Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS
POL-11-0103/04/201110038968Ready06/29/2011
POL-11-0103/04/201110038968Toyota: 2006-2009 prius. warranty information for headlights. *rm06/29/2011
TC-09-01812/16/200910032448Toyota: hid headlight customer support program. unlike halogen light bulbs which simply stop working at the end of their useful life, as the hid bulb nears the end of life it may exhibit a condition where the bulb may flicker or intermitt03/26/2010
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

Investigations


NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PE09019TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION04/17/200908/27/2009HEADLIGHT FAILURE
 Odi opened this investigation after receiving reports that both headlights would go out, or extinguish while driving.the subject vehicles are equipped with high intensity discharge (hid) headlamps that operate on independent lamps and ecu's (electronic control units) for each headlight, meaning that each headlight runs independently of the other, and a failure in one lamp or ecu does not necessarily result in a failure of the other.during the investigation, a random sample of forty consumers was contacted by odi in a telephone survey to verify their experiences.the consumers stated in complaints to toyota that both headlights failed at the same time.odi discovered through talking with these complainants that in fact one headlight would begin to flicker and then cut off.the other headlight would still be operational.in a few cases where no action was taken, some complainants stated that after a few months both headlamps would begin to fail resulting in no headlights; however none reported that both lamps failed simultaneously.complainants also stated that they could toggle the headlamp switch on and off to temporarily restore lighting when this condition occurred, even in cases were both headlamps were extinguished.the results of this survey are largely consistent with odi's assessment of the reports and warranty data.toyota submitted in response to odi's information request letter that, generally speaking, only one lamp failed at a time, and that toggling the switch restored the lamp.toyota requested a meeting with odi and on august 6, 2009, presented their assessment of headlamp failure.toyota confirmed that a headlamp could extinguish while driving due to a bulb failure, and that it could be temporarily restored by turning the headlight switch on and off, and that simultaneous failure of both headlamps was rare and unlikely.toyota also briefly discussed their intention to conduct a customer service campaign to address consumer dissatisfaction with hid bulb failures.since there is still one headlight operating when the other one cuts off, there is still lighting available to get the vehicle to a repair facility.thus, a safety defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS
PE09019TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION04/17/200908/27/2009HEADLIGHT FAILURE
 Odi opened this investigation after receiving reports that both headlights would go out, or extinguish while driving.the subject vehicles are equipped with high intensity discharge (hid) headlamps that operate on independent lamps and ecu's (electronic control units) for each headlight, meaning that each headlight runs independently of the other, and a failure in one lamp or ecu does not necessarily result in a failure of the other.during the investigation, a random sample of forty consumers was contacted by odi in a telephone survey to verify their experiences.the consumers stated in complaints to toyota that both headlights failed at the same time.odi discovered through talking with these complainants that in fact one headlight would begin to flicker and then cut off.the other headlight would still be operational.in a few cases where no action was taken, some complainants stated that after a few months both headlamps would begin to fail resulting in no headlights; however none reported that both lamps failed simultaneously.complainants also stated that they could toggle the headlamp switch on and off to temporarily restore lighting when this condition occurred, even in cases were both headlamps were extinguished.the results of this survey are largely consistent with odi's assessment of the reports and warranty data.toyota submitted in response to odi's information request letter that, generally speaking, only one lamp failed at a time, and that toggling the switch restored the lamp.toyota requested a meeting with odi and on august 6, 2009, presented their assessment of headlamp failure.toyota confirmed that a headlamp could extinguish while driving due to a bulb failure, and that it could be temporarily restored by turning the headlight switch on and off, and that simultaneous failure of both headlamps was rare and unlikely.toyota also briefly discussed their intention to conduct a customer service campaign to address consumer dissatisfaction with hid bulb failures.since there is still one headlight operating when the other one cuts off, there is still lighting available to get the vehicle to a repair facility.thus, a safety defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
10/01/200710000
 We have had several head lights on our pruis stop working. usually you have to turn the lights on and off to get them to go back on when they turn off on their own. we have replaced the headlights approx. 4 times over the years and again we are having the same problem. they are extremely expensive headlights.
03/01/200745000
 We have experienced intermitment headlight issues on the driver side going off and having to pull over and turnoff headlights and turn back on to get light back on. we have complain many times to the toyota dealer. finally driver side headlight was replaced, then weeks later on the passenger headlight started doing the same i.e., headlight going off and having to turn off and turn back on light control. to this day this not resolved please advise.
10/01/200710000
 We have had several head lights on our pruis stop working. usually you have to turn the lights on and off to get them to go back on when they turn off on their own. we have replaced the headlights approx. 4 times over the years and again we are having the same problem. they are extremely expensive headlights.
03/01/200745000
 We have experienced intermitment headlight issues on the driver side going off and having to pull over and turnoff headlights and turn back on to get light back on. we have complain many times to the toyota dealer. finally driver side headlight was replaced, then weeks later on the passenger headlight started doing the same i.e., headlight going off and having to turn off and turn back on light control. to this day this not resolved please advise.
10/01/200710000
 We have had several head lights on our pruis stop working. usually you have to turn the lights on and off to get them to go back on when they turn off on their own. we have replaced the headlights approx. 4 times over the years and again we are having the same problem. they are extremely expensive headlights.
03/01/200745000
 We have experienced intermitment headlight issues on the driver side going off and having to pull over and turnoff headlights and turn back on to get light back on. we have complain many times to the toyota dealer. finally driver side headlight was replaced, then weeks later on the passenger headlight started doing the same i.e., headlight going off and having to turn off and turn back on light control. to this day this not resolved please advise.
01/15/20131450002
 This is 2nd time for the hid head lamps intermittently flickering/failing on my 2006 toyota prius. the 1st was in aug 2009 at about 86k miles. thankfully the local koons toyota dealership in westminster md replaced both bulbs at no expense thanks to the koons toyota dealership in annapolis md where i had originally purchased the car arranging approval through the regional office. now about another 3 years and 145k miles, the same problem. toyota u.s.a. acknowledged the problem and that in some cases the hid headlight control ecu may have been replaced but was unnecessary, needing only bulb replacement and reducing the pricing to $150/bulb. while most vehicles today operate with headlights on automatically, i've only used my daytime running lights to preserve headlight life but these bulbs are still a problem. headlights are absolutely critical vehicle equipment and must be reliable. headlamps that fail every 3 years do not meet the reliability test in my view. please look into this ongoing issue. i'm asking toyota to work with me on replacement cost and the type of hid bulb they're using. i'm told by maintenance technicians that visual inspection will show a small bubble somewhere in the base that indicates it's going bad. that tells me that something about the bulb is not right and therefore not reliable/safe. thank you. *tr
01/15/2013145000
 This is 2nd time for the hid head lamps intermittently flickering/failing on my 2006 toyota prius. the 1st was in aug 2009 at about 86k miles. thankfully the local koons toyota dealership in westminster md replaced both bulbs at no expense thanks to the koons toyota dealership in annapolis md where i had originally purchased the car arranging approval through the regional office. now about another 3 years and 145k miles, the same problem. toyota u.s.a. acknowledged the problem and that in some cases the hid heallight control ecu may have been replaced but was unnecessary, needing only bulb replacement and reducing the pricing to $150/bulb. while most vehicles today operate with headlights on automatically, i've only used my daytime running lights to preserve headlight life but these bulbs are still a problem. headlights are absolutely critical vehicle equipment and must be reliable. headlamps that fail every 3 years do not meet the reliability test in my view. please look into this ongoing issue. i'm asking toyota to work with me on replacement cost and the type of hid bulb they're using. i'm told by maintenance technicians that visual inspection will show a small bubble somewhere in the base that indicates it's going bad. that tells me that something about the bulb is not right and therefore not reliable/safe. thank you.
01/03/201190000
 Headlights spontaneously turn off. must turn off and back on then the lights turn back on. could be either light that turns off and sometimes both lights. this is very dangerous.
01/03/2012480001
 I was driving at night when oncoming traffic started honking me. i was curious why, until i realized that my front lamps were turned off even though the dashboard indicator showed them on. as it was a serious safety issue, i took them to nearest autozone and they told me that the lights are absolutely fine. i was baffled by it, so i called the dealership and they said it is a known issue just turn them off and back on when you notice them go out and have it checked during your next service. during the service, they told me that they are going to charge me for diagnostics (even though it is a known issue) and asked me that it is going to cost me over $500 to fix it. when i did some more research i found out that there was an extended warranty (5 years or 50, 000 miles) but no one at the dealership mentioned that to me back in january when i called them and now i was over 50,000 approx at 53, 000 miles and ineligible for free replacement. my whole point is that this is a serious enough issue to qualify for a recall and not just extended warranty as someone could get killed because of toyota's negligence. before registering this complaint i called the toyota customer service explaining them everything but got no help from them. *tr
01/03/201248000
 I was driving at night when oncoming traffic started honking me. i was curious why, until i realized that my front lamps were turned off even though the dashboard indicator showed them on. as it was a serious safety issue, i took them to nearest autozone and they told me that thhe lights are absolutely fine. i was baffled by it, so i called the dealership and they they said it is a known issue just tun them off and back on when you notice them go out and have it checked during your next service. during the service, they told me that they are going to charge me for diagonostics (even though it is a known issue) and asked me that it is going to cost me over $500 to fix it. when i did some more research i found out that there was an extended warranty (5 years or 50, 000 miles) but no one at the dealerhip mentioned that to me back in january when i called them and now i was over 50,000 approx at 53, 000 miles and ineligible for free replacement. my whole point is that this is a serious enough issue to qualify for a recall and not just extended warranty as someone could get killed because of toyota's negligence. before registering this complaint i called the toyota customer service explaining them everything but got no help from them.
12/27/2012425508
 Just purchased this vehicle. when driving, for no apparent reason the left headlight has intermittently turned off about 8 times. when i turn the headlight switch off and on, the left headlight works again. it has been occurring more frequently over the last two weeks. more recently (twice this week), both headlights suddenly went off for no reason while driving at night. when i turn the headlight switch off and on, the headlights work again. *tr
12/27/201242550
 Just purchased this vehicle. when driving, for no apparent reason the left headlight has intermittently turned off about 8 times. when i turn the headlight switch off and on, the left headlight works again. it has been occurring more frequently over the last two weeks. more recently (twice this week), both headlights suddenly went off for no reason while driving at night. when i turn the headlight switch off and on, the headlights work again.
09/01/2010950001
 Have had consistent issues with a headlight going off while i'm driving. i have to turn the lights off and back on again to regain both headlights. eventually the bulb burns out. i replaced the left headlight for $300 in september 2010. i replaced the right headlight for $175 in october 2012. then, january 2013, the right headlight only came on when i hit the light with my fist. now, still january 2013, the right headlight will not come on at all. headlights that go on and off is a serious safety concern. *tr
09/01/201095000
 Have had consistent issues with a headlight going off while i'm driving. i have to turn the lights off and back on again to regain both headlights. eventually the bulb burns out. i replaced the left headlight for $300 in september 2010. i replaced the right headlight for $175 in october 2012. then, january 2013, the right headlight only came on when i hit the light with my fist. now, still january 2013, the right headlight will not come on at all. headlights that go on and off is a serious safety concern.
09/07/2012980001
 The headlights flicker and then go completely out. the beam can usually be restored briefly by turning it on and off again but the lamp will then stay illuminated for an unpredictable length of time (seconds to minutes). this is a recurring problem and both headlights have been repaired at the dealership multiple times. before the repairs, there was an occasion where both headlights went out simultaneously while driving on an interstate tollway. after the repairs, the problem has recurred in only one light (so far). these are toyota's hid lights. *tr
09/01/201095000
 Have had consistent issues with a headlight going off while i'm driving. i have to turn the lights off and back on again to regain both headlights. eventually the bulb burns out. i replaced the left headlight for $300 in september 2010. i replaced the right headlight for $175 in october 2012. then, january 2013, the right headlight only came on when i hit the light with my fist. now, still january 2013, the right headlight will not come on at all. headlights that go on and off is a serious safety concern.
09/07/201298000
 The headlights flicker and then go completely out. the beam can usually be restored briefly by turning it on and off again but the lamp will then stay illuminated for an unpredictable length of time (seconds to minutes). this is a recurring problem and both headlights have been repaired at the dealership multiple times. before the repairs, there was an occasion where both headlights went out simultaneously while driving on an interstate tollway. after the repairs, the problem has recurred in only one light (so far). these are toyota's hid lights.
11/27/2012612701
 The headlights on my toyota prius 2006 intermittently go off while driving. it seems to affect only one of the headlights right now. i do not see any issues with the bulbs as such since they do come back on. but this happens very often while driving and while coming to a stop sometimes. *tr
11/27/201261270
 The headlights on my toyota prius 2006 intermittently go off while driving. it seems to affect only one of the headlights right now. i do not see any issues with the bulbs as such since they do come back on. but this happens very often while driving and while coming to a stop sometimes.
12/10/2012670001
 Driving along a country road at night and the headlights went out. very scary. went off the road a bit and the car got scratched. restarted car and headlights went on for a short time, then dim, then off. this a huge safety problem that nhtsa has failed to do its duty with. toyota says thought luck, you are past the extended warranty. light suddenly going out while driving at night is clearly a safety issue. is nhtsa simply going to wait until there are enough fatalities to take meaningful action. toyota clearly doesn't want to take any responsibility for their clearly defective and dangerous product. *tr
08/25/2012550001
 The right headlight went out and then went on. the problem has recurred. now the left headlight went out and then went on. we read that this is a common problem with the 2006 toyota. will there be a recall? *tr
11/01/2012700001
 Hid headlights on this vehicle and taillights go out on there own sometimes just one or sometimes all lights go out. problem is fixed when you turn the lights all the way off and all the way back on and they stay on for the duration of my drive or go out a few minutes later. have been pulled over by police multiple times for having lights out. have seen many toyota prius complaints about this same exact problem. *tr
06/01/2012950001
 Driver headlamp turned off. after realizing something was wrong. i pulled over to the shoulder of the road, and turned the vehicle and headlamps off. i turned the vehicle back on and the headlamps as well. both headlamps worked again. the driver headlamp continued with this behavior and the passenger headlamp started to exhibit the same behavior about a month later. i found out that this type of behavior is common among my model and the 2006-2009 years with the hid headlamp package. many others have also experienced this same occurrence with the headlamps ballast. it is not the hid bulbs themselves, but a design flaw in the vehicles electrical system. i have been in some situations where both of the headlamps have turned off by themselves at night and almost was involved in an accident due to the flaw of this known problem. if i can not see when driving at night and other drivers can not see me, the vehicle is not safe. *tr
05/10/2011550001
 Passenger side headlight went out. later learned that headlamp sometimes dims without going completely out and that turning the headlamps off and on will temporarily turn the lamp back on. happens nearly every time in about 20 minute drive when dark. dealer was unable to reproduce problem and recommended no action. *tr
01/01/2009350001
 I have been having problems with my headlights going out for several years now. this is the same problem described by other drivers when the lights go out and can be reset by turning them off and back on again. for the first few years, the only bulb to go out was the right side. the bulb appears to have no bearing on the problem. i have put in new bulbs and had the same problem. i even tried switching the non-working bulb with the one that was working on the left side. the left side worked fine like this and the right side continued to fail. now, several years later, the left side appears to be failing also. even though i have gotten other recall notices, toyota never notified me of a settlement in this case. and, by the time that i found out about it, the settlement had expired. *tr
06/01/2012950001
 Driver headlamp turned off. after realizing something was wrong. i pulled over to the shoulder of the road, and turned the vehicle and headlamps off. i turned the vehicle back on and the headlamps as well. both headlamps worked again. the driver headlamp continued with this behavior and the passenger headlamp started to exhibit the same behavior about a month later. i found out that this type of behavior is common among my model and the 2006-2009 years with the hid headlamp package. many others have also experienced this same occurrence with the headlamps ballast. it is not the hid bulbs themselves, but a design flaw in the vehicles electrical system. i have been in some situations where both of the headlamps have turned off by themselves at night and almost was involved in an accident due to the flaw of this known problem. if i can not see when driving at night and other drivers can not see me, the vehicle is not safe. *tr
05/10/2011550001
 Passenger side headlight went out. later learned that headlamp sometimes dims without going completely out and that turning the headlamps off and on will temporarily turn the lamp back on. happens nearly every time in about 20 minute drive when dark. dealer was unable to reproduce problem and recommended no action. *tr
06/01/201295000
 Driver headlamp turned off. after realizing something was wrong. i pulled over to the shoulder of the road, and turned the vehicle and headlamps off. i turned the vehicle back on and the headlamps as well. both headlamps worked again. the driver headlamp continued with this behavior and the passenger headlamp started to exhibit the same behavior about a month later. i found out that this type of behavior is common among my model and the 2006-2009 years with the hid headlamp package. many others have also experienced this same occurrence with the headlamps ballast. it is not the hid bulbs themselves, but a design flaw in the vehicles electrical system. i have been in some situations where both of the headlamps have turned off by themselves at night and almost was involved in an accident due to the flaw of this known problem. if i can not see when driving at night and other drivers can not see me, the vehicle is not safe.
05/10/201155000
 Passanger side headlight went out. later learned that headlamp sometimes dims without going completely out and that turning the headlamps off and on will temporarily turn the lamp back on. happens nearly every time in about 20 minute drive when dark. dealer was unable to reproduce problem and recommended no action.
06/01/201295000
 Driver headlamp turned off. after realizing something was wrong. i pulled over to the shoulder of the road, and turned the vehicle and headlamps off. i turned the vehicle back on and the headlamps as well. both headlamps worked again. the driver headlamp continued with this behavior and the passenger headlamp started to exhibit the same behavior about a month later. i found out that this type of behavior is common among my model and the 2006-2009 years with the hid headlamp package. many others have also experienced this same occurrence with the headlamps ballast. it is not the hid bulbs themselves, but a design flaw in the vehicles electrical system. i have been in some situations where both of the headlamps have turned off by themselves at night and almost was involved in an accident due to the flaw of this known problem. if i can not see when driving at night and other drivers can not see me, the vehicle is not safe.
05/10/201155000
 Passanger side headlight went out. later learned that headlamp sometimes dims without going completely out and that turning the headlamps off and on will temporarily turn the lamp back on. happens nearly every time in about 20 minute drive when dark. dealer was unable to reproduce problem and recommended no action.
11/07/2012730001
 The passenger side headlight would intermittently go off. if i turned the lights off and then on again the lights would both come on but while driving the passenger side headlight would go off again. i drive 20 miles to work. when i would first start the car when leaving work to go home, both headlights would be on but by the time i would get home the passenger side would be out again. i brought the car to the dealer and they said it was the ballast that caused the problem and charged almost 1000.00 to fix the problem. fortunately i did not have to pay the full amount due to the fact i had and extended warranty. however, just 2 days after having this fixed the same thing is happening to the driver?s side headlight. i will be bringing the car to the dealer again. i have read online that this is happening to quite a few prius owners, particularly with the 2006 model. it also seems from my research that it happens to 2005,2007 and 2008 models also. this seems to be a manufacturer defect and i find it a bit ridiculous that replacing headlights should cost so much money. it cost me 227.00 to fix one headlight and 2 taillights due to ballast issues and it is more than likely going to cost another 200.00. so all in all to repair headlights will cost me over 425.00 and without the extended warranty would have cost near 2000.00. if this is happening to so may cars there is obviously an issue which consumers should not have to pay for. my year prius has had several recalls and obviously has its fair share of manufacturer problems. the affected parts involved were/are the ballast , headlights and tail lights thank you *tr
11/07/201273000
 The passenger side headlight would intermittently go off. if i turned the lights off and then on again the lights would both come on but while driving the passenger side headlight would go off again. i drive 20 miles to work. when i would first start the car when leaving work to go home, both headlights would be on but by the time i would get home the passenger side would be out again. i brought the car to the dealer and they said it was the ballast that caused the problem and charged almost 1000.00 to fix the problem. fortunately i did not have to pay the full amount due to the fact i had and extended warranty. however, just 2 days after having this fixed the same thing is happening to the driver
07/11/2012550001
 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights with 55,000 miles is used as a taxi cab. on july 11th, 2012 and progressing, the passenger side hid headlight would flicker and then turn off completely after 5-15 minutes of operation. headlights must be turned off and then on to resume normal service. hid bulb replacement did not resolve the issue. toyota dealership only offered to replace the headlight without any explanation to what might be causing the issue. *tr
07/11/201255000
 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights with 55,000 miles is used as a taxi cab. on july 11th, 2012 and progressing, the passenger side hid headlight would flicker and then turn off completely after 5-15 minutes of operation. headlights must be turned off and then on to resume normal service. hid bulb replacement did not resolve the issue. toyota dealership only offered to replace the headlight without any explanation to what might be causing the issue.
09/05/20111160001
 Hid headlights go out randomly while driving. each one goes out separately, but sometimes they will both happen to be out at the same time. while driving, this is corrected by turning headlights off and then back on. same thing happens with the yellow running lights, one may turn off randomly. this began happening in fall of 2011, however new bulbs (hid and running lights) were purchased and the problem stopped temporarily, but within 1 year the same problems are occurring again. similar problem with the rear license plate lights; one will be off randomly, but shutting the trunk hard seems to appease the problem. this may be a wiring problem, but the front lights should not be turning off randomly. *tr
04/06/20121300001
 The front and back lights on the right side (passenger) side failure sporadically. at first i thought it was only my rear light. now i'm starting to notice that it is my right side front headlight too. tonight i noticed that both the front and rear lights on the right side were out. when my front headlight fails, i can turn the light switch off and back on. when i turn it back on, the light works again, but i'm not sure for how long. this is a safety issue. i've read online forums and this does not look to be an isolated incident. *tr
09/05/20111160001
 Hid headlights go out randomly while driving. each one goes out separately, but sometimes they will both happen to be out at the same time. while driving, this is corrected by turning headlights off and then back on. same thing happens with the yellow running lights, one may turn off randomly. this began happening in fall of 2011, however new bulbs (hid and running lights) were purchased and the problem stopped temporarily, but within 1 year the same problems are occurring again. similar problem with the rear license plate lights; one will be off randomly, but shutting the trunk hard seems to appease the problem. this may be a wiring problem, but the front lights should not be turning off randomly. *tr
04/06/2012130000
 The front and back lights on the right side (passenger) side failure sporadically. at first i thought it was only my rear light. now i'm starting to notice that it is my right side front headlight too. tonight i noticed that both the front and rear lights on the right side were out. when my front headlight fails, i can turn the light switch off and back on. when i turn it back on, the light works again, but i'm not sure for how long. this is a safety issue. i've read online forums and this does not look to be an isolated incident.
09/05/2011116000
 Hid headlights go out randomly while driving. each one goes out separately, but sometimes they will both happen to be out at the same time. while driving, this is corrected by turning headlights off and then back on. same thing happens with the yellow running lights, one may turn off randomly. this began happening in fall of 2011, however new bulbs (hid and running lights) were purchased and the problem stopped temporarily, but within 1 year the same problems are occurring again. similar problem with the rear license plate lights; one will be off randomly, but shutting the trunk hard seems to appease the problem. this may be a wiring problem, but the front lights should not be turning off randomly.
04/06/2012130000
 The front and back lights on the right side (passenger) side failure sporadically. at first i thought it was only my rear light. now i'm starting to notice that it is my right side front headlight too. tonight i noticed that both the front and rear lights on the right side were out. when my front headlight fails, i can turn the light switch off and back on. when i turn it back on, the light works again, but i'm not sure for how long. this is a safety issue. i've read online forums and this does not look to be an isolated incident.
09/05/2011116000
 Hid headlights go out randomly while driving. each one goes out separately, but sometimes they will both happen to be out at the same time. while driving, this is corrected by turning headlights off and then back on. same thing happens with the yellow running lights, one may turn off randomly. this began happening in fall of 2011, however new bulbs (hid and running lights) were purchased and the problem stopped temporarily, but within 1 year the same problems are occurring again. similar problem with the rear license plate lights; one will be off randomly, but shutting the trunk hard seems to appease the problem. this may be a wiring problem, but the front lights should not be turning off randomly.
04/06/2012130000
 The front and back lights on the right side (passenger) side failure sporadically. at first i thought it was only my rear light. now i'm starting to notice that it is my right side front headlight too. tonight i noticed that both the front and rear lights on the right side were out. when my front headlight fails, i can turn the light switch off and back on. when i turn it back on, the light works again, but i'm not sure for how long. this is a safety issue. i've read online forums and this does not look to be an isolated incident.
08/18/2012810001
 Both exterior lights and all interior lights went out late at night while driving on an old country road. very scary and dangerous! by turning the light switch completely off and back on we got our lights back. we had already spent over $250 for headlamps before this so it was not the bulbs. it's continuing to have a problem however we usually get some flickering of the lights just before one or both lights go out so we drive with one hand on the light switch to be ready to turn off and on the lights. we have been told by toyota that we have to bring it while it is having a problem which is a problem since the shop is not open at night and while happening fairly frequently now is not predictable enough to show the repairman. please recall this vehicle. we are not alone and still love our prius. *tr
08/18/201281000
 Both exterior lights and all interior lights went out late at night while driving on an old country road. very scary and dangerous! by turning the light switch completely off and back on we got our lights back. we had already spent over $250 for headlamps before this so it was not the bulbs. it's continuing to have a problem however we usually get some flickering of the lights just before one or both lights go out so we drive with one hand on the light switch to be ready to turn off and on the lights. we have been told by toyota that we have to bring it while it is having a problem which is a problem since the shop is not open at night and while happening fairly frequently now is not predictable enough to show the repairman. please recall this vehicle. we are not alone and still love our prius.
09/02/20121
 One of headlights (passenger side) suddenly shuts off. then i completely turn them all the way off, then it works again for a few minutes. so far we have changed: headlight assembly, lights computer controller, and numerous lights bulbs. so far this issue has cost us over $3000 but toyota does not take any responsibility for this issue. this is apparently an issue with everyone that owns a 2006 prius from what it looks like on line with other users. *tr
09/02/2012
 One of headlights (passenger side) suddenly shuts off. then i completely turn them all the way off, then it works againg for a few minutes. so far we have changed: headlight assembly, lights computer controller, and numerous lights bulbs. so far this issue has costed us over $3000 but toyota does not take any responsability for this issue. this is apparently an issue with everyone that owns a 2006 prius from what it looks like on line with other users.
08/27/2012850001
 The driver side hid headlamp went out while driving. this was out for about a day then turned back on while driving again. i have now noticed this happens every few days and only while in motion. *tr
09/02/2012
 One of headlights (passenger side) suddenly shuts off. then i completely turn them all the way off, then it works againg for a few minutes. so far we have changed: headlight assembly, lights computer controller, and numerous lights bulbs. so far this issue has costed us over $3000 but toyota does not take any responsability for this issue. this is apparently an issue with everyone that owns a 2006 prius from what it looks like on line with other users.
08/27/2012850001
 The driver side hid headlamp went out while driving. this was out for about a day then turned back on while driving again. i have now noticed this happens every few days and only while in motion. *tr
08/27/201285000
 The diver side hid headlamp went out while driving. this was out for about a day then turned back on while driving again. i have now noticed this happens every few days and only while in motion.
05/01/2012690001
 I own a 2006 prius 2006. one of the headlights keeps going out and i have now received a fix-it ticket from the local police. the problem is that i already took it to the dealer to get it checked out and they couldn't find any problem. also, i can't really tell when or how the head light goes out since i can't see it. i can only tell when i see the reflection in the back of another car or when in front of a store/wall etc. if i turn them all the way off and back on couple of times then the light comes back. sometimes it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes it will go out, sometimes it won't. it is not an event i can make happen and as i mentioned before i took it to the dealer (toyota of orange) and they can't make it happen either. i have also come across a blog where many prius owners are experiencing the exact same issue. http://priuschat.com/threads/headlight-problem.34584/ *tr
04/30/20121600001
 Passanger side headlight dims and then turns off at random times - light will sometimes come back on when you turn the headlights off and then on again. problem has returned within minutes of turning them off then on again. *tr
05/01/201269000
 I own a 2006 prius 2006. one of the headlights keeps going out and i have now received a fix-it ticket from the local police. the problem is that i already took it to the dealer to get it checked out and they couldn't find any problem. also, i can't really tell when or how the head light goes out since i can't see it. i can only tell when i see the reflection in the back of another car or when in front of a store/wall etc. if i turn them all the way off and back on couple of times then the light comes back. sometimes it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes it will go out, sometimes it won't. it is not an event i can make happen and as i mentioned bebore i took it to the dealer (toyota of orange) and they can't make it happen either. i have also come across a blog where many prius owners are experiencing the exact same issue. http://priuschat.com/threads/headlight-problem.34584/
04/30/20121600001
 Passanger side headlight dims and then turns off at random times - light will sometimes come back on when you turn the headlights off and then on again. problem has returned within minutes of turning them off then on again. *tr
04/30/2012160000
 Passanger side headlight dims and then turns off at random times - light will sometimes come back on when you turn the headlights off and then on again. problem has returned within minutes of turning them off then on again.
04/02/2012680001
 On numerous occasions both headlights have spontaneously gone dark while driving at night, either singly or in tandem. other times they fail to come on at the start of a trip, but one or both will be on at the destination. it only seems to affect the main headlamps, not the amber lights or the small round lights below them. when it first happened we replaced the bulb in one headlamp, but that had no effect on the problem. it's frightening when driving home from work at midnight. *tr
04/02/201268000
 On numerous occasions both headlights have spontaneously gone dark while driving at night, either singly or in tandem. other times they fail to come on at the start of a trip, but one or both will be on at the destination. it only seems to affect the main headlamps, not the amber lights or the small round lights below them. when it first happened we replaced the bulb in one headlamp, but that had no effect on the problem. it's frightening when driving home from work at midnight.
08/02/20101
 Upon arriving home, i was informed the left hand headlight was not working. by switching the light off and then on, i was able to get the light to work. this has happened intermittently on numerous occasions since that time, although not just the left light. the right hand side will also flicker off and then the headlight stalk has to be turned off and on to get the light to illuminate again. this issue cannot be duplicated by me, as the lights seem to have a life of their own. what frightens me is that the lights will also go through this erratic behavior while i am driving the vehicle at night, not only when the car is stationary. i did receive info on getting toyota to assist in the cost of bulb replacement, but since i work constantly in real estate sales, i did not have an opportunity to bring the vehicle to my dealer, and had not used an outside mechanic to make repairs. also i had been able to get the headlights to work with the re-switching process. because the situation has escalated and i find it occurring more frequently, i visited the dealer this morning only to be told they had no liability after the extended 50000 mile limit, and my car now has 85000 miles! it seems to me toyota knows they have an issue with the ecu which controls this headlight function, but are not going to rectify the situation until the nhtsa forces them. this is a very dangerous problem and i do not want to end up trying to drive with no lights in the dark!! *tr
08/02/2010
 Upon arriving home, i was informed the left hand headlight was not working. by switching the light off and then on, i was able to get the light to work. this has happened intermittently on numerous occasions since that time, although not just the left light. the right hand side will also flicker off and then the headlight stalk has to be turned off and on to get the light to illuminate again. this issue cannot be duplicated by me, as the lights seem to have a life of their own. what frightens me is that the lights will also go through this erratic behavior while i am driving the vehicle at night, not only when the car is stationary. i did receive info on getting toyota to assist in the cost of bulb replacement, but since i work constantly in real estate sales, i did not have an opportunity to bring the vehicle to my dealer, and had not used an outside mechanic to make repairs. also i had been able to get the headlights to work with the re-switching process. because the situation has escalated and i find it occurring more frequently, i visited the dealer this morning only to be told they had no liability after the extended 50000 mile limit, and my car now has 85000 miles! it seems to me toyota knows they have an issue with the ecu which controls this headlight function, but are not going to rectify the situation until the nhtsa forces them. this is a very dangerous problem and i do not want to end up trying to drive with no lights in the dark!!
03/07/201254400
 Upon purchase of vehicle from a used car lot, i immediately noticed the headlights would be work at times but at other times they would be very dim to non-existent. turning the light on and off would seem to temporarily fix this problem. upon researching this issue through the internet, it was reviled this was a common issue among prius owners in model years 2006-2009 where toyota choose to use hid light bulbs. not only was this common, but for some owners, the issue appear to re-occur and the life expectancy of hid bulbs appears to be very low and inferior to virtually any other type of bulb. fortunately, the dealer extended a helping hand and provided the labor to install these hard to get to bulbs. due to poor design, the lights are very hard to get to without taking the bumper off. i am very disappointed in the life expectancy and design that toyota chose in this model of prius.
12/01/201152000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that the headlights would intermittently fail. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure but replaced the headlights. the remedy failed to repair the problem. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure mileage was 52,000 and the current mileage was 57,000.
12/01/201152000
 Tl - the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that the head lights would intermittently fail. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure but replaced the headlights. the remedy failed to repair the problem. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure mileage was 52,000 and the current mileage was 57,000. kmj
12/01/201152000
 Tl - the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that the vehicle head lights would intermittently stop working. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure but decided to replace the headlights. the remedy failed to repaired the problem. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 52,000 and the current mileage was 57,000. pm
11/01/2011110000
 Multiple hid headlight failures started appearing after 5.5 years and 110000 miles. dealer wanted $500 per bulb (frontier toyota) to replace the bulbs with no guarantee that would fix the problem. after researching bulb changing procedures i found the front end does not require removal if you have small enough hands and some patience. i purchased 2 new aftermarket hid bulbs for $55 and replaced the old bulbs. the new bulbs lasted about 3 commutes before one, then the other started turning off on me. now the headlights act the same as before, headlights randomly turning off after 2-5 minutes on the dark road. re-cycling the headlight switch brings them back to life for another 3-5 minutes. now i am faced with replacing one or both ballast units that drive the bulbs. this will requied removing both headlight assemblies to access the ballast boxes which are mounted to the sides of the assemblies facing outward towards the fenders ! this will require bumper facia removal to remove the light assys. lovely & expensive. if after replaceing both ballast assemblies doesnt work, i will be forced to replace the vehicle's ecu, or brain ! another expensive checklist item. good thing i am capable of doing this myself as i can save the greedy labor charges, but its not right that toyota gets off scott free. they should recall all prius' no matter the mileage or age. this is a highway safety matter and the latest olive branch from the judge was nothing more than a wrist slap.
10/25/2010
 Both headlights intermittently go off, usually one at a time, but once, both went off at the same time at night. if i turn them off and back on, they work for a few minutes, and then same thing happens. the dealer says nothing is wrong.
04/01/201148000
 Headlight bulbs intermittently on and off starting around 48,000 miles and then 52,000 miles for other bulb. i can usually get the light to turn back on by turning the headlights fully off and then on. driver side bulb died first, passenger bulb shortly thereafter. toyota replaced the 1st bulb under our 5 year warranty but refused to replace the other bulb at 5 yrs 3 months & 52k miles.
11/18/2011101975
 I was driving home last night when all of the sudden my headlight went out! at first i thought i just blew a lamp. but much to my surprise when i went out the next morning both headlights were working. i checked the connection behind the headlamp to make sure everything was tight and there was no loose or damaged wires- everything was in perfect condition. upon further research to see if anyone else has had this problem, i find numerous complaints all over the country stating that people are having the same problem- headlights randomly go out without any kind of rhyme or reason. this is a serious safety hazard! what if i was driving in the rain at night- i need all the light i can get! what if i was pulled over and given a citation because my headlight was out, and it's not even my fault! i see that toyota recalled prius models from 06-09 for this exact issue, but why not the 05's!? we're having this problem too! whether this is a balast issue or a hid controller issue headlamps should not randomly shut off and then back on for no reason. safety!
11/16/201155980
 Hid headlights fail intermittently. lights will work again if turned off and back on. lights will go out again with no apparent cause.
11/18/2011101975
 I was driving home last night when all of the sudden my headlight went out! at first i thought i just blew a lamp. but much to my surprise when i went out the next morning both headlights were working. i checked the connection behind the headlamp to make sure everything was tight and there was no loose or damaged wires- everything was in perfect condition. upon further research to see if anyone else has had this problem, i find numerous complaints all over the country stating that people are having the same problem- headlights randomly go out without any kind of rhyme or reason. this is a serious safety hazard! what if i was driving in the rain at night- i need all the light i can get! what if i was pulled over and given a citation because my headlight was out, and it's not even my fault! i see that toyota recalled prius models from 06-09 for this exact issue, but why not the 05's!? we're having this problem too! whether this is a balast issue or a hid controller issue headlamps should not randomly shut off and then back on for no reason. safety!
11/16/201155980
 Hid headlights fail intermittently. lights will work again if turned off and back on. lights will go out again with no apparent cause.
07/07/200835000
 We have had intermittent problems with the hid headlights on our 2006 toyota prius for years. one light will just go out intermittently. usually, just turning the lights off and then back on will cause the headlight that is out to come back on. this is a well known problem with this model and has been well documented all over the internet. in july of 2008, we finally decided to fix the driver's side headlight after being stopped by police multiple times because it was out intermittently. the dealer charged us $427.99 to change one hid bulb!!! i wrote to toyota motor sales, usa to complain. a few weeks later, i received a goodwill reimbursement from them for the full amount of $427.99! now we have been stopped by police several times because our passenger side headlight has been going off intermittently for a while now. after being stopped by police while out of state last week, we decided to call to see if toyota was fixing this problem since there was a class action lawsuit about this very issue that toyota settled. we were told that the price to change the light bulb would now be $254.85! since this is definitely a defect that toyota knows about, why haven't they been made to recall the car and fix the problem?
07/01/200945000
 I have drive a 2006 toyota prius, package 7 with hid headlamps. i have noticed over the last few years that my headlamps inconsistently fail. sometimes when i turn my car on and switch on my headlamps, only one or the other side will illuminate. other times, both headlamp sides will turn on, but after some time, one or both will turn off. all of this with the dash indicator showing that the headlights are on. while driving, i have remedied this problem by flipping the on-off switch to re-illuminate the lights. however, in the course of a drive they will fail again and i periodically have to flip the on-off headlight switch to have my lights work. i do feel this is unsafe and am uncomfortable driving at night or in dark places.
10/06/201173000
 While driving to work at 4 a.m. on a back road, both hid headlamps failed. trying to use high beams didn't work. only turning lights off and back on would get them to work again. this happened several times. there needs to be a safety recall on these headlamps, no exceptions or limits on time/mileage. this is dangerous and if you check the web, toyota knows all about it. talking to toyota they told me it was my problem. really? basic safety on a vehicle should be the responsibility of the manufacturer. this wasn't a one light failed and then months later another failed. they both quit at the exact same time. i guess someone needs to be killed before toyota takes responsibility. their website spews how comitted they are to safety. sure, as long as the consumer has to pay thousands for it (the cost of this repair can be over a thousand dollars), they are comitted. if they have to pay for their design flaw...well...then they aren't so helpful. apparently this is a recurring theme with toyota and they need to be fined heavily and forced to fix this. take action now before someone dies, please!
09/18/200840000
 Bought the the 2006 toyota prius new. the hid headlight bulbs have already been replaced twice and they need replaced again. toyota helped with the first replacement. each bulb started out at $300.00 a piece, toyota has since lowered the cost to $150.00 each plus labor. the design requires the front bumper to be removed to install the lamps. to do this is at least another $100.00 labor. looking at the internet, i am one of the thousands who have had this problem. a recall on this problem needs to happen.
07/01/200945000
 I have drive a 2006 toyota prius, package 7 with hid headlamps. i have noticed over the last few years that my headlamps inconsistently fail. sometimes when i turn my car on and switch on my headlamps, only one or the other side will illuminate. other times, both headlamp sides will turn on, but after some time, one or both will turn off. all of this with the dash indicator showing that the headlights are on. while driving, i have remedied this problem by flipping the on-off switch to re-illuminate the lights. however, in the course of a drive they will fail again and i periodically have to flip the on-off headlight switch to have my lights work. i do feel this is unsafe and am uncomfortable driving at night or in dark places.
10/06/201173000
 While driving to work at 4 a.m. on a back road, both hid headlamps failed. trying to use high beams didn't work. only turning lights off and back on would get them to work again. this happened several times. there needs to be a safety recall on these headlamps, no exceptions or limits on time/mileage. this is dangerous and if you check the web, toyota knows all about it. talking to toyota they told me it was my problem. really? basic safety on a vehicle should be the responsibility of the manufacturer. this wasn't a one light failed and then months later another failed. they both quit at the exact same time. i guess someone needs to be killed before toyota takes responsibility. their website spews how comitted they are to safety. sure, as long as the consumer has to pay thousands for it (the cost of this repair can be over a thousand dollars), they are comitted. if they have to pay for their design flaw...well...then they aren't so helpful. apparently this is a recurring theme with toyota and they need to be fined heavily and forced to fix this. take action now before someone dies, please!
09/18/200840000
 Bought the the 2006 toyota prius new. the hid headlight bulbs have already been replaced twice and they need replaced again. toyota helped with the first replacement. each bulb started out at $300.00 a piece, toyota has since lowered the cost to $150.00 each plus labor. the design requires the front bumper to be removed to install the lamps. to do this is at least another $100.00 labor. looking at the internet, i am one of the thousands who have had this problem. a recall on this problem needs to happen.
