again was misbehaving in exactly the same way, and the problem has recurred since then at apparently random times. priuschat.com's many posters about this problem make it unlikely that just the bulb is the problem. probably the ballast. but toyota won't comment. i do still have the original bulb, and the box from the new bulb. lisa at toyota corporate customer experience center replied around 2008/10/18 that toyota would reimburse half of the $600. but as of 2009/1/3 no reimbursement has been gotten. i called toyota corporate again on 2008/12/16 and damian said he must forward my new complaint about the repeated failure to lisa, and that she was required to respond in one business day. she has not responded as of 2009/1/3. there are many complaints about exactly this problem on priuschat.com at http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/34584-headlight-problem-26.html. *tr
11/27/20081100001
 Random headlight failure. when fog lights are not on total failure of headlights has occurred. right, left or both headlights will go out with no correlation to weather, speed, temperature, location of lamp or time of day. quickly turning the light switch off then on will reilluminate both lamps. the lamps may go out again, stay lit, the same lamp will go out or the previously lit lamp may fail and the previously failed lamp may light. there is a reduced interval between failures . lightbulb replacement has been suggested but this has not solved the problem for similar complaints. *tr
11/07/2008500001
 Prius 2004 headlight goes out periodically. turns back on only when all lights are shut down and turned on again. *tr
11/29/2008913841
 I own a 2004 toyota prius. i just paid $332.50 to have my 2 headlights' hib bulbs replaced - and that didn't include the parts cost because i provided the hid bulbs from an online auto parts supplier. the symptoms were the same as noted by so many other prius owners: frequent loss of light from the headlight, and recovery by rotating the light switch off then on again...only to have it re-occur a few minutes later. each headlight had its own pattern of inconsistency, but both had the dysfunction. i have received two traffic citations for driving with a headlight out. the dealerships in glen burnie, maryland and in laurel, maryland both quoted me a price for one hid bulb of $351.02 i was able to find the exact bulb online at partsquick.com for a price of $57.27 that's right, the dealership wanted to charge me $293.75 more per bulb. i purchased two online, which - with free shipping - cost me $114.54 for both. do the math...for two light bulbs only (not counting labor) online i saved $587.50 had i not purchased the bulbs online, the total out-of-pocket to replace both headlamp bulbs would have been: $ 702.04 parts ($351.02 x 2) $ 332.50 labor $1,034.54 total the dealership told me they couldn't guarantee that the bulbs were the problem, nor that replacing the bulbs would solve the problem, but that toyota instructs them to replace the bulbs first. this is insane, and certainly unsafe. *tr
07/22/2005500001
 Right headlight quit working i got a ticket out of the deal and the toyota dealer wants almost $1000 to fix the problem. ridiculous the front bumper has to be removed. many others have had the same problem sounds like a dealer recall to me. *tr
09/27/2008770001
 I was quoted $466 just for the price of my bulb for the headlight of my toyota prius. for a non luxury car it so expensive that a lot of people will choose to make due with their flickering one. it is outrageous that toyota did not give a more affordable choice. it is going to be more dangerous out there. *tr
09/22/2008820001
 I have a 2004 prius and the front right headlight is working only intermittently. this happens at least three or four times a week; i haven't seen any pattern. i had my dealer check the light and its connections and i was told that the hid light bulb was not working and that it needed to be replaced and that i could only replace them as a pair. the reason being that they are somehow connected to each other and that one failing would lead to the other failing as well. the cost was an outrageous $452 each with labor and that my extended warranty doesn't cover it! *tr
07/12/20081013501
 Driver's side high intensity discharge headlamp began switching off about a month ago. last weekend while traveling at night, the headlamp went out about 15 times in 3 hours. each time turning the headlamp switch off and back on temporarily solved the problem. i brought the car to the dealer and they replaced the hid bulb for $355. i had the same problem with the passenger side headlamp six months ago and replacing the bulb has solved the problem (to date). this is a disconcerting issue. i have not received an explanation as to why this occurs as opposed to a normal headlamp just burning out and then being able to replace it for twenty bucks. *tr
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS
08/10/2004110/31/2003
 1) on a 95 degree day the car was parked in the sun. 2) brake light assembly deformed in the heat obscuring some of the 6 led reflectors. the black plastic used in the assembly does not hold up to the heat. 3) i complained to toyota corporate in california to fix the source of the problem. nothing done to date.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS - SWITCH
11/01/2009680002
 About 40% of the time, my toyota prius doesn't want to stop or slow down when the brakes are applied. under these conditions, i have to apply the brakes hard and then the car will slow down. it feels like the car wants to run away when the brakes are applied. it exhibits this behavior in many circumstances: stopping at a stop light, slowing down on an expressway, or slowing down on a city street. *tr updated 11/23/09 *bf the check engine light illuminated. the passenger front window switch wasn't opening or closing the window unless the master switch was used. the throttle body had to be cleaned. the fan belt and brake light switch were replaced. updated 11/24/09 updated 01/06/10 *bf updated 01/07/10.*jb
04/05/2007105/12/2004
 With light braking i can stop my 2004 prius without ever illuminating the brake lights. this risks a rear end collision. the lights illuminate after the brake pedal has been depressed a little more than 1/2 inch. the service manager at my dealership claimed that there was no adjustment and would not take the car into the shop. an incident date, as required on this form, is not applicable. this is happening every time i brake. *tr
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS
07/01/2009295501
 Less than normal wear and tear; only have 32k miles on my 2004 prius. the passenger side headlight blinks off or doesn't light in the first place every time i drive it. nothing done to repair it since this particular component isn't not under warranty that i'm aware of. *tr
10/15/20091000001
 My daughter owns a 2004 toyota prius with hid headlights. the lights fail one at atime or both at the same time. they come back on usually by turning the switch off and then back on, except when she was driving at night in the fog, and they did not come back on. she had to park and spend the night beside the road, until daylight to continue driving home. she has contacted toyota about the problem and has found out that the bulbs cost $350 a piece and requires extensive dismantling of the car to install them. this meaning that a $1000 dollar expense for replacing the bulbs, not knowing if there is a deeper seated problem with the power supply to the headlights. i was just wondering if their has been anything done about a recall? *tr
10/14/2008170000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. while driving approximately 65 mph the head-lights failed. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. the vehicle has not been repaired at this time. the failure mileage was 170,000. the current mileage was 185,000. the vehicle identification number was unavailable.