10/06/201173000
 While driving to work at 4 a.m. on a back road, both hid headlamps failed. trying to use high beams didn't work. only turning lights off and back on would get them to work again. this happened several times. there needs to be a safety recall on these headlamps, no exceptions or limits on time/mileage. this is dangerous and if you check the web, toyota knows all about it. talking to toyota they told me it was my problem. really? basic safety on a vehicle should be the responsibility of the manufacturer. this wasn't a one light failed and then months later another failed. they both quit at the exact same time. i guess someone needs to be killed before toyota takes responsibility. their website spews how comitted they are to safety. sure, as long as the consumer has to pay thousands for it (the cost of this repair can be over a thousand dollars), they are comitted. if they have to pay for their design flaw...well...then they aren't so helpful. apparently this is a recurring theme with toyota and they need to be fined heavily and forced to fix this. take action now before someone dies, please!
09/18/200840000
 Bought the the 2006 toyota prius new. the hid headlight bulbs have already been replaced twice and they need replaced again. toyota helped with the first replacement. each bulb started out at $300.00 a piece, toyota has since lowered the cost to $150.00 each plus labor. the design requires the front bumper to be removed to install the lamps. to do this is at least another $100.00 labor. looking at the internet, i am one of the thousands who have had this problem. a recall on this problem needs to happen.
11/22/200935000
 This is a follow up to nhtsa case # pe09019. the nhtsa closed this case as a non-safety, non-recall case, because only one headlight was failing, giving the driver time to get to a service center. however, the problem is degenerative...though no cases of dual-headlight failure had been seen by the nhtsa at the time, in the past few months there have been several cases reported on prius owner websites. all are cases that began with one intermittent light and progressed to both. i would like my case recorded by the nhtsa and included in any future class-action suit that i may be eligible for. i have a 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. they began to fail intermittently in 2009, when my car had app. 35,000 miles logged. i never received notice of the open nhtsa case, or of the class action suit that toyota settled by extending warranties and/or reimbursing repairs. i got 1 warning ticket for which i attempted to get them fixed, but this time and other times i went for service the problem was not evident (no loose wires, bulbs worked fine, etc.) and i was told that there was nothing to fix. last week both of my headlights failed simultaneously, as did the parking lights and high beams while driving on the freeway at night. fortunately i didn't have an accident, and i quickly toggled the control stick to reset the lights, and thought i'd recovered dim headlights and drove home, where i discovered that i had driven over 200 miles with only my parking lights on. the next day, the left headlight bulb worked again, the parking lights work, but the high beams still will not turn on. i have an appointment to have the bulbs changed (the only recommended procedure quoted to me by toyota service). however, i've read reports online of others who did this fix and even more, yet had the headlights fail again sometime later.
02/01/201160000
 One of our hid headlamps turns off intermittently. sometimes it is off, and sometimes it is on, no way to predict. we had the light bulb replaced by our local mechanic with an after-market product, but the problem persisted. so we went to the dealer, who also replaced the light bulb (much more expensively), but it still turned off whenever. now the intermittent turn-off has started to occur on the other side. so far they have not both been out at the same time, but if that happened, it would be a real safety issue. the dealer service department doesn't seem to know why it is doing this, and can only suggest that we replace the lightbulb again. it is not an acceptable solution to us to keep replacing $150-$300 lightbulbs. we need to know the underlying cause of the problem, whether it is in the headlamp assembly, or some other part that controls the light. in summary, a product that fails intermittently, even after being replaced has a defect that needs to be investigated. and also, the dealer/maker should know why this is happening and do something about it.
12/11/200942000
 In addition to my complaint, odi id #10400072, when i turn my headlights on, the lighting in my console loses it brightness--alot. during the daytime, it is very difficult to see the odometer/speedometer and all other information provided on my console... this includes the built-in gps/info screen. this is definitely a design flaw that toyota created and approved for sale here in the u.s. i cannot understand why toyota is not held fully accountable for these very serious flaws and are required to correct these very serious flaws at no cost the the innocent consumer that are victims for purchasing these vehicles fully trusting that toyota fully backed up their vehicles and reputation. what will it take to require toyota to make the necessary repairs to rectify these very obvious flaws in their vehicles? a death as a result of an innocent driver and his family trusting the toyota brand name? i sure hope not.
01/01/201050000
 Like many other prius owners, i began to experience headlamp problems after about 4 otherwise very satisfactory years of driving my 2006 prius. one of the lamps (the right so far) goes off irregularly during operation, and i can't tell when it has gone. this condition creates a safety hazard for other drivers because (1) in the dark a one-eyed car could be looming on either side of the one visible light, and (2) to reduce the risk (i think!) i routinely drive with brights on which blinds on-coming drivers. blogs on this subject make a fix sound too uncertain and expensive to entrust to a dealer or do myself. nhtsa should take another look.
01/15/2009
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving approximately 60 mph the contact noticed the passenger side headlight went out on its own. the contact replaced the bulb and the headlight went out three more times on both the driver and passengers side. the failure occured intermittently. the contactt stated the headlights may illuminate after it going out when the switch was turned. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was unknown. ds
01/01/201050000
 Like many other prius owners, i began to experience headlamp problems after about 4 otherwise very satisfactory years of driving my 2006 prius. one of the lamps (the right so far) goes off irregularly during operation, and i can't tell when it has gone. this condition creates a safety hazard for other drivers because (1) in the dark a one-eyed car could be looming on either side of the one visible light, and (2) to reduce the risk (i think!) i routinely drive with brights on which blinds on-coming drivers. blogs on this subject make a fix sound too uncertain and expensive to entrust to a dealer or do myself. nhtsa should take another look.
01/15/2009
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving approximately 60 mph the contact noticed the passenger side headlight went out on its own. the contact replaced the bulb and the headlight went out three more times on both the driver and passengers side. the failure occured intermittently. the contactt stated the headlights may illuminate after it going out when the switch was turned. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was unknown. ds
02/01/201065000
 Toyota 2006 prius. both hid head lamps intermittantly go off, but usually not at the same time. currently have 75k mi on car. problem started when car had approx 55k miles on it.
05/24/201197000
 We have a 2006 toyota prius that the dealer wants $900.00 to replace the headlights. the headlights cost $150.00 each and the rest of the labor charge is do to the design of the car which requires the front bumper to be removed to change a light bulb. this is not only a bad design, but a rip off for the american consumer.
05/01/201162000
 The right headlight for our 2006 toyota prius goes out intermittently. when the lights are turned completely off, then back on, the headlight begins to work again. this is a regular daily occurrence and has caused us to avoid using the vehicle at night for safety reasons. the headlight controller was replaced in 2008, when we first had the issue, but the problem has resurfaced. toyota has said that there is no problem with the parts and has refused to correct the problem under warranty.
02/10/201137000
 While driving in the dark in the middle of the night, the headlights spontaneously went out without warning. i drove in pitch black darkness until i could stop the car. then i took it to a toyota dealer service department and the mechanic told me the lights were overheating and then failing.
12/11/200940000
 The drivers side headlight keeps going out. when first turned on, it glows and after awhile it goes out. when i turn the lights out and back on, it glows again; but for only a very short time. it refuses to stay on when needed during inclement weather or night driving. this is very dangerous to say the least! it is only a matter of time before i am pulled over by police for this defect. i've seen this problem has been reported by many other 2006 prius owners and i feel it is my responsibility to report this malfunction/defect myself. toyota should be held fully responsible for this defect and should be required to fix this very dangerous safety-related defect. i hope you can help with in requiring toyota to recall these vehicles and fix this very dangerous and definitely safety-related situation/defect/malfunction. i hope we won't have to wait until some people are killed or injured as a result of this safety-related defect before appropriate action is taken to resolve it.
02/10/201137000
 While driving in the dark in the middle of the night, the headlights spontaneously went out without warning. i drove in pitch black darkness until i could stop the car. then i took it to a toyota dealer service department and the mechanic told me the lights were overheating and then failing.
12/11/200940000
 The drivers side headlight keeps going out. when first turned on, it glows and after awhile it goes out. when i turn the lights out and back on, it glows again; but for only a very short time. it refuses to stay on when needed during inclement weather or night driving. this is very dangerous to say the least! it is only a matter of time before i am pulled over by police for this defect. i've seen this problem has been reported by many other 2006 prius owners and i feel it is my responsibility to report this malfunction/defect myself. toyota should be held fully responsible for this defect and should be required to fix this very dangerous safety-related defect. i hope you can help with in requiring toyota to recall these vehicles and fix this very dangerous and definitely safety-related situation/defect/malfunction. i hope we won't have to wait until some people are killed or injured as a result of this safety-related defect before appropriate action is taken to resolve it.
05/03/201172000
 My 2006 toyota prius has had an ongoing problem with their hid headlights. while driving one or both headlights will go off. a quick temporary fix will be to flick the lights off then on again which actually deteriorate the hid bulb leading to shortened life span. however you really have no choice when driving at night. sometimes you don't even realize they're both off. this can be very dangerous as other drivers wouldnt be able to see your car. replaced the bulbs and the problem persists. there exists a class action settlement girardgibbs.com, and was told by the dealer that the problem is the ecu. they only addressed this concern to me after i brought them information about the settlement about a month ago. in the past they've only been either saying they can't reproduce the problem or that i need to replace the bulb. i can tell you right now these are my thrid pair of bulbs and its definately not the bulbs as the problem persists just days after the new bulbs are installed. i found out that the settlement extended the warranty to 5 years and 50,000 miles however my car falls outside the mileage range. they won't pay for the ecu because the dealers have never specifically addressed the ecu as being the problem with my car within the extended warranty range even though there were numerous times i would complain about the lights within that range. toyota needs to recall the ecu for 2006-2009 prius models. it is not the bulbs.
12/11/200940000
 The drivers side headlight keeps going out. when first turned on, it glows and after awhile it goes out. when i turn the lights out and back on, it glows again; but for only a very short time. it refuses to stay on when needed during inclement weather or night driving. this is very dangerous to say the least! it is only a matter of time before i am pulled over by police for this defect. i've seen this problem has been reported by many other 2006 prius owners and i feel it is my responsibility to report this malfunction/defect myself. toyota should be held fully responsible for this defect and should be required to fix this very dangerous safety-related defect. i hope you can help with in requiring toyota to recall these vehicles and fix this very dangerous and definitely safety-related situation/defect/malfunction. i hope we won't have to wait until some people are killed or injured as a result of this safety-related defect before appropriate action is taken to resolve it.
05/03/201172000
 My 2006 toyota prius has had an ongoing problem with their hid headlights. while driving one or both headlights will go off. a quick temporary fix will be to flick the lights off then on again which actually deteriorate the hid bulb leading to shortened life span. however you really have no choice when driving at night. sometimes you don't even realize they're both off. this can be very dangerous as other drivers wouldnt be able to see your car. replaced the bulbs and the problem persists. there exists a class action settlement girardgibbs.com, and was told by the dealer that the problem is the ecu. they only addressed this concern to me after i brought them information about the settlement about a month ago. in the past they've only been either saying they can't reproduce the problem or that i need to replace the bulb. i can tell you right now these are my thrid pair of bulbs and its definately not the bulbs as the problem persists just days after the new bulbs are installed. i found out that the settlement extended the warranty to 5 years and 50,000 miles however my car falls outside the mileage range. they won't pay for the ecu because the dealers have never specifically addressed the ecu as being the problem with my car within the extended warranty range even though there were numerous times i would complain about the lights within that range. toyota needs to recall the ecu for 2006-2009 prius models. it is not the bulbs.
12/11/200940000
 The drivers side headlight keeps going out. when first turned on, it glows and after awhile it goes out. when i turn the lights out and back on, it glows again; but for only a very short time. it refuses to stay on when needed during inclement weather or night driving. this is very dangerous to say the least! it is only a matter of time before i am pulled over by police for this defect. i've seen this problem has been reported by many other 2006 prius owners and i feel it is my responsibility to report this malfunction/defect myself. toyota should be held fully responsible for this defect and should be required to fix this very dangerous safety-related defect. i hope you can help with in requiring toyota to recall these vehicles and fix this very dangerous and definitely safety-related situation/defect/malfunction. i hope we won't have to wait until some people are killed or injured as a result of this safety-related defect before appropriate action is taken to resolve it.
05/03/201172000
 My 2006 toyota prius has had an ongoing problem with their hid headlights. while driving one or both headlights will go off. a quick temporary fix will be to flick the lights off then on again which actually deteriorate the hid bulb leading to shortened life span. however you really have no choice when driving at night. sometimes you don't even realize they're both off. this can be very dangerous as other drivers wouldnt be able to see your car. replaced the bulbs and the problem persists. there exists a class action settlement girardgibbs.com, and was told by the dealer that the problem is the ecu. they only addressed this concern to me after i brought them information about the settlement about a month ago. in the past they've only been either saying they can't reproduce the problem or that i need to replace the bulb. i can tell you right now these are my thrid pair of bulbs and its definately not the bulbs as the problem persists just days after the new bulbs are installed. i found out that the settlement extended the warranty to 5 years and 50,000 miles however my car falls outside the mileage range. they won't pay for the ecu because the dealers have never specifically addressed the ecu as being the problem with my car within the extended warranty range even though there were numerous times i would complain about the lights within that range. toyota needs to recall the ecu for 2006-2009 prius models. it is not the bulbs.
03/01/201030000
 Intermittent headlight failure. pulled over on 03/01/2010 by a sheriff deputy with a warning that one headlight was out. five minutes later after a stop, headlight worked fine. various times over the past year one or both headlights have gone out only to come back on later.
07/01/201069000
 Within 6 months i had a headlight from my 2006 toyota prius go out from both sides. cost $300+ to fix each one
03/01/201030000
 Intermittent headlight failure. pulled over on 03/01/2010 by a sheriff deputy with a warning that one headlight was out. five minutes later after a stop, headlight worked fine. various times over the past year one or both headlights have gone out only to come back on later.
07/01/201069000
 Within 6 months i had a headlight from my 2006 toyota prius go out from both sides. cost $300+ to fix each one
03/01/201030000
 Intermittent headlight failure. pulled over on 03/01/2010 by a sheriff deputy with a warning that one headlight was out. five minutes later after a stop, headlight worked fine. various times over the past year one or both headlights have gone out only to come back on later.
07/01/201069000
 Within 6 months i had a headlight from my 2006 toyota prius go out from both sides. cost $300+ to fix each one
03/01/201155000
 Drivers side head light intermittantly turns on and off
03/08/201199521
 2006 toyota prius. headlights keep burning out. i have replaced the headlights twice now and they burn out within three months. there has to be some problem with the wiring for these headlights.
03/01/201155000
 Drivers side head light intermittantly turns on and off
03/08/201199521
 2006 toyota prius. headlights keep burning out. i have replaced the headlights twice now and they burn out within three months. there has to be some problem with the wiring for these headlights.
03/01/201155000
 Drivers side head light intermittantly turns on and off
03/08/201199521
 2006 toyota prius. headlights keep burning out. i have replaced the headlights twice now and they burn out within three months. there has to be some problem with the wiring for these headlights.
03/01/201155000
 Drivers side head light intermittantly turns on and off
03/08/201199521
 2006 toyota prius. headlights keep burning out. i have replaced the headlights twice now and they burn out within three months. there has to be some problem with the wiring for these headlights.
03/06/201198852
 Purchased a used 2006 toyota prius in december 2009. current mileage is 98k. received a notice last week about a class action settlement which would pay for past headlight replacement costs, and extend the new vehicle limited warranty through the earlier of 5 years or 50,000 miles. two days ago, after driving 30 minutes in rain with the headlights on, i found the left headlight was out. turned off the vehicle, and ten minutes later drove one mile and stopped, and found the right headlight was out. upon returning home, the right headlight was out and the left headlight was flickering; i recorded this with video on my phone...and within 20 seconds the flickering bulb also went out. i have teenage drivers - this is a safety issue, not just a maintenance issue! both lights could burn out on a dark unlit road without warning and the driver -- especially an inexperienced driver -- could have a very serious accident. i have no idea if the previous owner experienced this problem when the car had less than 50,000 miles or not. but the bottom line is that this is an unpredictable safety issue which can occur at any time and at any speed....and the class action settlement does not ensure that this unsafe situation will be corrected for all prius with hid headlights! nhtsa - we request your help with this situation.
03/03/2011
 I own a 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. the headlights turn off by themselves intermittantly. sometimes one, sometimes both. you can't always tell when they are off because, in general, the headlights do a very poor job of illuminating the road in front of the vehicle. i have complained to the dealer since i have owned the car but have been consistently told that there is nothing wrong, just that maybe the car needs to have the headlights replaced. this has been happening off and on since i purchased the vehicle in august 2006.
02/01/2011
 Problem with intermittent hid headlight operation
08/10/201045000
 Headlights have failed repeatedly on 2006 toyota prius. owner replaced headlamps three times; dealer has replaced two headlamps. in one case, headlight ceased working then later worked. this began in august 2010 and has continued ever since with latest headlight outage occurring 02/12/2011.
02/01/2011
 Problem with intermittent hid headlight operation
08/10/201045000
 Headlights have failed repeatedly on 2006 toyota prius. owner replaced headlamps three times; dealer has replaced two headlamps. in one case, headlight ceased working then later worked. this began in august 2010 and has continued ever since with latest headlight outage occurring 02/12/2011.
02/01/2011
 Problem with intermittent hid headlight operation
08/10/201045000
 Headlights have failed repeatedly on 2006 toyota prius. owner replaced headlamps three times; dealer has replaced two headlamps. in one case, headlight ceased working then later worked. this began in august 2010 and has continued ever since with latest headlight outage occurring 02/12/2011.
02/05/201178500
 The hid headlights on this vehicle are intermittent. either or both headlights fail without warning, and re illuminate by cycling the headlight switch. so far one dealer repair attempt has not been successful in fixing the problem. repairs for this headlight system are very expensive, and not always successful.
08/10/201045000
 Headlights have failed repeatedly on 2006 toyota prius. owner replaced headlamps three times; dealer has replaced two headlamps. in one case, headlight ceased working then later worked. this began in august 2010 and has continued ever since with latest headlight outage occurring 02/12/2011.
02/05/201178500
 The hid headlights on this vehicle are intermittent. either or both headlights fail without warning, and re illuminate by cycling the headlight switch. so far one dealer repair attempt has not been successful in fixing the problem. repairs for this headlight system are very expensive, and not always successful.
02/03/2011133000
 I own a 2006 toyota prius with original hid headlights. the headlight on the driver side keeps flickering and going out. i have to turn off the lights and then turn them back on to make the light come back on.
01/28/201050000
 Toyota is charging over $250 for replacement of one hid light buld. this makes it very difficult to replace a piece of required safety equipment on the 2006 prius.
01/27/2011
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i've got a package 6 2006 prius. one of the headlights keeps going out. i can't really tell when or how it goes out since i can't see it. if i turn the bright lights on and off it has no effect, but when i turn them all the way off and back on the light comes back. sometimes on long trips it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes on short trips it will go out, sometimes it won't. i've read that this is a common problem with the model.
01/28/201050000
 Toyota is charging over $250 for replacement of one hid light buld. this makes it very difficult to replace a piece of required safety equipment on the 2006 prius.
01/27/2011
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i've got a package 6 2006 prius. one of the headlights keeps going out. i can't really tell when or how it goes out since i can't see it. if i turn the bright lights on and off it has no effect, but when i turn them all the way off and back on the light comes back. sometimes on long trips it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes on short trips it will go out, sometimes it won't. i've read that this is a common problem with the model.
01/28/201050000
 Toyota is charging over $250 for replacement of one hid light buld. this makes it very difficult to replace a piece of required safety equipment on the 2006 prius.
01/27/2011
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i've got a package 6 2006 prius. one of the headlights keeps going out. i can't really tell when or how it goes out since i can't see it. if i turn the bright lights on and off it has no effect, but when i turn them all the way off and back on the light comes back. sometimes on long trips it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes on short trips it will go out, sometimes it won't. i've read that this is a common problem with the model.
01/28/201050000
 Toyota is charging over $250 for replacement of one hid light buld. this makes it very difficult to replace a piece of required safety equipment on the 2006 prius.
01/27/2011
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i've got a package 6 2006 prius. one of the headlights keeps going out. i can't really tell when or how it goes out since i can't see it. if i turn the bright lights on and off it has no effect, but when i turn them all the way off and back on the light comes back. sometimes on long trips it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes on short trips it will go out, sometimes it won't. i've read that this is a common problem with the model.
07/12/201085000
 Tl. the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated while driving 25 mph both front and passenger head light go out simultaneously. the contact has received a ticket due to the head light being out. the contact has not taken the vehicle to a dealer nor called the manufacturer. the contact stated this is a safety issue that needs to be address. the contact failure mileage was 85,000. jo
12/30/201065000
 Hid headlamps go out without warning. sometimes just one, more recently both, so driver loses ability to see at night. turning light switch off and then on again restores the lights, but they go out again after a while. the one-light failure has been happening intermittently over the last several weeks; in last two weeks both lights have gone out at once, and the problem has become frequent and hazardous.
07/01/201053000
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. i purchaed the vehicle new. it has approximately 57,000 miles. for the past six months, the front headlights will randomly stop working - sometimes the driver's side, sometimes the passenger side, sometimes both headlights. if i turn the healight switch off and back on the lights will come back on. it is my understanding that over 1,000 prius owners have reported thhis same problem to nhtsa. please add my report to this database.
12/30/201065000
 Hid headlamps go out without warning. sometimes just one, more recently both, so driver loses ability to see at night. turning light switch off and then on again restores the lights, but they go out again after a while. the one-light failure has been happening intermittently over the last several weeks; in last two weeks both lights have gone out at once, and the problem has become frequent and hazardous.
07/01/201053000
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. i purchaed the vehicle new. it has approximately 57,000 miles. for the past six months, the front headlights will randomly stop working - sometimes the driver's side, sometimes the passenger side, sometimes both headlights. if i turn the healight switch off and back on the lights will come back on. it is my understanding that over 1,000 prius owners have reported thhis same problem to nhtsa. please add my report to this database.
12/30/201065000
 Hid headlamps go out without warning. sometimes just one, more recently both, so driver loses ability to see at night. turning light switch off and then on again restores the lights, but they go out again after a while. the one-light failure has been happening intermittently over the last several weeks; in last two weeks both lights have gone out at once, and the problem has become frequent and hazardous.
07/01/201053000
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. i purchaed the vehicle new. it has approximately 57,000 miles. for the past six months, the front headlights will randomly stop working - sometimes the driver's side, sometimes the passenger side, sometimes both headlights. if i turn the healight switch off and back on the lights will come back on. it is my understanding that over 1,000 prius owners have reported thhis same problem to nhtsa. please add my report to this database.
01/05/201160000
 Driver side head lamp flickered, then went off causing limited visibility. has happened several times.
07/01/201053000
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. i purchaed the vehicle new. it has approximately 57,000 miles. for the past six months, the front headlights will randomly stop working - sometimes the driver's side, sometimes the passenger side, sometimes both headlights. if i turn the healight switch off and back on the lights will come back on. it is my understanding that over 1,000 prius owners have reported thhis same problem to nhtsa. please add my report to this database.
01/05/201160000
 Driver side head lamp flickered, then went off causing limited visibility. has happened several times.
12/20/201058000
 2006 toyota prius hid headlights intermittently fail. initially the problem would occur once out of every 5 times when using the headlights... now the failure occurs every time and switches between passenger & drivers headlight failing -- have not had both fail at the same time. passenger side is usual culprit. system resets and can last for hours of nighttime driving just by turning lights off then on again. vehicle has not been involved in any accidents and i have followed the routine toyota service schedule. toyota expects owners to fork out large sums of cash to replace bulbs but are not addressing the underlying safety issue that intermittent headline failure causes. safety recall is in order!
01/05/201160000
 Driver side head lamp flickered, then went off causing limited visibility. has happened several times.
12/20/201058000
 2006 toyota prius hid headlights intermittently fail. initially the problem would occur once out of every 5 times when using the headlights... now the failure occurs every time and switches between passenger & drivers headlight failing -- have not had both fail at the same time. passenger side is usual culprit. system resets and can last for hours of nighttime driving just by turning lights off then on again. vehicle has not been involved in any accidents and i have followed the routine toyota service schedule. toyota expects owners to fork out large sums of cash to replace bulbs but are not addressing the underlying safety issue that intermittent headline failure causes. safety recall is in order!
01/05/201160000
 Driver side head lamp flickered, then went off causing limited visibility. has happened several times.
12/20/201058000
 2006 toyota prius hid headlights intermittently fail. initially the problem would occur once out of every 5 times when using the headlights... now the failure occurs every time and switches between passenger & drivers headlight failing -- have not had both fail at the same time. passenger side is usual culprit. system resets and can last for hours of nighttime driving just by turning lights off then on again. vehicle has not been involved in any accidents and i have followed the routine toyota service schedule. toyota expects owners to fork out large sums of cash to replace bulbs but are not addressing the underlying safety issue that intermittent headline failure causes. safety recall is in order!
12/12/201032000
 2006y prius hid headlights and taillights failed. the lights quality is very bad. we were forced to stop by the policeman. it was very dangerous on highway. toyota is losing its reputation. the company should pay all the price for changing the bulbs. (labor + bulbs) our 2002y hyundai's lights have never been in this situation.
06/30/201060000
 The headlamp of prius 2006 intermittently goes off while driving. the problem goes away if the car is completely shut off and then restarted. many others are reporting the same problem with prius and replacement of headlight does not rectify the problem. the problem is creating dangerous situation for driving, particularly during rain or snow because others cant see the car and the drivers visibility becomes greatly affected.
12/20/201058000
 2006 toyota prius hid headlights intermittently fail. initially the problem would occur once out of every 5 times when using the headlights... now the failure occurs every time and switches between passenger & drivers headlight failing -- have not had both fail at the same time. passenger side is usual culprit. system resets and can last for hours of nighttime driving just by turning lights off then on again. vehicle has not been involved in any accidents and i have followed the routine toyota service schedule. toyota expects owners to fork out large sums of cash to replace bulbs but are not addressing the underlying safety issue that intermittent headline failure causes. safety recall is in order!
12/12/201032000
 2006y prius hid headlights and taillights failed. the lights quality is very bad. we were forced to stop by the policeman. it was very dangerous on highway. toyota is losing its reputation. the company should pay all the price for changing the bulbs. (labor + bulbs) our 2002y hyundai's lights have never been in this situation.
06/30/201060000
 The headlamp of prius 2006 intermittently goes off while driving. the problem goes away if the car is completely shut off and then restarted. many others are reporting the same problem with prius and replacement of headlight does not rectify the problem. the problem is creating dangerous situation for driving, particularly during rain or snow because others cant see the car and the drivers visibility becomes greatly affected.
10/01/2007
 2006 toyota prius left headlight goes off at random. only way to get it to work is to turn the headlight off & turn back on. it occurs almost everytime the headlights are used.
12/20/201058000
 2006 toyota prius hid headlights intermittently fail. initially the problem would occur once out of every 5 times when using the headlights... now the failure occurs every time and switches between passenger & drivers headlight failing -- have not had both fail at the same time. passenger side is usual culprit. system resets and can last for hours of nighttime driving just by turning lights off then on again. vehicle has not been involved in any accidents and i have followed the routine toyota service schedule. toyota expects owners to fork out large sums of cash to replace bulbs but are not addressing the underlying safety issue that intermittent headline failure causes. safety recall is in order!
12/12/201032000
 2006y prius hid headlights and taillights failed. the lights quality is very bad. we were forced to stop by the policeman. it was very dangerous on highway. toyota is losing its reputation. the company should pay all the price for changing the bulbs. (labor + bulbs) our 2002y hyundai's lights have never been in this situation.
06/30/201060000
 The headlamp of prius 2006 intermittently goes off while driving. the problem goes away if the car is completely shut off and then restarted. many others are reporting the same problem with prius and replacement of headlight does not rectify the problem. the problem is creating dangerous situation for driving, particularly during rain or snow because others cant see the car and the drivers visibility becomes greatly affected.
10/01/2007
 2006 toyota prius left headlight goes off at random. only way to get it to work is to turn the headlight off & turn back on. it occurs almost everytime the headlights are used.
12/12/201032000
 2006y prius hid headlights and taillights failed. the lights quality is very bad. we were forced to stop by the policeman. it was very dangerous on highway. toyota is losing its reputation. the company should pay all the price for changing the bulbs. (labor + bulbs) our 2002y hyundai's lights have never been in this situation.
06/30/201060000
 The headlamp of prius 2006 intermittently goes off while driving. the problem goes away if the car is completely shut off and then restarted. many others are reporting the same problem with prius and replacement of headlight does not rectify the problem. the problem is creating dangerous situation for driving, particularly during rain or snow because others cant see the car and the drivers visibility becomes greatly affected.
10/01/2007
 2006 toyota prius left headlight goes off at random. only way to get it to work is to turn the headlight off & turn back on. it occurs almost everytime the headlights are used.
07/01/201035000
 My front headlights (hid) are unreliable. while driving, they go off spontaneously. by turning the on/off switch off and then on, the lights go back on. sometimes the lights go out within minutes of turning the headlights on, sometimes it happens after 5-10 minutes of driving, sometimes it doesn't happen at all. it is most frequently the driver side light that goes out, but the passenger light goes out as well, and on at least two occasions, both lights went out at the same time. often, because the roads are lit with street lamps well enough for me to see the road, i don't even realize my light(s) are out. this is extremely dangerous as my visibility to other, oncoming, cars is seriously reduced. i took the car to the dealer who suggested replacing both headlamps (at a cost of $172/each + $234 labor) but wouldn't guarantee that that would solve the problem. the bulbs themselves are fine (and could conceivably continue working for another 5 years), so replacing them does not seem prudent as the problem would likely re-occur with new bulbs. i initially noticed this about 6 months ago, but it is happening more frequently now (several times a week vs. once or twice a month six months ago).
02/02/200855000
 Purchased brand new fully loaded toyota prius in june 2006, the head lights are hid d4r and they keep turning off multiple times even during short drives, i have tried changing bulbs multiple times but to no avail, got it checked at the koons tysons dealership and they say nothing is wrong with ballast, the car has now crossed 100,000 miles everything else works except for the lights
07/01/201035000
 My front headlights (hid) are unreliable. while driving, they go off spontaneously. by turning the on/off switch off and then on, the lights go back on. sometimes the lights go out within minutes of turning the headlights on, sometimes it happens after 5-10 minutes of driving, sometimes it doesn't happen at all. it is most frequently the driver side light that goes out, but the passenger light goes out as well, and on at least two occasions, both lights went out at the same time. often, because the roads are lit with street lamps well enough for me to see the road, i don't even realize my light(s) are out. this is extremely dangerous as my visibility to other, oncoming, cars is seriously reduced. i took the car to the dealer who suggested replacing both headlamps (at a cost of $172/each + $234 labor) but wouldn't guarantee that that would solve the problem. the bulbs themselves are fine (and could conceivably continue working for another 5 years), so replacing them does not seem prudent as the problem would likely re-occur with new bulbs. i initially noticed this about 6 months ago, but it is happening more frequently now (several times a week vs. once or twice a month six months ago).
02/02/200855000
 Purchased brand new fully loaded toyota prius in june 2006, the head lights are hid d4r and they keep turning off multiple times even during short drives, i have tried changing bulbs multiple times but to no avail, got it checked at the koons tysons dealership and they say nothing is wrong with ballast, the car has now crossed 100,000 miles everything else works except for the lights
03/01/200714000
 Toyota prius 2006: headlamps go off intermittently, creating a very unsafe condition while driving.
11/30/2010
 I own a toyata prius 2006 touring model. headlight of this vehicle keeps going out. i have already replaced the headlight of this vehcile twice. and the other bulbs in the car (non headlight) more than 4 times. all of them were replaced at toyata authorized dealer
03/01/200714000
 Toyota prius 2006: headlamps go off intermittently, creating a very unsafe condition while driving.
11/30/2010
 I own a toyata prius 2006 touring model. headlight of this vehicle keeps going out. i have already replaced the headlight of this vehcile twice. and the other bulbs in the car (non headlight) more than 4 times. all of them were replaced at toyata authorized dealer
03/01/200714000
 Toyota prius 2006: headlamps go off intermittently, creating a very unsafe condition while driving.
11/30/2010
 I own a toyata prius 2006 touring model. headlight of this vehicle keeps going out. i have already replaced the headlight of this vehcile twice. and the other bulbs in the car (non headlight) more than 4 times. all of them were replaced at toyata authorized dealer
09/11/200825000
 Wer have a toyota prius 2006 after approximately 6 mos the left headlight started to turn off while lights were in use. since the automobile was undeer warranty i return to the dealer to report the on going problem. each time they tested it was working fine, however this not the case it keeps shuting down for no reason. i have repeted complain to the dealer with each service and regular mantainance. i would like to know if i any recourse to have to it repaired?? or issue a reall i have seen many complaints on the internet on this problem.
11/14/201034000
 Intermittent headlight failure. can be either headlamp. usually the passenger side. they may come back on after turning the headlamps on and off. lights are sometimes dim. problem is intermittent, unpredictable. sometimes the light goes out when i'm driving at any speed. the dealer says the part is $150 and requires removal of the bumper to replace.
09/11/200825000
 Wer have a toyota prius 2006 after approximately 6 mos the left headlight started to turn off while lights were in use. since the automobile was undeer warranty i return to the dealer to report the on going problem. each time they tested it was working fine, however this not the case it keeps shuting down for no reason. i have repeted complain to the dealer with each service and regular mantainance. i would like to know if i any recourse to have to it repaired?? or issue a reall i have seen many complaints on the internet on this problem.
11/14/201034000
 Intermittent headlight failure. can be either headlamp. usually the passenger side. they may come back on after turning the headlamps on and off. lights are sometimes dim. problem is intermittent, unpredictable. sometimes the light goes out when i'm driving at any speed. the dealer says the part is $150 and requires removal of the bumper to replace.
11/27/2010
 The front right headlight turns off occasionally during operation, but will turn back on when the lights are turned off and on again.
08/15/2010108000
 2006 toyota prius headlamps go out randomly while driving at night. usually just one of them turns off but sometimes they both go out. the problem can be temporarily fixed by flipping them off and then on but this solution only lasts for about 10 min.
12/01/200945000
 2006 prius headlights are intermittent, especially the driver's side. when you turn on the headlights they both go on, but the driver's side lights go out--at first others would tell us, then we would discover it ourselves. we reported this to the toyota dealership at about 35,000 miles and were told the bulbs cost about $300 apiece, that it wasn't covered under the warranty. we've since found out that other prius owners have experienced this same problem, that some have paid a high price to replace the lights and continue to have the same problem, which seems to indicate the problem isn't the bulbs! also there is controversy about the dealerships saying they have to remove the front bumper assembly to change the bulbs, when they can easily be replaced in about 10 minutes without removing the bumper! this headlight problem constitutes a very dangerous condition for which is seems bulb replacement isn't the answer. toyota needs to admit there is a manufacturing problem for which they should supply the remedy. there should be an indicator light on the instrument panel that indicates if either headlight fails to operate.
11/14/201034000
 Intermittent headlight failure. can be either headlamp. usually the passenger side. they may come back on after turning the headlamps on and off. lights are sometimes dim. problem is intermittent, unpredictable. sometimes the light goes out when i'm driving at any speed. the dealer says the part is $150 and requires removal of the bumper to replace.
11/27/2010
 The front right headlight turns off occasionally during operation, but will turn back on when the lights are turned off and on again.
08/15/2010108000
 2006 toyota prius headlamps go out randomly while driving at night. usually just one of them turns off but sometimes they both go out. the problem can be temporarily fixed by flipping them off and then on but this solution only lasts for about 10 min.
12/01/200945000
 2006 prius headlights are intermittent, especially the driver's side. when you turn on the headlights they both go on, but the driver's side lights go out--at first others would tell us, then we would discover it ourselves. we reported this to the toyota dealership at about 35,000 miles and were told the bulbs cost about $300 apiece, that it wasn't covered under the warranty. we've since found out that other prius owners have experienced this same problem, that some have paid a high price to replace the lights and continue to have the same problem, which seems to indicate the problem isn't the bulbs! also there is controversy about the dealerships saying they have to remove the front bumper assembly to change the bulbs, when they can easily be replaced in about 10 minutes without removing the bumper! this headlight problem constitutes a very dangerous condition for which is seems bulb replacement isn't the answer. toyota needs to admit there is a manufacturing problem for which they should supply the remedy. there should be an indicator light on the instrument panel that indicates if either headlight fails to operate.
11/14/201034000
 Intermittent headlight failure. can be either headlamp. usually the passenger side. they may come back on after turning the headlamps on and off. lights are sometimes dim. problem is intermittent, unpredictable. sometimes the light goes out when i'm driving at any speed. the dealer says the part is $150 and requires removal of the bumper to replace.
11/27/2010
 The front right headlight turns off occasionally during operation, but will turn back on when the lights are turned off and on again.
08/15/2010108000
 2006 toyota prius headlamps go out randomly while driving at night. usually just one of them turns off but sometimes they both go out. the problem can be temporarily fixed by flipping them off and then on but this solution only lasts for about 10 min.
12/01/200945000
 2006 prius headlights are intermittent, especially the driver's side. when you turn on the headlights they both go on, but the driver's side lights go out--at first others would tell us, then we would discover it ourselves. we reported this to the toyota dealership at about 35,000 miles and were told the bulbs cost about $300 apiece, that it wasn't covered under the warranty. we've since found out that other prius owners have experienced this same problem, that some have paid a high price to replace the lights and continue to have the same problem, which seems to indicate the problem isn't the bulbs! also there is controversy about the dealerships saying they have to remove the front bumper assembly to change the bulbs, when they can easily be replaced in about 10 minutes without removing the bumper! this headlight problem constitutes a very dangerous condition for which is seems bulb replacement isn't the answer. toyota needs to admit there is a manufacturing problem for which they should supply the remedy. there should be an indicator light on the instrument panel that indicates if either headlight fails to operate.
11/27/2010
 The front right headlight turns off occasionally during operation, but will turn back on when the lights are turned off and on again.
08/15/2010108000
 2006 toyota prius headlamps go out randomly while driving at night. usually just one of them turns off but sometimes they both go out. the problem can be temporarily fixed by flipping them off and then on but this solution only lasts for about 10 min.
12/01/200945000
 2006 prius headlights are intermittent, especially the driver's side. when you turn on the headlights they both go on, but the driver's side lights go out--at first others would tell us, then we would discover it ourselves. we reported this to the toyota dealership at about 35,000 miles and were told the bulbs cost about $300 apiece, that it wasn't covered under the warranty. we've since found out that other prius owners have experienced this same problem, that some have paid a high price to replace the lights and continue to have the same problem, which seems to indicate the problem isn't the bulbs! also there is controversy about the dealerships saying they have to remove the front bumper assembly to change the bulbs, when they can easily be replaced in about 10 minutes without removing the bumper! this headlight problem constitutes a very dangerous condition for which is seems bulb replacement isn't the answer. toyota needs to admit there is a manufacturing problem for which they should supply the remedy. there should be an indicator light on the instrument panel that indicates if either headlight fails to operate.
11/27/2010
 The front right headlight turns off occasionally during operation, but will turn back on when the lights are turned off and on again.
08/15/2010108000
 2006 toyota prius headlamps go out randomly while driving at night. usually just one of them turns off but sometimes they both go out. the problem can be temporarily fixed by flipping them off and then on but this solution only lasts for about 10 min.
12/01/200945000
 2006 prius headlights are intermittent, especially the driver's side. when you turn on the headlights they both go on, but the driver's side lights go out--at first others would tell us, then we would discover it ourselves. we reported this to the toyota dealership at about 35,000 miles and were told the bulbs cost about $300 apiece, that it wasn't covered under the warranty. we've since found out that other prius owners have experienced this same problem, that some have paid a high price to replace the lights and continue to have the same problem, which seems to indicate the problem isn't the bulbs! also there is controversy about the dealerships saying they have to remove the front bumper assembly to change the bulbs, when they can easily be replaced in about 10 minutes without removing the bumper! this headlight problem constitutes a very dangerous condition for which is seems bulb replacement isn't the answer. toyota needs to admit there is a manufacturing problem for which they should supply the remedy. there should be an indicator light on the instrument panel that indicates if either headlight fails to operate.
10/16/201077000
 I've had a problem with my 2006 toyota prius, where my right headlight goes out intermittently. it will go out, and if i turn the headlights off and back on, it will come back on. then, after a period of minutes, it will go back out again. it started about a month ago (at 77,000 miles), and has slowly gotten worse - the amount of time the right headlight stays on has become less and less (averages a couple minutes now). i replaced both headlight bulbs, and the problem persists, so it doesn't seem to be a bulb issue.
10/30/2010103499
 I have a 2006 toyota prius and my drivers side headlight just turns off while i am driving. when i turn it completely off and then on, it comes back on for a little while and repeats the whole process again. i am lucky that one headlight is still on. if both headlights start behaving the same way, the driver will not know it and this could be a recipe for accidents and even death. i seriously think toyota should recall affected models and fix the issue before it starts killing people.
06/06/201072000
 Toyota prius 2006 headlight goes on and off intermittently toyota needs to recall these affected vehicles. major safety issue.
10/16/201077000
 I've had a problem with my 2006 toyota prius, where my right headlight goes out intermittently. it will go out, and if i turn the headlights off and back on, it will come back on. then, after a period of minutes, it will go back out again. it started about a month ago (at 77,000 miles), and has slowly gotten worse - the amount of time the right headlight stays on has become less and less (averages a couple minutes now). i replaced both headlight bulbs, and the problem persists, so it doesn't seem to be a bulb issue.
10/30/2010103499
 I have a 2006 toyota prius and my drivers side headlight just turns off while i am driving. when i turn it completely off and then on, it comes back on for a little while and repeats the whole process again. i am lucky that one headlight is still on. if both headlights start behaving the same way, the driver will not know it and this could be a recipe for accidents and even death. i seriously think toyota should recall affected models and fix the issue before it starts killing people.
06/06/201072000
 Toyota prius 2006 headlight goes on and off intermittently toyota needs to recall these affected vehicles. major safety issue.
10/16/201077000
 I've had a problem with my 2006 toyota prius, where my right headlight goes out intermittently. it will go out, and if i turn the headlights off and back on, it will come back on. then, after a period of minutes, it will go back out again. it started about a month ago (at 77,000 miles), and has slowly gotten worse - the amount of time the right headlight stays on has become less and less (averages a couple minutes now). i replaced both headlight bulbs, and the problem persists, so it doesn't seem to be a bulb issue.
10/30/2010103499
 I have a 2006 toyota prius and my drivers side headlight just turns off while i am driving. when i turn it completely off and then on, it comes back on for a little while and repeats the whole process again. i am lucky that one headlight is still on. if both headlights start behaving the same way, the driver will not know it and this could be a recipe for accidents and even death. i seriously think toyota should recall affected models and fix the issue before it starts killing people.
06/06/201072000
 Toyota prius 2006 headlight goes on and off intermittently toyota needs to recall these affected vehicles. major safety issue.
10/30/2010103499
 I have a 2006 toyota prius and my drivers side headlight just turns off while i am driving. when i turn it completely off and then on, it comes back on for a little while and repeats the whole process again. i am lucky that one headlight is still on. if both headlights start behaving the same way, the driver will not know it and this could be a recipe for accidents and even death. i seriously think toyota should recall affected models and fix the issue before it starts killing people.
06/06/201072000
 Toyota prius 2006 headlight goes on and off intermittently toyota needs to recall these affected vehicles. major safety issue.
10/30/2010103499
 I have a 2006 toyota prius and my drivers side headlight just turns off while i am driving. when i turn it completely off and then on, it comes back on for a little while and repeats the whole process again. i am lucky that one headlight is still on. if both headlights start behaving the same way, the driver will not know it and this could be a recipe for accidents and even death. i seriously think toyota should recall affected models and fix the issue before it starts killing people.
06/06/201072000
 Toyota prius 2006 headlight goes on and off intermittently toyota needs to recall these affected vehicles. major safety issue.
10/12/200945000
 Both passenger and driver side headlights flicker and go out intermittently, creating safety situation. toyota dealer asking $400+ to fix for a product defect that has been extensively reported. toyota head office gave short shrift. problem began ca. 45k miles.
06/06/201072000
 Toyota prius 2006 headlight goes on and off intermittently toyota needs to recall these affected vehicles. major safety issue.
10/12/200945000
 Both passenger and driver side headlights flicker and go out intermittently, creating safety situation. toyota dealer asking $400+ to fix for a product defect that has been extensively reported. toyota head office gave short shrift. problem began ca. 45k miles.
07/17/200735000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that the headlights would intermittently turn off. the contact would turn the lights off and turn them on again but they would turn back off suddenly. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership but the dealer could not duplicate the failure. the failure continued. the vehicle was taken back to the dealership where the vehicle was repaired (the contact was unsure of the details of the repair). the failure occurred again 30,000 miles after the repair. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 67,000. the failure mileage was approximately 35,000-bk
10/26/2010100800
 Hid headlight goes out intermittently. when starting the car both headlights are on, but on multiple occasions after returning home i notice from the reflection on a wall/item in front of the parked car that the driver-side headlight is completely out. i've also noticed a couple of times while driving that the driver headlight is out. it can't just be the bulb since the light comes on and goes off.
10/12/200945000
 Both passenger and driver side headlights flicker and go out intermittently, creating safety situation. toyota dealer asking $400+ to fix for a product defect that has been extensively reported. toyota head office gave short shrift. problem began ca. 45k miles.
07/17/200735000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that the headlights would intermittently turn off. the contact would turn the lights off and turn them on again but they would turn back off suddenly. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership but the dealer could not duplicate the failure. the failure continued. the vehicle was taken back to the dealership where the vehicle was repaired (the contact was unsure of the details of the repair). the failure occurred again 30,000 miles after the repair. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 67,000. the failure mileage was approximately 35,000-bk
10/26/2010100800
 Hid headlight goes out intermittently. when starting the car both headlights are on, but on multiple occasions after returning home i notice from the reflection on a wall/item in front of the parked car that the driver-side headlight is completely out. i've also noticed a couple of times while driving that the driver headlight is out. it can't just be the bulb since the light comes on and goes off.
07/17/200735000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that the headlights would intermittently turn off. the contact would turn the lights off and turn them on again but they would turn back off suddenly. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership but the dealer could not duplicate the failure. the failure continued. the vehicle was taken back to the dealership where the vehicle was repaired (the contact was unsure of the details of the repair). the failure occurred again 30,000 miles after the repair. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 67,000. the failure mileage was approximately 35,000-bk
10/26/2010100800
 Hid headlight goes out intermittently. when starting the car both headlights are on, but on multiple occasions after returning home i notice from the reflection on a wall/item in front of the parked car that the driver-side headlight is completely out. i've also noticed a couple of times while driving that the driver headlight is out. it can't just be the bulb since the light comes on and goes off.
10/01/201060000
 The hid headlights on my toyota prius intermittently turn off at night.
01/01/201075000
 Faulty hid lightbulb about a year ago, i replaced the driver side hid lightbulb and now i have to replace the passenger side hid lightbulb. similar symptoms leading up to both replacements: the light sometimes works and sometimes does not. if i notice that the light is not working and switch the lights off and back on, sometimes the faulty light will work and other times it will not. the light never seems fully burned out as it works intermittently. at night, this can pose a safety issue. toyota has not been able to explain this issue and has only recommended replacing the lightbulb, which is quite expensive.
09/15/201050000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated the head lights keep going out on the vehicle. the contact replaced the headlights one month ago and they have failed again. the dealer has stated the problem is the bulbs, but the failure continues. the contact feels there is a problem with the circuit board. the contact has not been able to get in contact with the manufacturer regarding the failure. the failure mileage was 50000 and the current mileage was 52000.rl
10/01/201060000
 The hid headlights on my toyota prius intermittently turn off at night.
01/01/201075000
 Faulty hid lightbulb about a year ago, i replaced the driver side hid lightbulb and now i have to replace the passenger side hid lightbulb. similar symptoms leading up to both replacements: the light sometimes works and sometimes does not. if i notice that the light is not working and switch the lights off and back on, sometimes the faulty light will work and other times it will not. the light never seems fully burned out as it works intermittently. at night, this can pose a safety issue. toyota has not been able to explain this issue and has only recommended replacing the lightbulb, which is quite expensive.
09/15/201050000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated the head lights keep going out on the vehicle. the contact replaced the headlights one month ago and they have failed again. the dealer has stated the problem is the bulbs, but the failure continues. the contact feels there is a problem with the circuit board. the contact has not been able to get in contact with the manufacturer regarding the failure. the failure mileage was 50000 and the current mileage was 52000.rl
10/01/201060000
 The hid headlights on my toyota prius intermittently turn off at night.
01/01/201075000
 Faulty hid lightbulb about a year ago, i replaced the driver side hid lightbulb and now i have to replace the passenger side hid lightbulb. similar symptoms leading up to both replacements: the light sometimes works and sometimes does not. if i notice that the light is not working and switch the lights off and back on, sometimes the faulty light will work and other times it will not. the light never seems fully burned out as it works intermittently. at night, this can pose a safety issue. toyota has not been able to explain this issue and has only recommended replacing the lightbulb, which is quite expensive.
09/15/201050000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated the head lights keep going out on the vehicle. the contact replaced the headlights one month ago and they have failed again. the dealer has stated the problem is the bulbs, but the failure continues. the contact feels there is a problem with the circuit board. the contact has not been able to get in contact with the manufacturer regarding the failure. the failure mileage was 50000 and the current mileage was 52000.rl
10/29/201059057
 2006 prius purchase cpo with 59,000 miles. noticed headlights not functioning within 15 minutes of driving off the lot. at least thee occurrences of headlight failure that evening, including, at one time both headlights went out at the same time. after 600+ complaints, why has no recall been compelled?
01/01/201075000
 Faulty hid lightbulb about a year ago, i replaced the driver side hid lightbulb and now i have to replace the passenger side hid lightbulb. similar symptoms leading up to both replacements: the light sometimes works and sometimes does not. if i notice that the light is not working and switch the lights off and back on, sometimes the faulty light will work and other times it will not. the light never seems fully burned out as it works intermittently. at night, this can pose a safety issue. toyota has not been able to explain this issue and has only recommended replacing the lightbulb, which is quite expensive.
09/15/201050000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated the head lights keep going out on the vehicle. the contact replaced the headlights one month ago and they have failed again. the dealer has stated the problem is the bulbs, but the failure continues. the contact feels there is a problem with the circuit board. the contact has not been able to get in contact with the manufacturer regarding the failure. the failure mileage was 50000 and the current mileage was 52000.rl
10/29/201059057
 2006 prius purchase cpo with 59,000 miles. noticed headlights not functioning within 15 minutes of driving off the lot. at least thee occurrences of headlight failure that evening, including, at one time both headlights went out at the same time. after 600+ complaints, why has no recall been compelled?
04/09/201029000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. whenever the contact drives the vehicle at any speed he noticed that the headlights will suddenly turn off without warning. the vehicle was taken to the delaership where the contact was informed that the headlights needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings and the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 29000. bml
01/01/201075000
 Faulty hid lightbulb about a year ago, i replaced the driver side hid lightbulb and now i have to replace the passenger side hid lightbulb. similar symptoms leading up to both replacements: the light sometimes works and sometimes does not. if i notice that the light is not working and switch the lights off and back on, sometimes the faulty light will work and other times it will not. the light never seems fully burned out as it works intermittently. at night, this can pose a safety issue. toyota has not been able to explain this issue and has only recommended replacing the lightbulb, which is quite expensive.
09/15/201050000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated the head lights keep going out on the vehicle. the contact replaced the headlights one month ago and they have failed again. the dealer has stated the problem is the bulbs, but the failure continues. the contact feels there is a problem with the circuit board. the contact has not been able to get in contact with the manufacturer regarding the failure. the failure mileage was 50000 and the current mileage was 52000.rl
10/29/201059057
 2006 prius purchase cpo with 59,000 miles. noticed headlights not functioning within 15 minutes of driving off the lot. at least thee occurrences of headlight failure that evening, including, at one time both headlights went out at the same time. after 600+ complaints, why has no recall been compelled?
04/09/201029000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. whenever the contact drives the vehicle at any speed he noticed that the headlights will suddenly turn off without warning. the vehicle was taken to the delaership where the contact was informed that the headlights needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings and the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 29000. bml
06/01/201025000
 Intermittent functioning of passenger-side hid headlamp on 2006 toyota prius after <20,000 miles, followed by complete failure after a few months. bulb replaced by toyota dealer in 2009 at cost >$200. now, driver-side bulb experiencing same issue of intermittent function at <30k miles.
01/01/201075000
 Faulty hid lightbulb about a year ago, i replaced the driver side hid lightbulb and now i have to replace the passenger side hid lightbulb. similar symptoms leading up to both replacements: the light sometimes works and sometimes does not. if i notice that the light is not working and switch the lights off and back on, sometimes the faulty light will work and other times it will not. the light never seems fully burned out as it works intermittently. at night, this can pose a safety issue. toyota has not been able to explain this issue and has only recommended replacing the lightbulb, which is quite expensive.
09/15/201050000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated the head lights keep going out on the vehicle. the contact replaced the headlights one month ago and they have failed again. the dealer has stated the problem is the bulbs, but the failure continues. the contact feels there is a problem with the circuit board. the contact has not been able to get in contact with the manufacturer regarding the failure. the failure mileage was 50000 and the current mileage was 52000.rl
10/29/201059057
 2006 prius purchase cpo with 59,000 miles. noticed headlights not functioning within 15 minutes of driving off the lot. at least thee occurrences of headlight failure that evening, including, at one time both headlights went out at the same time. after 600+ complaints, why has no recall been compelled?
04/09/201029000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. whenever the contact drives the vehicle at any speed he noticed that the headlights will suddenly turn off without warning. the vehicle was taken to the delaership where the contact was informed that the headlights needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings and the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 29000. bml
06/01/201025000
 Intermittent functioning of passenger-side hid headlamp on 2006 toyota prius after <20,000 miles, followed by complete failure after a few months. bulb replaced by toyota dealer in 2009 at cost >$200. now, driver-side bulb experiencing same issue of intermittent function at <30k miles.
10/29/201059057
 2006 prius purchase cpo with 59,000 miles. noticed headlights not functioning within 15 minutes of driving off the lot. at least thee occurrences of headlight failure that evening, including, at one time both headlights went out at the same time. after 600+ complaints, why has no recall been compelled?
04/09/201029000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. whenever the contact drives the vehicle at any speed he noticed that the headlights will suddenly turn off without warning. the vehicle was taken to the delaership where the contact was informed that the headlights needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings and the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 29000. bml
06/01/201025000
 Intermittent functioning of passenger-side hid headlamp on 2006 toyota prius after <20,000 miles, followed by complete failure after a few months. bulb replaced by toyota dealer in 2009 at cost >$200. now, driver-side bulb experiencing same issue of intermittent function at <30k miles.
09/09/201064000
 My 2006 toyota prius headlights has manufacturer defect that toyota won't take responsibility. in early 2010, the front passenger headlight will go off intermittenly. but if it were turn off then on, it will stay on for a while before turn off again. now the front passenger headlight is doing the same. i called toyota dealer in atlanta and it cost $400 to fix. i called toyota customer service and was surprised to know they knew about this issue but won't pay for the repair. i received a traffic ticket for front passenger headlight malfunction. it cost me $265 for the ticket. toyoto just lost my confidence.
02/01/201090000
 I have an 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. about 6 months ago, one light started going out shortly after ignition. it could be either one. after i turn the lights off and back on, both will stay on for the duration of the trip. this has been consistent over last 6 months or so.
06/01/201025000
 Intermittent functioning of passenger-side hid headlamp on 2006 toyota prius after <20,000 miles, followed by complete failure after a few months. bulb replaced by toyota dealer in 2009 at cost >$200. now, driver-side bulb experiencing same issue of intermittent function at <30k miles.
09/09/201064000
 My 2006 toyota prius headlights has manufacturer defect that toyota won't take responsibility. in early 2010, the front passenger headlight will go off intermittenly. but if it were turn off then on, it will stay on for a while before turn off again. now the front passenger headlight is doing the same. i called toyota dealer in atlanta and it cost $400 to fix. i called toyota customer service and was surprised to know they knew about this issue but won't pay for the repair. i received a traffic ticket for front passenger headlight malfunction. it cost me $265 for the ticket. toyoto just lost my confidence.
02/01/201090000
 I have an 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. about 6 months ago, one light started going out shortly after ignition. it could be either one. after i turn the lights off and back on, both will stay on for the duration of the trip. this has been consistent over last 6 months or so.
09/09/201064000
 My 2006 toyota prius headlights has manufacturer defect that toyota won't take responsibility. in early 2010, the front passenger headlight will go off intermittenly. but if it were turn off then on, it will stay on for a while before turn off again. now the front passenger headlight is doing the same. i called toyota dealer in atlanta and it cost $400 to fix. i called toyota customer service and was surprised to know they knew about this issue but won't pay for the repair. i received a traffic ticket for front passenger headlight malfunction. it cost me $265 for the ticket. toyoto just lost my confidence.
02/01/201090000
 I have an 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. about 6 months ago, one light started going out shortly after ignition. it could be either one. after i turn the lights off and back on, both will stay on for the duration of the trip. this has been consistent over last 6 months or so.
10/22/201064000
 I bought a 2006 toyota prius new, with all the options, in may 2006. i live in southern california, where it's been mostly warm and dry (i.e., a drought) since before i bought the car. at about 64,000 in 2-3 days of misty weather, my right fron headlight started going off and back on. at about 91,000 miles, the problem got much worse, but unpredictable. at 97,000 even worse. having to take the car to the dealer for other reasons, i asked the dealer to look at this, but they said that they could not duplicate the front right headlight going out. a little after 99,000 miles, the headlight ceased to stay on for more than a few seconds. i replaced it with a good mail-order hid bulb, but had the same result = it stays on for only several seconds before turning off. my wife refuses to drive this car at night or when it might be raining, and i won't risk her driving this car like that. if something happened to her, i suppose that i could sue toyota, but that wouldn't undo any harm to my wife. can someone do something about this?!? the toyota dealerships are increadibly defensive about this, and not at all helpful. there hasn't been an accident, yet. but, driving with just one headlight is not safe !!!
09/09/201064000
 My 2006 toyota prius headlights has manufacturer defect that toyota won't take responsibility. in early 2010, the front passenger headlight will go off intermittenly. but if it were turn off then on, it will stay on for a while before turn off again. now the front passenger headlight is doing the same. i called toyota dealer in atlanta and it cost $400 to fix. i called toyota customer service and was surprised to know they knew about this issue but won't pay for the repair. i received a traffic ticket for front passenger headlight malfunction. it cost me $265 for the ticket. toyoto just lost my confidence.
02/01/201090000
 I have an 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. about 6 months ago, one light started going out shortly after ignition. it could be either one. after i turn the lights off and back on, both will stay on for the duration of the trip. this has been consistent over last 6 months or so.
10/22/201064000
 I bought a 2006 toyota prius new, with all the options, in may 2006. i live in southern california, where it's been mostly warm and dry (i.e., a drought) since before i bought the car. at about 64,000 in 2-3 days of misty weather, my right fron headlight started going off and back on. at about 91,000 miles, the problem got much worse, but unpredictable. at 97,000 even worse. having to take the car to the dealer for other reasons, i asked the dealer to look at this, but they said that they could not duplicate the front right headlight going out. a little after 99,000 miles, the headlight ceased to stay on for more than a few seconds. i replaced it with a good mail-order hid bulb, but had the same result = it stays on for only several seconds before turning off. my wife refuses to drive this car at night or when it might be raining, and i won't risk her driving this car like that. if something happened to her, i suppose that i could sue toyota, but that wouldn't undo any harm to my wife. can someone do something about this?!? the toyota dealerships are increadibly defensive about this, and not at all helpful. there hasn't been an accident, yet. but, driving with just one headlight is not safe !!!
02/01/201090000
 I have an 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. about 6 months ago, one light started going out shortly after ignition. it could be either one. after i turn the lights off and back on, both will stay on for the duration of the trip. this has been consistent over last 6 months or so.
10/22/201064000
 I bought a 2006 toyota prius new, with all the options, in may 2006. i live in southern california, where it's been mostly warm and dry (i.e., a drought) since before i bought the car. at about 64,000 in 2-3 days of misty weather, my right fron headlight started going off and back on. at about 91,000 miles, the problem got much worse, but unpredictable. at 97,000 even worse. having to take the car to the dealer for other reasons, i asked the dealer to look at this, but they said that they could not duplicate the front right headlight going out. a little after 99,000 miles, the headlight ceased to stay on for more than a few seconds. i replaced it with a good mail-order hid bulb, but had the same result = it stays on for only several seconds before turning off. my wife refuses to drive this car at night or when it might be raining, and i won't risk her driving this car like that. if something happened to her, i suppose that i could sue toyota, but that wouldn't undo any harm to my wife. can someone do something about this?!? the toyota dealerships are increadibly defensive about this, and not at all helpful. there hasn't been an accident, yet. but, driving with just one headlight is not safe !!!
06/01/200940000
 2006 toyota prius driver side headlamp is faulty--goes out intermittently. (lightbulb is not burned out, as light will come back on if the light switch is turned off and then turned back on.)
02/01/201090000
 I have an 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. about 6 months ago, one light started going out shortly after ignition. it could be either one. after i turn the lights off and back on, both will stay on for the duration of the trip. this has been consistent over last 6 months or so.
10/22/201064000
 I bought a 2006 toyota prius new, with all the options, in may 2006. i live in southern california, where it's been mostly warm and dry (i.e., a drought) since before i bought the car. at about 64,000 in 2-3 days of misty weather, my right fron headlight started going off and back on. at about 91,000 miles, the problem got much worse, but unpredictable. at 97,000 even worse. having to take the car to the dealer for other reasons, i asked the dealer to look at this, but they said that they could not duplicate the front right headlight going out. a little after 99,000 miles, the headlight ceased to stay on for more than a few seconds. i replaced it with a good mail-order hid bulb, but had the same result = it stays on for only several seconds before turning off. my wife refuses to drive this car at night or when it might be raining, and i won't risk her driving this car like that. if something happened to her, i suppose that i could sue toyota, but that wouldn't undo any harm to my wife. can someone do something about this?!? the toyota dealerships are increadibly defensive about this, and not at all helpful. there hasn't been an accident, yet. but, driving with just one headlight is not safe !!!
06/01/200940000
 2006 toyota prius driver side headlamp is faulty--goes out intermittently. (lightbulb is not burned out, as light will come back on if the light switch is turned off and then turned back on.)
06/15/201066000
 My 2006 toyota prius had a problem with the headlights whereby one would go off and on intermittently. there was no apparent pattern as to when this would happen, although it seemed to occur after the headlights had been on for more than 10 minutes.;
06/01/200940000
 2006 toyota prius driver side headlamp is faulty--goes out intermittently. (lightbulb is not burned out, as light will come back on if the light switch is turned off and then turned back on.)
06/15/201066000
 My 2006 toyota prius had a problem with the headlights whereby one would go off and on intermittently. there was no apparent pattern as to when this would happen, although it seemed to occur after the headlights had been on for more than 10 minutes.;
06/01/200940000
 2006 toyota prius driver side headlamp is faulty--goes out intermittently. (lightbulb is not burned out, as light will come back on if the light switch is turned off and then turned back on.)
06/15/201066000
 My 2006 toyota prius had a problem with the headlights whereby one would go off and on intermittently. there was no apparent pattern as to when this would happen, although it seemed to occur after the headlights had been on for more than 10 minutes.;
10/04/201055000
 My 2006 prius has a winking right headlight --- sometimes on, sometimes not. it is a high intensity discharge type. the car now has 70000 miles on it but this behavior has been going on intermittently for over a year. i base that on the several times in the past year someone has told me the light was out but, when i went to look at the light, it was on! recently, i have witnessed it myself. i understand i am not alone with this problem. hopefully, replacing the bulb will fix it but even that is an expensive proposition and the bulb may not be the culprit.
09/01/201035000
 The headlights on my toyota prius 2006 have been going out for the past month, more than once a day. i took the car to be inspected and was told i would need high resolution hid lights that would cost over $500. i went online and found out that tons of other people are having the same issue as me.
09/22/201030000
 2006 toyota prius headlights come on and off. when they go off, you can turn off and on and they will come on. 2 years toyota replaced left headlight for $300. this seemed to fix that, but they did not replace right at the time, which i wanted them to do. now right does it. i can't afford $300.00 to replace bulb. instructions for doing it yourself does not help. unable to do according to directions, toyota said they had to take off front end to to it that is why so expensive.
06/02/201040000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated the passenger side headlight would illuminate intermittently when the automatic headlights were in activation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they stated that the headlight assembly would need to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 40,000. js
09/22/201030000
 2006 toyota prius headlights come on and off. when they go off, you can turn off and on and they will come on. 2 years toyota replaced left headlight for $300. this seemed to fix that, but they did not replace right at the time, which i wanted them to do. now right does it. i can't afford $300.00 to replace bulb. instructions for doing it yourself does not help. unable to do according to directions, toyota said they had to take off front end to to it that is why so expensive.
06/02/201040000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated the passenger side headlight would illuminate intermittently when the automatic headlights were in activation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they stated that the headlight assembly would need to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 40,000. js
09/22/201030000
 2006 toyota prius headlights come on and off. when they go off, you can turn off and on and they will come on. 2 years toyota replaced left headlight for $300. this seemed to fix that, but they did not replace right at the time, which i wanted them to do. now right does it. i can't afford $300.00 to replace bulb. instructions for doing it yourself does not help. unable to do according to directions, toyota said they had to take off front end to to it that is why so expensive.
06/02/201040000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated the passenger side headlight would illuminate intermittently when the automatic headlights were in activation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they stated that the headlight assembly would need to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 40,000. js
09/22/201030000
 2006 toyota prius headlights come on and off. when they go off, you can turn off and on and they will come on. 2 years toyota replaced left headlight for $300. this seemed to fix that, but they did not replace right at the time, which i wanted them to do. now right does it. i can't afford $300.00 to replace bulb. instructions for doing it yourself does not help. unable to do according to directions, toyota said they had to take off front end to to it that is why so expensive.
06/02/201040000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated the passenger side headlight would illuminate intermittently when the automatic headlights were in activation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they stated that the headlight assembly would need to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 40,000. js
12/01/200979000
 Tl- the contact owns 2006 toyota prius. while driving he noticed numerous times the headlights wasn't on. the manufacturer advised the bulb failure was random. the vehicle was taken to the dealer replaced the light bulb. the failure mileage was 79,000 and the current mileage was 86,000. li
09/14/2006625320
 The hid headlamps of my 2006 toyota prius, simultaneously shut off. turning them off and then on again restores them. toyota's answer was to replace the bulbs as they will reportedly do this when they are on the verge of expiring. i have replaced both bulbs, and the problem was not solved, in fact it worse than ever, rendering my vehicle unsafe to operate after daylight hours. i replaced both bulbs with high quality oem bulbs, and the first time i drove the car after replacement, the lights shut off more than 10 times during a 13 mile trip. please reconsider your finding from this case: pe09019 as these cars age, more and more people are reporting both headlamps shutting off - with the only solution being turning them off/on.
09/14/201055000
 2006 prius drivers side head light intermitently stops working. if i shut off and restart from the switch they start up again.
09/14/2006625320
 The hid headlamps of my 2006 toyota prius, simultaneously shut off. turning them off and then on again restores them. toyota's answer was to replace the bulbs as they will reportedly do this when they are on the verge of expiring. i have replaced both bulbs, and the problem was not solved, in fact it worse than ever, rendering my vehicle unsafe to operate after daylight hours. i replaced both bulbs with high quality oem bulbs, and the first time i drove the car after replacement, the lights shut off more than 10 times during a 13 mile trip. please reconsider your finding from this case: pe09019 as these cars age, more and more people are reporting both headlamps shutting off - with the only solution being turning them off/on.
09/14/201055000
 2006 prius drivers side head light intermitently stops working. if i shut off and restart from the switch they start up again.
09/12/201068000
 I have a headlight that goes on and off intermittently on a 2006 prius. it cost me $273.13 to fix at the dealer. $273.13 for a light bulb!!!!!!
06/10/201060000
 Vehicle: 2006 toyota prius hid headlights (usually passenger side) intermittent
09/14/2006625320
 The hid headlamps of my 2006 toyota prius, simultaneously shut off. turning them off and then on again restores them. toyota's answer was to replace the bulbs as they will reportedly do this when they are on the verge of expiring. i have replaced both bulbs, and the problem was not solved, in fact it worse than ever, rendering my vehicle unsafe to operate after daylight hours. i replaced both bulbs with high quality oem bulbs, and the first time i drove the car after replacement, the lights shut off more than 10 times during a 13 mile trip. please reconsider your finding from this case: pe09019 as these cars age, more and more people are reporting both headlamps shutting off - with the only solution being turning them off/on.
09/14/201055000
 2006 prius drivers side head light intermitently stops working. if i shut off and restart from the switch they start up again.
09/12/201068000
 I have a headlight that goes on and off intermittently on a 2006 prius. it cost me $273.13 to fix at the dealer. $273.13 for a light bulb!!!!!!
06/10/201060000
 Vehicle: 2006 toyota prius hid headlights (usually passenger side) intermittent
09/12/201068000
 I have a headlight that goes on and off intermittently on a 2006 prius. it cost me $273.13 to fix at the dealer. $273.13 for a light bulb!!!!!!
06/10/201060000
 Vehicle: 2006 toyota prius hid headlights (usually passenger side) intermittent
08/28/2010
 Vehicle: 2006 toyota prius headlights (passenger) intermittent or sometimes completely out for over an hour
05/10/200940000
 2006 toyota prius. passenger side hid headlight extinguishes intermittently since about 40k miles. dealers want upward of $700 to replace one light. at purchase the headlight was represented to last twice as long as standard headlights. toyota engineering made it very difficult for a layman to replace the bulb. if/when the other headlight dies at night it could be tragic.
04/06/2009137000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while the contact was driving approximately 45 mph,the headlights were in activation. suddenly, the driver side headlamp would not illuminate; after waiting fifteen to twenty minutes the headlamp operated and then repeated the failure. the failure occurred intermittent. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection where the technician informed that the headlamp wiring overheated causing the headlamp to not operate properly. the vehicle was repaired with a replacement of the headlamp bulb. the failure continued. the failure mileage was 137,000. the vin was unavailable. js
09/17/200936000
 The hid headlights on our 2006 prius will flicker or completely turn off while driving. it happens seemingly randomly,, one side will go out the other will stay on and visa versa or both will go out at the same time. there doesn't seem to be any condition that causes it to happen. if i turn the light switch off and then back on the lights will come back on again, sometimes seconds or minutes will pass and the lights will fail again.
06/10/201042000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while traveling 65 mph the contact noticed that the driver side headlight had stopped functioning, however after turning the light switch on and off the headlights had resumed working properly. the contact noticed prior that the driver side headlight was slightly dimmer than the passenger side headlight. there were no prior warnings and the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership. the failure mileage was 42000 and the current mileage was 45000. bml
01/05/200835000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to activate the headlights. however, the headlights failed to operate. the contact replaced the driver side headlamp. the failure occurred on three separate occasions which included the replacement of the driver and passenger side headlamps. the vehicle had not been diagnosed at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was approximately 35,000. the system rejected the vin which will be update upon receipt of the complaint. js
06/05/201049881
 My wife and i were driving on i-25 in colorado and both of our headlights shut off on our 2006 toyota prius, fortunately i have reading about this problem so i turned them off and on again. i've been to three toyota dealers with no help in sight. i would appreciate any help on this matter.
04/15/200826000
 My 2006 toyota prius has a major safety issue. the left headlight has been intermittently going out for over two years now. turning the light on to high or low beam does not change the status of the light at all, but usually it comes on again when the lights are turned off and immediately turned back on. within the last two weeks the right headlight has done it twice. i was first aware of the left headlight problem during the spring of 2008 likely at that time with about 25,000
05/10/201044500
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. the left front hid headlight intermittently goes out. i have to turn the lights off and then back on to get the light to go back on. this seems to be a common problem after researching it online. nhtsa needs to continue the investigation it started on this matter and require a recall for this dangerous condition.
01/12/201042000
 On my toyota prius 2006, the passenger side headlight intermittently goes out for a period of time. sometimes for an extended period, and sometimes for a short period. the dealership can't find a problem with the headlamp, because,even leaving the lights on all day, the light won't shut off. i can't determine the pattern for the light shutting off, and i often only know about the problem when someone alerts me to a dark headlight. this is a major safety issue because of the intermittent nature, and inability to detect the outage.
06/06/201049406
 Problem with the hid headlights on toyota prius 2006 1. headlights go off intermittently while driving without me doing anything 2. both headlights turned off by itself while driving at night on the freeway this happened on numerous occasions
06/04/201038000
 2006 toyota prius driver side headlight failure. occurred twice. dealer states it will cost approximately $600.00 to correct
06/08/201068000
 I have continued to have recurring headlight issues on my 2006 toyota prius. i am on my third headlight and i have replaced two headlight assemblies. on each occassion, we were made aware of the defective headlight by another party as we were driving. it leads to a dangerous situation because it reduces the lighted path at night and could potentially impair another driver's ability to see my vehicle. i had to pay out of pocket for the repair since the extended warranty that i purchased did not cover burnt bulbs. this is obviously an inherent issue that toyota has not addressed. each repair is in excess of $200.
06/07/201074000
 Headlights on my 2006 prius all of a sudden went kaput ; left one yesterday and the right one today.
05/27/201075250
 I have 2006 prius,the driver side head light goes out and then as i am driving. it is unpredictable. if i turn the lights off and then back on, the light works again. i changed both head lights in city toyota cost $560.72 on dec.8,2008 and now may 27,2010, the passenger side headlight is not working. it only last 1-1/2 year, this is not acceptable.
05/11/2010
 I own a 2006 prius and my headlights keeps going out randomly. i took it to the dealer and it was working fine the whole time. they checked it and couldn
06/14/200944000
 2006 prius hid left headlight goes off , you need to turn them completely off and on again to see if it will come on . it might stay on or might go off again . i have been stopped twice and givin a warning . i live in the white mtns of nh and can't afford to be without both lights working because of moose and other wild animals dashing into the road . please help me deal with $#&%$ toyota . my dealer irwin toyota is a only interested in selling cars not customer happiness . thanks frank
02/01/201080340
 Passenger headlight cuts out without warning for no apparent reason. the only remedy is to turn the headlights off and then back on. this causes the head light to begin functioning for a short period of time.
05/04/201055000
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. the headlights go out intermittently. when the lights are turned off and then back on, it seems to fix the problem. took it to the dealer and they said since they were working at the time there was nothing that they would do. this is a huge safety issue. this has happened on several occasions now, going back a few months.
03/10/201055000
 Re: toyota prius 2006 hid headlights problem - intermittent on and off for the past 10,000 miles solution: dealer wants $600 labor to replace a bulb. not covered under extended warranty. dealer does not know if bulb is the problem, or starter, or other. problem could costs thousands of dollars to troubleshoot! poor design means i cannot change it myself. other prius owners reporting similair expereince.
05/01/201084743
 Both headlisghts (hid) on a 2006 toyta prius failed 3 times last night. turning off and on the headlights ( at highway speed!!!) corrected the problem. toyota has previously sent out a letter noting the payback of replacement hid cost but for both to fail out of the blue is very suspicious.
04/28/201020000
 This happens on a 2006 toyota prius. the head lamps fail, this failure takes place every 3-4 months. this has happened 20 times since the car was purchased 2006 march. the failure does not happen simultaneously, but the driver's side lamp will fail and then the passenger side lamp will fail. it is always the low beam filament that fails. this was reported to the dealership and at 90k mile check up, the dealership was asked to check the resistance, the voltage and the amps in each circuit for each head lamp. the stated there was no problem in this area. there is another electrical issue, but is seems to be not related. the horn will shound softly when stopped with the engine elctrical or gas or both running. thanks.
04/11/201072500
 I own a 2006 toyota prius i that has hid headlight system i have replaced the computer once and at least 2 bulbs which go out intermitently. i had one go out again and if the other side goes out before i can get it serviced i won't be able to drive it at night at all.
03/30/201050000
 Failure of hid headlights headlights failed at 50000 miles, i feel that toyota used a poor quaility light bulb for their hid lighting. the coast is expensive to replace the bulb. toyota should recall the hid light bulb.
04/07/201081000
 Headlight on driver's side occasionally turns off while driving.
04/01/201050000
 Bought a used 2006 toyota prius on march 29, 2010, with 50,000 miles. the first time i drove it at night, the right headlight went out, followed shortley by the left headlight. i turned on my fog lights and proceeded to drive the 25 miles to my home. i turned off the headlights and turned them back on and they both worked. this time the the left headlight went out, and i turned off my fog lights and turned on the hight beams, then all the lights went out and i turned the fog lights back on. this occured four times before i finally made it home on one headlight. dealer replaced the bulbs. toyota said they were high intensity bulbs that heated up and burned out, and suggested not using them except at night. the bulbs cost $150 or $350 and cost an additional $150 to install. was told if it happens again, to let them know and they'll swap the bulbs to see if it's the headlight computer that has the problem. no idea what that would cost to replace. wasn't happy with the situation, traded up to a 2008 prius with 25,000 miles and tonight, april 6, 2010, the same thing has happened. there is something wrong with this scenario. one the headlight bulbs shouldn't consistently blow, and, two, no headlight bulb should cost $150 or more. back to the dealer tomorrow or the next day to see what they'll do.
01/10/201040000
 The hid headlights on my 2006 toyota prius (40k miles) go out whenever the car accelerates (braking, speeding up, turning, go over a speed bump). the lights turn back on if i flip the headlight switch on and off. this appears to be a widespread issue affecting thousands of toyota prius owners.
03/29/201050000
 Hid headlight on toyota prius 2006 will not stay on!! when i went to the dealer the headlight happened to be on and they could do nothing. when it went off last night i almost ran into a retaining wall. very close call and it scared the hell out of us!! it has occurred a couple of times. judging from the prius chat site this is a common occurrence which toyota should be able to fix, but evidently a lot of people have spent thousands of dollars with no appreciable effect. i'll take it in again, but i ahven't too much faith in their ability to resolve the problem permanently!!
10/15/200936000
 This is about a 2006 toyota prius with 37,000 miles on it. the driver's side headlight goes on and off. it happens frequently, perhaps every day, and it has been like this for 4 months now. a lot of people are having the same problem and i know from them that replacing the bulb will not fix it.
01/01/201045000
 2006 prius (45,000 miles) hid failure. both passenger and driver's side hid headlamp turn off after running car for about 10 minutes. dealer quotes extremely expensive to remedy problem, considering it is a major safety issue for night driving.
06/01/200834000
 Our 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights intermittently and suddenly turn off, mostly on the driver side, but can happen on the passenger side. it is sometimes difficult to know when a bulb goes out, so this is clearly a safety issue since oncoming traffic can misjudge my car's position with only one headlight, not to mention reduced visibility for my car. when i went to the city toyota dealership in daly city, ca near my house in 2008, i was shocked to find out the toyota parts department was charging $300 for one bulb. i read online that turning the headlights off and then on can revive the bulb, and i found this method to work, but often the bulb would then randomly turn off again. this make-shift temporary solution, plus the very high price for a bulb as well as unclear instructions from toyota whether it was the expensive electronics unit or the bulb discouraged me from doing anything. then i read that even after bulbs were replaced with oem bulbs some prius owners had recurring issues. was i going to spend $300 per bulb only to find out it didn't work? no way. i consider this issue to be a reliability and safety issue that toyota should rectify at their cost 100%. all i received in the mail from toyota was a letter saying they would reimburse me if i had performed headlight issue service with them. i am frustrated this issue is still not being officially dealt with by toyota in a responsible manner. my post to this site is in an attempt for the proper government authorities to force toyota's hand to do the right thing, and that is to face up to an obvious design/quality issue.
03/17/2010630001
 My prius has 60, 000 miles and has hi definition headlights. last week one of the lights went out so i went to a toyota dealer to have it changes. when they turned on the headlights to check the problem the light worked. the tech said toyota had a problem with headlights getting overheated and going out and coming back on. the problems was not resolved. *dt
09/15/2008200005
 My headlights are intermittently failing on my 2006 prius. the dealership has replaced both the left and right (as a pair) headlights at ~20,000 miles and again at ~48,000 miles. and now at 55,000 miles, they are replacing another front headlight hid bulb. there were two additional times that i requested the toyota service department check the lights as i had been told by a police officer that front and/or back lights were out, but the dealership said all of the lights were functioning. my lights appear to work intermittently. i may have both headlights working for a week or a month or more, then one of both may go out, and then one or both may start functioning again. it's completely variable. i never know if one of both headlights will work at any given time. it's frustrating and scary- as i don't know what to do to fundamentally resolve the issue and ensure that i have functioning headlights! approximate dates: jan 2008 - police officer told me a light was out, dealer could not reproduce april 2008 - both headlights replaced september 2009- both headlights replaced february 2009- police officer told me lights were out (1 front, 1 back) march 2010- headlight replaced *dt
03/15/201080000
 1996 toyota prius - (3) things i have noticed when operating car. (1) when braking and going over rough pavement, car will behave as though it is hydroplaneing - the brakes not slowing the car for a brief period until car settles down. this can happen when going as slow as 5 mph. the faster one is going when hitting the rough pavement, the farther the car will travel before braking sensation re-appears. i believe this occurs everytime i travel rough pavement (la city streets, not back country or 4 wheeling). note that warning light on dashboard does light suggesting loss of control. i called dealer service center and described problem, they assured me that no safety warnings or recalls had been made. 2) when turning off cruise control, car will accelerate slightly for approximately 1-2 seconds. this is most noticable when trying to exit carpool lane in heavy traffic and spacing is limited. again called dealership and assurred no safety notices or recalls. i now cover brake when turning off speed control. 3) car just eats up hid headlight (9 in 80k miles + 2 original installed) and taillight bulbs (11 + 2 originally installed). again no safety notices or recalls. i replace them as i notice them. i have never had both headlights go out at once as described on your website. note that other than the above issues/concerns, this car has been a great car with no service except for gas, oil changes, and replace the bulbs when they go out.