08/10/20091050001
 Both headlights turn off intermittently and twice both have gone out at the same time while driving. there was no warning. to replace one headlight, toyota of melbourne told me it would be over $600 (labor not included). (bulb and harness) *tr
08/06/20091000001
 Headlamp goes out intermittently. *tr
03/09/2009980001
 I own 2004 toyota prius i had problem with headlights in 2006 i replaced $400 and the died again recently i had very dangerous situation driving on fast road they gone i turned them off and they came on again for 10 min and gone again. *tr
07/20/2005500001
 Right headlight intermittent took it to the dealer said i don't have a problem functions perfectly. well i now have a ticket to prove other wise. turn the headlights off it will come on then die. now the light just plain doesn't work. dealer wants $886 to replace. sounds like a dealer recall problem with a majority of prius hid systems. it is also a safety issue. *tr
05/18/2008400001
 Passenger xenon headlight function erratic despite bulb replacement. *tr
03/18/20081
 Toyota 2004 prius - passenger-side hid headlight went out. dealers want about $650 to fix!!! (includes having to take the bumper off.) the cost is an outrage. i can't afford it. these bulbs have apparently failed on many priuses, so dealers are cashing in. *tr
02/27/20083509/11/2004
 While driving (or sitting idling) one (or both) of the headlights will go out. i have verified that the light goes out completely and does not just dim. when only one headlight goes out, turning the headlight switch off then back on will re-ignite the headlight. when both headlights go out, they will not come back on by turning the switch off and on. it takes 4 or 5 attempts at switching off/on before they come back on. i must drive at night time, and this problem causes me to be plunged into darkness suddenly while driving (a very dangerous and frightening experience). the dealer did not know the cause of the problem, but was very willing to sell me 2 headlight bulbs for $790.00 and if that did not fix the problem, come back and buy 2 control units for $950.00. *tr
01/01/200858500103/17/2004
 Hid headlamps cut out while driving, causing a potentially serious safety issue. *tr
01/08/2008984501501/10/2004
 Driver side hid headlight goes out, but reignites (most of the time) after headlight switch is turned off and then back on. recently, the drivers side light was out (and would not reignites), and the passenger side light went out as well, leaving me without headlights. the passenger side light did reignites after turning the switch off and back on. *tr
12/17/200789000102/20/2004
 Passenger headlight on 2004 toyota prius goes out intermittently. i have noticed this about 8 times. on one occasion i was in a vehicle in front of the prius and the headlight went off after 15 minutes of operation. it came back on after the vehicle was turned off and restarted. i took it to the dealer today, expecting a diagnosis and they put in a new hid bulb ($324.00). i had them save the old bulb because i am doubtful a new bulb will solve what appears to be an electrical short circuit problem. not having both headlights operational is a safety problem that needs to be addressed with the root cause ascertained and repaired by the manufacturer. *tr
10/01/20067000050004/01/2004
 Tl*the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. while driving in any type of weather, one headlight would dim followed by the other. however, both headlights could dim simultaneously. the failure occurs intermittently. the vehicle's speed was not a factor. during the failure, all of the other lights were operational. the contact has had the lights repaired due to safety concerns. the current mileage is 90,000 and failure mileage was 70,000.
06/01/200515000405/20/2004
 Headlights unexpectedly aim downward in my 2004 prius equipped with the high intensity arc headlights. this causes a serious, dangerous, nighttime driving condition. *jb
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS
07/12/200650000204/14/2004
 Tail lights on my '04 prius are slowly melting , and as a result, the decorative black plastic inside the assembly is obscuring the brake lights to the point that they are barely visible. i will need to replace these soon; toyota refuses to do it, saying i am out of warranty. *nm

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