03/15/201089624
 My 2006 toyota prius headlights are malfunctioning. my headlights go off intermittently. mainly the right headlights but both lights have this problem. if i turn off and then turn on the lights then they will work ok for a little while. i am worried that both lights may go off and will put my family at risk at night.
03/12/2010360001
 In 2009 i purchased a 2006 toyota prius. immediately after purchase the head lights randomly shut off. sometimes one at time and sometimes both at the same time. recently i was driving over a dark mountain pass in the snow and the headlights both went out at the same time. it took me three times, turning them off and on for them to come back on. we could have been hurt or killed. this happens often, at least five to six times when we are driving our car at night and my son has been pulled over and ticketed twice. we called the dealer and even though we bought the full extended used car warranty, toyota does not cover the headlight issues and are telling us it's going to cost between $500 - $1500 to have the headlights replaced. it's obviously an electrical problem, but toyota said they issued a statement saying it was not. the lights even go out when you turn on your blinkers, off course randomly. i even went for a night time drive with my salesperson right after i purchased the vehicle and he saw the lights go off. he said i would just have to replace them at my cost even though it was obvious they were going on and off when we hit even the slightest bump in road and even though it was supposedly a certified used car. toyota knows there is a problem because it's issued a statement and there are blogs all over the internet about it, yet they refuse to help their customers maintain a safe operating vehicle. i've again called the dealer and have another appointment about this issue in a couple of days. we are hoping they acknowledge that we've purchases three toyotas from them in the last three years and that they will fix the headlights for us before someone gets hurt or killed. all three cars we purchased from toyota are also involved in their current recalls. we are very unhappy with our toyotas and feel very unsafe driving them with family members and children in our vehicles. *tr
07/15/2008330001
 Toyota prius 2006. rt. front (passenger side) headlight goes out for no reason. after this is will not come back on, even if i switch from low to high beam. i turn the lights off and on that corrects the problem for about 3 to 15 minutes, then it goes off again. toyota said it was the bulb and replaced it at about 34,000 miles under warranty, but it did not change anything. then the next chance i had to bring it in it was out of warranty, so they will not cover. i thought it may be the igniter or transformer so i replaced that, but it still does the same thing. i see many prius' around town with their right front light out, so it seems to be quite common. i read on the internet that lots of prius people are having the same exact problem, but of course toyota denies that there is one. toyota simply charges $300. to replace the bulb, or $600 to replace the igniter, or $1,100 to replace the whole headlight assemble. replacing the bulb does not fix it, neither does the igniter, not sure about the whole assembly. the light goes off whether the car is parked or driving down the road, so vibration is not the problem. this is a huge safety hazard. toyota is producing lemons, then simply replacing the bulbs and hoping your warranty runs out. toyota is making a ton of money off of this defect at $1,100 per light assembly, and even then i am not sure the problem is being repaired. this problem seems to be more common on 2006 and 2007 models. i just drove to the airport and back (45 min each way) and my light went out probably 30 times. many owners don't seem to know that their light is out. i notice, but i still feel like i am a huge road hazard. i would repair it if i knew what the actual problem was. the toyota factory surely knows what the problem is and how to correct it, but if they bring the problem to the surface they know that they will be forced to pay for another recall, meanwhile they make a ton of profit off parts and repairs. *tr
01/02/2010320001
 Driver side hid headlight fails intermittedly. *tr
03/04/20101045651
 The hid headlights on my 2006 toyota prius intermittently go out one at a time. once they go out they stay out unless i manually turn them off and then on i cannot determine when one of the headlights goes out. the problem is when driving with only 1 headlamp i have had several instances when the other headlamp has gone out as well leaving me with no headlights at night. if i hadn't known to turn them on/off i would have been driving on a road at night with no headlamps. *tr
03/10/2010650001
 Reference your case pe09019, closed in august 2009. i also own a 2006 toyota prius on which the headlamps fail daily. as stated in the report it usually starts with only one lamp failing but it often ends with both lamps out. i will not drive without my fog lamps on for fear i will be in total darkness at a crucial time such as a sharp curve or turn in the road. i have been waiting for someone to take action and force a recall as it is extremely expensive to replace these headlamps. in light of the current findings against toyota, you should reopen the investigation. i am not certain by any means but i had heard your organization had over 500 complaints regarding this issue. why did you only interview 40 owners? do we have to wait for someone's death, perhaps mine or one of my family members, before we take this situation serious enough to force action on toyota's part? how could something as serious as headlamp failure be dismissed so casually? *tr
03/08/2010510001
 Both headlights on 2006 prius turned off after less than 5 minutes on road. may have exhibited flashing before total failure of both headlights. confirmed headlight on light was present during failure. one car coming towards flashed their lights to convey my headlights were off. i then slowed down and turn lights off then back on. both came back on and stayed on since then. i have been checking each time i get in or out of car than headlights are on and functioning normal at beginning and end of trip. fyi, i do not use headlights as daylight running lights. *tr
02/28/2010300001
 Headlights of 2006 prius go on and off at will. i reported this to toyota dealer and was told that they had to change both bulbs. the intensity of the bulbs are normal when they come back on and i have never owned a car where the bulbs recover on their own. it appears to be a wiring problem of some kind and toyota's solution of changing the bulbs does not seem to be a reasonable solution. also the one year guarantee of an expensive repair does not seem reasonable. the toyota website shows hundreds of complaints for the same condition. *tr
02/01/2010360001
 2006 prius hid headlights go out intermittently. there doesn't seem to be a fix that toyota can provide. this is very upsetting, even more so if you drive at night a lot. toyota doesn't admit there is a problem and states the only course of action is to replace the headlight. why am i to pay an extreme amount of money to replace a headlight when the headlight works? it's just faulty and intermittent (be it wiring, a computer glitch, or something else). this problem with the hid headlights occurs multiple times each time i drive the car. furthermore, it is hard to determine when the headlights are working properly. i have taken my prius to a toyota dealership and they refuse that the lights are faulty and ask that you replace them. it is scary to drive my prius at night and it is no fun explaining this strange situation to a police officer who doesn't care and still gives you a citation. i just want toyota to acknowledge and fix the problem. *tr
01/15/2010440001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. i have had a problem with my passenger headlight working intermittently. i thought the light was failing until one night i was driving home and all the lights turned off and it was pure darkness. i quickly corrected the immediate danger by turning the light switch off then on and they came back on. this has happened two other times. i received what i thought was a recall notice on the hid lights. when i took the notice to my local dealer, they informed me that the recall was on the price of the hid bulbs and not on the actual bulbs. they had reduced the price from $300 to $150. now, after looking into it further, it seems that i am not the only one experiencing this same problem. *tr
01/10/2010720001
 2006 toyota prius with the hid headlights. the headlights randomly turn off. at first i thought i was seeing other things, like neighboring cars switching in and out of lanes, causing the amount of light to diminish. so far, it is either one or the other headlight, not both simultaneously. through the random process, which would be initiated each time the lights are turned on, it is only a matter of time before both lights extinguish at the wrong time, at highway speeds. *tr
01/15/2010250001
 2006 toyota prius - my hid headlights have been randomly, unpredictably flickered on and off, sometimes the left, sometimes the right and sometimes both completely unexpectedly. the light switch must be flicked on and off multiple times to bring them back. within minutes - or even seconds - they may fail again repeatedly. i do not drive at night very often but others who do are at great risk. can you imagine the reaction of the cars in front of me while i a flicking my headlights at them repeatedly! potentially volatile. the repair is replacement of hid lights at almost $600.00 and is not covered by their warranty, which is wrong! this has been going on for a couple years and mechanics have not been able to trace issue other than faulty headlights or faulty computer controls. there are tens of thousands of prius owners affected. check the online blogs like priuschat and you will see. this is a significant safety issue which while i have had not accidents i have had numerous incidents of concern and need for quick sudden evasive action when the lights would fail unexpectedly. we who have been forced to spend hundreds for repair should be reimbursed and a full scale recall must be instigated for the safety of prius drivers and our companions in other vehicles on the road. *tr
01/01/20101
 2006 prius. within first 18 months of owning the car (i am original owner - took possession of car in march of 2006) experienced headlights going off by themselves. took the car in for service thinking headlight needed replacement. was told by service rep (at greentree toyota in danbury, ct) that it was not the headlight but a problem with connection that toyota recognized but was not sure how they would address. i waited for solution. as time goes on, more frequent incidence of headlight spontaneously turning off. i received a notice from toyota company approx. 4 months ago stating the problem was a defect/connection problem. my toyota dealership/service dept. told me it was not and refused to fix the connection problem. both headlights will go out at exactly the same time, leaving me in complete darkness. if i quickly switch the headlights off then back on again they will illuminate. the headlights going off at the same time happens at least once every 20 minutes. *tr
05/01/20091
 We own a 2006 toyota prius. the right (passenger side) front headlight works intermittently. it will turn off without warning. if you turn the lights off and then on again, it comes back on as if nothing is wrong. it will then blink out again at a later time without warning. this is a dangerous product defect. it is impossible to tell if the light is on or off unless someone tells you. we have been stopped by the police for this problem, but not ticketed yet because we can make the light come back on by turning the lights off and then on again. toyota refuses to recall or fix the problem. instead, they charge$500 to replace the lights, without addressing the mechanical defect. many many other prius owners/drivers have voiced the same complaint. *tr
07/15/2009500001
 Defective headlights. *tr
02/26/2010800001
 Headlight (driver's side only) sometimes turns off while driving. if i turn the lights switch off and back on, the light will turn on and work properly for a while. *tr
03/01/2007350001
 Headlights intermittently go off when placed in the on position. sometimes one, sometimes both. does not matter if it is low or hi beam. this problem is ongoing since incident date. toyota sent letter describing how hid bulbs reach the end of their life by intermittently going out and states that you should minimize turning them on and off which can't be prevented if they go out while you're driving. i don't accept this to be fact, i think it's an electrical problem . *tr
12/15/2009600001
 Prius hid bulb failed before its estimated lifetime. these bulbs are very expensive (us$ 300.00) plus labor (us$ 200.00) and they failing over and over again. this item should have been recalled by toyota and replaced for free, since customers paid premium price up front for security benefits of the accessory in question. *tr
02/15/2010370001
 Headlights failed on my 2006 toyota prius. one about 36,000 miles, second one about 37,000. it cost over $500 to replace them. now one of the new ones has failed again. i wrote toyota for help and they had an extended warranty salesperson call me saying you need to protect yourself against what may happen in the future. i asked if headlights were covered and he said yes, but that i needed to wait 30 days after buying the policy. wrote toyota again saying that was unacceptable. no response. i know many other prius owners have had this problem. since my light has gone out right away i'm wondering if it is an electrical or computer problem with the car. *tr
02/01/2010530001
 Intermittent failure of hid headlamps on 2006 toyota prius. *tr
11/10/2009840001
 Intermittent failure of hid headlight in my 2006 toyota prius. *tr
01/05/20071
 Intermittent and frequent failure of hid headlights in 2006 toyota prius. one light or the other and sometimes both will go out. turning the light switch from on to off and back on will relight the bulb but at lower brightness. frequently must do this several times as the bulb may stay on for a few minutes to 1/2 hour. toyota refuses to acknowledge design / faulty components in hid control / power module. *tr
07/17/2008120001
 There is a class action suit against toyota due to intermittent headlight failure. please check this link to see if a recall should be imposed. thanks http://www.lemonlawclaims.com/toyota_prius_headlight_failure.htm. *tr
03/07/2008201
 Intermittent failure of lights. car had 20,000 miles on it when headlight starting failing intermittently. after about another year the other side started failing intermittently. i and others on yahoo prius group have the same problem with the headlight going off intermittently. could cause an accident, as at times they both go off. after turning them off and then back on they burn but you never know if one or both will go off. toyota knows there is a problem with the headlights on the second generation prius but has made no attempt to recall or repair the problem. we are all left on our own to solve the problem. *tr
01/01/2010400001
 Headlights turn of intermittently on both my daughters 2006 & 2007 toyota prius. mostly the right one sometimes both. if you turn the headlights off then back on the headlights come back on for a while then you have to do the same thing again. also i notice many other priuses that have the same problem. please look into this problem. thank you. *tr
01/28/2010620001
 2006 prius. 62k miles. one headlight started going out intermittently about 3 weeks ago (jan.2010) now a minute or so after the first one goes out the second one goes too leaving me in total darkness. the fix is to turn the switch on and off. a bulletin i received last year says you can kill the hid by turning off and on while still hot. this the only way to keep the lights going! i got a ticket last week for a light out and of course i made it come back on for the officer but he wasn't impressed. now i have to get it fixed and i have read all the blogs and clearly replacing the bulb is not way to correct this. *tr
01/10/2009300001
 I have a 2006 prius with hid headlights. a little over a year ago i noticed that one or sometimes both headlights would go out intermittently. we live on a street without streetlamps and i had some scary moments several times when both lights went out. when i told my dealer about it, they said they could do nothing as the lights were working when they examined them. finally, i got a letter from toyota (attached), which said they would lower the replacement price of the headlights (but not warning of the problems i had been having). i had my dealer repair the lights at a cost of $559.25. the dealer told me that if i complained to toyota, they would reimburse me. a case manager at toyota said they would pay for the parts (about $300). i have now read of hundreds of other people with my model car who have had identical problems. i feel that toyota should issue a recall for a dangerous problem like this, or at least notify the dealers so when owners complain of the problem it is repaired under warranty. *tr
05/15/2008500001
 2006 toyota prius - hid headlamps go out at random intervals and come back on when turned off and then back on. thousands of reports on www.mycarstats.com. unsafe at night, especially in rural areas where deer roam the highways. my passenger side headlamp was replaced for free by toyota rep and dealer after showing them the mycarstats.com complaint reports. toyota also reduced price of hid lamps by one-half in a letter received about three months ago. many have had to pay $400 to $1200 for repair and replacements. prius front bumper has to be removed to replace headlamp. *tr
02/15/20101
 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights fail intermittently. *tr
01/23/2010200001
 My 2006 toyota prius loses braking when trying to brake on uneven surfaces. the dash will light up the icon which displays uneven ground and when i apply brakes there is a momentarily lapse when the brake pedal does not respond. also my left headlight and left taillight go on and off periodically. *tr
02/15/2010352551
 While driving with my prius the headlights turn on and off at their own will. sometimes it's the right headlight, then the left headlight. this morning i was driving to work and both headlights went out and i had to pull over. turned the car off then back on and the headlights were on again. a few moments later, the right headlight went out. this is very unsafe for me as i drive mostly early in the morning and late at night when headlights are required. toyota should cover this as a warranty item . *tr
02/13/2010518731
 I drive a 2006 toyota prius. i have experienced odd skid-like behavior while applying the brakes on bumpy roads or loose gravel. most notably this happens at low and decelerating velocities (maybe 15 mph?) when the vehicle encounters broken pavement or loose gravel. it is often associated with the prius' 'slippery surface' icon on the dash being lit. when this occurs it feels like the brakes do not function for a brief period. i have not had an accident as a result, but the experience has occurred at least 4 times over the four months i've owned it. also, the front hid headlamps flicker on and off periodically making it dangerous to drive at night. i will report these problems to toyota and based on the high volume of identical complaints i believe they should cover the cost of fixing these problems. *tr
02/07/2010999991
 Headlights went out while driving at night on #5 fwy in ta hone pass on 2/7/10. now headlights are intermittent. i paid $837 to dealer on 1/10/08 for replacement of headlamps. dealer now wants $1024 to replace them again. *tr
07/31/2009500001
 2006 toyota prius headlamp failure. headlights can flicker out and can potentially cost thousands of dollars to replace. *tr
01/01/2009550001
 In 2006 i purchased a 2006 toyota prius package 6 which includes hid (high intensity discharge) headlamps. starting approx. 1 year ago, i noticed a headlamp out while i was driving. when i took it to the dealer i was told it would cost $400+ to repair 1 headlamp. after doing some research on the internet, i found many complaints about prius hid headlamps. i also found out that if you turn the light switch off and then on, they would work again temporarily, so i decided to tolerate a headlamp that is periodically out and would work again if i turned the switch off and on. sometimes the driver side light would be out and sometimes the passenger side light would be out. approx. 6 months ago, i discovered that both headlamps would be periodically out while i'm driving, a real safety problem. i stopped driving at night. approx. 2 weeks ago, i received a letter from toyota that they recognize the problem and will discount the headlamp bulbs from $300 each to $150 each plus labor. even $150 is totally outrageous but i needed to drive that vehicle at night so i had both lights replaced for a total of $504.87. there should have been a recall from toyota and they should fix that safety problem for free. *tr
02/11/2010880001
 2006 toyota prius headlights go off while driving then come back on. intermittent and totally unpredictable. *tr
01/29/2010450001
 Passenger side hid headlight went out. later it came back on. the vehicle, a 2006 prius, only has 45,000 miles. toyota sent us a letter stating the cost of a new bulb was reduced from $300 to $150 plus labor/tax. also, the letter stated that hid bulbs are prone to deterioration due to use and advises that we use our headlamps only when necessary. i feel this issue is safety related and the fix is very expensive for a relatively new car. toyota's advice to consider using the lights less is also misguided and not in the best interest of safely. i'm also concerned about possible electrical issues that may be causing this failure. *tr
06/01/2008350001
 The driver's side hid headlight in my 2006 prius has been malfunctioning for nearly two years now. when i drive, the left headlamp will turn off and stop working after a short while, and if i turn the lights off and then back on again, it works again for a while. i've had it fixed twice now. the first time, it worked normally for a while, but it started failing again after a few months. the second time it was fixed, it actually worsened. at this point, i'll have to cycle my headlights every ten minutes or so. impaired vision at night due to headlight failure is a safety issue. i was told by friends in the toyota service department that it's a known issue with the prius equipped with high-intensity discharge (xenon) headlamps. if it's known, why isn't it recalled? it's hazardous to drivers. *tr
02/10/20101
 I have a 2006 prius. the hid lights flicker and turn off about two times a day while i am driving. these lights are supposed to last ten times longer than regular lights. the light failure is particularly dangerous at night when the lights can suddenly turn off. *tr
01/01/2009300001
 On my 2006 toyota prius left headlight intermittently keeps going out. when i turn them all the way off and back on the light comes back. *tr
02/09/2010300001
 Toyota prius exterior lights shut down. this happens all of the time the car is driven. hid headlights turn off without the driver knowing and then keeps on driving until they are struck or hit something. other cars may not see this. this has occurred over 5000 times... *tr
03/24/200650001
 2006 toyota prius hid headlamps turn off while driving. this occurs all of the time; first one headlight goes out, then the second one... in order to remedy for short time you need to turn off headlight and turn back on. toyota denies any wrong doing and it will cost $1000 to fix which is not fair as i have brought the car in numerous times to be repaired and nothing was done to it. very dangerous for those that cannot tell if their headlamps goes out. accidents. *tr
02/06/2010325301
 My 2006 toyota prius has experienced intermittent hid headlight operation for almost a year. this is not so bad on the open highways with other cars still lighting up the road, but it's downright scary on dark country roads. at all times, while driving at night, the headlights get progressively dimmer to the point where i can actually outrun my field of vision.....again very unnerving. my solution has been to drive one of my other cars when possible. i guess the good news is i've never experienced the brake & gas pedal issues that are on the news.........still, i think the hid headlight issue is serious. i've never bothered to complain to the dealer because i've heard they will give me the runaround and charge over $800 to replace the bulbs & the problem only goes away for a few months at best. *cn *tr
03/15/2007165001
 1. brakes on my 2006 prius momentarily failed to respond, after a 1 - 2 sec delay they activated. at same time,the traction light flashes, but the car is not losing traction. this happened 4 x, one almost resulted in a crash. it is more likely to happen when braking while going over a bump in the road. there have been other times when the traction light flashes on unexpectedly, but effect on brakes is unknown: not braking then. 3 different toyota dealers told me they couldn't find anything wrong. at one dealer, i went for a test drive with a mechanic. during the test drive, i was able to make the traction light go on when there was no loss of traction. the invoice stated test drove and checked operations. at this time could not duplicate customer's concerns. i wrote on the invoice i was able to make the traction light go on when there was no loss of traction. i am not satisfied that the problem has been found and repaired. & on the signature line not satisfied, (signature) i wanted them to change the computer, but they said if they couldn't duplicate the problem, they couldn't change the computer. i insisted that they replace one component, and if the problem didn't reoccur, i'd know they found the solution. they bled the brakes, which was unlikely to be cause of the problem. when i went to pick up my invoice up 2nd time, the copy on which i had written my comments was returned to me, and a freshly printed copy- without my comments - was given to me & kept for their records. 2. same car: headlight go out at unexpected times. 2 toyota dealers told me that the bulb would cost $300, and installation would be well over $100 because they had to take off the bumper to change the bulb! i replaced the bulb myself (without taking off the bumper) but now, 9 months later, it is starting to go again. toyota sent a letter saying it was how hid bulbs burned out & not a pblm w/ controller. if true, how is it that new bulb is also burning out? *tr
09/15/2009748901
 Premature failure of hid headlights in 2006 toyota prius. *tr
02/04/2010550001
 Headlights go off without warning while driving. one light bulb going off is common, however, both lights have gone off at the same time repeatedly during driving, leaving me without any lighting. lights come back on after turning the switch off and then on again. *tr
01/03/2009190001
 Purchased 2006 prius in jan 09 immediately had the driver side headlamp go out and then fix itself. this has been a continuing problem of flickering since i have been driving it for a year. at night this is scary especially on mountain roads where there is no light from street lights. i am no longer driving in the rain or at night until toyota addresses this problem. dealer wants $489.38 to replace them both will not replace one alone. the news has reported that thousands have a complaint with toyota about this problem but toyota will not address this issue eventhough i believe it is a safety issue and i have an extended warranty which does not cover this even though it is bumper to bumper warranty. the cost of $489.38 is way too high for a car that only has 32,397 miles on it and much to expensive for a senior citizen who is on a limited income. *tr
02/05/2009314161
 Both hid headlights went out at the same time. fortunately it was just before mid-night, there was no traffic, and i was slowing down for a red light. i turned the lights and ignition on and off several times and eventually the lights come on and i drove about 200 yards to my apartment. i took the car to my dealer. the service manager was aware of the problem. he treated it as though it were fairly common. he replaced both bulbs at no charge to me under warranty. i not aware of any subsequent problems. *tr
06/10/200640001
 2006 toyota prius one or both headlights turn off suddenly while driving. *tr
11/01/2009290001
 2006 prius with high intensity discharge headlight. headlight has been failing over the past few months. *tr
01/27/2010277171
 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. i have had problems with the headlamps going out intermittently. my wife was stopped by the police because the left headlight went out the other night. the dealer replaced the bulb on the right side in june 2009. now i just had to replace the left side bulb, the toyota dealer will not cover under warranty due to the vehicle being out of warranty by 5 months. there are many,many prius owners with headlight problems. this is a safety issue that toyota knows about but refuses to help once the warranty expires. i request that nhtsa investigate the toyota headlight problem. we prius owners feel this is a defect and a very important safety issue that toyota should correct or reimburse prius owners that have paid for repairs after the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty period. *tr
08/01/2007380001
 Same intermittent problem as expressed by countless others on this site and beyond: 2006 prius hid headlights blink out randomly. turning switch off and on again restores light until next occurrence. history: driver's side headlight intermittent after 30,000 miles. repeated complaints to dealer, finally replaced bulb at 38,000 miles. handled under warranty. passenger side headlight intermittent around 50,000 miles. after repeated complaints to dealer, starter bulb was replaced at 54,000 miles - also handled under warranty. moved to new address - so new dealer. received lame toyota letter that pretends to address the situation by lowering the cost of the part, while not addressing that this part should not be failing in this way or as quickly as it is! present situation: driver's side headlight again intermittent - around 80,000 miles. asked dealer to investigate at last service (87,000). no problem found bring it back when it's totally out if headlight is the same one that falls into special category of lights, it'll be $150 plus labor but it could be 1 of 2 different lights which will be $300+ or $600+ - we won't know until we pull it apart. even though i purchased extended warranty coverage, the headlights are excluded. even though previously-replaced bulb is only slightly older than original problem. problem is that toyota is not taking real responsibility for the level of problem that this is. they should be covering labor costs, extending warranties and providing a new replacement light that actually works! i believe new prius uses leds. charging less money on an already exorbitantly overpriced part and requiring customers to pay more out-of-pocket for a part that doesn't work properly to begin with is outrageous! the investigation must be continued. toyota is not serving their customers and it is unsafe and at an unreasonable cost. there is absolutely no excuse for this behavior. do not let them get away with this. *tr
01/26/2010460001
 Recently both headlights on my prius began winking off at random. turning the lights off and then back on again will result in both headlights being but moments (sometimes seconds) later one of them will turn off. (so far neither have both turned off at the same time.) i took my car to the toyota dealership after being told by my usual mechanic that they did not have the tools to get to the prius headlight to replace it. the toyota dealership informed me that the cost of replacing both front headlights (only) if $475. $170 per light and the rest of that is for the labor as they have to remove the front bumper, etc. after doing a little research online i see that this same issue (the headlight winking) seems pretty common and so i'm reporting my experience. *tr
01/02/2010195001
 Hid lighting giving problems on 2006 prius. they will occasionally blink or go off entirely. less than 20k miles on the car. *tr
01/01/2010382001
 Several weeks ago, i noticed that the hi headlights on my 2006 toyota prius were intermittently cutting out while driving. both headlights have had this happen but not at the same time. turning the lights off and on again seems to correct the problem. problem happens occasionally (once or twice a week). vehicle at dealership now for diagnostic and headlight replacement. this has been reported to toyota. case number with them is 1001131933. *tr
12/15/2009750001
 2006 toyota prius. first my passenger side headlight flickers and goes out. i get it fixed at the dealer and then the drivers side headlight does the same thing. about a year later and again my passenger side light is out (yes if i turn the light off and back on, it comes back on again, but only for a few minutes). then again sometimes it goes out completely. the car was under warranty the first two times... now it's not! yes i got the notice about the price change for the headlight.... but i think this is a defective equipment issue and has to be a safety issue! i know other owners have reported the same type problem! *tr
01/18/2010700001
 2006 prius headlights fail while driving. first just one, then the other. do i have to have an accident before i can report this absurd safety failure. it happens every day when i'm driving in or driving home. *tr
11/15/2009500001
 Headlight intermittent failure then full failure. *tr
01/15/2010450001
 2006 toyota prius with approximately 46,000 miles. for the last year, the headlight on the driver side has worked intermittently & have to turn the headlights off and back on to make it turn back on again. the same thing is now occurring on the passenger side. it appears that this is a widespread problem that toyota is more than aware about. *tr
08/31/2008160001
 Was pulled over by a policeman in august 2008 for having a headlight out. the headlight had been working earlier that day. by the time we arrived home, the headlight was on again. this happened intermittently for eighteen months and now happens with increasing frequency, therefore i am attempting to have it fixed. when i turn off the light and then turn it on again, it works for a moment or a while. *tr
01/13/201051000210/21/2006
 Passenger side headlight goes off intermittently. if i notice the headlight is out i can turn my lights off then back on and the headlight that was out will come back on. i noticed it for the first time a couple of days ago. *tr updated 02/13/10 *bf updated 02/16/10 updated 03/18/10 *bf
01/10/2010382671
 Every couple of weeks, the front passenger side headlight goes out on my 2006 prius. sometimes both lights go out. this is terrifying at night and is a serious safety hazard. i found many similar complaints online and am very concerned and anxiously awaiting your response and action on this problem. *tr
12/23/2009850001
 2006 toyota prius headlights go out randomly creating an unsafe condition when driving at night. the headlight(s) will come on after turning off the switch. this has been a recurring problem since the vehicle was one year old. in one instance, both headlights went out which required and emergency stop. both headlight have been previously replaced under warranty. the problem in now occurring most times the vehicle is operated at night. *tr
01/02/2010300001
 The headlights on my 2006 prius will turn off by themselves intermittently. they can be turned back on by turning them on and off. the issue started happening from about 30k miles, but when i took it to the dealer, they were working okay. this was about 2 years ago. it has continued to happen since then. *tr
12/31/2009435001
 Both hid headlights failed simultaneously on 2006 toyota prius with 43k miles while driving. headlights had been on for about 5 minutes at the time they shut off. i pulled off into a parking lot, stopped the car, got out to verify that both headlights were off, and verified that the headlight switch was on. i turned the headlight switch off and back on, and the headlights re-illuminated. driver's side headlight continues to fail randomly. it re-illuminates when the switch is turned off and back on again. prior to both headlights failing simultaneously, the headlights had not flickered, turned off, or given any other sign of failure. *tr
01/05/2010550001
 2006 toyota prius, both high intensity display (hid) headlights fail intermittently, headlight on drivers side replaced at 35,000, same problem with intermittent failure at 55,000 miles. there is no warning when the headlights go out, this is dangerous when driving and oncoming cars cannot see headlights from the other direction. *tr
12/20/2009600001
 Both headlights were going off intermittently. this is the 2nd time in less than 13 months that both lights had to be replace at previously a cost of $500 each and now at a reduce cost of approximately $300 each. *tr
04/07/2008468001
 Head light turn off during driving. this is now happen frequently. *tr
12/15/2009800001
 Driver side headlight intermittently goes out. *tr
11/01/2009400001
 My driver side headlight automatically turns off randomly. and it is getting more frequent. both headlights turned off when i was driving on a freeway the other night. if i turn off the headlight on and off, it will work normally for a while. *tr
12/29/2009395001
 I noticed that my right hid headlamp on my 2006 toyota prius was not working when i parked my car. i cycled the lights and the lamp came on, but it did appear to be dimmer than the left headlamp. i made an appointment for jan 2nd, 2010 at my local toyota dealership. note that i had the same problem with my left headlamp in feb of 2008. the dealership replaced the bulb under warranty, but indicated that the replacement would have cost $500+ if not for the warranty. i did not file a complaint with nhtsa on the first failure. *tr
12/01/2009620001
 I have the same problem as many, many other prius owners, with my 2006 prius's hid lights going out while driving. when i realize that one or both lights have gone out, i flip the headlight switch and they come back on, only to go out again within seconds! toyota says this is a dealer-only item and the hid bulbs cost $300 a piece! these bulbs are not available at auto parts stores. the price is exorbitant and very unaffordable for many people. this is a serious safety issue! toyota should recall their priuses and fix this issue once and for all instead of ripping people off and putting their lives in danger! please help put some pressure on toyota to do the right thing. *tr
12/28/20091
 I have a 2006 prius with the hid headlights and want to confirm that both bulbs have failed. the dealer agreed to replace them under warranty even though i have 47000 miles on the vehicle. i did complain about this a year ago and the dealer did nothing at that time. this problem is compounded by just today receiving a notice from toyota about an hid headlight support program that lowers the price of the bulbs to $150 per bulb. this is still outrageous. *tr
12/15/2007400001
 The factory installed hid headlights periodically turn off. the first incident occurred two years ago, and i thought i had imagined it. i noticed dim lights and corrected the problem by quickly switching to bright lights. i was later told one head light was out while driving, but when i checked by exiting the vehicle both lights were on. the problem was very intermittent for two years primarily because i rarely drive at night. the problem is much more frequent now occurring multiple times per trip. i discovered that i can temporarily resolve the problem by cycling the head light switch ? not a safe tactic. an internet search today revealed this to be a common problem. surprisingly, we have not received a notice from toyota. this is clearly a dangerous factory defect. if toyota will not issue a recall, please demand that they at least acknowledge the problem and issue a notice listing the parts needed to correct the problem. please take immediate action before the problem causes serious accidents. *tr
12/29/2009360001
 Hid head lamps turn off at random, one or the other, sometimes both at the same time. turn off the lights and turn them back on and they relight. *tr
12/23/2009490001
 Every two years, the headlights of my 2006 toyota prius begin to fail and start to turn off, unexpectedly, while i'm driving. several times, i've driven long distances at night, completely unaware of the fact that they had shut off, and later they appear to be working fine. at 20,000 miles, i had both lights replaced by the dealership. less than two years later, the driver's side headlight stared to fail again. the dealership paid for the light, but charged me $120 for the labor. seven months later, the passenger side light began to fail. again, the dealership paid for the bulb but charged me for the labor. after the third repair, i called the toyota experience center. they said that their new customer support program would not cover reimbursing me for the labor. i'm concerned that now in addition to the risk, time and expense i've already incurred, that i will have to add preventative headlight replacement to my list of required maintenance of my vehicle, and it will cost me another $600 every 2 years to drive my vehicle safely at night. because the way the hid light fail does not give the driver any warning or notification. the lights both illuminate at start up, and only fail while you're driving. i appreciate toyota paying for some parts of the repairs, but i think they are failing to fully address this very dangerous situation, and have saddled their customers with an unreasonable expense. when you can replace a headlight by yourself every five years for a couple bucks, it's reasonable. when it costs $300 per headlight every two years, that's not reasonable. i filed a previous complaint after the 2nd time the lights failed in may 2009. this is the third incident with this car, and the 2nd time i'm filing a complaint here. *tr
12/23/2009389001
 Driver's side hid headlight occasionally goes out while driving. this started a month or two ago but i'm reporting yesterday's incident because i have just found out via internet forums that a significant number of other 2006 prius owners are also experiencing this problem. turning headlights off then on again fixes the problem. no problem so far with passenger side lamp which has obviously been used with the same frequency and duration. this has not caused an accident yet, but if this were to happen with both headlights it would be very dangerous. *tr
11/15/2009500001
 2006 toyota prius hid head lights turn off on their own while driving at night. light bulb defect is intermittent. when brought to repair facility, both bulbs working fine. *tr
09/16/2009650001
 The right front hid headlamp of my 2006 toyota prius keeps cutting out and then comes back on when i turn the lights off. i have replaced both bulbs, but the same thing has happened. the problem started in 2008, stopped after i changed the bulbs and started again not even a year later. *tr
12/01/2008400001
 After about 40,000 miles, the driver's side headlight in my 2006 toyota prius started blinking off (i.e., it would turn off, but then if i switched the lights on and off, it would be on again). *tr
06/01/2009550001
 2006 toyota prius. the drivers side head light unexpectedly shutting off. it started in june of 2009. just got toyota to fix it at there cost. they replaced the bulb and said that (should) fix the problem. *tr
12/04/2009364101
 Passenger side head light goes out randomly. when the lights are turned off and then back on it will work for some period of time, could be seconds or days. car has been taken to the dealership multiple times for diagnostics and alleged repairs yet the problem continues. dealer has replaced bulbs & replaced some module within the circuitry. continues to fail. *tr
12/08/2009480001
 Hid headlight failure on 2006 toyota prius. purchased in june 2006 right headlight and control unit were replaced in june 2007 by toyota under warranty. right headlight and control unit failed in dec. 2009. now driving with right headlamp out. hid headlamps are supposed to have twice the lifetime of normal headlamps. headlamps should not cost $500 to replace. toyota has an obvious design problem with their headlight system. *tr
12/06/2009380001
 My 2006 toyota prius with high intensity lightbulbs has less than 40,000 miles on it. one bulb has already been replaced and now i am having intermittent failures on another bulb. i understand nhtsa has decided not to take any action under pe09019 but have to say i don't understand your stance on this. i can be cited by police for having defective safety equipment when a bulb is out, yet you felt this did not warrant action. this problem with prius hid headlights seems to be limited only to that vehicle model it is obviously a defect in design and it is a safety issue. ever meet a one-lighted car or truck on a very dark two lane highway? hope you will take action to force toyota to do a recall and correct this very dangerous issue. *tr
11/26/2009550001
 Approx. 50,000 miles on odometer. 2006 toyota prius. right headlamp go of and an. finally died. *tr
06/06/2008700001
 The headlights on my 2006 prius will go off for no apparent reason. most of the time this involves only one headlight, but i have had both go off. if i turn off the lights and turn them back on the lights come back on. i've read several complaints on the internet on this problem. clearly a safety concern. *tr
11/23/2009240501
 The headlights on my 06 prius have started going off at different times. i really have to be careful with my car now. *tr
12/03/2009597501
 For a 2006 prius. twice this evening my headlights went out on their own. i was driving to a store about a mile and a half away, when a half mile from my house all lights, including headlights, went out. they did not come on until i manually turned them off and then on again. on the way home from the store, they went out again. *tr
11/01/2009500001
 The headlights on my 2006 prius goes off while driving. sometimes one light goes off and the other stays on. sometimes the intensity of the lights vary. to correct the problem i have to turn my lights on and off. also my brake light will go on and off. i have been pulled over numerous times by the police because of this problem. *tr
10/01/20091
 The headlight (on the passenger side) intermittently goes out. i can turn the lights off for a second and then back on and it comes back on. sometimes it will stay on for hours, sometimes it will only stay on for minutes. i had the same problem previously with the same car and toyota replaced the bulb, ballast and headlight assembly before it stopped having the issue. now about 20 months have passed and i am seeing the same thing again. *tr
12/02/2009752851
 I own a 2006 toyota prius and the drivers side headlight will go on and off without warning. i took it into the dealer and it cost over $500.00 to replace the headlight. this a clear safety issue. headlights that go off without warning could lead to a very dangerous circumstance. headlights are items like windshield wipers that need frequent replacement and should not cost $500.00. *tr
11/01/2008600001
 About a year a go my passenger side headlight started turning on and off randomly on my 2006 toyota prius. i took my car to toyota of berkeley i-80 junction service center to fix the problem. i was told that toyota would be more than happy to do a full diagnostic on my car at the cost of $125 to see what the problem was but since my light was on at that time they did not think they could duplicate the problem. my passenger side headlight had been randomly turning off while i was driving and in order to get my light to turn back on i would have to stop my car, turn my lights off, then turn them back on, and occasionally this would correct the problem. recently my headlight went out completely and i took my car to toyota of dublin service center to have one of my headlights replaced. i was then shocked to learn that my car had hid lights that cost $400 per bulb plus labor to replace. my front bumper needed to be removed in order to get to the lights therefore it was not a simple job and would take a few hours to complete. hearing this appalled me! when i purchased the car and the extended warranty i was never told anything about replacing the lights and how much it would cost. this is a ridiculous charge for lights that do not last three years. i believe that there is more wrong with this car than just a light that needed to be replaced. i feel that the faulty lights in the 2006 toyota prius are a safety hazard and need to be recalled. i am a single mother with two young children. i do not feel safe driving my car with my children, nor do i feel good about selling my car to an unknowing buyer, and i do not have the money to keep paying repair bills in the amount of $1000 or more to replace headlights! i am asking for an immediate recall of the 2006 toyota prius so this safety hazard can be corrected. *tr
12/01/20091
 I have a 2006 prius and the headlights keep going off. one or the other or both go off while driving. flipping the switch gets them back on for a while. the dealer tells me $420 to change the two bulbs. how can this happen in a two year old car? *tr
11/25/2009500001
 The hid headlight on the passenger side of my 2006 toyota prius randomly goes off. some times it comes back on by itself while i'm still driving some times not. it doesn't happen by any particular trend like a bump, turn, or anything else. it just goes off. nothing i do seems to make it come back on, it just comes back randomly. it's been doing this for a while now. when it goes off my visibility at night along the roads righthand side is greatly reduced. in particular, i'm concerned that the reduced light on that side may increase my chance of not seeing a pedestrian or a deer along side the road until it's too late. i took it to the toyota dealer and they said they don't know what's wrong but they would likely replace some headlight computer and bulb which they said would cost about $800! it shouldn't cost that much to fix a headlight that randomly goes off due to some defect in the vehicle which causes such a safety hazard for me and pedestrians on the road. *tr
11/28/2009600001
 2007 toyota prius with hid headlights that intermittently go off. this is a problem with many prius with the hid headlights. we had one replaced on 11/28 at a cost of $240.00. the other has problems also but we could not afford to get it replaced at this time. toyota repair says light system overheats, maybe. they aren't sure. *tr
11/26/2009370001
 Hid bulb flickering, works on and off all the time on my 2006 toyota prius toyota dealer asks about 400 dollars to replace one bulb. *tr
11/01/2009370001
 Issue: 2006 prius with hid headlights work intermittently 1. events: no specific events leading up to the event other than regular driving and usage of the headlights 2. failure: the passenger-side headlight goes out every time i drive the car now and reduces night time visibility. 3. corrective action: i replaced the light bulb, but the issue still remains the same. from research online, it appears that this is a common issue with prius models between the years 2004-2007 and is linked to defects in the control units. *tr
01/10/2009385001
 Head light on driver side- intermittent operation. headlight would go off during driving, come back on later. occasionally both headlights would go off. took car to toyota dealer for replacement of driverside light. they found nothing wrong with car/wiring passengerside headlight. with new driverside headlight car worked fine for 8 months. then driverside headlight started with above problem. old headlight is still available. *tr
10/05/2009490001
 The left headlight on my 2006 prius goes out, but will come back on if i turn the lights off and back on. this occurs randomly while driving, often being undetectable until a reflective situation comes up and the light is noticed. *tr
11/24/2009608121
 2006 prius high-intensity discharge (hid) lamps cut out - turning the lights off and on will temporarily fix the problem. first passenger side in september 2008 at around 50k miles, now driver side november 2009 at 60812 miles - vehicle is at dealership right now so i do not have access to the vin. both times the dealer replaced at no charge (lawrenceville toyota, 2871 rt 1, lawrenceville, new jersey 08648 609-883-4200). i just wanted it reported because it seemed a safety hazard and there appears to be others experiencing this issue as well. *tr
10/15/2009671831
 Hid headlights on 2006 prius fail at random. auto purchased in may 2006. first failure in november 2007 at 29,015 miles; right headlight. bulb replaced by dealer at no charge. second failure in august 2008 at 42,930 miles; left headlight. computer sub-assembly replaced under extended warranty, bulb replaced at cost of $375 by consumer. third failure in october 2009 at 67,183 miles; left headlight. not repaired at this time. sub-assembly will still be covered by extended warranty but bulb will not. this is same light that failed a year ago. i believe this is a serious safety issue. headlights failing at night are not a good thing. *tr
11/18/2009310001
 Both headlights on my 2006 toyota prius shut off while i was driving at night. *tr
08/01/2009500001
 Hid headlight on driver side started randomly turning off at about 50,000 miles on my 2006 prius, unbeknownst to driver. if i happen to notice the light has gone out, and i turn the light switch all the way off and back on, the light will usually relight. i am constantly watching the reflection of my headlights in car bumpers on traffic traveling in front of me as well as making notice of my headlights' reflection in store windows, etc. to see if they are both on. this is extremely distracting and dangerous. toyota dealer here in n.c. appeared to be totally oblivious to the complaints toyota has received and said he can fix control module for $450 and replace light bulb for $135 since it is normal wear and tear. this is not normal wear and tear. the prius hid headlamp installation is defective. as more 2006 prius owners like me approach the 50,000 mile mark, this defect has the potential to become far more dangerous and deadly than a loose floormat. *tr
11/20/2009560001
 2006 toyota prius headlight problem. while driving at night there was an obvious click and the headlights shut off. turned the car off and restarted it and the headlights come back on and work for a period of time (length undetermined but this happened on more than one occasion). one or another of the head lights work intermittently.with no obvious pattern. last night the left head light was out. i backed up the vehicle and it came back on. the same thing has happened with the right head light on occasion. there appears to be no identifiable pattern to the issue. since this is a safety issue and my web search has indicated others are experiencing the same issue it would seem to be an item of interest that should be corrected by toyota via a recall. the seriousness of the issue cannot be understated. driving down the highway and having the lights go totally out for no identifiable reason is dangerous. i called the toyota dealer and they said the head lights need to be replaced. it seems impossible for me to believe that this is the issue as the dash panel light also went out. .this is not going to be corrected one customer at a time dealing with toyota. replacing the head lights on the prius is a $ 450 job. $300 for the bulbs and $150 labor. i would not be concerned about the $'s if i firmly believed it was a high light issue. i was driving the vehicle and heard the click and the lights go out. i pulled of the interstate. turned the power off and restarted the car and the headlights worked for the remainder of the trip (about 45 minutes) with no issues. this does not sound like a head light problem. *tr
11/19/20091
 I recently both a used 2006 toyota prius from a private seller and in more than one occasion, the headlights would go out intermittently while i'm driving - sometimes one at a time, but sometimes both would go out. i had to cycle the switch to turn them back on. out of curiosity, i went in the internet to find out how i can fix this problem, and that's when i found out that there had been numerous cases of prius headlight problems, particularly with 2005-2008 models. i also found out that toyota dealerships are charging on average anywhere from $400 to $1,000 just to replace headlight bulbs, and i'm not about to fall for that. i don't believe this is a lightbulb problem because the headlights would come back on after cycling the switch. this appears to be a design problem common to '05-'08 models - something with the electrical system. this is definitely a safety issue that needs to be addressed and resolved by toyota asap. i'm surprised that no recall has been issued yet. is toyota waiting for someone to die or get badly injured before they send out a recall? one can easily drive off a cliff while driving in the dark with no headlights on. (fyi, the incident date i have below is the most recent occurrence of this problem.) *tr
11/18/2009650001
 2006 toyota prius headlights went out without warning about 65,000 miles. turning switch off then on again restored light for a very short while. then it went off again. happened first with the right headlight 3 months ago now recently last two weeks the left headlight same problem. *tr
07/01/2009800001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. one of the headlights flicks off, and then turns off while driving. i have to completely turn off both headlights and turn them back on to have the defected one to work again. *tr
11/17/2009600001
 Headlight stops working all of a sudden. when you turn it on then off it works again. does this continuously, i never know when they are out. *tr
08/01/2006150001
 Failure of hid headlights. starting at about 15,000 miles my driver side headlight starting going out on occasion, i figured out i could turn the headlights off and on and it would reset. other toyota vehicles that are equipped with hid's all have on auto sensors on the headlights so one can't turn them off, not so on the prius. i find that interesting, because if one can turn the lights off and on, one would be able to easily and quickly remedy the situation of not having headlights. seems to me that toyota knew about this problem before the car was even in the market. the problem got increasingly worse over the next 3000 miles, at times my passenger side would go out at the same time leaving me with no headlights, that's both dangerous for me and other motorists. i was going on a night drive from st cloud minnesota through montana in winter so i went to the dealership in st cloud mn to fix it. they told me since the light/s wasn't out at the time they couldn't do anything. i had to drive i-94 in the snow, wind, and ice with my headlights going out! i got back after the trip without the headlight on for about 50 miles just to show the dealership. after a lot of noise at the dealership they agreed to pay for the repairs (over $400). but since the problem didn't appear with the passenger side light they couldn't fix that. when i went back the dealership after i got pulled over for not have headlights they informed me that my manufactures original warranty was up i would have to pay the $450 it was going to cost, and my extended platinum coverage would not cover it either. the fix on the drivers side only lasted to about 28,000 miles which was about 5,000 miles after the fix. ever since then i have been driving with or without headlights (it's hard to tell at night in a city!) there is so many reasons why this defect is against the federal motor vehicle safety standard that a recall should be issued immediately! *tr
11/01/2009420001
 Prius headlamp(s) intermittently go out while driving much before the lifespan of the bulb. this appears to be a widespread issue. http://www.hybridcars.com/forums/replacing-headlight-bulb-t910.html. *tr
11/16/2009594001
 I purchased a new 2006 prius in july 2006. prior to the warranty expiring (about 30,000 miles), i noticed that one or the other head light would turn off. turning the head lights off and on again caused the light to turn on again. i was driving to work at night on a very curvy road and both lights turned off at the same time. turning the lights switch off and on caused the lights to come one again. the toyota dealer admitted that there had been a batch of defective bulbs. i had the lights replaced under warranty. at 59,000 miles the same problem is starting over. only one light at the moment, but i expect the other one to start doing the same thing. driving with one head light is very dangerous as well as subjecting you to an equipment violation ticket. *tr
09/01/20091100001
 2006 toyota prius hid head lights are suddenly turning off while driving, and to correct the problem i have to turn the lights off then back on again. but they will fail at least 30 times in a hour, while driving. *tr
04/17/2009466901
 Right headlight intermittent failure. the headlight goes out intermittently without warning. comes back on again (for awhile) when lights are switched on and off. based on internet research, i think this is a common manufacture defect affecting safety. *tr
11/12/2009422401
 At 42,000 miles, my 2006 prius headlights will switch off while driving. the driverside hid headlight will turn off between 1:30 - 3:00 minutes of driving. the issue can be corrected by switching the lights off and turning them on again; however, the headlight will turn off again after a few minutes. at one point, the driverside headlight went out and then a few seconds later the passenger headlight went out meaning i had no running headlights on the interstate at night. turning off and turning on the headlights corrected the issue - only to have it happen again. the headlights will turn off at any speed - 10-75 mph. the driverside headlight was replaced by the dealership as part of my used car purchase. this defect was found 4 days after purchase; the car is going back to the dealership for hopeful repair. *tr
10/15/2009600001
 Problem with headlights in a 2006 prius - first the diver side headlight when out intermittently and after that was replaced the passenger side headlight now goes out intermittently. *tr
10/31/2009492501
 I own a 2006 toyota prius and the hid headlight defect failure happened to us during night time driving almost causing a severe accident. this is a hazard and there are many complaints regarding this. some one will die if this is not recalled and corrected. these headlights are advertised to have twice the lifetime of a regular headlight and go out randomly. it is very scary and is a danger to anyone driving these cars. we had the headlights replaced on 11/4/09 for a total cost of $590.32. *tr
01/10/2008340001
 Hid headlights fail without warning. both my headlights failed before 36,000 miles. they were replaced within warranty, and now at 70,000 miles they are failing again. they work fine when they are first started, but can turn off at any time without warning. *tr
11/08/2009600001
 Intermittent failure of right headlamp on 2006 toyota prius. headlamp goes out and various times and various driving conditions. turning off headlamps and back on resets the headlamp. the headlamp will again go out and have to be reset. *tr
01/01/2009450001
 2006 toyota prius. beginning at approximately 45,000 miles right front hid headlight would go out without notice. by turning off the headlights and turning back on, it the headlight would relight. started intermittently, then constantly until replacement 11/3/09 ($200). one week later, the left front headlight began doing the same thing. i drive on dark, rural roads with deer and other wildlife. this defect is extremely dangerous. have read news reports about hundreds of complaints about this problem. *tr
11/09/2009518611
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with package #8 which includes high intensity discharge (hid) headlamps. the passenger side front headlamp keeps going out. i have taken it to the toyota dealer twice before and the tech was not able to duplicate the problem. i took photos of when the light is out as proof. i took it in again today and the tech tells me that the bulb needs to be replaced and its going to cost $500 for one lightbulb + install labor!!! i bought the platinum extended warranty which doesn't expire until feb 2012 or 100k miles. of course, the warranty does not cover the electrical/light issue. the light sometimes works. there is no rhyme or reason why it does some of the time and not others. this appears to be a defect which toyota should do something about. it's a major safety issue. i am fearful of driving at night because it is unsafe and i can't rely on the light to work. i took it to another toyota dealer this afternoon and that tech says i need to replace the hid computer for ~ $1,000. are you kidding me?? *tr
11/06/2009250001
 Headlamps flicker intermittently until one or the other remains off. this happens every time i drive my vehicle with the lights on. 11/6/2009 i was pulled over by local leo and provided a formal warning to have the issue resolved. if i turn the headlamps off and back on, both lights stay on -- for a while. dealer says this is a known issue with 2006 prius but will not repair because i'm ~2 months out of warranty.*tr
11/03/2009590001
 I have 2006 toyota prius. i bought the car new. when it was about 2 years old, one taillight went out. when you tapped on the light, it would come back on. when it came back on it stayed on until i was traveling to chicago at night and i noticed that people were passing me and pointing to the back of my car. i pulled off the next exit, and both of my taillights were out. my son replaced both of them when i got to chicago and they have not gone out to date. then, when the car was about 3 years old, someone told me that i had a headlight out. i replaced the headlight. three months later. i got in my car one evening in town and did not notice (because the street lights were bright) that i had no headlights. i have since found out that this is a problem with many prius and avalon models. this is a serious safety hazard. i am thankful that i was not 2 hours out of chicago at night this time! *tr
12/15/2008550001
 Our 2006 toyota prius (60,000 miles) has a defective front head light which flickers and goes out until i turn the light switch on and off, which then keeps it on for a short time. repair cost has been estimated at $1000.00. i have been told that this is a common problem, but toyota has not recalled their prius yet. they do not warranty the replacement part. this can cause an extreme hazard to driving on un-lit roads. the bulb on the passenger side flickers and goes out within minutes or will stay on 15 minutes or so. as of this point i have been unable to afford the cost to replace bulb. *tr
11/10/2008412501
 2006 toyota prius - headlight (hid) failure. started with left headlight (passenger side) at about 40,000 miles, then right headlight began to fail at about 45,000 miles. headlights flick off while driving. one or both flick off at any time. can turn back on by turning headlights completely off, then turning back on. but after a few minutes, decrease in intensity and flick off again. toyota dealer has advised this is normal, that the lights have a heat sensor and turn off when they overheat, and that i need to replace both headlight assemblies. *tr
11/08/2009350001
 I own a 2006 prius with hid headlamps. one of the lamps has been intermittent for over well over 2 years. i have been to the dealer and have not been able to recreate the problem. when i do find out that the light is not operating, i simply turn off the lights and turn them back on and the lamp works. not sure for how long, because i cannot see whether or not the light is working until i am behind a car where i can see the reflection. *tr
11/07/2009400001
 Headlight on passenger side works intermittently, been randomly since 5/07, and frequent for past few months. *tr
10/15/2009386001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with only 39000 miles on it. the passenger side headlight keeps going out and i need to keep switching the headlights off and on to get it working. it's a hid headlight and they said it would cost me $375 to change the bulb. a bulb that expensive should last more that just 39,000 miles. it's dangerous. *tr
11/01/2009379101
 Hid headlight in 06 prius behaving badly. *tr
10/27/2009273881
 Purchased a 2006 toyota prius in 2007 and i have had continuous problems with my headlights going out. i first noticed them going out intermittently. took it to the local dealership. and because they had to isolate the problem, i had to leave my car with the dealership for about 2 days. three headlights later, now needing a 4th. one and the cars warranty is up. the local dealership wants approx. $270.00 plus sales tax to replace it. i am concerned about my safety i am wondering if there is something that can be done about this problem. since i purchased the car used i am wondering if the dealership new about this because one of there shop people had owned it previously. this car has been in the shop on 8/07-12/07- 3/09 and now at this date (11/02 i spoke with the dealer ship about this issue) and they never mentioned that this car has had problems in this area. they just wanted 270 plus tax to fix it. please help! *tr
10/28/2009610001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with 61,000 miles on it. at about 48,000 miles, the front headlights started going out unexpectedly. at first, by turning the switch for the lights off and back on would fix the problem and the dark headlight would illuminate again. a few weeks ago, both headlights and the taillight all unexpectedly and suddenly went out while i was driving. the california highway patrol pulled me over on the freeway to find out why i was driving without any lights on. now, the lights come on when i start driving and every time i drive the car at night, all of the lights (both headlights and both taillights) suddenly & unexpectedly go dark all at once. i was driving with my 10 year old niece in the car when this happened last week. this is an extremely dangerous defect. i have been reading that this is a known defect with toyota prius vehicles - i am amazed that the nhtsa has not required toyota to recall the vehicles for this very dangerous safety defect. i have tried to take the vehicle to the toyota dealer for repair, but they told me they didn't have a way to figure out what was wrong and they sent me away without any repairs. today i called the toyota national customer service number and they opened a case. i will be taking the vehicle to the dealer again today and insisting on repairs since it is completely unsafe to drive the vehicle. *tr
06/30/2008600001
 2006 toyota prius hid headlight failure. started with left headlight, 2 years ownership, 1st owner, new in march 2006. left headlight flickered off, but turned back on when the lights were reset. problem became worse over time and now both headlights constantly flicker out. lights will come back on when turned off, then back on. do not remain on for long. taken to the toyota dealership twice, dealer claims no inherent issue with the lights, not covered under my extended warranty, and will cost $850 to replace. (john elway's toyota in ontario, ca). lights do not remain on and creates a hazard to driving. i have been pulled over by the california highway patrol for the burned out headlight(s). *tr
06/13/2009560001
 Headlamps on 2006 prius fail intermittently. left lamp may fail; right lamp may fail; or both may fail simultaneously. turning the lights off then back on fixes the problem for a period of time-- maybe minutes or hours. but the problem persists and presents a danger to both the driver and passengers but also other cars on the road. no accidents so far. repair cost to be $1500. *tr
09/05/2009512001
 I've got a package 6 2006 prius. one of the headlights keeps going out. i can't really tell when or how it goes out since i can't see it. i'll notice it when i see the reflection in the back of another car. if i turn the bright lights on and off it has no effect, but when i turn them all the way off and back on the light comes back. sometimes on long trips it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes on short trips it will go out, sometimes it won't. it is not an event i can make happen. i've taken it to the dealer and they can't make it happen. *tr
10/18/2009670231
 I was driving home from work and it was raining and one of my headlights went out. i almost hit a road rail because it was real dark and raining. that was the first incident. the next day i was driving and one went out and then the second one went out ten minutes later. i called toyota and brought the car in during the daylight. they said the hid bulbs get hot and burn out over time. it cost me 281 dollars. a week later same problem with the right light. however this time i almost killed my wife and i as a car was just beginning to pass me and i lost vision on the right side. guys this is serious stuff. i'm afraid to drive this car at night. i am taking it in tomorrow during the day to have the second light replaced. the service rep was very nonchalant when i asked about the fact that two lights blew out within a week, they are hiding something. you could tell by his non-action. i asked him if this happens often and he said no. well i have found out that is not true and it happens often. does someone have to be killed to get the government to look into this. i intend to write my congressman and senator about this and send them information i have gathered. please help us before we get killed in this car. *tr
10/24/2009700001
 The headlights and tail lights on my 2006 toyota prius have been unexpectedly shut off while driving over the past 4 months. it started with the drivers side only and then moved to both lights and now i've been told my tail light flickers also. i can correct the problem temporarily by turning the lights switch off and then on again, but if i make any turns they fail again. this past saturday night (10/24/09) at 10 pm while on a winding country road i was veering right at about 35 miles per hour when my lights shut off completely and i heard a smack on the right side of my vehicle. i flipped my lights back on immediately and stopped at the same time. i got out of my vehicle and found a woman standing on the side of the road. she said she was fine, but my passenger side mirror hit her elbow/arm. she said she was not really injured and didn't want to call authorities or contact my insurance company. she asked why i turned my lights off when i rounded the corner. i told her i didn't, i had a short in my lighting system. she said i won't press charges, but you need to get those lights fixed. *tr
10/24/2009464531
 We purchased a new 2006 toyota prius. in march of 2008 both headlight bulbs were replaced by maita toyota in sacramento ca, because the head lights would turn off without notice. the dealer paid for the service, as the parts were not covered by warranty, however the nearly $1000 repair bill was what prompted me to request the dealer to pay for the repair. today i paid $280 to maita toyota to replace the driver side headlight bulb again, this is 18 months after the last time it was replaced. toyota claims these hid bulbs will last 3 times longer than standard bulbs, yet i've had 3 replaced in the past 18 months. i have old bulb from todays repair. i consider this a safety issue as it affects the headlights, and results in the headlights going out without notice. at night this could be extremely dangerous. *tr
10/22/2009325771
 Right headlight intermittently inoperative. turning headlights off and back on is temporary solution. toyota dealer replaced bulb, but obviously the bulb is not the problem since it's not burned out. *tr
10/16/2009700001
 Hid headlamps self-extinguish while driving, requiring power switch to be cycled on and off to restart. the consequences are reduced visibility and the possibility of driving with no headlights at night. hid headlamps are well under their design life expectancy and should not be failing. replacement is expensive and time-consuming and according to other owners, the fix is only temporary. been pulled over several times due to defective headlights. *tr
10/11/2008390001
 After about 7 months, i started having the passenger front light of my car intermittently go off and on. if i restarted the car, it would go on to begin with, and then go off sometime while i was driving. when i would take it in to the shop, usually i had to wait a while and the car would be turned off and when the service agent would come over the light would be on and they couldn't do anything. after three fix it tickets from the police, they finally fixed it under warranty. but not long after they fixed it, the drivers side started doing the same thing. i went to the dealer and said that there must be some problem with the lights and asked if this was a known issue and they said no. they said they wouldn't cover it under the extended warranty. when i got home i looked on the internet and saw it is a known issue. i called them back and they said they weren't allowed to tell me it was a problem and they didn't tell me that i should call the national toyota customer care. then a week later i got another fix it ticket from the police. the problem persists till today. i am very nervous at night to drive with only one headlight. the toyota dealership in marina del rey did nothing . *tr
10/22/20091
 My headlights continue to fail, increasing number of times, i reported it when the car was under warranty they could not fix it. 20 times while driving home from the er with my grandchild at night last night both lights went out. how is this not a recallable safety issue? the dealers just charge you to replace light bulbs which does not solve the problem, so then it is not listed as a complaint to them. this problem is getting worst. are you telling police in my area not to stop priuses because it is not a safety issue when they see us driving without a light or no headlights. can i send this complaint to anyone else above your agency? your form does not accept my vin number . *tr
10/20/20091
 I am very disappointed in your decision not to recall the toyota prius headlight problem. to start with both lights on my vehicle go out and also one light goes out just driving for no reason. i have taken it to the dealer and they changed the headlight which did not fix the problem , so i took it to another dealer who said it unfix-able even though my car was under warranty. so basically you have given them permission to have a car that lights do not remain on and cannot be fixed. this has been an ongoing problem since i got the car. has toyota paid off someone? there are other safety issues also in the design of this car and toyota has no motivation to fix them because they are allowed to lie about gas mileage, not tell you about if you have a key break that your car has to be special towed, so if your parked where a flatbed cannot get you your in trouble. also all they had to do was keep the code on file like with regular keys but they refuse to keep the code or even give it to the owner so a key can be made. thus it cost a thousand dollars to get a new key. the date of the headlight problem is ongoing about once a week lately. recent time is noted below. i entered vin it would not take it. *tr
02/20/2009400001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius. the right headlight went out around 20,000 miles. this was replaced by the dealer. at 40,000 the left headlight started working intermittently -- right after it was out of the official warranty. i asked the toyota dealer to replace it, but they said i would have to pay the full repair cost. the light works intermittently -- if you turn it on and off it comes back on but goes out pretty often. this seems like a serious safety issue and i know that many other priuses have similar problems (i see many with one light and i've read of many other complaints). *tr
03/01/2009690001
 Passenger side headlight intermittently fails. starting when the car had approximately 69,000 miles, i would notice that the passenger side headlight would intermittently fail while driving. turning the headlights off and back on again would cause the passenger side headlight to start working again for a time. sometimes the headlight would fail again the same day. sometimes it would be weeks between failures. dealer diagnosed a defective hid capsule and said they would need to be replaced at a cost of approx. $510. *tr
10/17/2009560001
 Front drivers side headlight in 2006 toyota prius intermittently goes out. turning off both headlights and then back on again brings it back to life for a period of time. at least once both headlights failed at the same time. turning them off/on caused them to relight. there are many prius owners discussing the defect at a 600+ comment forum posting listed here: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/34584-headlight-problem.html users have reported that replacing the bulbs does not work and that often the replacement of the wiring or headlight computer is needed. i have replaced the bulbs myself and verified that this action alone does not remedy the problem. *tr
10/12/2009560001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. my driver's side headlight goes off unexpectedly. when i turn the lights off and then back on the light comes back on, but i never know how long it will remain lit. this is dangerous. the lights have some type of problem that no one seems to know how to solve. i drive dark country roads and need reliable lights. *tr
09/07/2007390001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius w/ 75k miles. for two years i've been dealing with a faulty headlight system. the left headlight keeps turning off during use in inclement weather. i never really know when the left headlight is going to fail me. i cannot afford the ridiculous repair fee. i have received numerous warnings by police officers who have been gracious enough to know that my car headlights absolutely sucks. please help me in getting toyota to do the right thing. they didn't have a problem taking my money, but they do have a problem fixing this obvious factory defect. i will never buy another toyota product. i am going to warn all potential buyer to steer clear of this company that denies factory defect accountability. *tr
10/15/2009880001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius and i am having trouble with the headlights going off at random times and you must turn them off and then back on and it happens many times both headlights. i m told by the toyota dealer in silsbee texas that i must replace both headlights at a cost of about $1700 even though i have the extended warranty it is not covered and i have been given a warning for this problem from the japer tx police and it is definitely considered a safety hazard this first occurred at about 44,000 and im finally getting it replaced at about 88,000 miles. *tr
10/13/2009684501
 1. the events leading up to the failure: many people told me that one of the headlights on my prius 2006 was out - when i checked everything was working. 2. the failure, how often it occurs, its consequences: i was driving on a poorly lighted road last night (10/13/09) and almost got into accident because both of my headlights went out at the same time. this was very dangerous and scary with my whole family and children inside the car. i started to pay attention to the reflections of my headlights on the backs of other cars and noticed that the headlights go out quite frequently - one or both at a time. 3. what was done to correct the failure; i.e, parts repaired or replaced (and if old part is available): i brought the car to a local dealer and they recommended replacement of both hid bulbs. i do not believe that the problem is with the bulbs themselves because they actually work fine but some defect causes them to switch off. i called toyota main customer service number and they agreed to open a case #0910122928 and told me that a case manager will contact me sometime at the end of this week. this is unacceptable because i only have one car and have to drive to work and take my children to and from aftercare after dark. toyota explained that they have such a long waiting time because they get many complaints like this. so, instead of hiring more case managers and investigating the issue they just tell people to wait for the next accident! *tr
10/10/2009550001
 Passenger side headlight fails. began at about 55,000 miles. minutes, sometimes seconds, after starting car, headlamp begins to fade, then goes out. if i flick the lights on and off, it comes back on briefly, then out again. warranty has expired, and information from other owners is that this is a common problem, expensive to fix, recurrent (and unreliable) and a serious safety concern for priuses. see other complaints at: http://www.hybridcars.com/forums/replacing-headlight-bulb-t910.html. *tr
09/08/2009660001
 I have a 2006 prius with approximately 68k miles on it. both headlights simply go out without warning. the first time this happened, i was on a back road and nearly went off a corner into a ravine. it was my presence of mind to brake quickly and cycle the headlight switch that prevented a serious accident. based on my research, this is a known problem yet there is no bulletin or announcement of any kind being sent out to prius owners. when the dealer said that it would be nearly $700 to simply replace the bulbs and that might not be the end of repairs to correct the actual problem, i was speechless. i'm unemployed at the time and such a costly charge to do something that won't even address what is clearly a defect is simply not acceptable. i had to sleep in my car on a business trip that i just returned from because i didn't want to take a chance on being pulled over at night for defective equipment and incur even more expenses. will someone actually have to die in order for this issue to get the response that it deserves from toyota? your agency, without full review of data that toyota was to send to you, has prematurely decided to not treat this as a safety defect. you have made a mistake and leaving this as a civil court matter is a complete cop out. *tr
10/03/2009480001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. the driver's side headlight has been going out intermittently for about a year. it comes on just fine, but after driving a short while, it sometimes (not always) goes dark on its own. turning the light switch on & off completely usually gets it back on. recently, both headlights went dark all on their own after i had been driving a short time. the police noticed & pulled me over - very dangerous situation. i turned the lights off & on and they both came back on, so the police let me go. this happens almost every time i drive the car at night. i don't always notice when they've gone out - this is very dangerous. i've taken it to the dealer, but they cannot figure out what is causing it. they told me they could replace the bulb, but that might not fix the problem. i have read about this happening in many other toyota priuses year 2006-2008. *tr
12/01/20081
 1. normal operating conditions 2. passenger or driver side headlamp goes out. intermittently 3. bulb replacement. *tr
10/07/2009420001
 Headlight regularly goes out. turning lights off and on it comes back on. *tr
10/07/2009647001
 Hid headlight shuts off while driving in the dark. flicking the switch off, then on turns it back on but later shuts off again. *tr
03/01/2009495001
 My 2006 prius has the intermittent flicker/fade/failure problem with both headlamps as i have seen reported by other prius owners. i had an auto repair shop replace the drivers' side headlamp in march, 2009, but it resumed the fade/fail pattern within a couple of months. dealership wants over $500 to replace one unit, with no guarantee that this will cure the problem. it is hard to think the bulbs are the problem when they are at normal brightness most of the time.*tr
09/05/2009390001
 Contrary to your investigation report, both hid headlamps failed simultaneously at interstate speed. only light remaining were fog lamps. head lamps reset after toggling switch. the problem has happened more than once. please reconsider investigation or recall. *tr
10/04/2009370001
 Headlights cut out. *tr
09/29/2009540001
 My 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights has had a problem since about 25,000 miles where the left headlight will periodically go out. i can get the light to come back on by turning the lights off and they come back on. last week i was driving on a dark country road with my bright headlights on and they both went out. it was completely dark and i applied the brakes while trying to hold the car straight so i did not strike a tree or pole at the side of the road. i fumbled with the switch and was able to turn the lights on by turning the switch completely off and then back on. i had to turn the lights off and back on every couple minutes to keep them working. it was very dangerous and frightening. i understand that your investigation into other complaints ended without a recall because both lights did not go out with some of those surveyed. i will tell you that both of my lights went out completely with no forewarning. *tr
08/26/2009350001
 After several attempts to have toyota cover the cost of replacing hid lamps in my 2006 toyota prius they finally did so at no charge for parts but charged $100 labor stating that i could get that refunded by toyota provided a recall on the lamps was issued. the problem is that the lamps go out intermittently while driving. when or if the driver detects that one lamp goes out then by turning the switch on and off quickly the lamps always restart but again they will go out again maybe in 15 minutes or maybe never. as a driver you may not notice it until they both go out. i had been driving my car fro over a year before the dealer finally admitted that they were aware of the problem. replacing the lamps fixed the problem immediately. the incident date below is the repair date. *tr
10/01/2009250001
 While under warranty, less than 30k miles, left headlight of 2006 toyota prius failed while driving. then a month or so later the right headlight failed. then both. when lights were turned off and then turned back on, they usually illuminated again at least for a short time and then failed again without warning or pattern while driving. dealer replaced both headlights at 30k. at 45k, pattern began exactly the same. at 50k service, dealership was made aware of problem, did nothing because they said they could not reproduce the problem in shop. at 55k, dealer was again made aware of problem, was able to reproduce it in one headlight and offered to sell the one new headlight for $400 plus labor. this is a serious safety issue. even if the headlight is replaced at great expense, pattern will begin again. toyota knows about the problem. the dealerships know about the problem. they are not fixing it because it is expensive for them and it makes sense for them to profit by selling expensive hid headlights, which they do not cover under extended warranty. if there has not been already, there is going to be an accident and a lawsuit about this problem. last night after dusk i realized my lights were out only when an oncoming car swerved to avoid me. *tr
09/01/2009450001
 Headlight failure on late 2000 model year toyota prius. hid headlights are repeatedly failing, usually both at once causing the driver to find him/herself in total darkness. second set of replacement headlights in 18 months, costing $1,000 per set to replace. *tr
09/15/2009800001
 Headlight bulbs turn off intermittently, usually the passenger side. when light switch is turned off then back on the light will work. at least one time both lights went off at night leaving no visibility for several seconds while i turned off then on the switch. this was very hazardous at 55 mph. it appears there is a wide spread problem with these lamps and should be recalled by toyota. dealer replacement of the two bulbs will run more than $400. *tr
07/26/20091111671
 Passenger side hid headlight goes off after a few minutes of driving. can turn off and back on and they will stay on for a few minutes. numerous other complaints on the internet of the same issue. *tr
09/16/2009190001
 2006 toyota prius headlights go out. first my right headlight would go off while driving. at times it worked. one night i was driving home on a very dark street and my headlights were so dim i could hardly see. i then turned on my brights and the lights went out completely. i have checked my lights while car was parked and the same problems occurred, including the bright lights going out. *tr
09/15/2009558981
 2006 toyota prius hid failure for unknown reasons. headlights work intermittently. deal says to just replace bulb that is not correcting the problem. works one minute then out the next. *tr
12/30/2008420001
 No injuries yet, but with headlights continuing to go out, it is only a matter of time. i just hope it isn't me or my kids. http://www.hybridcars.com/forums/replacing-headlight-bulb-t910.html. *tr
08/25/2009790901
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. the headlights go out intermittently. first the drivers side next the passenger side. if i turn off the lights they will come back on. sometimes i can't tell if a headlight is out until i pull up to a window or behind another auto. last night both headlights went out. i turned off the lights and they came back dim. thank god i have fog lights as it was late and needed to get home asap. i don't know when my lights will work and when they wont. toyota dealership says they are aware of this problem and i need the bulbs replaced (cost of $300.00) and from my internet research i have found this to be a common (scary) problem. most people replace the bulbs only to have the problem persist (leading to other expensive repairs) and not feeling confident and safe in their auto. again, the lights just go off suddenly which is a huge safety issue. *tr
06/21/200601
 2006 toyota pruis headlight failure. on going problem with one of the head lights spontaneously turning off. taken to dealer and they said it was a bulb issue. bulb replaced for approx $200 but it did not resolve the issue. when one of the bulbs does burn out there is a real probability that there will be no headlights. this is not right and needs to be addressed and corrected by toyota. *tr
09/25/2009350001
 Intermittent front headlight loss on my 2006 toyota prius. loss occurs soon after drive begins. headlight can often be regained by tuning lights off then back on. *tr
08/07/2009483001
 My 2006 toyota prius experiences problems with its drivers-side hid headlight. it is very expensive to replace this ($299 at the toyota dealer). investigating this on the internet turned up hundreds of posts about the same exact issue, often on the 2006 model year toyota prius. the light randomly turns on and off - which is a major safety issue, not to mention the expense of getting it replaced. we were not even aware of the problem until we were stopped by the police and given a warning to get the headlight replaced. with so many other owners of the toyota prius having the exact same issue, i wonder why toyota is not issuing a recall. to add insult to injury, the dealer was not even sure if the problem was with the headlight or with the computer that controlled it. i was told today that they would first replace the headlight (for $299) and if that did not resolve the problem, they would have to replace the computer for an as-yet undisclosed cost. please investigate this and urge toyota to recall the headlights and/or the computers. thanks mohan *tr
08/23/2009960001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. over the last month, or so, the driver's side light goes out while i'm driving. the only fix i've found is to turn the lights off, then on again. the lights will then remain on for approx. 10-20 minutes, at which time the same light goes out again. the problem seems to be happening more often as time passes and the time the problem repeats itself is getting shorter. i tried to have the dealer look at it, under warranty, but was told that they would charge me a $100 inspection fee. since then, i've heard of many other prius owners that experience the same problem. i believe this is a safety recall issue that needs to be addressed by toyota and/or nhtsa. *tr
08/11/2009277001
 2006 toyota prius headlight began intermittently failing 3 days after my 36-mo. warranty ended. rate of failure steadily increasing. car had under 28k miles at time of first failure. online research shows me that this is a widespread safety and design problem that toyota generally ignores and expects the consumer to pay outrageous sums to repair. i am about to report my problem to toyota, but wanted first to add my voice to the hundreds of others complaining to the nhtsa., in the hope that toyota will be forced to do a recall to fix this dangerous safety problem in its cars. *tr
09/19/2009450001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius...both head lights go out while driving at night. sometimes one goes out, then the other goes out, and then sometimes both go out. i have to turn the switch off then back on to reset the lights. sometimes the lights would flicker, then extinguish completely. sometimes i don't know they are extinguished until i come up on another car. this is an extremely dangerous situation, i notice this is a problem on many prius'. please take this situation seriously before someone is killed! thank you. *tr
09/19/2009370001
 The driver's side headlight simply goes out. this started after approximately 37,000 miles. the headlight was replaced under warranty once and now it is happening again. once while on vacation in new mexico on a two lane road at night it happened and when i turned off and on the headlights, both lights remained out. i stopped and was very close to the edge of the road and switched the headlights on and off again and they came back on. this was a very scary incident. i'm tired of going to the dealership and having them propose solutions that cost from hundreds to over a thousand dollars to resolve. within the past month, i have been stopped by a state trooper because of the headlight being out. when i explained the situation, cycled the headlights off then on, he saw that both headlights came on and gave me a verbal warning instead of a citation. this is a hazard that is well known, but toyota chooses not to deal with it. that attitude and situation needs to be resolved before people get hurt. below, i'm providing today?s date because it is constant and ongoing. *tr
09/01/2009450001
 When the headlights are turned on, the left headlight on my 06 prius is randomly flickering, or turning off, or turning on. the failure occurs frequently, and unpredictably. the right headlight is not exhibiting those symptoms now, but i'm concerned that i could find myself driving down the road at night and have both headlights turn off. i am taking the car to the dealer to get this repaired tomorrow. i got the dealer to provide the replacement bulb for free, but i will have to pay for a couple of hours of labor. you already have a report on this that you closed, nhtsa action number pe09019. i don't think that report should be closed, and toyota should do a voluntary recall to fix what is clearly a design problem. thanks! *tr
01/13/200712000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. he stated that intermittently the headlights failed. occasionally, he was able to immediately turn them back on; however, an impairment of visibility while driving increased the risk of a vehicle crash. he was advised by an authorized technician that the failure is common among his model type. the vehicle has not been inspected to determine the cause of the failure nor has the vehicle been repaired. the vehicles identification number was unavailable. the failure mileage was 12000. the current mileage was 46000.
09/17/2009300001
 Re: 2006 toyota - prius both head lights go out while driving at night. sometimes one goes out, then the other goes out, and then sometimes both go out. i have to toggle the switch to reset the lights. sometimes the lights would flicker, then extinguish completely. this is a high risk driving situation, especially when driving at highway speeds & i encounter curves in the road. *tr
04/10/2009400001
 Intermittent failure of hid headlights on my 2006 prius, beginning spring 2009. this problem is unexplainable - the bulb is not burned out but only works sometimes. this is a safety hazard at night. first happened on passenger side. had toyota dealer replace the bulb, which seems to have solved the problem on that side. but same problem began on driver's side shortly after passenger side was fixed. i have read that other prius owners have experienced same problem, indicating a manufacturing defect. *tr
08/01/20091
 I own a 2006 prius and i have been noticing my hid lamps randomly flicker off these past few weeks. the failure occurs everytime i turn on my headlights. i have not done anything to correct the failure yet but am going to go to my dealership to get it looked at. *tr
05/07/2009584001
 My toyota prius has developed headlight problems that can't be permanently fixed without costly work. the headlights turn off intermittently for no reason. it usually can be rectified by turning off the lights and turning them back on. however, this has had some serious consequences. in one case an oncoming car thought my vehicle was a motorcycle nearly clipping my car. i was furious and the driver stopped to explain. i didn't even know my left headlight was off. in another case i was distracted by the light problem and turning off and on the lights that i nearly drove through a red light. this is very dangerous and it's left me without any sense of security that my lights are working or when they might fail again. it's a sporadic problem that happens with both headlights, usually one at a time. in the past month it's occurred at least once every night that one or the other light has turned off. at times i don't even know it's off. *tr
09/06/20091
 My 2006 toyota prius right hid headlight has failed and i bought a replacement from toyota for $162, i will attempt to replace it myself. this is the second lamp failure on this car, the first was the left which toyota paid for ($740). $700 for a headlight is outrageous!!! *tr
06/01/2009400001
 Both hid head lights on prius 2006 fail intermittently after only 40,000 miles. toyota is refusing to replace them, even though they can fail without warning during night. it is just a mater of time before someone is killed. *tr
09/01/2009510001
 Headlight is intermittent. possible faulty ecu board. *tr
01/12/2009461431
 Hid headlamp(s) failure of my 2006 prius. one (1) lamp can be intermittent (off & on) without driver being aware of it, but when both of them go out you are immediately in the dark and that's what happened to me. total outage only happened one (1) time, then the dealer replaced the bulbs. the car had 45,000 miles on it at the time. *tr
07/03/2008160001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. the right lamp started shutting down without warning when the car was about 18 months old and 16,000 miles. then in a few weeks, the left lamp started doing the same. through out a typical week, the right lamp shut down about once very 3 times i drove it. the left lamp would shut down about once every 5 to 6 times i drove it. both lamps could shut down in any single trip. i took it to the dealer and they would not fix it unless it failed in their shop. i said that it could sit there for a day or two before either one of them shut down. about 3 hours later, the right lamp shut down.....they fixed it no charge (it was under the normal 36/36 warranty....but said it would not be fixed under the extended warranty - which i bought for about $1000 when i bought the car). i asked about the failing left lamp and they said it too had to fail. i asked what if it failed the next evening (sunday).....they said that i should pull over and call them.....which was not possible as they are closed after their normal hours and do not take calls. well, the left lamp did shut down again within the week. i pulled over and took a picture of the left lamp out and the right one on. since then, the left lamp goes out nearly every time i drive the car and headlights on. this is most of the time, as i always drive with my lights on for conspicuity and safety (have done this for over 35 years in all cars that i drive). i essentially do not drive this car now until i get the left lamp fixed....and i will not pay the $460 that the dealer wants to charge. this is a design defect and a significant safety problem with these cars. toyota must take accountability and fix this problem at their cost. you cannot have a safety component/sub-system fail without warning.....on this many cars (many, many reports). i solicit nhtsa's support in forcing toyota to schedule a safety recall for these vehicles. i want all of us to drive safely. *tr
07/10/2009350001
 My toyota prius 06 had issues with the hid headlights. they started to flicker off at about 35,000 miles until eventually, they stopped working entirely. the warranty covered the replacement of the bulbs and so i was satisfied. unfortunately, the issue has surfaced again, this time i'm at 57,000 miles and only 1 year and 6 months later. now they are saying the warranty is up and i need to pay almost $1,000 dollars to fix this problem. details of issue: the lights would flicker and dim, then eventually produce no light. it happened on both sides left and right the first time. switching them off then on would make them work again at first, but eventually, that did not work. the second time, it is happening on my passenger side headlight. same exact issue. *tr
07/14/2009450001
 I've got a package 6 2006 prius. the headlights keeps going out. sometimes its just the passenger side and sometimes both. i can't really tell when or how it goes out . if i turn the bright lights on and off it has no effect, but when i turn them all the way off and back on the light comes back. sometimes on long trips it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes on short trips it will go out, sometimes it won't. the problem with intermittent hid headlight operation appears to be common with the prius. *tr
02/06/2008400001
 I own a 2006 prius- the headlights do not function properly. while driving in the dark (and day) either the right or left headlight turns off. this is so unsafe. first the dealer explains there are some issues with other customers; then they admit there are many issues. when searching online i come to release there is a big issue. to date toyota has not recalled this safety issue. *tr
01/01/2009400001
 My 2006 toyota prius with hid lights has a serious safety issue in that at any point while i am driving, one or both of the headlights will flicker, dim, and eventually turn off. the only way that i can get the headlights back on is to turn the headlight switch all the way off, then turn it back on again, causing my car to be without headlights for at least two seconds each time i must do this. at times, it is difficult to notice that one light has gone out, and on multiple occasions, i have found myself driving without any headlights as they have both turned off due to this electrical/bulb failure. i am very afraid of driving at night, as at least one headlight, if not both, will turn off about every thirty seconds. it is very dangerous for the headlights to turn off without any warning. i have contacted toyota and they claim that bulbs are not covered under warranty, so they will not pay to fix the problem. the dealership has quoted me at $1,500 to replace the bulbs and computer ecu unit, which is an exorbitant amount to pay for something that is clearly defective and very dangerous. *tr
09/01/2009638681
 2006 toyota prius headlights problem. the front passenger headlights shot off by itself and i have to turn the headlight switch on and off several time and the headlight will turn back on again. i feel it was very dangerous when driving at night when the headlight turn off by itself and i got a fixed ticket by policy because of defected headlight. *tr
08/02/2008430001
 We purchased our 2006 prius from stafford toyota, stafford, va in aug. 2006. just short of a year, we started having a problem with the driver's side headlight that we just thought to be a loose bulb and when going down the road it would pop back on and my husband being out of town alot with his job, never took it in. then a year and a half into owning the car the light would not come back on until you recycled by turning off and back on the switch, which is un-nerving since other motorists don't have a clue as to why you are doing it. then at 43,000 miles the passenger headlamp began doing the same and by 52000k miles we had loss of both headlamps for periods of time to where the problem became to blatant. we then began looking into the problem and found online that other's were having the same problem and called corporate directly after hearing many people were took by their dealers for several hundreds of dollars, which never fixes the problem. corporate has agreed to pay for replacement, but cannot tell me my recourse after todays repair and i am afraid we have a lemon and wonder what can be done. will they also pay for a ticket that may be issued when it starts to happen again? the parts taken off were kept by the dealer, and we have faxed the replacement request for reimbursement to the corporate level for immediate reimbursement. *tr
07/09/20091
 Toyota prius 2006 with 50k miles was in auto accident, hit from behind; 1 week after car repairs completed, headlights went out while driving at night; tuned them off then on, stayed on that evening; following day headlights went out, again, would need to turn lights off then on to get light; then they were dim or would go out; went to toyota dealer, said it was unusual for lights to be out at 50k mileage, said could be because of accident, i addressed it with insurance company who did not consider the lights related to the accident, toyota dealer told insurance company the accident would not have caused the lights to go out, i was told the cost to replace both headlights would be $537.60. lights have yet to be replaced so i am unable to drive at night. *tr
08/26/2009674001
 Toyota prius 2006 headlight failure on passenger side at 67,000+ bulb fixed and it failed again immediately. *tr
09/01/2007400001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius on which both hid headlights intermittently fail. i started observing the problem around with around 40,000 miles on the car. the most frequent occurrence is that only 1 light goes out, though on more than one occasion, both headlights have failed simultaneously. when i approached my toyota dealer with the problem, pointing out that it appears to be a defect and a significant safety concern, they told me the bulbs need to be replaced and this is not covered under my extended warranty. though i did not get a written quote, the cost was identified at about $350 + labor and taxes per side. i expressed my significant concern at this cost for an issue which appears to be a design or manufacturing defect and i was only directly to contact the toyota customer care center.*tr
03/11/2009500001
 I have an intermittent driver's side headlight on my 2006 prius. i have been stopped by the police for safety reasons and i am concerned as it goes out, without warning, at night. the frequencies is every few minutes of so. i must continually switch the lights off and back on to get the headlight working for a few minutes. toyota knows of this problem but will not acknowledge it or fix it. the dealer knows of the problem but insists that i spend over $600 for a headlamp. (they later agreed to give me the lamp but want a $200 deductible to fix it.) i have been trying to get this fixed for over a year now but have had no results. *tr
04/15/2009550001
 Toyota prius - 2006 - headlights intermittent operation. *tr
12/15/2008712861
 Standard headlight failure in a 2006 toyota prius. i've replaced 4 sets of bulbs since december 2008. the bulbs fail in normal operation, typically the low beam fails first, then the high beam. generally both bulbs fail within a few hours of each other. i've had he car to the dealer twice for this problem. the first time, they could find no problem. the second time - today - they say the sylvania silverstar bulbs i've been using aren't toyota parts so that's the problem, not the car. i was convinced this is defect in the vehicle that the dealer just can't be bothered to identify, but after a brief google search i found that i am not alone. most complaints involve hid systems, but there are numerous posted complaints involving the standard headlight system installed on my car. this is a serious safety defect and it will lead to serious injury and/or death if it is not investigated and corrected quickly. please intervene on my behalf and on the behalf of all the other prius owners who are getting no support from toyota in resolving this defect. *tr
08/25/2009750001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. one or both of the headlights go off while driving. turning the light off then on will bring the lights back on. apparently this is a problem shared by many toyota owners with the high intensity discharge bulbs. (deduced by online blog chat) replacing the bulbs seems to require replacing a headlight light control ecu sub-assembly. working headlights can run close to $900.00. toyota rationalized this extremely expensive system by estimating that it would last 7 years and provide better light. my vehicle is only 3 yrs and 8 months old so those bulbs didn't live up to their life expectancy. also, i would say that on my own subjective evaluation the headlights always appeared rather dim. the light seemed just barely acceptable. *tr
08/25/2009393001
 I have an intermittent problem with passenger side hid light on my 2006 toyota prius. several people have informed me that the light was out. when i checked the light it was back on and working. i find from the internet that this is a huge problem with the 2006-2008 prius. i am attempting to get the toyota dealer to solve the problem. it is a highway safety issue that toyota needs to resolve with a recall. *tr
08/13/2009462001
 2006 toyota prius, l headlight has been turning itself off while driving. on 8/13/09 both headlights began turning off while driving. i was able to turn lights off and back on again and lights came on for a few minutes then started turning off again. *tr
06/01/2008650001
 The passenger side headlamp on my 2006 prius will unexpectedly turn off. if i quickly turn the lights off and on again, then it will usually fix the problem but not all of the time. this headlamp failure happens about 80% of the time that i use my headlamps. the dealer wants $1700 to fix the problem which they say has an unknown cause. the cost is excessive for me at this point. *tr
08/15/2009720001
 Hid lights intermittently failed. sometimes turning them off and then back on would temporarily fix the problem. replaced driver's side light several months ago. just replaced the passenger side light today at the dealer, costing over $250. *tr
06/26/2009263441
 My 2006 toyota prius has a problem with headlights going out intermittently. toyota says they replaced lights after we insisted there was a problem. they noted problem was caused by a short that they say nothing about fixing. it took 2 visits to get problem resolved due to intermittent nature. i think this is a defect and dangerous. they need to address this problem. there are numerous postings on web of this and all indications are that lights and control modules have problems. i am writing to national center for dispute settlement, but think odi needs to step in. thanks. *tr
08/06/20091009001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. i am experiencing failure of the headlamps for the second time in 15 months. last year when the headlights would go out while driving, turning off the headlights and then turn them back on the lights would have the light working again for a short time. i had the lights replace last summer and they then worked. now the issue is starting again. i have own many different cars and have never had to replace headlights multiple times in 15 months. *tr
08/01/2009686751
 Multiple failure of hid headlights which dim or go out. bulbs and modules have been replaced many times in the past. *tr
09/06/2008550001
 I complained to my service dealer about a front headlight in my 2006 prius that kept turning off. i was told that to repair the problem it would require a new part to be installed at a cost of approx. $400.00. i indicated at the time that i was unprepared financially to pay 400.00 to fix the issue. in the meantime i have discovered that this is a known issue with quite a few prius models. in fact currently i consider this problem to be a major safety issue as very often my left, right and sometimes both headlights will shut off while driving the car. this is extremely dangerous at night as i have found myself driving on the road and both headlights shutting off at the same time. the work-around for this safety hazard is currently to turn off and turn back on the headlights but as you can see this is not a permanent solution. i love everything else about this car except for this dangerous problem and feel that as a consumer i should be able to drive a car in which i am confident the headlights will not automatically shut down while driving. there is obviously some fault in the design or performance of the headlights mechanism and toyota should perform a recall on this, or at least pay for the necessary fixes to repair this issue. *tr
08/09/2009540001
 Hid headlight on 2006 toyota prius turned off while driving, has happened more than once. *tr
08/01/2009360001
 Intermittent hid headlights of toyota prius 2006-2009: the hid headlights tend to fail intermittently after the vehicle is 2 -3 years old. these lights can be restarted by switching the headlights off then back on. it is only a matter of time before both lamps will fail in a serious situation and serious injury or death will occur. i highly recommend that toyota be made to recall these vehicles and either change out these lamps or replace them with some other lamps that have definite failure so that the owner knows they must be replaced. the cost to replace the headlights is very expensive and toyota should also be forced to modify these vehicles to encourage headlight replacement asap. *tr
09/01/2008480001
 Headlights fail intermittently while driving. headlights work again after light switch is turned all the way off and on again. this appears to be a frequent problem with this car based on internet postings. *tr
03/06/2009280001
 The headlights on my 2006 toyota prius start going out on their own after about 18 months. i had both replaced in fall of 2007 and they both started to fail again in spring of 2009. they will both go out on their own while i am driving or one at a time will go out. turning the switch completely off and back on turns the headlights back on.....for awhile. *tr
08/07/20091
 On my 2006 toyota prius, the hid headlamps frequently flicker and turn off at differing times. i've had the connections checked in case something was loose, but all connections were tight. i'm worried the lights will shut off when i'm in an area with no streetlights to light the road, thus potentially causing harm to myself and my occupants. *tr
08/07/20091
 Hid headlamps on a 2006 toyota prius will shut off at random times. turning the lights off then back on will re-engage the headlamps. there have been times where both lamps have shut off at the same time. *tr
07/31/2009600001
 I have a 2006 prius with hid headlights. the car has approximately 60,000 miles on it and the headlights will go off intermittently. if one goes out, i can turn the lights off, then back on and they will both work. my concern is if they both go off at an inopportune time. also, the driving tail lights react the same way. sometimes they work, sometimes they do not. i have read this article as well....http://www.allaboutprius.com/blog/1022113_high-intensity-headlight-horrors-perplex-prius-owners. *tr
08/02/2009782121
 2006 toyota prius - headlights flicker on and off intermittently for no apparent reason. headlights will dim until they are totally dark. if i turn them to off and then turn them on, they will stay on for a period of time. it seems to be a random occurrence that happens several times a week. *tr
08/10/2008480001
 Toyota prius 2006 headlights intermittently shuts off. it is temporarily fixed by manually turning the headlight switch off and on but this will only last for 2 minutes before it turns off again. it started with the driver side first and now both lights are affected. *tr
07/15/2009450001
 For no apparent reasons, both my right and left hid headlights (2006 prius) intermittently will go off independently and at random times. sometimes while night driving i cannot see the road very clearly at all because only 1 light will be on. turning the switch off and back on will temporarily re-light them, but during the 'off' time i've almost no visibility for a second or two. *tr
09/22/2007400001
 2006 prius high intensity discharge (hid) headlight goes off without warning. hid goes off after being on for only a few minutes. turning headlights off & then back on turns the hid on, but it goes off again (sometimes after only a couple of minutes & other times after a longer period of time). *tr
07/24/2009580001
 My 2006 toyota prius has 58,000 miles. the passenger side hid headlight intermittently goes out on low beam. the high beam will not work. toyota wants $150 for the bulb plus installation costs. i have visited many web based sites that indicate this is a wide spread problem. i believe you should require toyota to fix this problem. *tr
07/31/2009568001
 20-06 toyota prius with hid headlight failure. *tr
06/10/2008653211
 The hid head lights on my prius burned out quickly, and very expensive and difficult to replace the bulb, and then burn out again! i am currently driving around dangerously with just one head light. *tr
06/01/2009692101
 Intermittent headlamp failure while driving. turn lights off and back on and lights work. headlight assemblies both sides replaced 1/2008 replaced bulb passenger side 6/1/2009 and driver side 7/31/2009. *tr
06/18/2009590001
 My headlamps on my toyota prius go out by itself ( sometimes on the right) and sometimes on the left. if i turn the lights on and off again it comes back on. but in the middle of driving it just cuts out by itself. i was surprised that there was not a recall from toyota when i called the dealer. they said they have had quite a few other owners with the same problem. i actually had this happen many many months ago when my brother said my headlight was out, i turned it off and on and went to look at it was fine. did not think much of it, until now when my uncle driving in front of me told me that my light went out in the middle of driving. *tr
07/29/20091220191
 The hid headlamps on my 2006 prius go out intermittently. i have to turn the headlights off and back on. i am currently on my second set of headlamps. the drivers side headlamp was replaced but the bulb continues to go out at random. *tr
05/01/2008400001
 The hid (high intensity discharge) headlights on my 2006 toyota prius are failing. turning them on and off will usually result in them lighting up, but they will go out again. i understand this to be common with this model. it started at approx 40,000 miles with the driver-side, and this spring the passenger side also started to go out. the car now has about 53,000 miles. *tr
04/18/2009385001
 Toyota prius 2006 high intensity discharge headlights. left side went out at 35,000 miles and was replaced under warrenty. right side went out at 38,000 and was no longer under warrenty, replacement cost was $700. *tr
07/15/20091
 Passenger headlights of 2006 prius are turn off at random times. when this happens, lights must be turned all the way off and on again to have lights come on. (which indicates the bulb is not burnt out). *tr
07/22/20091585111
 Headlights are dropping out and need to be turned off/on very frequently to illuminate the roadway at night. both headlights are dropping out more frequently than in the past at the same time which causes a very hazardous driving condition especially for other drivers on the roadway and those unfamiliar with the toyota prius hid failure problem. this is an extremely common problem on 2006 and 2007 toyota prius with hid and there are hundreds if not thousands of complaints regarding these failures. the media is finally covering this somewhat but is it going to take an injury or worse yet a death to cause something to be done about it? individual drivers like myself are attempting to keep our cars safe and road worthy but at a cost of anywhere between $500 - $2000 to have working headlights that may only last a few months or a year and then need replaced again we can not incur these costs. with an approximate 1.5 to 2 hours (toyota specification) to change a bulb and requiring special tools (toyota specification) owners almost have no choice but to take the car to a toyota specific dealership. please, please, please escalate this investigation and issue a recall for toyota prius hid bulbs for the 2006 - 2009 model years. you have noticed that the new improved 2010 toyota prius does not use hid bulbs at any trim level correct? toyota knows of this problem which is why they stopped using the hid's. now something needs to be done about it to correct the issue on the 2006 - 2009 vehicles. thank you in advance for your quick and courteous reconciliation of this issue. *tr regards, chris barr
06/15/20091
 We have experience front headlight bulb failure twice on our 2006 toyota prius. one failure in march 2008 and again june 2009. in both cases, the lights went out and could only be restored by turning the front headlights off completely and turning them back on again to fail a short time later. both had to be replaced at a substantial cost of approximately $400 plus the danger of having to reactivate the lights while driving at night and multiple police stops due to the failed light. two times in one evening alone. *tr
05/17/2009850001
 Intermittent headlight failure while driving at night. was told by toyota service department the right side headlight was bad. dealership cost prohibitive so i bought 4 replacement bulbs. replaced both bulbs myself, fairly easy to do. passenger side bulb continued to go off every now and then. brought back to dealer. dealer replaced passenger side balast. said lights ok. drove to work next morning, bulbs worked great on 19 july 09. started to drive to work on the morning of 20 july 2009 and passenger side light failed and blew apart. dealership claims it's the bulb's although the driver's side bulb is just fine. *tr
07/15/2009790001
 Headlight on 2006 toyota prius intermittently dies causing a safety issue. *tr
03/15/20091
 After owning my used 2006 toyota prius for a week, i had my 1st incident: i was driving down the road at night, and right headlight went out, while left headlight remained on. turned the headlight switch to 'off' position, and then to 'on' position. the headlight came back on for about 5 minutes, and then went off again. about 2 weeks later, i started having the same issue with both headlights. i used the same method as above in order to get the headlights to come back on. it does not seem to matter whether or not i have just started the car, or whether it has been running for a while... the bulbs go out when the car is 'cold' and when it has been running for a while. i took the car to my regular mechanic to see if it was the bulb, etc. ( as electrical problems will not be covered under my used car warranty ). i almost wrecked the car going around a dark curve in the road the other day, when both headlights went out. i have also been pulled over twice for improper equipment... but fortunately, i was not fined. i expect that i will eventually get a fine if this problem doesn't get fixed... or worse... i could have a wreck and be killed... as most of the driving i do is at night, and often... i drive on country roads that have no street lights... not to mention... deer running out in the road. *tr
07/15/2009720001
 While driving my 2006 toyota prius the lights flicker and sometimes go off. *tr
07/19/2009352121
 My 2006 toyota prius headlights go off unexpectedly while driving. when i notice one going off, i turn the lights off then on again and the light comes back on. only one goes off at a time. most often it is the left light, but sometimes the right. i have received one ticket already. this has been going on for six months. my father's 2007 prius has the exact same problem. toyota replaced his small battery, but he still has the problem. *tr
04/30/2009450001
 2nd headlight problem to report. 1. normal driving. 2. right headlight turns off at random times. this is in addition to left headlight problem reported earlier.. have notices several instances where both headlights were off at the same time. i do not drive after dark very much at this time of year, problem becomes apparent when pulling into garage or when noticing reflections . 3. turning the headlights of and on again initiates a restart. problem recurrence is random. *tr
07/15/2009820001
 2006 toyota prius. my headlights failed on mountain road without any warning. i was doing about 50mph and swerved into the shoulder to avoid going off cliff. this vehicle is a death trap after dark and somebody is going to lose their life because toyota doesn't seem to take this seriously. i called their consumer hotline an was told i would have to foot the bill of nearly $900.00. i was then told by toyota to have the car repaired and they would reimburse me. i found a toyota dealer to do repair for $502.00 and now toyota tells me this was not a participating dealer even though it was an authorized factory toyota dealer. it truly seems like toyota is trying to avoid this problem. i now want to sell this car asap but am concerned for the safety of the person who will ultimately buy it from me. i'm wondering if i could face a lawsuit for knowingly selling a car with this serious safety defect ? please help us !!! *tr
06/10/2009980001
 Headlights turn on and off, one at a time with out rhyme or reason. sometimes the passenger hl will be out, sometimes the drivers side, other times both are on. *tr
07/08/2009670001
 We own a 2006 toyota pruis. the headlights turn off. we had the same issue repaired about 2 yrs ago when the car was relatively new. now it's back. looking on the web, there is significant anecdotal evidence that there is a significant design flaw with the lights. there are literal thousands of pointing on this particular issue. it is not a major financial problem for us as the first was fixed under warranty and we bought the extend warranty that cover this also, but it is a safety hazard as the lights will eventually totally go out when driving. to restore them, you have to rotate the light switch from on to off and back on. my guess is they have a problem with the circuit card, but aren't doing anything to deal with it. it would be interesting to know if toyota changed the circuit card design. *tr
04/12/2009450001
 Approximately 2 mos ago the driver headlight began to flicker then fail, intermittently but regularly each time it was turned on. i would be able to get it to come back on by turning my lights off then on again. a few weeks ago the passenger side headlight began to do the same thing. now everytime i use the lights, one, the other or both at the same time will fail ,forcing me to do the of/on thing to re-engage them. they will both fail again shortly thereafter. *tr
07/17/2009450001
 Driver's side hid headlamp shuts off after being on for a short time. turning the headlamps off and back on restarts the headlamp. this started at around 40,000 miles and now the passenger's side headlamp is occasionally showing the same symptoms. *tr
08/20/2008450001
 2006 toyota prius has had headlights on both sides replaced due to 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
07/10/2009750001
 My 06 toyota prius has the hid headlamps. at about 40,000 miles the left hand lamp began going out at odd times and coming back on again by turning the switch off and on again. before i got toyota to agree to replace them (at $850) i was driving down a dark road with no moon at night and they both went out on a turn. that was when i increased my complaints and they replaced them at toyotas cost. the car now has about 76,000 miles and the left lamp is acting the same way. i will replace the lamp and complain to toyota, but feel this is a safety issue and the lamps should be redesigned or recalled en-masse. *tr
08/01/2007250001
 While under warranty, driver side headlight flickered and would go out. it would always come back on after turning the headlights off and on again. same thing happened a few months later with passenger side headlight. dealer replaced or repaired both at different times while under warranty. no longer under warranty, and i have paid for a replacement headlight once. at present, both headlights flicker and go out, now with remarkable regularity. fortunately, turning them off and on again corrects the problem for a few minutes, so i have never been forced to stop driving at night (although i have been stopped for driving with only one headlight at times). at this time, i am at the point where i turn my headlights off and on every five minutes day and night. it has become a nervous tic. *tr
06/27/2009600001
 Intermittent headlight failure on toyota prius (2006) headlights (hid) without warning. teenage driver received two summonses for driving at night without lights. toyota (dealer and corporate) recalcitrant re:acknowledging problem (confirms lights working normally) requiring replication in shop (charging diagnostic fee to examine whether lights are off or flickering) despite law enforcement summonses. *tr
06/01/2009464521
 I have a 2006 prius with hid headlights and have noticed that on one occasion one of the headlights was out. the problem was intermittent as turning the headlights off and on a little later fixed the issue. i understand that this is a common problem at this time with the prius and wanted to lodge a safety complaint against toyota on the issue. *tr
07/08/2009712001
 Headlights work intermittently. have changed the light bulb modules twice and the problem still occurs. *tr
06/28/2009432651
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with less than 45,000 miles. the driver's side headlight is either failing to light, lighting and then going out at some point while driving, and sometimes can be reset. cost to fix is between $400-500 and is not covered by warranty. problem could lie in the computer that controls the headlights and may be causing damage to these bulbs that run around $150 or more each. if that is so, then this problem will reoccur. *tr
07/05/2009240001
 My 2006 toyota prius had intermittent headlight failure for over a year - i am aware from prius owner website of several hundred others with this same problem. after being stopped for faulty equipment, stranded in an extremely dangerous area of downtown miami, i paid $963.00 on 6/26/09 to have both hid sub-assemblies replaced. they failed again on sunday july 5, less than two weeks later when i was on the fl turnpike, over 150 miles from home, miles from a rest stop or help, alone and in the dark. i was forced to drive in the dark for miles before i could pull over and wait until daylight. toyota has been made aware of this dangerous issue but have done nothing to correct it. it is not a mileage issue - i have put less than 200 miles on the car since the blasts were replaced. someone is going to be badly hurt if toyota does not step up and find a more permanent solution to the faulty hid ballasts. *tr
07/04/2009615001
 Failure of hid headlight on 2006 toyota prius. *tr
07/06/2009406001
 I had the passenger side hid headlight fail on my 2006 prius long before it should have failed. i have 40,600 miles on the car and have owned it since april of 2006. *tr
01/01/2009340001
 Both headlights on my 2006 prius go off intermittently. when i turn the headlight switch on and off they come back on (until they fail again). this has been happening for over 6 months but was infrequent at first. now the failures occur almost every time i drive the vehicle. i understand that many prius owners have the same problem. some have been charged as much as $500 per headlight to repair. this is not an ordinary issue of replacing worn out parts but is clearly a safety related engineering defect. i am trying to get toyota to repair this without charge - but from what i know there should have been a recall to fix this problem. *tr
06/26/2009644251
 Hid headlights on my 2006 toyota prius both failed within the time frame of 2 weeks. this left me with only partial view at night. notably, toyota has not taken action to correct what is now becoming a glaring design safety defect. the cost to repair these lights is astronomical and the dealers have been taking advantage of customers charging very high prices for the bulbs and the labor to replace them. unfortunately, the problem only returns and i expect to have this problem for the life of the car, leaving me at the mercy of toyota corporate, who thus far has agreed to pay only a portion of the repair. in summary; the toyota prius has a design defect that causes the high intensity headlights to fail. at first they go on and off, then completely off. due to the cost, many customers do not have these replaced. this should not happen on this vehicle. *tr
06/15/2009700001
 I drive a 2006 toyota prius with the hid headlights. i read that my problem has been happening to a lot of prius owners and their is an investigation started, so here's one more case to add to the books. one headlight would go out randomly. it would alternate between the passenger and drivers side, but would never happen to both lights at the same time. it would happen about every other day. there were no particular events that led to this problem starting, but i did notice that sometimes braking hard correlated with the light going out, but they went out without braking hard as well. whenever one light went out, flipping the lights off and immediately back on would make both lights function again. i took it in for work 3 times. the ballasts got changed, then the bulbs got changed and the wiring harness checked, finally both the bulbs and ballasts were switched out with brand new ones of a different brand. it appears to be working so far. my mechanic probably still has the old parts if you wanted them. consequences: i got pulled over twice for lights being out that i thought i had fixed, very irritating, luckily they understood and gave me warnings. *tr
12/10/2008550001
 Nhtsa pe09019 - 2006 prius, have had 1 passenger and three driver's side hid bulbs fail within 6 months. *tr
04/01/2009500001
 The passengers head light works intermittently. when it goes out, if i turn the headlight on then off, it comes back on. i have hid headlights in the car. *tr
07/01/2008420001
 The left and right headlights sometimes go out independently of one another. other times they both go out. of course, this is not good while driving in darkness. flipping headlight switch to off and back on fixes the problem, but sometimes it's only a temporary fix and i have to do it again a few minutes later, and other times both lights remain on. for unexplained reasons, the problem is occurring more frequently now. it seems that this is not uncommon in the prius and i, myself, have seen other cars with a headlight out here in the burlington, vt area. in fact, a co-worker took his into the shop and they said it was a bad bulb. what i'm reading is that it's not the bulbs.*tr
06/27/2009600001
 Intermittent alternating hid failure that until last night had not involved both headlights at he same time until last night. something faulty since replaced hid bulbs already. safety issue when headlights go out the same time and you are driving on the highway. luckily i was in town so pulled over and turned off switch and turned again and lights turned on for five minutes and then blinked out again. *tr
06/15/2006350001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius with high intensity discharge headlights. both headlights go dim and then go out while driving independent of each other. many times both will go out one right after the other. they do this often, but on a random basis. when the switch is turned off then on the come back on for a short period. the toyota dealerships i have taken the car to say they think it is the bulbs, however they can not guaranty it. they also tell me that toyota has a long back order on the bulbs. in reading a few hybrid web sites and blogs, i have read numerous other owners complaining about the exact same problem. when driving down a dark highway it is very dangerous to all of a sudden have no headlights on a car and then to be told that it will be over $750 to maybe fix the problem. the problem started with one light a few years ago and was sufficiently intermittent that after the $750 estimate i decided i could live with it. now it happens often and to both lights. *tr
06/10/2008650001
 Toyota prius 2006 model has issue with hid headlight sensor. *tr
06/25/2009499181
 Hid headlights have failed 4 times in 3 years. bulbs are burning out between one week and 16 months of being replaced. crash will occur if both malfunction at the same time. dealer where car was purchased replaced or repaired at no charge the first 3 times, but charged for the fourth. old parts unavailable. *tr
01/01/2008400001
 The hid headlights on my 2006 toyota prius has a problem where it would randomly, without warning turn off, either at the same time, the left will go out, or the right, some times one then the other. there is no reasoning to it. i can most of the time get them to come back on by switching the switch off and then back on again. this has been occurring for about two years and seems to be happening more frequently. dealer once quoted me close $800 for replacing the bulbs but declined since it was so expensive and i found out from other people that had the work done than it did not really fix the problem. *tr
06/05/2009640001
 Hid headlight on 2006 toyota prius safety issue. passenger side headlight went out in dec 07' at approx 34,000 miles - dealer replaced. driver side headlight went out in apr 08' at approx 39,000 miles - dealer replaced. both headlights went out in jun 09' at approx 64,000 miles. dealer refused to replace indicating that the car is out of warranty. toyota customer experience center contacted for assistance. told that they have had complaints regarding this issue, but that they do not have to do anything because a recall has not been issued, but are willing to work with dealer on giving me some sort of goodwill gesture. this is a vehicle defect as well as a safety issue. car is presently unusable after dark because of issue. *tr
05/01/2009650001
 Headlight (hid style) flickers and/or goes out unexpectedly. lights come back on after cycling them off and on again. but the problem still repeats itself under all driving conditions. *tr
06/20/2009600001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius. the drivers side headlight was intermittently going out. i had it replaced by a toyota dealer. now, the passenger side light is doing the same thing. since both did not go out at the same time, i have not had an accident, but i am concerned that i might. i am afraid to take chances not replacing this one, even though the cost is about $300, because if both went out, i could have an accident. *tr
09/15/2008710001
 I have a 2006 and have been dealing with the passenger side light going off after 15 seconds for 6 months now. after contacting toyota of america they didn't agree with me that there was any issue, they even went as far as to tell me that i couldn't believe everything that i read on message boards. i expressed my displeasure with the situation and complained that this is a safety hazard, they of course didn't agree. after paying nearly 200 dollars for a diagnosis i was told that i have a bad computer and the computer has now caused the light to be faulty as well and both need to be replaced for a mere 500+ dollars. unfortunately i don't have an extra 500 just laying around in this current economy. the car is not in warranty as it has 90,000 miles and this problem started right after i hit 70,000 miles. which just happens to be the miles for warranty of the lights. we'll i'm out of state at the moment and now the driver side light is going faulty. so now we're talking about a cool $1,000.00 to fix something that is a total safety hazard in which toyota should do a recall and fix at their expense. also my dvd nav system doesn't work either and hasn't now for some 7 months. *tr
06/18/20091
 Toyota prius headlight failure for the 5th time. *tr
11/01/2008850001
 The driver side headlight on my 2006 toyota prius turns on and off. i took it to my mechanic to get it fixed and he told me the light was fine and there was no loose connection. he witnessed it turn off and told me it is probably some issue with the computer and he can't fix it. he told me to take it back to toyota. additionally, my radio volume goes up by itself when the car is hot. the light seems to turn off more when it is hot. it pretty much always turns off after 15 minutes of driving in the summer weather. it is unsafe when it turns off. i will take it back to toyota to get it fixed. i have heard this is a common problem for the 2006 prius. from the online blogs i found, i heard the costs will be between $1500 - $2800 to fix. this has been going on with my car for about 8 months that i am aware of. it is often hard to tell if the light goes off. if it goes out, i can turn the lights on and off and on again and it will work for another 20 minutes. *tr
06/16/2009380001
 Passenger side hid headlamp was randomly turning off. soon both the driver's side and passenger headlamps would go out while driving and with no particular repeatability or consistency. while driving at night this was a very dangerous situation. the hid headlamps sometimes would return if the headlamp switch was turned off then back on, but not always. no warning of the problem occurring would take place, i.e. when the car was turned on, the headlamps coming on was not an indication that they would stay on. *tr
06/05/2009580001
 Headlights will intermittently go off. if you turn the headlight switch off and back on, it will usually come back on. i have been to the dealer three times about this in last year and half. once they both went out on a dark highway! the brain, light assembly and bulbs have all been replaced, some multiple times. this appears to be a common prius problem from what i see on the web and mechanics have confirmed it's a known issue. *tr
05/30/2009450001
 Periodic and unpredictable failure of driver's side hid headlight. turning off and on corrects the problem, but then it goes out again. car is just past 36 months, with 45,000 miles. have noted many similar complaints in database and am aware of official investigation in progress. *tr
02/15/2009750001
 Hid lights regularly fail despite being replaced. lights illuminate, then flicker and die, first the passenger side, then drivers side. if the lights are quickly turned off, then back on they will illuminate again for several minutes, then repeat the same failure. the fog lamps are unaffected. *tr
05/20/2009260001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights with approx 26,000 miles. the driver's side headlight goes off intermittently, usually after 10 or 15 minutes. if i turn the lights off, and then back on, the headlight goes back on for another 10 or 15 minutes. it is impossible to tell when the light is out or not without seeing a reflection in the bumper of another car. consequences are driving without headlights, obviously a dangerous situation. the car is out of warranty. toyota will replace the bulb for $275. i have an extended warranty but this is not covered. it seems to be a very common problem with this year and model. *tr
01/01/2009600001
 I am having the issue reported in nhtsa action number: pe09019. issue with 2006 toyota prius exterior lighting: headlights. sometimes one of my headlights is off or is dim/flickering. turning the headlights off and back on fixes the problem most of the time. i rarely use my high beams, but around christmas 2008 i was using my high beams and was either turning them off or on and all my headlights went out. i also had my fog lamps on and can't recall if they went out as well. turning the headlights off and on brought back the headlights. i've had this issue with the headlights on and off since that time. *tr
04/10/2006150001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with hid headlight system that constantly goes out. i am without headlights until i turn off the unit and turn them back on, this only last for a little while and i have to repeat the process. i have brought the car to toyota dealer numerous times to have them fix the issue and they return the car to me without trying to resolve the problem. it is a very dangerous incident that can possibly cause and accident or serious injury. 1. normal driving, nothing out of the ordinary leads to the lights going out. 2. 10 minute drive... occurs atleast half the driving time. 3. taken to toyota dealership 3 times to investigate and repair with no resolution.*tr
03/01/2009650001
 2006 toyota prius, passenger side headlight goes out intermittently. turning off and back on seems to correct. *tr
05/18/2009500001
 Headlights fail intermittently. *tr
01/01/2008600001
 Beginning february 2008, both hid headlights on my 2006 prius would randomly turn off -- sometimes both at the same time if i'm not careful watching them. turning the hid headlights off and back on will turn the headlights back on, but they will randomly turn off again. i've asked toyota to investigate and they told me that it would cost $800 to replace the hid bulbs, as it requires removal of the front bumper to replace. they told me that they could not guarantee it would fix the problem, and that some other parts might need replacing as well. i believe this is a manufacturing defect as there are now over 500 complaints of this nature. in addition, one of my rear positioning lights is out. i've received fix it tickets for one headlight out and also this rear positioning brake light. please issue a recall! as this is very unsafe that headlights can randomly turn off!! *tr
07/01/200817961
 1) intermittent failure of the headlights (hid). typically, passenger headlight will go out but now affecting driver's side headlight too. sometimes, they will start working when the lights are turned-off and then on. it has been diagnosed as both problems with the ecu and the hid bulbs. 2) intermittent electrical failure affecting ability to put the car in park. i receive a message warning me that the p park could not be engaged and to park it on a flat surface (which i virtually always do). some of these problems first manifested when the car was at 1,796 miles and 2 months old (documented by the dealer with a request to toyota for technical assistance) but they were uncertain as to the problem and suggested we monitor it. now, it is a frequent occurrence and a significant safety issue. it is 37 months since purchasing the car and it has 43k miles. i have an (essentially) worthless toyota, 7-year, platinum, 100k mile warranty with 0 deductible, which will only cover the ecu (cost $678.66) but i will have to pay $927.02. *tr
05/10/200980001
 Right rear tail light keeps going out. i have had it replaced or replaced it myself 7 times in the past 3 years with extended life units. it has been the only unit to go out in my vehicle. i have also noticed other toyota prius with the same tail light out in the past year and a half to two years. in six of those incidences, i was ticketed by the police. *tr
05/30/2009615151
 2006 toyota prius headlights intermittently fail while driving. the hid headlights in our 2006 prius will fail at an unpredictable interval. both headlights will become inoperative individually, and at times simultaneously. this can be temporary remedied by cycling the headlight switch to the full off position, then back on. when headlight failure occurs while traveling at highway speeds this is very dangerous. on a trip from petersburg, va to alexandria, va, the headlights failed no less than 20 times. not only is this a safety violation but the unpredictable nature of this issue may result in a traffic violation fine. *tr
05/07/2009500001
 I was informed by the service manager at the toyota dealer during a routine oil change that my driver's side headlight was beginning to fail. he warned me that it was flickering a bit after being turned on, and that this is commonly the beginning of the end for the bulb. i had noticed the flickering for many months, but was not aware that the bulb was actually going out completely. the headlight is now failing regularly, after just a few moments of being on. it will come back on again if turned off and then back on. i fear this as a safety issue, as well as the potential for me to get a moving violation from the police. nothing has been done yet to fix the failure, as the dealer told me this was not covered. this issue falls under nhtsa recall campaign number: pe09019. *tr
05/14/2009479551
 While driving my 2006 toyota prius, the right headlight randomly turned off without warning, which could be very dangerous. turning the light off and then back on would relight the light. the light finally went out and stayed out. i had the bulb replaced, which has temporarily fixed the problem. researching the problem on line shows there are many prius owners who experienced the same problem and are being charged $1000 to $2000 to repair. if both headlights go out at the same time, which has happened on some prius's, this could cause a deadly accident. i believe this warrants an odi investigation and a toyota recall to fix this dangerous problem. *tr
05/27/2009430001
 The headlights on my 2006 toyota prius go out intermittently. i have arranged to have the headlights replaced, but in researching this problem, i have discovered that this seems to be incredibly common. i only have 43,000 miles on my car, so this is too soon to have to be replacing headlights at over $300 apiece - probably over $800 with labor. having headlights suddenly go out is incredibly dangerous, and there should be a recall. *tr
01/22/2008652951
 The headlights on my 2006 prius suddenly go off while i am driving at night. i asked the service department at toyota of morristown in morristown, nj to inspect the headlights at my 60k mile service and i was told there was no problem found. i continue to experience this problem. the driver's side light seems to only operate at 50% capacity when it does work. *tr
01/01/2008400001
 One or both headlights fail with no warning at increasing frequencies. now almost every night. when i turn them off and back on they will work again for a period of time as short as five minutes. this has been occurring for about one year now. *tr
05/21/2009455401
 Intermittent hid headlight failure, initially affecting only one headlight. most recent incident affected both headlights simultaneously while driving at night. problem is resolved (temporarily) by switching off headlights and switching them back on, indicating that the bulbs and fuses are still functional. *tr
05/15/2009598001
 2006 prius hid lights intermittent. while driving on a dark road on the way to work my lights went out, i turned off and turned on my light switch to get the lights to go back on. luckily the road at the time was straight. if not i could had easily driven off the road and possibly traveled into a ditch and flipped over. *tr
05/19/2009450001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius with high intensity discharge headlights. i have had numerous issues with the headlights malfunctioning. i have had one assembly completely replaced on the passenger side of my auto. currently, the driver side light is also going out. the dealer has refused to repair the driver side light as toyota has deemed the issue is not covered under my warranty and would result in an out-of-pocket cost of over $400. this poses a serious safety issue as the lights only work on an intermittent basis. based on my research, i have determined that this issue is a pervasive issue with the 2006 toyota prius. there is a 130 page message board thread about the issue here: http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/34584-headlight-problem.html. i strongly believe that this is an inherent issue that toyota should address for all of the owners of a 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. thank you for your time. *tr
01/10/2009450001
 I am filing a complaint regarding my 2006 toyota prius with regard to the headlights. i am experiencing the headlights turning off unexpectedly while driving at night. i have approximately 50,000 miles on the vehicle. i was told at the toyota dealership in anaheim, california that it would cost me almost $500.00 to replace the headlamps but have since read that this is an ongoing problem with other prius owners with approximately the same model year and mileage. i feel that this should be the responsibility of toyota to recall this problem and have it fixed. *tr
08/01/20081
 Both of my headlight go off while i am driving from time to time, incident happening more and more frequently. *tr
11/01/2008320001
 2006 toyota prius hid headlights will flicker and eventually shut off after minutes of driving, i can turn them back on by flicking the headlight switch off then back on again but they randomly shut off causing a safety concern when driving at night. *tr
04/30/2009300001
 Headlights (both, but so far just one at a time) turn off intermittently. can't tell when it happens. notice it in a reflection from the car in front. can turn lights off and then on again to make them work. just never know for how long. *tr
05/08/2009697501
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. the left front headlight failed and was replaced on november 10, 2007 for $522.05. it failed again on may 8, 2009 and was replaced today for $274.28. the right headlight failed on january 1, 2008 and was replaced for $$187.50. the right headlight failed again on february 16, 2009 and was replaced for $272.64. there are nearly 500 nhtsa registered complaints regarding sudden loss of headlights on the 2005-2008 hid headlight equipped toyota prius automobiles. these complaints all describe an identical defect in the headlight systems of these cars: one or both headlights will unexpectedly shut off while driving the automobile. clearly, having one or both headlights unexpectedly shut off while driving, especially at night, is a serious safety issue. in addition to the almost 500 registered nhtsa complaints there are hundreds of internet forum posts documenting the toyota prius hid loss of headlights issue. the nhtsa registered complaints and the forum posts provide a wealth of data describing the problem including: accounts of suddenly having both headlights shut off while driving at night in traffic, toyota
05/12/2009450001
 Intermittent functioning headlights in my 2006 toyota prius. i already had my passenger side headlight replaced by toyota dealer under a technical service bulletin. the same problem occurred with the drivers side headlight. when looked at by the dealer the first time (mileage at 39k) no issue was found. headlight went off and on intermittently for several months after that. when looked at by the dealer the 2nd time they indicated the ecu and hid bulb needed replacing for about $650. not covered by warranty due to my mileage being at 45k and the warranty ended at 36k. this is a very common and well known problem with the prius's so i believe the repair should be covered by toyota. *tr
02/18/2009800001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius. about 3 months ago, i began to have an intermittent problem with the right headlamp. it will turn off while in use. the problem is solved by turning off and turning on the headlights. it only occurs after they are already in use. as i said, it is intermittent. it also occasionally flickers while in use. toyota will only replace the entire headlamp, and charges around $500 per headlight to do it. the headlamps are hid, and from what i understand were supposed to last the life of the vehicle. *tr
04/05/2009420001
 I have been experiencing a periodic failure of the high intensity discharge (hid) headlights on my 2006 toyota prius (package #6) with about 42,000 miles. the headlight that fails is usually the driver's side. i can get it to turn back on by turning off the lights and then turning them back on again. this happens occasionally, but seems to being happening more frequently over time. the dealer advises the repair is on the order of $500 and requires significant disassembly of the front of the car. i looked at a discussion forum for the car (http://priuschat.com/) which listed many similar experiences (some identical) for both the 2006 and 2007 models with hid headlights. the fact so many headlights fail the same way and at the same frequency indicates ac system problem. toyota does not have a recall on this problem. *tr
01/11/2009550001
 Like all the other notices from 2006 toyota prius owners, between 55,000 and 60,000 miles, the headlights of my 2006 toyota prius began an intermittent turn off while driving. the headlights came back on after turning the lights on and off quickly (a safety issue in itself!). started with the drive side light, then the passenger side began, which made me fearful of losing my headlights totally while driving. was told that the balast/computer overheats & shuts down. good solution to prevent a fire, i guess, but not good for driving safety. replacement quote was $600 each -- dealer did give me a 15% discount, so ended up costing $510 each ($1,020.00 total!). called toyota of america and they are investigating, but, based upon all of these complaints and my own experience, this is a real safety issue and needs to be corrected by toyota. i love my prius recommend it to everyone, but toyota really needs to address this now. *tr
05/07/2009500001
 2006 toyota prius hid intermittent failure. driver side and passenger side. has been going on for 1 1/2 years. *tr
05/01/2009410001
 Driver side headlight shuts off intermittently but stays off until the headlights are turned off and then back on. this is the second time this failure has occurred. the hid bulb was replaced about 6k miles ago. the vehicle now has 41000 miles on it. this is a safety issue which toyota needs to address quickly. *tr
05/03/200940000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving various speeds at night, the passenger side headlight failed. the contact must turn the light switch on and off for the headlight to illuminate again; however, it fails again without notice. he stated that the failure was intermittent and is in the process of taking the vehicle to the dealer. the manufacturer will be notified. the failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage was 100,000.
11/15/2008400001
 Right headlight turns off intermittently. turning the switch off and on with turn the headlight back on. after a short period of time it will shut off again. *tr
05/03/2009695001
 Headlights fail intermittently - one or both headlights (hid type) will go out without warning. turning the headlight switch off and then on will fix the problem for some amount of time before the problem recurs. *tr
01/01/2009400001
 2006 toyota prius driver side headlight flickers and goes off. it restarts if i turn on and off the headlights. *tr
12/10/2007206601
 My 2006 toyota prius began experiencing sudden headlight failure after 20,000 miles. i would be driving at night and suddenly both headlights would go out, i would switch them off and on again, and they would come back on. sometimes i would be driving on city streets, not aware that they had gone off, and other drivers would stop me and tell me that my headlights were off. i would check the switch, see that they were supposed to be on, toggle the switch and they would come on. i took the car to my local toyota dealer where i have all my maintenance done. after investigating for a few days, they replaced both h.i.d. headlights and corrected the problem. now, 20,000 miles later, i'm experiencing the same problem. my left headlight suddenly will go out and have to be turned off and then on again to light. this happens every few minutes, most alarmingly on crowded freeways at night. i took the car back to the dealer, and they replaced the left headlight. they didn't charge me for the light because of my previous experience, but i did have to pay the labor fees, since the car is no longer under warranty, but exhibiting the same problems that it did when it was. i'm very concerned that this is going to continue to be a dangerous and costly problem. i don't feel confident that my car is safe to drive at night, because unless you are looking for the problem, headlight failure is something that you might not realize has occurred until it's too late. also, it doesn't seem reasonable that i'm supposed to replace a very expensive part every 20,000 miles or more to continue to operate my car safely. *tr
10/15/2008390001
 Right side headlamp went out on my 2006 toyota prius prior to 36,000 mile warranty, headlight repaired under warranty. at or about 39,000 miles left headlight goes out intermittently, desert toyota wants 399.00 to replace headlight. did not complete repairs. headlight consistently goes out every few minutes when on. *tr
04/29/2009442701
 Was told by someone that one of my headlights was out. when i checked, it was fine. took car to dealer and they said headlight was out and that it would be intermittent. cost is $421 for a bulb! *tr
01/07/20091
 When driving at night one, and many times both, headlights have gone out. if i turn them off and then back on they work again so it is not the bulb. this has happened on back rural roads where i live and on the freeway. it is very disturbing and dangerous to all of a sudden driving in the dark. it has happened at least once a week for the past 6 months. *tr
05/01/2007240001
 Malfunction in hid headlights for toyota prius is chronic - always flashing off and on - mostly off. they were replaced once in 2007 for free while under warranty. this has been occurring constantly for the past 6 months and although i have a 5y/100,000 mile warranty, the dealership said this was only covered under the 3 yr/30,000 mile warranty and wants to charge me to fix this issue that is chronic with the prius. *tr
03/27/2009590001
 One or both lights go off spontaneously, when i shut the lights off and put the back on both lights work for a short period of time, whereas the problem recurs where either one or both lights will shut off again. it is a constant problem. the driver's side light seems to be affected more often. obviously when driving at night it is dangerous and life threatening. the bulbs have been replaced. *tr
02/12/2008400001
 Prius 2006 - hid headlights - they intermittently shut off. always come on at startup, then will go off, usually in first 10 minutes of driving. turning off switch then turning it back on will make the headlights come back on. sometimes they stay on, other times they go off over and over every few minutes. this is an ongoing problem. *tr
03/01/2009290001
 Toyota prius hid failure. *tr
04/23/2009250001
 Passenger side headlight(hid) started going off and would come back on after switch was switched off and back on. failed at night when wife was driving but she couldn't tell it was out. i asked dealer about it and they just suggested that the bulb be replaced at 500 dollars per bulb. should replace both bulbs at same time. total 1000 dollars for headlight bulbs. i bought a bulb from dealer and replaced it myself. it works for now. but???? *tr
04/16/200970000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the front driver side head lamp sporadically failed which reduced her visibility. as a consequence her risk for serious injury and a crash were increased. a technician stated that they were unable to diagnose or duplicate the failure. the contact is responsible for paying $1800.00 to replace the headlight. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 70,000.
04/21/2009300001
 1. one of the headlights turns off without warning while driving or idling. 2. this occurs several times a week. 3. i took my car to the dealership twice. the bulb was replaced, and the headlight assembly. but the problem still occurs. the last incident was 04/21/09. *tr
04/14/2009630001
 The headlights go off while driving mostly the drivers side light but one time both headlights went out at night. toyota wants over six hundred dollars to replace light bulbs which they say are the problem. light bulbs are not the problem because when the lights go out, you can turn them off then back on and they both come back on and work properly. they have gone out three times and the forth time the morning i took it to the dealership for repairs. *tr
04/17/2009400001
 2006 toyota prius. occurrence: constant -- every time. headlights go out despite switch being on. headlights sometimes come back on after being turned off and back on. sometimes not. sometimes it is the left headlight, sometimes it's the right one. according to the toyota forum http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/34584-headlight-problem.html this seems to be a pretty widespread problem with little unified response from toyota. several dealerships have apparently charged for some corrective effort, but there does not seem to be a solid corrective action plan in place for anyone to follow - on their own or through toyota. i'm marking today as the incident date, (because it's a required field) but this has been going on for several months. i am glad i decided to check on line before replacing the bulbs -- turns out it would probably not do any good. taking the step of filing here so i can keep a copy on file in the event of a traffic stop. what do i tell the police? thanks for your help on this. *tr
02/28/2009470001
 Drivers side headlight failure. on briefly then turns off. *tr
01/01/20081
 Hid lamps intermittently flicker and go out. sometimes one or the other, sometimes both. turning the light switch off then on corrects the problem. does not matter if it is low or high beam, experiencing the same issue. *tr
02/09/2009464601
 Headlight stops working then restarts..never know when it is going to work..this happens now daily , started just every now and then. dealership replaced connection 137$ now 2 months later..out again. pulled over by police 3 times. *tr
03/17/2009300001
 My 2006 toyota prius uses high intensity discharge (hid) headlight bulbs. these bulbs are suppose to last 10 years. the same bulb has failed twice now in the past 12 months and there are many noted instances of this same thing happening to other prius owners, yet toyota has not found a way to resolve the problem. the dealership is the only authorized repair place to get the problem fixed with the cost ranging from $350 for just a new bulb to $1500 if the relay needs to be replaced. *tr
04/11/2009720001
 The right headlamp goes off at random intervals while the car is been driven. problem clears for a short period of time after the car is power cycled. *tr
07/01/20081
 2006 toyota prius hid headlight (driver's side) fails intermittently. the light will go out intermittently, but will come back on i the switch is turned off and on again. this problem began several months ago, and is getting progressively worse (more frequent). i was advised by the dealer that i would have to leave the car with them so they can watch it until it fails, which is impractical since i need the vehicle on a daily basis. *tr
07/01/2008400001
 Around 40k miles headlights would shut off. first occurrence happened on major freeway at night. immediately pulled over and turned off car. when starting car back up, headlights turned on. this problem occurs at least every other day. big safety issue considering headlights can go off at night while operating vehicle. *tr
04/07/2009420001
 I have intermittently failing hid headlights and my 2006 prius has just over 36,000 miles on it. *tr
01/05/2009500001
 Headlights intermittently go out on both the passenger and driver side of my 2006 prius. problem was identified by dealership as manufacturer defect. dealership removed and replaced headlights and computers. the total cost for the repair by frontier toyota was $1,323.86. i requested 100% reimbursement with toyota. toyota agreed to pay for parts only. toyota is aware that this is a common issue with the prius but does not take responsibility that this safety issue is a manufacturer defect. the safety issue and cost is exorbitant. *tr
04/02/2009715451
 2006 prius high intensity headlamps flickered went out and restarted when turned off and on and eventually stopped working at 40,000 miles in march 2008, had bulbs replaced by toyota loyalty, now in april 2009 with less than 30,000 more miles same thing happening, unsafe to drive at night, toyota loyalty refuses any further assistance, repair estimated to be over $600.00. obviously defective part or design. toyota loyalty claims that controllers were replaced in 2008, but dealer denies, stating only replaced bulbs. *tr
06/01/20081
 There are over 800 nhtsa registered complaints regarding the 2005-2008 toyota prius intermittent hid headlight defect. yet, the nhtsa has not opened an investigation. will someone or some family need to suffer through a deadly accident before an investigation is opened? *tr
06/01/2008300001
 Intermittent failure of hid headlights on 2006 prius beginning around 30k miles. temporarily fixed by switching lights off and on. unable to replicate for dealership. occurs at least once each drive in car, any mileage. other owners have had same problems. cost of repairs at dealership have ranged from $380 per lamp. in one case a dealer charged a prius owner $2600 to repair the problem. this is an unsafe manufacturing defect warranting a recall by toyota. *tr
09/01/2006400001
 I own a 2006 prius and usually have to drive to work or from work before the sun comes up or after it goes down. i do not keep my headlights perpetually on while driving. at about 40,000 miles (weeks after the warranty ends) my left headlight flickers off, but i turn the light switch quickly off and on and the light works again for a while longer, then it goes off again. i take it in and the dealer says $646 to replace one, and other will need it too, so $936 for both. dealer says the bumper has to be dropped down to get to the lights, that is the biggest expense. when i drive it home right from the dealer the right headlight goes out too, with the same quick off/on to get it working again. some days i can turn it on once and drive 52 mile to work without them going off, other days one or the other cut off 5-10 times or flicker for a few minutes. many of my colleagues and friends say they drive their new expensive cars with headlights perpetually on with the same type of headlight, and have no problem or no expensive replacement costs. i fell that the shortlived headlamp is a product defect and bizarre process to drop the bumper to replace the headlight is a manufacturers defect. *tr
12/15/2008400001
 Drivers side headlight goes out after being on 1st. after the headlights are on, the left(drivers side) headlight simply goes off. if i turn the headlights off again, they both come back on, and then again, the drivers side headlight goes back off. prior to this issue, both headlights would go off, i would turn both headlights off, back on and they'd be fine for a little while, and the cycle of off and on, on and off would continue! *tr
03/28/2009297001
 Safety issue: my 2006 prius hid headlamps only work intermittently. one or the other will randomly go out. cycling power usually fixes the problem. *tr
11/01/2008300001
 Both headlights turn off, separately and intermittently. must turn the headlight switch off and on to turn light(s) back on while driving. increasing in frequency. *tr
03/01/2009600001
 Headlight goes out intermittently... turning off all lights for several seconds and then back on turns the light back on.... dealer said bulb needs to be replaced for about $300..... internet forums indicate this is a problem with the prius over several years... and does not fix problem... others have replaced controller boards, bulbs, wiring, all to no avail... there should be a recall to fix the problems.... i have also purchased the extended 100,000 mile warranty. *tr
08/10/2008620001
 The headlights on my 2006 toyota prius blink on and off. sometimes the left sometimes the right and sometimes both. the failure occurs almost daily and sometimes multiple times a day. when the lights turn off usually turning them off and back on will make them work again. brought my car to toyota and they told me that i had to replace the complete headlight unit and casing on both sides (cost $350 each plus labor. total cost about $800) i found that the headlights are not sealed units as i was told and have not had them replaced yet. *tr
01/01/200901
 Passenger side hid headlight goes out every 3-4 months. at first it is intermittent, and difficult to say when failure occurs. over time the period for failure gets shorter. dealer says it is my problem. cost of continual repair is over $300. per light. also, fuel gauge say add fuel when tank partially empty. *tr
12/15/2008940001
 Driving at night, the passenger side headlight sometimes goes out, sometimes works. i would say it works 25% of the time. this results in limited visibility when driving at night. at this point, nothing has been done to correct the failure because the headlights are very expensive and so far there has never been a total loss of visibility. *tr
03/10/2009570001
 Hid headlights fail during operation and the driver has to turn power to the lights off and then back on for lights to turn back on. this cycle has to be repeated every 0-5 minutes since the lights continue to burn out. *tr
01/03/2009330001
 I have 2006 prius. the passenger side headlight is intermittent. i have noticed this for about 2 months now. it has 35,000 miles. have been reading this is quite common in 2006 prius yet toyota has not offered recall. obviously driving with a headlight out is not only a safety issue but a legal issue as well. *tr
02/01/200952000108/15/2006
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving 70 mph, the headlights failed. the contact turned the activation switch on and off and the headlights illuminated again. the failure has occurred on numerous occasions. the headlights will shut off without warning even when the vehicle is idling. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the two front headlights would need to be replaced at the cost of $600 per light, plus labor. the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact called the manufacturer and was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer because there were no recalls. therefore, no compensation would be provided. the failure mileage was 52,000 and current mileage was 58,600. 4/01/09 *nj updated 04/06/09. *jb
03/17/2009580001
 Toyota is familiar with the hid lights on their toyota prius' and even issued a tsb (t-sb-0030-08) and is still requiring the end user to pay upwards to $800 for the repair. within the last few weeks, i am having to turn my headlights on and off in the day or during the night so that i can have both lights on. it's an intermittent issue and many other owners are complaining about the same issue. it is a tremendous safety issue especially when driving at night. for the 2010 model prius, toyota has even taken out the hid lights. what is really going on here. i am not a happy consumer. *tr
03/12/2009532001
 Headlight goes out. later it comes back on and then goes out again unpredictably. this could be very dangerous depending on where i am driving when it happens. *tr
02/28/2009570001
 Both headlights started to go out intermittently. turn the headlights off, then back on, and they would work for a while, then one or the other would go out again. finally, the left headlight went out and would not come back on. my wife was traveling out of town at the time, and fortunately found a dealer open on saturday. we subsequently had to replace the right headlight as well. *tr
03/13/2009600001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius and have a problem with the hid headlights. my hid headlights flicker and then one goes out. if i turn the headlights off and on, they work again for a short time, yet then one will flicker again and turn off. this happens to both headlights. it seems this is a problem with many 2006 priuses, however the toyota dealer says it is not anything covered by warranty, and wants to charge an outrageous amount to replace the lights. it seems obvious that it is a defective light, which poses a dangerous situation. *tr
11/01/2008350001
 No specific events identifiable. with the headlight switch in the on position, each of the front headlights will randomly shut off independently of the other when driving. the light (or lights) will turn back on after turning the headlight switch off and back on. to repair the problem, i had to replace both eom bulbs for $550. many others with toyotas which have these bulbs appear to be having this problem as well. this is a major safety concern. *tr
08/10/2008200001
 Headlights intermittently turn off while driving. although several people had told me my headlight was out for several months, it seemed to be functioning when i checked it. then, once i saw that passenger side headlight was off when i was behind a shiny vehicle. i turned the lights off & then on & it immediately illuminated. i noticed from time to time that i had this problem, but it always corrected by turning off & back on. since i leave my headlights turned on all the time, i thought maybe every time i started the car i needed to turn them off & then back on. it is impossible to detect that i am having this problem unless i hit a dark patch of road or get behind a shiny vehicle at a red light. then the driver's side headlights began having the same problem. i took the car to my regular mechanic twice, but he was unable to find anything wrong. the frequency of the problem seemed to grow over time. saturday, i made an appointment with the dealership & that's where my car is today. sunday evening i googled prius & up popped 'headlights.' i was very surprised! i began to read & every story was my story. the repair can be very very very expensive. this appears to be a serious safety hazard to me, especially since the driver often has no clue of the problem. i feel fortunate that i did not cause a wreck or get a ticket because of this. *tr
03/01/2009300001
 For the second time in the three years that i have owned my '06 prius i am having headlight failures that start intermittently before completely failing to operate. it starts with one light going out and coming back on after momentarily turning off the lights. the first episode ( at 30,000 miles) resulted in being pulled over and ticketed by the police ($70) the dealership arranged for a one time manufacturer replacement of the entire light assemblies (bulbs lenses and ballasts) although the bulbs were fine -- at a cost of nearly $800. now at 69,000 miles (17 months later) the problem has returned. a week ago pass. side light began flickering while driving, two days into that the light would go out and upon turning off and turning on lights it would illuminate at a very low intensity and then go out. two days ago that light fails to illuminate. last night the driver's side light went out leaving me in total darkness on a dark road. terrifying! turning on high beams did not help. after turning off and on 2 times, drivers side light came back on. going to dealer monday, is there a recall for this? *tr
03/04/2009290001
 Drivers side headlight goes out after being on for awhile turning the switch off then back on the light comes back on it has hid lights. *tr
06/01/2008300001
 Driver's side headlamp unexpectedly turns off while driving. on one occasion both headlights turned off while driving at night. turning the headlight switch off and then on again will cause the headlights to come back on. having both headlights unexpectedly turn off while driving at night is clearly a safety issue. there are hundreds of on-line complaints and posts detailing this issue. the toyota dealer says this is a common problem for 2005, 2006 prius equipped with hid headlight. toyota states that replacing the bulb and/or the hid controller (ecu) may fix the problem. dealer says that replacing the bulb and the ecu is ~$1,000 per side. a total of $2,000 for both sides. $2,000 to replace the headlights in a three year old car???? dealer has asked that i switch bulbs and see what happens. dealer is asking that i pay for a new headlight ecu and see if the headlight still shuts off while driving. in essence the dealer is asking that i risk my safety by experimenting with repair attempts. toyota needs to find out what wrong with the headlights on these cars, identify a fix and issue a recall before someone gets into a serious accident (did we not learn from the ford pinto?) *tr
02/27/20091440001
 I wanted to add my experience with premature hid headlight failure on my 2006 toyota prius. this appears to be a very common problem with the 2006 model. since this is the first year the d4r hid lamp was used in any automotive application i am surprised there has not been a recall required. my headlights have intermittent failure and have been behaving as such for the last 6 months. as noted by others who have had this problem cycling the headlights and hitting the plasma with the initial high voltage charge will allow them to work for a period of time but not always. sometimes they will work for an entire evening and sometimes not at all after several cycling attempts. it is generally my driver's side headlight that fails but i have had the passenger side fail as well and just recently at times have even had both fail. as you can imagine this is very dangerous at night and requires me to pull over and cycle until my lights are restored. through extensive replacements and postings on www.priuschat.com it is generally acknowledged that the problem is with the d4r itself and not the ballast or any type of wiring issues. at as much as $300 each through toyota these bulbs are extremely expensive to replace. it is ridiculous that the consumer should be burdened with this considering the problem seems readily apparent to all 2006 owners. although my vehicle has very high mileage (144,000) 70-80% of those miles are driven during the day and i do not run the headlights during the day. also since my vehicle was purchased in march 2006 it is still less than 3 years old. my other vehicles are 5 or 6 years, have standard headlights and never have needed replacing. i ordered 2 d4r hid lamps today and will be replacing them myself. hopefully these new bulbs are manufactured better than the ones from toyota and will last longer than the originals. *tr
02/27/200940001
 2006 prius having repeated hid headlamp problems. left side or right side will shut off, never both. not relative to climate or weather. dealer recommended both lamps be replaced, $420, plus $90 diagnostics fee. citation for light law infraction. reviewing internet chat rooms, apparent problem with the light system justifying an investigation. over 50 occurrences. *tr
12/01/2008600001
 Passenger side headlight fades then goes out. turning the switch off/on will turn the headlight on again - sometimes it will fade out again, sometimes it will stay on. dealership switched the bulbs (passenger to driver sides) to see if it's a bulb problem or something else. now the driver's side (same bulb) is displaying the same symptoms. have not yet replaced the bulb due to the high cost. *tr
01/20/20091500001
 Passenger headlight would periodically go out. had to have it replaced at the cost of $250.00 not covered under full warranty. toyota needs to make good on this problem. *tr
02/01/2007300001
 2006 toyota pruis option 6 problem with passenger headlight going on and off. hid's. *tr
02/16/2009705001
 Intermittent hid headlight. i've suspected this for many months, but an observer just confirmed it this am. one light will frequently turn off at highway speed, then will turn on again as i slow to a stop. *tr
02/10/2009360001
 Right hid headlight intermittently working. repair > $200. please help resolve this safety issue. *tr
05/15/2007220001
 My left headlight will shut off without any known cause. if i shut the lights off and back on again they will work for a period of time until they again shut it self off. recently, i had the experience of having my left light out, (i was unaware it was out) and my right light failed also. it was night time and i was driving on back winding roads. i knew enough to turn my lights off and back on so i was able to return to being able to see the road ahead. the left light issue has been ongoing for the past year and a half. the occurrence is intermittent with no apparent pattern of failure. the first time i brought this to the attention of my dealer they said i would have to replace both bulbs and the wiring harness for a cost to me of about $1,800. i am contacting toyota today directly in regards to having this fixed under warranty, but i feel that this is a safety issue and needs a mandatory factory recall. *tr
02/10/2009280001
 We purchased a new '06 toyota prius in 2006. while the vehicle was under warranty in nov. '07 the drivers headlight went out and the bulb was replaced by the dealer (texas toyota of grapevine). around november '08 we noticed that the headlight was cycling on and off without warning. sometimes turning the lights off and then back on turned the light back on but not always. the light also appears dimmer than the passenger side. during a trip to the dealer in feb. '09 to enquire what the problem was (warranty is expired(mileage)), the dealer admitted that the original issue was a computer chip and not the bulb. now the dealer has offered to replace the cpu chip under warranty because the repair was not done properly in nov. '07. however the dealer is charging me for replacing the bulb that the bad cpu chip ruined. *tr
01/04/2009250001
 Hid left headlamp blinking went to dealer they replaced 300.00 bulb, had to fight for warranty (25,000 miles). the very next night the right side went out. got a warning from the police. they replaced that one under warranty. now at 46,000 they are doing it again. 600.00 plus labor! out of warranty now. also the self leveling feature points the lights all over the place. these things are a safety hazard. *tr
02/09/2009400001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius and the driver's side headlight will intermittently shut off while driving. this has been occurring for several months, and the passenger side headlight had the same problem today. it's difficult to know when the light shuts off unless i'm driving at night or can see the reflection of the car in another vehicle. as it stands, the driver's side will only stay on for a short time now after i turn the lights on and off. *tr
02/04/20095100001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius and have to replace the headlights three times in the last 6 months. the dealer has advised that the replacement is very expensive - over $400. would like toyota to recall and fix this problem. *tr
12/04/2008354001
 1. no special event led to failure. first failure occurred at about 35,400 miles (odometer). 2. two headlights go out simultaneously while driving on an intermittent basis. each headlight can also go out while driving independently of the other. 3. powering off /on the car resolves the problem. turning the headlights off and on again solves the problem. the repair shop (dealer) could not recreate the problem and so did not replace any parts at my first visit. i am about to go back and try again. *tr
01/05/2009300001
 A year ago, my 2006 toyota prius' right headlamp would go out intermittently. toyota replaced the bulb and bulb computer at a cost of just under $1000.00. that time was covered under warranty. i had approx. 30k miles on the car. now, in feb. 2008, i'm having the same problem with the left headlamp. since there is no longer warranty coverage, i complained to toyota headquarters. they admitted that the older bulbs were no good and agreed to replace the bulb but not pay for the labor. since this is a safety issue, i have no choice but to pay the $280.00 labor cost. there is now 45k miles on the car. *tr
09/17/2008580001
 My driver's side headlight occasionally turns off. i have a 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. this is a common problem with the 06 and newer prius and is affecting thousands of people. some have had both lights fail leaving them with no headlights. if you turn the lights off and then back on the light or lights will turn back for a very short period of time. this is clearly a safety issue and instead of fixing the problem for free, toyota is charging an absurd amount to fix the problem which could be temporary. many have had the headlights fail again. this problem is very common and can be easily found on chat rooms and forums online. *tr
09/10/200858000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that the vehicle has hid (high intensity lights) that would not operate correctly. the driver's side headlight would operate momentarily when the vehicle was started, but then dim after a matter of minutes. the dealer estimated the repair cost to be over $600. the contact also filed a claim with the manufacturer and is awaiting a decision. the failure mileage was 58,000 and current mileage was 64,000.
11/01/2008490001
 I own a 2006 prius with hid headlights. after 50,000 miles, the passenger side bulb will go out after being on for 20 minutes or so. if i turn the lights off and back on, the bulb lights up right away and then blinks off approximately 20 minutes later. if i was going down the highway at night, this would be a safely hazard. i called toyota corporate. they said this is a know issue, but no recall has been down yet. they stated that as of 1/2008, the bulbs have been redesigned to not have this problem. they said since my car was out of warranty that they would pay for the bulb (approximately $150), and i would have to pay for labor. labor, depending on where you get the repair done, could be anywhere from $50 to $300, just for one headlight replacement. since i didn't buy the extended warranty this issue was not covered. i agreed that toyota would pay for the bulb. i had the bulb replaced. i paid for the labor and they paid for the bulb. there should be a recall on the old bulbs! *tr
02/01/2009100001
 Toyota has a major issue with headlamps failing intermittently on 2006 and new priuses rather than fixing the issue, they're charging customers upwards of a $1000 to replace (2) *defective* headlamp bulbs. it may not seem like a major issue, however i almost got in an accident with another prius owner on the freeway, who was driving both lights out. after experiencing the same exact thing in my own prius, it's a very scary scenario. there are thousands of documented cases: http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/34584-headlight-problem.html http://forums.mercurynews.com/topic/roadshow-cost-to-replace-on-and-off-prius-headlights-can-run-950-mdash-or-nothing please do not allow toyota to keep screwing consumers into paying for $1000 bulb replacements. there are many people out there gambling with intermittent lamps due to the high replacement cost. *tr
02/01/2009820001
 Just a few hundred miles shy of the 36,000 mile warranty (just on the headlights), my left side headlight went out. when flipping the high beams on did not light the offending bulb (i did not at the time realize that hid headlamps do not have separate high and low beam filaments, but simply change the focus of the one hid capsule.), i immediately stopped into a parts store and bought a replacement bulb (non-hid). i did think it strange that the lights both went back on when i got back into the car, but i decided that i should replace it anyway. on the next day, i removed the offending bulb (not as difficult as some people seem to think) and discovered that it was some sort of rare-earth discharge lamp. because this type of illumination system should be very reliable (there being no fragile filament to fatigue and break), i figured that i just had the bad fortune to run into a rare case of infant mortality, or just a defective bulb to begin with. although the bulb can be relighted (by switching headlights off and on), it must be distracting to other drivers, not to mention: what if i turn off the lights to relight one and both decide not to reignite. what then? this is a serious safety issue! fortunately, i got both lights replaced (the right side went shortly thereafter) under warranty. (plus $80 labor) now, at 82k miles, here we go again. this time, i called toyota. i could get absolutely no commitment out of the representative, but he insisted that my local dealership must diagnose the problem before he could make a decision on a possible reimbursement. i took the car in yesterday, with the headlight out. they cleaned the contacts and sent me on my way. before i arrived home, the light was out, so i drove right back. they looked and said: yup, it's out. so i left. now the rep says i should have stayed! *tr
02/02/2009450001
 Just like it seems the hundreds of other 2006 toyota prius owners. i have been having intermittent headlight failures for many months. initially it was only in the passenger side. now it also occurs on the drivers side or even more dangerous on both at the same time. this is happening with more and more frequency. the first time i had the dealer look at the problem, they found nothing, just recommended replacing a very expensive bulb. i took it back a few months later and they said they found something in the passenger side (not the drivers although it is now happening on both). once again they recommended replacing the bulb. they didn't give me any confidence that it would resolve the problem. it seems to me with this many complaints spanning that continue to come in, something should be done. does there need to be a serious injury or death before someone takes action to figure out what is going on and resolve this issue. i'm afraid to drive my car in bad weather, or in the dark because i never know when the headlights are going to go out. yesterday i didn't even make it out of the driveway before they went out (they would not come back on when i turned them off then on). *tr
01/02/2009360121
 Toyota 2006 prius hid headlight. hid headlight works intermittently. it comes when lights are turned on then goes out suddenly. turns lights off and on cause the light to burn again. as time goes by have to do this more frequently. the left light problem was solved by replacing the bulb (expensive). now the right light is beginning to have the same problem. i looked on the internet and see that many other people experiencing the same problem. one person is experiencing it with their second set of bulbs. i feel toyota has an issue as the bulbs should last 10 years. *tr
01/31/2009537551
 I have a 2006 toyota prius. the headlight goes off intermittently and i only can tell if i am looking at the reflection in the back of another vehicle. both the driver and passenger side headlights cut in-and-out. when i turn the lights off and on again, the lights come back on but they don't always stay on. they can go out again during driving at night -- it is very dangerous. the problem has been going on for over a year. toyota needs to step up and take care of this customer safety issue now. *tr
01/01/2009400001
 I purchased a used 2006 prius with 16,000 miles. i now have 44,000 miles and i began to notice my hid headlights dimming, first one then the other. it has now progressed to the where they turn off completely. toyota does not seem to have a sure way of diagnosing the problem, leading to upwards of $2,600.00 to troubleshoot. this is a ridiculous amount to pay for headlights and seems, according to the chats, to be a pervasive problem. this now occurs ever time i turn on the lights. within 15 minutes they go out. if i turn the light switch on and off they come back on for a bit, then go out again. *tr
07/11/2006400001
 My toyota 2006 prius has intermittent headlight failures. the dealership claims to be unaware of the problem and has changed the bulbs, but the problem continues. i have taken it to the dealer about 9 times and they continue to tell me it is bulbs despite bulb and entire headlamp assembly replacement. i continue to be pulled over by the police as a result. *tr
01/15/2009400001
 2006 prius hid headlights are failing, they just go dim and then turn off. turning them off and on will cause them to run for a little while longer, but eventually they fail again. *tr
01/27/2009390001
 Intermittent headlight problem. light comes on and goes off. very dangerous situation. taken to dealer, charged for repair, problem persists. this seems to be very common on many toyota prius cars. now have 80,00 miles and problem is back. internet shows this is common problem? *tr
01/28/2009720001
 Both of my hid headlights needed replacement after less than two years (first the passenger side, then the drivers side). the lights went out while i was driving. if i flicked my headlight switch, they came back on. the longer i waited, the more frequently they turned off, so i'm forced to replace them.. these are extremely expensive replacements (in excess of 400 each). there is apparently a pattern of these problems with this make / model. *tr
01/23/2009350001
 I have a 2006 prius. while under warranty, my passenger headlight began to go out. if you cut the light off and back on it would work again. eventually, the driver
01/05/2009490001
 I have a toyota prius 2006. its headlight bulbs are not working. lights go on and off. sometimes we don't even know if they are off and other drivers blink us on the road to warn. toyota dealership is telling us that we need new headlight bulbs. i have extended warranty through toyota. toyota denied coverage from my bulb replacement. this problem has been reported by many prius owners. toyota needs to recall the defective bulbs and take responsibility for this defective part. this is a dangerous neglect by toyota and can result in serious injuries and damages to its customers. *tr
09/15/2008600001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with hid head lights go out while your driving, if you turn them off and back on they come back on. i just spent a hour at the local dealership and they could not tell me the real answer to the problem but were happy to suggest replacing the head lights at the cost of $500.00 a piece. this seams unreasonable to spend this kind of money to provide a safety feature. *tr
01/26/2009220001
 2006 toyota prius both head light (bulbs) burned out, one the first year and now the other (2) total first cost $300.00 the second one the price has dropped to $150.00 this is not acceptable. *tr
01/23/2009249071
 Hid headlight on 2006 prius goes out intermittently. turning lights off and on can make it go on again. dealer is not motivated to find the problem. this is primarily a safety issue. it is not safe to have a headlamp that fails intermittently. *tr
06/01/2008700001
 Headlamp on my 2006 toyota prius sporadically goes out while driving. sometimes its own for 2 minutes, other times its own for 30 minutes. this is a safety issue. had the lamp replaced for $300 and still having the same problem. now toyota is telling me it's the computer $1100. many members of online forums are having the same issue and its determined that toyota does not know what wrong. average loss is $1500 for replacement parts and labor and the problem continues. *tr
01/21/2009939001
 I've been having problems with my '06 (94k miles) for a couple of months. the headlights seem to go out intermittently. it was always the drivers side. it will work just fine when i start the car. if i make a stop (to get gas, etc.) and then turn the car back on, the light will work for a few miles, then it just cuts out. yesterday (1/21/09) morning when i left the house, both headlights were working. i stopped and got gas. when i left the gas station, the lights were working. at some point about 10 miles down the road, i realized i had no headlights!! i was on i-66 at 5am (in the dark) with no headlights!!! luckily i had fog lights b/c i still had another 25 miles to go to get to work. i was able to get to the dealership later in the morning and they replaced my bulbs ($318 for the pair............and $147.15 for labor). i am not happy to say the least. my husband found a website (priuschat.com) and showed it to me. i find it quite interesting to see how many others are having this problem. i found out my mom had the same problem with her prius. she fought it and toyota paid for the bulbs and the labor costs. my boss had the same problem with her '06 prius, too................and toyota paid for it. *tr
01/21/2009320001
 Hid lights turn off independent of vibration, heat, duration of time on. occasionally both turn off at the same time. turning brights has no affect. turning lights off and then back on fixes the problem. dealership has replaced entire headlight assembly, computer, and bulbs and then began to re-occur after 10,000 miles. *tr
01/16/2009450001
 Right headlight failure and also intermittently flickers off and on. it occurs completely at random. new part has been ordered, but hasn't arrive yet and old part is available. *tr
09/01/2008300001
 I've got a package 6 2006 prius with multi-reflector halogan auto-off headlamps. the hid lamps on this model prius are notorious for failing within three years. see http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/34584-headlight-problem.html. the passenger side headlights keeps going out. i can't really tell when or how it goes out since i can't see it. i'll notice it when i see the reflection in the back of another car. when i turn them all the way off and back on the light comes back. sometimes on long trips it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes on short trips it will go out, sometimes it won't. it is not an event i can make happen. very similar to other posted descriptions. *tr
11/01/2008450001
 Purchased car in 5/2006. 11/2008 at around 45,000 miles noticed front left headlights would turn off intermittently. turning headlights off and on would turn left headlight back on. off again. can't figure out what triggers it. high beams work. *tr
10/10/2008300001
 Hid headlight defects on toyota prius 2006. replaced both light on 2007 after one year i have to replaced again on 2008. the light did not die just goes out. i have to turn the headlights on/off and the work again for few hours or few day then happen again. *tr
01/14/2009620001
 2006 prius hid headlamps go out but can be recovered by turning switch off and then back on. sometime just 1 light will go out and other times both will go completely off. very dangerous when it happens at night time, you will be driving down the highway and all of the sudden both headlights go out. have taken to the toyota dealer 3 times. they have replaced bulbs and switch but it did not fix the problem, headlights still go out while driving. i have read hundreds of other complaints about the same problem on the 2006 toyota prius, something needs to be done. this problem could cause a serious accident especially when it happens at night. *tr
01/05/2009295001
 The hid headlights on my 2006 toyota prius intermittently fail, but will re-start if i turn off, then on, the switch. this has happened at night, which is an extremely dangerous situation. toyota does have a tsb out on this issue, and did replace both bulbs under warranty at 30k miles, but frequently this does not resolve the problem, according to complaints on mycarstats. *tr
05/01/2008550001
 Hid right headlight goes out. after turning off and back on the light works for some time. the problem began after warranty was expired. toyota dealer said it is a known problem but that there is no recall and wants $400.00 to replace one bulb. after researching the internet, it is clear that most of the affected cars were manufactured in 2006. a bad batch of bulbs/lamps is suspected. i am ordering bulbs from another manufacturer and having them replaced at a auto repair shop. *tr
01/13/2009300001
 Intermittent lose of headlights that can be either the driver's or the passenger's lamp. system can be restored by recycling the headlight switch. *tr
01/06/2009440001
 The headlights intermittently go out. they go back on when you turn them on and off a few times. it seems to be totally random. i was pulled over by the police last night because the light was out, but it went on when i turned the switch on and off so the policeman did not ticket me. the dealer is looking to charge me $450 to replace the headlight. *tr
01/12/20091
 For the past several months the headlights on my 2006 toyota prius intermittently go out while driving. this occurs randomly, sometimes four or five times a day four days out of the week. although it may be more often as i don't notice it in the daylight hours. they only come back on when they are turned completely off and then back on which is not very safe when you're driving on the highway in traffic. now they've started flickering, too. i went to the dealership the first week of december 2008 to have the problem fixed,but was informed by the service advisor the i need to return when i could leave the vehicle ( with the holidays was not able to return in dec.) the problem continued and on the latest visit to the dealer 1/12/2009, i was informed by the dealership that they could not fix the problem because they thought it was a contact problem and that after the vehicle warmed up the problem would stop. after disagreeing with the service advisor i was told they would contact toyota to see if this was a problem they had encountered before. toyota's solution was to replace the light bulbs at a cost of approximately $600.00 but this was not guaranteed to fix the problem. this fix was refused due to the lack of assurance that it would fix the problem. after doing a small amount of research on the internet i found there appears to be a widespread problem with headlights on the toyota prius. there appears to be a bigger problem that the local dealer is willing to discuss. *tr
01/11/2009300001
 Headlights go off at random times mostly the right (passenger) side but it has happened on the driver side also. when this happens i have discovered that they come back on if i turn off the lights and then back on. after driving for a short time they start going off again or sometimes it will stay on until i don't need them. the next time i use the headlights they work fine for a few minutes and then it starts all over again. of course it's night when the headlights are used and with one of the other of the lights out this causes a visibility problem and can't see the road clearly. i have received a warning/equipment repair order from my local police and the dealer can't find a problem. the dealer has checked them a couple of times and can not find any problem. *tr
04/06/20081
 Hid headlamp failure at 45,000 miles and again at 74,000 miles. *tr
01/10/2009520001
 Prius 2006 with headlamp problems that appears to be electrical and not just the bulbs. one headlight will go out then if i switch off the lights both will come on. it is not always the same light that goes out. when i turn on my lights it draws on the brightness of the dash lights and they dim. i will be driving with lights on and all the lights will go off until i switch the lights on once again. the dealer has informed me this is the led headlights which are 400 ea. and $90. installation. this is outrageous and i know it is not just the lamps therefore they will then proceed to charge me for what ever else they think it might be such as the computer system. this should be under warranty. i paid the extra money for an extended warranty and they tell me this is not covered. i have been driving with this problem as i can not afford to fix the problem and do not trust the dealer to continue to charge me for this issue. after reading the chat rooms with other individuals with similar problems, this is a defect and needs to be recalled. they have been reporting this problem since 2004 or 2005. why has this not been addressed. *tr
01/08/2009110001
 My headlights go out for no reason. while i'm driving, one headlight will go out. i will turn them off and back on and they are working again. sometimes they work all day, sometimes they don't. sometimes it's the drivers side and sometimes it's the passenger side. the dealer tells me the headlight assemblies have to be replaced at a cost of around $1000.00!! much more if the circuit board is replaced. *tr
12/27/2008400001
 Headlight/electrical problem. one headlight out intermittently starting in mid-november. both headlights went out on 12/27/2008. we pulled over and turned the lights off and when we turned them back on both re-lit. on 1/2/2009 we were pulled over by police and given a verbal safety warning that one headlight was out. later that evening, after stopping the car for a short time both lights came back on. on 1/5/2009, we took the car to the dealer with the left light out. when they started the car the next day they found both lights to be working. they inspected all connections then found that the right light was out. they said it would cost $250 to replace the bulb. we contacted toyota and on 1/7/09 they offered to replace the right bulb for free. i drove home before my wife and as she arrived home i saw one light out. unfortunately, by the time i got out to the car, my wife had shut it off and i could not recall which one was out. when we restarted the car, both lights came on. *tr
01/04/2009422161
 Front left headlight stopped working at night on a 2006 toyota prius. it never worked again. this is a safety issue. i understand this is a common problem on the 2006 prius. have to have it replaced at a cost of $325 at dealership! there should be a recall. *tr
09/01/2008470001
 My 2006 toyota prius has 52,000 miles on it. the driver's side headlight will turn on when i switch them on, then will go out a few minutes into my trip, and when i turn the lights off then on again it comes back on. i have noticed this problem with both headlights, although it is more common with the driver's side light. this occurs almost every time i drive. based on what i've read, this appears to be a manufacturer's defect. *tr
01/02/2009553101
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. for the last 6 months the driver side front headlight intermittently goes out. if we shut off our headlights and then back on, it will re-light for an indeterminate amount of time and then the problem repeats itself. i've been stopped twice by the police and given warnings. i'be taken it to the dealership three times now to have it fixed. the first time, they said they couldn't find anything wrong. the second time, they could make it happen, but by banging the front of the hood could get the headlight to illuminate, and suggested i just live with the issue, as replacing the headlight would be expensive (no amount mentioned). today i brought the car in for its regular maintenance work, as the light on the dashboard suggested it was time. the dealership is ira toyota of manchester nh 03101. their # is: 603-624-1800. my complaint is that when they changed the bulb they charged $157.82 for the lightbulb and another $180 for labor to replace it. i've never heard of such costs to replace a headlight. i went on the www tonight to see if my situation was unusual and found that many consumers are having this same issue with their 2006 prius. it was recommended that we file a complaint with you....here i am. the website with the information regarding this common incident is: www.hybridcars.com/forum/replacing-headlight-bulb--t910 please look into this. thank you.
09/22/2007267591
 Headlights went out on prius 2006 model. first one went bad, coming on at times; then the other one went bad and i would be driving in the complete dark-very scary. i had reported it to the toyota dealer and they said nothing was wrong and there had not been any similar problem reported. i went back again the next week with the same complaint. the supervisor of maintenance said he would look into it. finally, the last time i told them that if i end up in a fatality d/t this problem with the headlights, someone in toyota will be in deep trouble. that is when the supervisor took care of the problem the next day. the car was still under warranty. same thing happened next year 2008. i had to have the two front headlights replaced and this time out of my pocket which is very ridiculously expensive. *tr
12/01/20071
 2006 toyota prius with hid lights. at 30,000 miles, in december 2007, the passenger side light began to turn off by itself. it would turn back on if we turned the lights completely off, then on again (dangerous at night, of course). at 35,000 miles, the dealership estimated $350 to replace the bulb, but then replaced bulb under warranty. at 50,000 miles the drivers side headlight began to do the same thing. we could not afford to pay for the replacement so have been turning off and on to remedy. last week the passengers side headlight started doing it again, even though it is only 1 year old. there are times we have one headlight, and times we have no headlights other than the fog lights. we have been stopped by police and given a warning about a headlight being out. this is a dangerous situation and we think that it cannot be the hid lamps themselves, as they come back on again when we recycle the switch. it must be a computer or relay. we have discovered that there are many other prius owners with the same exact issue: see the forum at http://www.hybridcars.com/forums/replacing-headlight-bulb-t910.html . *tr
12/27/20081
 2006 toyota prius front driver side hid headlight turns off. if i turn the lights off and then back on, the headlight comes back on and functions perfectly. this happens at random occasions (day, night, smooth roads, dry, wet conditions), checked connection and all connections are fine. *tr
06/03/2007250001
 My 2006 prius left driver headlight began going on and off randomly and frequently at about 25,000 mi. i reported the problem to the dealer several times, but they couldn't diagnose the problem unless the headlight was out, which of course it wasn't. on occasion if i turned the headlights on and off the light would come back on temporarily. this was documented prior to the warranty running out. finally, the headlight was completely out...the dealer and i argued over the warranty and they finally agreed to fix the problem. they replaced the bulbs and now again 30,000 mi. later the same problem is re-occurring. this time however, turning lights on and off doesn't resolve the problem even temporarily. and once again they are refusing to take responsibility. i live on a dark country road and have found myself slowing to speeds of 25mph just to get home safely. *tr
06/01/2007851001
 1. under normal driving conditions, the right hid headlight bulb on my 2006 prius failed. 2. the right hid headlight bulb goes/flickers off. the lights have to be turned off and on to temporarily correct the problem. over time, the problem has gotten progressively worse. 3. i have gone to 3 different toyota dealerships and have been told that the replacement cost would be over $400 parts & labor. recently, i have found a bulb at a dealership for $157 parts only. *tr
12/10/2008284731
 Hid bulb intermittently shuts off in my 2006 toyota prius. toyota wants to replace bulb ($162.50 each). however, according to the blogs, this is a recurring problem with prius's and may be a controller problem, not a bulb issue. *tr
08/15/2008400001
 Either headlight will go out at times. am able to restart headlight by turning headlight switch off and back to on. *tr
12/20/2008259191
 Intermittent bilateral headlight failure of 2006 toyota prius. the car has less than 30,000 miles on it. when lights are turned off and on quickly the failing light will come back on again. however, this has only proved to be a temporary solution since both headlights will randomly turn off again at a later time. *tr
11/20/2008366001
 Passenger side headlamp ceased working after several minutes of driving. the lamp returns to normal operation after the light switch is cycled off and then back on. this problem has recurred three times. *tr
06/10/2006200001
 Hid driver side headlight fails intermittently. first noticed spring 2007, at about 20,000 miles; occurred rarely, about once every two - four weeks. now is a regular event. headlight goes out almost every trip. after turning the headlights off and on again, driver side headlight restarts and is less likely to fail again. both high and low beams are affected. i see a lot of prius vehicles with a headlight out. i am concerned about having the other headlight joining this behavior. *tr
08/08/2008500001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. randomly and with out warning the hid head lights on my prius turn off. this has happened at least 25 times and i have almost crashed several times. when this happens, i have to reach and turn off my lights with the switch and turn them back on. then they stay on from 2 minutes to 2 hours. this is a huge danger to public safety. there are hundreds of prius owners that have documented the exact same problem with their cars. please look at this link http://www.hybridcars.com/forums/replacing-headlight-bulb-t910.html#comment-46741. you can see all of these people are having the exact same problem. thank you. *tr
06/01/2008600001
 Driving down the road and one headlight or the other or both go out! sometime 5 to ten times in a trip. i haven't gone to the dealer since they want 250$ just to look at it.. and from the chat room they cant figure out the problem so i don't want to waste my money. *tr
06/01/2008300001
 2006 prius w/hid headlights...they intermittently fail. turn the off/on knob and they come back on. started at about 30k on left side, left side failed 90% of time and @ 35k right side started failing. dealer had no knowledge of problem when discussed at 35k service. now 40k and trying to get covered under warranty. *tr
01/01/20071
 My 2006 toyota prius driver side head light goes out after driving the car for a few minutes. when i turn the switch off then on the headlight comes back on again but for only a few minutes. it happens every day, intermittently and at night it can be dangerous. it appears to be a common problem with only the 2006 prius with hid headlights and only on the drivers side. as of this date i understand from other owners that toyota does not know how to fix it. i am going to have it looked at this week. *tr
12/05/2008510001
 2006 toyota prius. passenger light (both low and high beams) intermittently goes out. turning car off and back on often brings light back on. toyota dealer has had other complaints and recommends replacing headlight (one headlight is nearly $400, with labor it is nearly $500). i've always been told to replace headlights in pairs which makes that $1000 repair when clearly the headlights are failing widely and i suspect prematurely. this is widely reported in priuschat and other internet user groups and no one has identified the root cause. surely there aren't *this* many bad bulbs. if it is a computer problem it could lead to other failures. this is a safety issue! toyota needs to investigate the cause and offer a recall solution. it appears that complaints through this website are increasingly frequent. thanks! *tr
12/05/2008450001
 I was stopped in 2006 prius by state trooper for headlight out on passenger side. local dealer told me new hid lamps will cost $350 without installation. i ordered them and then found out that the lamps should last at least 10 years and that the problem affects most prius cars with hid headlights from 20,000 to around 50,000 miles and that toyota is well aware of the problem but has not issued a defect recall to date. the failure appears to be random and the lamps will re-start when switched off and back on again. since the lamps extinguish randomly, there is the possibility of both failing simultaneously with serious safety issues. *tr
06/01/20071
 I've got a package 6 2006 prius. one of the headlights keeps going out. i can't really tell when or how it goes out since i can't see it. i'll notice it when i see the reflection in the back of another car. if i turn the bright lights on and off it has no effect, but when i turn them all the way off and back on the light comes back. sometimes on long trips it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes on short trips it will go out, sometimes it won't. it is not an event i can make happen. i've taken it to the dealer and they don't really know what to do and told me i could get a new lamp for about $450 or replace something for $1100. *tr
12/05/2008463621
 The front hid headlights on my 2006 prius periodically go off, with no explanation -- both the right and left side have failed on occasion, but never at the same time. if i turn the lights off and then back on again, the light comes back on. this has been occurring over a number of months, so today i had it analyzed and was told the hid computer for each of the lights is ok, but the light bulbs themselves needed to be replaced, which i did at a cost of over $200 per bulb. i was told at the dealer that they've had numerous complaints about this, but were not aware of any factory authorized repair of said problem. after reading an internet blog on this issue, and hearing of numerous identical complaints, i'm convinced toyota ought to be held accountable for this serious and potentially dangerous problem. *tr
12/05/2008600001
 Our 2006 toyota prius has a headlight that will randomly turn off while driving. it is very difficult to tell when a headlight turns off. if we do realize that the headlight has turned off, we can turn both headlights off while driving and then turn them back on. this resets the lights and they both come back on. living in the country where roads are very windy and illuminated streets are uncommon, this is a serious safety issue. the dealer claims they are bad bulbs; however, the hid bulbs should last 8-10 years. our bulb has lasted only 2.5 years. to replace the bulb it costs over $500, which is ridiculous. there are obvious safety problems with bulbs randomly going out while driving. based upon discussions with other prius owners, this is a common problem. other have been charged upwards of $1800 to change both headlamps on cars under 50k miles. something should be done to make toyota recognize this significant safety risk. *tr
08/20/2008480001
 The car is equipped with hid lights and the drivers side fails intermittently. the dealer could not recreate the problem but suggested perhaps replacing the bulb ($345) might help or waiting until it becomes more frequent. this is a very common problem with the 2006 prius hid lights. toyota should at least have identified the source of the problem because it could be caused by the failure of various components and random replacement of components in the headlight circuit would be needlessly expensive. as it is obviously a manufacturing or supplier problem toyota should extend the warranty and issue a recall as lighting is a safety issue. *tr
11/15/2008575001
 2006 toyota prius hid headlight fails intermittently without warning. headlight cannot be repaired by normal means requiring the vehicle by driven unsafely or abandoned on the road until it can be towed. headlights non availability through normal suppliers encourages owners to drive without the headlight (s). additionally, repair costs can easily exceed $1000 for a headlight.tr
12/04/2008210001
 2006 toyota prius hid headlights have repeatedly failed. both headlights intermittently failed and were replaced by toyota 11/24/07. now r hid headlight has failed again. loss of headlights creates a major safety hazard. *tr
09/27/200750001
 Three weeks after obtaining my new 2006 prius, the right headlight started going off while driving. when i turned the lights off and on again, it would come back on. after 3 trips to the dealership they replaced the headlight (i noticed that the light was also not as bright as the other light). then the left one started doing the same, many trips in and they replaced that one. the problem would stop for a while after the new headlight then start again. last night i was driving home and was stopped by police. both of my headlights had gone off. same fix, was to turn the lights off and then on again. there is no warning light in the car, so i have no idea if the lights are on or off, unless i am behind a car in which i can see the reflection of my lights in their bumper. this is very disturbing and scary. my car is in the shop now again and toyota is telling me that it is normal to replace the headlights after 50,000 miles. they are still looking at it as a headlight bulb problem. they are not listening to me that there is a major issue with the wiring or computer somewhere in the car. the internet is filled with complaints of prius headlight problems, but as far as i can tell toyota is ignoring it. i have even brought them the lists off of the internet, and they say that everyone complains on the internet. *tr
12/03/2008530001
 High intensity headlight problem on 2006 prius. light goes off intermittently. sometimes will come back on after flicking on and off a few times. sometimes will not come on at all. replaced passenger side at around 26,000 miles and driver's side a few months later. covered by warranty those times. now at 53,000 passenger side is out and dealer is charging $300.00 to replace headlight. dealer stated that they have had many other customers with same problem. as of today there is no recall. *tr
11/10/2008590001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with about 60,000 miles. i am experiencing the widely reported issue with the hid headlight. the driver side headlight fails to turn on sometimes, but if i notice it and turn off the headlights and turn them back on, the problem goes away. even if the light works, it sometimes flickers and goes out after a few minutes. i got pulled over by the police tonight for a failed headlight. since this seems to be a widely reported issue, toyota should fix this for the people who have encountered it. thanks! *tr
07/19/200742000112/01/2006
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving approximately 40 mph at night, the contact noticed that the exterior light on the passenger side lost power. the vehicle was driven to the dealer for a diagnostic, but no failures were found. the vehicle was not repaired at that time. a few months later, the exterior light on the driver's side began to lose power. the light began working again once it was turned off and then on again. the failures have occurred intermittently. the manufacturer has not been notified. the current mileage was 47,000 and failure mileage was 42,000. updated 12/16/08 *cn updated 12/18/08. *jb
01/01/2008250001
 Before my 2006 prius was out of warranty i noticed intermittent problems with one of the headlights, the dealer never could find the source of the problem. once out of warranty i again mentioned the problem to the dealer and they said the headlight bulb was bad and it would be over $400 to replace. i said this was a problem when the car was under warranty but was never fixed, they replaced for free. i later searched the internet and discovered this is a common problem on the toyota prius. a headlight should not be over $400 to replace and if it is going to cost that much, it shouldn't be going out after such a short time. *tr
08/10/2008380001
 Accident repair front right. approx 2 wks after repair i noticed that the right headlight wasn't working. hi beam works. found other disgruntled owners on priuschat.com. replacement of light is $350.00 and is under warranty for 33,000 miles - i had about 38,000 at the time of the accident. i have no way of knowing whether the light is ok and a connection is bad or whether the accident had anything to do with the failure of the light. i think this is a design defect and there should be a recall. *tr
12/01/2008650001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius that has an intermittent front left headlight. it goes on when i first start it and then it goes off a few minutes later. if you redo the headlight it goes on then shuts off again. it seems very dangerous and the dealer is saying it will cost over $200 to fix. *tr
10/01/2008600001
 Intermittent failure of driver side hid lamp in 2006 toyota prius. when the headlamps are turned off and then turned back on it starts back up. i have 60k miles on my car and have a toyota extended warranty and am told that even though this is a known issue it is not covered. *tr
11/15/2008420001
 My passenger side headlight was reported to be out by my husband so i took the car to the dealership. the light was working for them, they told me at that time it would be $600 to repair so i should wait until it is a real problem before fixing it. within a week or two i was pulled over by a state trooper for having a headlight out. fortunately for me, he only issued a warning. i took the car back to the dealership, and the woman booking me in said oh yeah, we see that problem with the prius. i asked what problem, exactly is that problem? she said just what you report, headlights going out & coming back on again. i asked if that should be a recall, and she said your car is no longer under warranty, but i'll see what i can do for you. ultimately, they replaced both headlights and the computer that is associated with each headlight & the dealership absorbed the cost as a goodwill gesture & because of owner loyalty. seems to me they know there is a defective part and they are trying to duck a recall. *tr
11/28/20081
 My 2006 toyota prius experiences intermittent, sporadic events in which the headlamps (both of them but not simultaneously) go out. there is nothing to predict which one will go out, at which time and this morning at 6:35 am the driver's side went out as well as the passenger side, leaving me driving in the pitch dark. i had the drivers side headlamp replaced after hours of a toyota tech not being able to find anything wrong with the wiring. i have been pulled over on several occasions only to turn off my lights and turn them back on at which point the lights come on again. this is safety issue for me as i drive approx 30000 miles a year and cannot be limited to driving in daylight hours. toyota has been unable to diagnose the problem (or identify it) for me and i refuse to continue to replace headlamps, especially at such a high pricetag. this has been an ongoing issue with the latest incident happening today. i am tired of this. *tr
11/28/2008430001
 Hid headlight has began failing after only 45,000 miles. if i turn off the car and turn it back on, the headlight comes back on. it is an intermittent issue. the dealer has told me that i need to have the bulb replace already and it is not covered under the toyota extended warranty. they want almost $500 to replace one hid bulb! there must be a problem with toyota's supply of hid bulbs! there is no way that people can afford to pay 500 every 45,000 miles to replace one headlight! these things are supposed to last for many years and i've only had my car for just over two years. is there anything you can do to help with this? there are hundreds of complaints on the internet from other prius owners experiencing this same problem. thank you. *tr
10/01/2008500001
 The headlights on my 2006 toyota prius randomly turn off, luckily only one at a time so far, then turn back on when i switch the lights on and off, or after i restart the car. the car is 2.5 years old with about 55,000 miles on it. *tr
09/10/2008420001
 Hid headlights failed prematurely on a 2006 toyota prius. manufacture states would last life of vehicle or approx 190,000 miles. dealer has indicated it will cost $900 to replace 2 bulbs (incl labor to remove bumper). i have read that hundreds of owners experienced exact same problem with 2006 prius. obvious that there was a material failure issue and the dealer will not budge to replace defective bulbs/controllers. safety issue as the light goes out intermittently - without warning. *tr
10/28/2008420001
 Intermittent failure of hid headlights. *tr
11/20/200738000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving approximately 35 mph, the exterior lights on the passenger side lost power. as a result, the contact could only drive with the high beams activated. he stated that the exterior lighting on the passenger side has been losing power intermittently for the past year. the vehicle was driven to the dealer on three occasions. the first two times the mechanic stated that the failure could not be duplicated. on the third visit, the dealer stated that the computer that controls the hid headlights was defective and needed to be replaced. the mechanic also stated that the hid headlamp needed to be replaced. the vehicle has been repaired, but the manufacturer has not been notified. the vin was unavailable. the current mileage was 51,056 and failure mileage was 38,000.
10/01/2008320001
 '06 prius. had it's hid headlights changed a year prior due to the lights just 'turning off' while driving. flicking them off/on would turn them back on for a bit. they would turn off randomly and often while driving, often with both lights turning off completely. this is a serious safety concern, considering they were replaced and continued to fail following that replacement. *tr
06/21/2008360001
 My prius 2006 driver side headlight is malfunctioning. i took it to toyota dealer to check it out and they said the headlight 'leveler' sensor was defective - which i didn't replace because it was out of warranty. two weeks later (june 2008), i got in a car accident (side-swiped). it was the other driver's fault (uninsured). however, since it was dark, the police suspected the defective headlight may have caused the accident. my insurance paid for repairs ($3,000) and replaced the headlight leveler. the driver's side headlight is still malfunctioning and i was stopped by the police on 11/16/08 about my defective headlight. my car is past warranty and research on prius chat forums shows that it's a toyota defect. i'm concerned that i will get into another accident because of this http://www.priusonline.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11141&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=135. *tr
06/15/2008350001
 Hid drivers side headlamp turns on when switched on but after a few minutes it flickers and turns off. the headlamp must be turned off and back on to re-light the whole time the car is being driven. this defective light is clearly more dim in color as well.*tr
08/15/2008300001
 One of the headlights stopped functioning intermittently at about 30,000 miles. dealers service department said they could not recreate the failure, suggested that everything was in order, and therefore did nothing to address the problem. now, at 35,000 miles, i am having incidents of both headlights going out. this is extremely dangerous, as it's unpredictable. i suddenly find myself driving in the dark with only my parking lights on. i took the car to the dealer and asked again for them to fix the problem. i was told when i picked up my car that they again had found nothing wrong - the headlights were performing and the service department supposedly didn't have enough time to diagnose the problem further (even though i left my car for the day and left my cell phone for them to contact me). i believe this is a very serious manufacturer's defect with the headlights, as i have now found numerous internet posting describing the exact same problem - headlights that fail intermittently at very low mileage with no warning. *tr
11/14/2008500001
 2006 toyota prius purchased from beaman toyota in nashville, tennessee, february ?06 (even though toyota says the delivery date was november ?05) at approximately 25000 miles, the driver side high intensity headlight began to go out when i was driving, i couldn't see it. i would see that it was out in the reflection of the trunk lid of another vehicle. if i simply turn the light switch off and back on the light would come back on and would not go off for a while. at first, it only happened sporadically, but over some months got much worse. i took it to a dealer, they replaced the bulb. they said it was under warranty and the $430 was covered. $430 for a headlight bulb??????? they said they had to take the bumper off the car to get to the bulb. i let that pass, but then the passenger side headlight did the same thing. again, it was sporadic. in october ?08 it began to cause a real problem. i could not drive more than a mile without it going out. on november 14, 2008, i took it back to the dealer. again it was a bad bulb. i have watched this problem for quite a while and i do not believe it is the bulb. even though i had purchased the 100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, naively thinking it would take care of things like this, i was told it would cost $535 and that i would have to pay out of pocket because it was considered ?maintenance? and was not covered under warranty. $535 for a headlight bulb????????maintenance???????? what if both headlights go out while driving at night??????? if i live, you know who i?m going after. but, not only is this a safety issue and just plain wrong, this is a really poor design. i know toyota has to make a profit, and everyone else who even breaths on this bulb has to make a profit. but, this is exorbitant and i consider it gouging. i also found i could buy this bulb on the internet for $108. why has toyota not addressed this problem ?? this is a serious safety issue. *tr
09/01/2008400001
 One or both headlights will stop working. turning light switch off and then on will restore working lights. problem occurs frequently (multi times in a day) and dealer can not find a problem. *tr
11/13/2008498001
 2006 toyota prius, 49,800 miles hid head light failed. *tr
11/10/2008450001
 Driver side headlight goes out intermittently, goes back on if i shut lights off and turn back on. dealer says bulb is bad, not covered on regular or extended warranty. this is a serious safety issue. this has been going on for several months. *tr
09/15/2008310001
 My 2006 prius' front left headlight has been shutting off randomly and will re-light only when i turn the lights completely off and turn them back on. this is extremely dangerous as the only way i can tell when my left front headlight is out is when i see my reflection in a car behind me. i took the car to the dealership and was informed there was nothing wrong with my car. however, upon further research i have found out this is happening to numerous prius owners. nothing has been done to correct this failure because i can not get the light to shut off on command. this happens every time i turn on my car - both lights will be operable for approx. 5 - 15 minutes (never know exactly when it turns off) then the left bulb will go out. i know it is illegal to drive with a headlight out and very dangerous, but don't know how to fix this problem! *tr
07/18/2007282451
 Hid headlights went out intermittently and were able to turn them back on to continue to work. i took the prius to the toyota dealer and they replaced the computer board and headlights on both sides of the car.[right side and left sides] this was done in 2007. i bought the car new in 2006. and now the right side is having the same problems as back in 2007. *tr
11/01/2007300001
 2006 toyota prius headlights intermittently go on and off, usually one at a time, but sometimes both at once. turning them off and then back on temporarily resolves the problem. the problem with intermittent hid headlight operation appears to be common with the prius, but is also occurring with other models. i own a sienna with the same problem. the dealer first replaced the hid computer $1,100, then the bulb $400, and now tells me i need a whole new headlight assembly for another $1,100. this is all in three months. the service technician said if its not working, give it a little hit with your fist. not easy to do on the highway. the point is that inoperable headlights are a safety issue, police officers can stop you for it, and you cannot pass inspection without operating headlights. reading the posts on this site, it is clear that there is a manufacturing defect that is contributing to the problem. *tr
06/01/2008300001
 Intermittent failure of hid headlights on 2006 toyota prius. occurs frequently when driving, either light or both turning off randomly. in every case to date switching off and on again has restored the failed beam(s). *tr
11/07/2008502681
 Both headlights intermittently go out. each will turn on, but then one or both will go off while driving. they will go back on when the lights are completely switched off and then switched on. sometimes it will occur with just one headlight. other times, it will happen to both. the dealership services dept. told me that the problem is common with this model. it cost me almost $900 to repair. i also got warning ticket from police when one light went out while i was driving. *tr
08/01/20071
 My headlamp will turn off at random times. at first it was just the driver's side headlamp, now it is both headlamps. it occurs almost daily. i took my car into the dealership and told them about the issue. the replacement of the headlamps will cost over $700. when the car was under warranty they found no issues, as soon as it was out of warranty they wanted to replace them. after i did not replace them, all of a sudden they could run a diagnostics to determine if they were faulty. where was this diagnostics the first two times? *tr
11/03/2008340001
 Hid passenger headlight intermittently go off. turning the headlights completely off and on again will make the headlights turn back on. will work for a day, sometimes and then it happens again. has been reported 220+ times at nhtsa site. *tr
01/01/2008400001
 Hid headlights intermittently go off. turning the headlights completely off and on again will make the headlights turn back on. one or both headlights will then go out again within a few minutes. i do not know of a way to correct this failure. others have reported spending thousands of dollars at the dealership trying to have this fixed. *tr
06/10/2008510001
 Intermittent hid light failure on 2006 toyota prius. one side will go out and will come back on after i turn off the lights. *tr
11/07/2008200001
 I have a 2006 prius with headlight problems. one will go off for no reason. if you turn the lights off and on the light then works. this happens to both sides and only a few times have i lost both lights at the same time. very unsafe. i have the hid package and see that there are over 60 other complaints. toyota needs to fix this problem before someone gets killed. i have been dealing with this for more than a year. the dealer has no information from toyota about this problem. please help! *tr
11/07/2008360001
 Headlight failure at random times on my 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. lights always work correctly when first turned on. during trips of 15-30 minutes, one headlight usually fails. the left goes out more often than the right. when failed, neither the dim nor bright will work. function is restored by turning the headlight switch off and then back on. have had several dangerous moments when leaving brightly-lit streets, making turns onto dark entrance ramps. suddenly, the absence of expected headlighting is obvious while scanning in the darkness for the curbs, edge of the road, etc. it took me some time to diagnose the problem as upon startup, both headlights always work correctly. i now believe the problem is in the headlight control circuits, not in the bulbs, as much of the time, both right and left headlights, dim and bright, work fine. *tr
03/15/2007280001
 Headlamps going out ,sometimes the left headlamp and sometimes the right, also both can go out. to correct the problem temporarily you have to turn the lights off and on again they will work for a short time. no parts have been replaced yet toyota says they need for them to act up before they can diagnose. *tr
10/31/2008500001
 The headlights on my 2006 toyota prius randomly and intermittently turn off and/or dim significantly. driving at night all of the sudden without any warning both headlights turn off. this happens every time i drive at night (i am sure it happens in the day time but i can not see it) and under normal driving situations. *tr
10/30/2008550001
 The headlights on our toyota prius began malfunctioning at 55000. they would flicker, fade and then fail. i had to flick the switch off then on and they would stay on a few minutes before fading away. i noticed there are quite a few complaints about this on some prius discussion boards. the cost to fix this is more than $400/light as the whole assembly has to be replaced. *tr
10/28/2008750001
 My hid headlamps cut in and out. my tail lights cut in and out. i've got a toyota extended care warranty. i've already had several tail lights replaced by the dealer. this is a safety issue and a defect. toyota should have a recall because of the defective lighting systems in their hid equipped cars. *tr
10/01/2008500001
 To date we have not had an incident, however i believe the failure of our headlight and the lack of toyota to correctly identify and correct this problem is unacceptable. the failure occurs everyday while driving the vehicle. we were told by the dealership to replace the bulb. the cost of the repair is over $500.00. after reading many complaints, the wiring or connection seems to be the problem, not the bulb. *tr
09/15/2008580001
 Hid headlight operation is intermittent. dealer replaced component, however it is doing it again. technician states it is due to the component overheating. first replacement was under warranty. now they want about $500 to fix. they should have corrected the component overheating design defect with an updated component the first time. *tr
10/25/2008490001
 Intermittent hid (high intensity discharge) headlight on a 2006 prius. appears to be a common complaint, the dealer said they need to replace the xenon headlight ($300) and the headlight computer ($500) to correct this. but the problem is intermittent, sometimes the headlight works and other times it doesn't - seems like a serious safety issue. *tr
10/27/2008450001
 Premature failure of hid headlight bulb in toyota prius. not three years old and 45k miles. replacement cost is exorbitant and there are many failures going on. *tr
10/07/2008590001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius w/ 59k miles. we started experiencing issues w/ the headlights a couple of weeks ago. we'd turn the lights on and randomly would either get 1 light, 2 lights, or no lights. flicking the switch again would usually reset the lights, but not for long. i just took it to the dealership and was shocked when they told me it would cost $872 to fix. after i heard the quote, which is not covered under my extended warranty, i was so mad that i told them to just leave the bulbs in. i'm not sure what i'm going to do yet. i think this is actually extremely dangerous. in fact, so dangerous that someone is going to get hurt or killed, especially when they are unknowingly driving with one light or worse, none. *tr
10/03/2008430001
 2006 toyota prius both headlights occasionally go out while driving. *tr
10/15/2008800001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius and my headlights go out randomly,quite often while driving. while driving you can start off with all lights on and then while in low beam the headlights will go off leaving you with fog lights and while in high beam all of the lights go out. the car was taken to a toyota dealer who said toyota knows this is a problem but we still have to pay. i have children and when my lights went totally out i was lucky enough not to have had an accident. i have read others complaints on an internet blog site and there have been several other owner's with this problem. what does it take to have a recall on these vehicles and have toyota held responsible for faulty equipment before an accident happens and people are injured due to this. *tr
09/15/2007300001
 I have a 2006 prius. my headlamps go off suddenly while driving i have noticed this for the past year. this is extremely dangerous for nighttime driving. i am told that, yes, it is ridiculous and dangerous that a 2 year old car has headlamps that are not working well. the cost is $1150.00. *tr
10/21/2008340001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius, purchased new. the car now has 44,000 miles. beginning at about 35,000 miles and ever since, the driver side hid headlamp will flicker and then go out. this usually happens within the first 10 minutes of driving. by turning the headlight switch off, then back to on, i can get the bulb to come back on. this happens all the time. i realize that this can seem like a simple replace the lamp situation. however, i have friends with priuses, and all have the same problem, one, or sometimes both headlights suddenly going out. this can be a real safety issue. i did not take my car to toyota for a replacement as it is now out of warranty and replacement costs for this can easily run to over a thousand dollars. i have discovered that hundreds of other prius owners are having the exact same trouble with their cars. most of these are 2006 or 2007 models. some have had the entire hid system replaced under warranty only to have the problem return. it is scary driving a car whose headlights are prone to suddenly going out. toyota has been aware of this issue for quite some time. i would like to see a recall to address this situation as it is obviously a safety issue. *tr
10/04/2008250001
 About six months after purchasing my 2006 toyota prius the headlights starting going out while i was driving. i took it in to the dealership and they replaced the bulb. they had said that they had never heard of this before. the lights worked for about two months then occasionally would go out again. now that my warranty has run out they are going out every time i drive the car. this is a real safety issue. when you turn the switch off and then on again they come on for awhile then turn off again. they have never not come on, but drivers in front of you get a bit upset when you start flashing your headlights behind them! i've noticed on line that this is a common issue on the prius. i hope that you can force toyota to recall and repair this issue. *tr
08/30/2006450001
 The headlights on the car have an intermittent failure problem - they go off at random times when you are driving. *tr
09/15/2008450001
 My car is equipped with hid-type headlights. the passenger-side headlight will occasionally extinguish at random times. this hid lamp failure does not seem to correspond with any specific driving conditions, i.e. bumpy road, extreme temperatures, driving in a turn, etc... it just happens randomly and without warning. this has become a problem since i cannot always detect when the lamp has or will fail; and my state requires that my car has two working headlights to be considered safe. turning the headlight switch off, and then back on, will generally fix the failure, but only if i identify the problem and only then temporarily. this does not appear to be a simple loose connection problem or a burnt-out bulb. *tr
10/16/2008380001
 Auto headlight goes out on my 2006 toyota prius. *tr
10/08/2008440001
 2006 toyota prius, hid headlight failure. blinking and then complete failure of light after only 40k miles. dealership charges $320+ for just the bulb. online chat forums show that this failure is very frequent and costly to consumers and the dealerships control the access to the bulbs. *tr
10/13/2008510001
 The headlights on my 2006 prius go out frequently, but intermittently. i have had the dealer check them at the last two maintenance checks, but they said they could see no problem. today, i was driving early in the morning in the dark and both lights went out. i shut them off and turned them back on and both came back on. *tr
09/01/2008400001
 Intermittent headlight failure. the headlights will intermittently turn off. by turning the lights on and off, the lights can be turned back on. the problem is difficult to duplicate and prove to toyota service technicians. *tr
06/14/2006140001
 Hid headlights on 2006 prius keep failing. first failure at about 14k miles; two failures between 20k and 30k miles. total of five hid failures: 2 for passenger side light; 3 for driver's side light. failures are intermittent, often while driving. hitting hid lamp lightly often restores light. initially bulbs were replaces (twice). subsequently, the entire unit (including computer board) were replaced. bulbs should last life of car-- neither original hid light lasted the first year. *tr
01/01/2008500001
 The car headlights go in and out all the time. we've already replaced both the left and right side twice. when a light goes out, you can turn it off then on again and it will work for a few minutes (and sometimes hours). i have researched this and it is a major complaint of the 2006 toyota prius. why hasn't this been recalled yet! this is very dangerous, as you don't know when your headlights will work or not. *tr
10/01/2008410001
 One or sometimes both hid headlamps go out without warning, and can be re-lit by turning off and turning on the headlight switch. this affects both low and high beams. i've nearly run off the road when the lights went out abruptly on a narrow mountain road. i have had to turn on my fog/driving lights routinely as a backup. *tr
08/01/2007310001
 Toyota prius 2006 headlight malfunction the headlights on my prius will go out randomly every 5 to 10 minutes. usually it is just one or the other but occasionally it will be both headlights at the same time. to resolve this you have to turn the lights off and then back on again. toyota is aware of this rampant problem. the solution from toyota was to replace the entire headlight assembly at $1216. this problem showed itself soon after the warranty expired. people are not going to pay that kind of money to repair this design flaw. this is not just a burned out bulb. instead people will continue to allow these lights to cycle off and will apply the manual off/on. this creates an extremely dangerous situation - especially when both headlights go out at the same time at night. toyota should be required to recall and repair this design flaw. *tr
05/01/2006500001
 My front headlight does not always work reliably. it will stop working sometimes when i am driving, but may return to normal operation when i power off the car. when i tried to get this repaired, the technician could not find anything wrong. after researching on the discussion boards, i have learned that there are many other prius drivers that have this same problem. the car is only 2 years old. i believe that there is a design issue with the headlight drive electronics. *tr
07/01/2008470001
 After 3-5 minutes of running the headlights, the driver's side just turns off. i can turn the car & headlights off & when i turn them back on again, it works just fine. the dealer cannot replicate the problem. although they have seen the same complaint from another owner. they recommend replacing the hid headlights for $385 plus labor. after searching the internet, it appears this is a known problem with the pruis and toyota should cover it. i have 47k mile and an toyota expended warranty but they say it is not covered. this begin occurring for over 2 months. the light does not fail every day. *tr
07/17/2007400001
 Head lights on my 06 prius keep going out. *tr
09/25/2008200001
 Head lights & tail lights turn off intermittently in 2006 prius. procedure: start car turn on headlights wait one or both lights go off turn off lights turn on lights lights are back on. repeat above... *tr
09/22/2008476001
 Prius headlights started going off sporadically. sometimes right sometimes left sometimes both. hard to tell when it will happen. sometimes turning light switch off and on solves the problem. first noticed this last weekend (today is sept 24th 08). do not know yet how to reproduce intentionally, but it has happened at least three times this week. *tr
09/23/2008397501
 My 2006 prius headlights have started flicking off while i'm driving, one or the other, or both at the same time. they will come back on if the lights are turned off, then back on, although they may go back out again in 1-2 seconds, or later. this problem has been reported by other people on the internet (see wiki.answers.com). it's dangerous because the lights go off while driving. the dealerships have not been able to identify the problem. *tr
09/01/2008440001
 The right head light works intermittently. i have a certified used vehicle with an extended warranty. the dealership nor the automaker will do anything unless they can replicate the issue. my extended warranty does not cover the headlights, which cost around $400 to replace. the dealership and toyota's only solution is to drive in with the headlight not working. that seems like such a terrible solution. *tr
09/12/2008370001
 2006 toyota prius headlights stop working while driving. stop car and turn off and back on and lights work again. many times only one light is working until i recycle the switch. the lights hids and the car is out of warranty. *tr
09/12/2008300001
 The headlight intermittently turns off. usually, turning the lights off and back on will fix the problem. toyota is telling me to replace the bulb, but that doesn't make sense when the light still works fine after turning them off and back on. *tr
09/16/2008543851
 Headlights go out while driving at night. i bought the car tonight, drove off the lot, thought the headlights seem horrible but didn't think much of it. i went down the road and noticed i saw more from the cars around me. i had the driving lights on, but they only show a very short distance in front of the car. i turned onto the main road (4 lane, divided highway) and hit the high beams - the lights went completely out at approximately 60 mph on a road i was unfamiliar with. this is extremely dangerous, i had to stop in the middle of the highway and turn on the flashers to try to see to get off the road. this is a toyota certified and virginia state inspected a few week ago supposedly car that was driven from the showroom floor to the highway before the lights went out. i don't believe this could have been tested for either the va inspection nor the toyota certified inspection and now wonder if anything on the toyota certified inspection was really done. the marker light (proper name? yellow lights) on the drivers side also does not work which would fail both these inspections if properly done. *tr
08/11/2008450001
 Headlight goes off intermittently (no accident caused it ... it just happens). *tr
08/15/2008250001
 2006 toyota prius with high intensity discharge (hid) headlights intended to last life of vehicle. passenger side headlight began intermittently failing after 25000 miles... initial indication was light was noticeably dimmer than the driver side headlight. after a few weeks light would go out after a period of time driving, cycling power to headlights causes light to come back on, although period of operation is becoming shorter and shorter. took the car to dealer who spent approximately one hour trouble shooting before asking for come to return for longer troubleshooting period. *tr
08/28/2008550001
 Toyota prius problem with intermittent headlight function. *tr
09/09/2008310001
 Like my wife i own another 2006 toyota prius which has hid headlamps that have intermittent failures. this problem has come on over the last year. usually switching the headlamps off and then on again turns the lamps back on. however traveling at high rates of speed at night and having your headlamps suddenly go out is extremely dangerous. reading on the internet and realizing that this is a problem with many of these vehicles made me decide it must be reported to you so you can put pressure on toyota to recall and correct this issue. i have not had an accident yet due to this failure. the failure happens about every ten minutes (on average) whenever the headlamps are on. *tr
09/08/2008270001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius which has hid headlamps that have intermittent failures. this problem has come on over the last year. usually switching the headlamps off and then on again turns the lamps back on. however traveling at high rates of speed at night and having your headlamps suddenly go out is extremely dangerous. reading on the internet and realizing that this is a problem with many of these vehicles made me decide it must be reported to you so you can put pressure on toyota to recall and correct this issue. i have not had an accident yet due to this failure. the failure happens about every ten minutes (on average) whenever the headlamps are on. *tr
09/08/2008350001
 Both of my high intensity headlights occasionally go out, but at different times so far. within the city it is hard to tell but is noticeable on the open road. i think it is a safety issue, especially if they both decide to go out at once. turning off the headlights and back on a few seconds later has so far caused both to be on, but for how long who knows. *tr
09/09/20081
 Headlights randomly turn off. nothing appears to aggravate or cause this. it happens at least once or twice per drive. only way to fix it, (when i even notice it) is to turn the lights on and off again. *tr
05/01/2008474401
 1. normal driving 2. headlights (mostly passenger side) go out but will come back on when lights are turned off then back on. once back on they stay on for varying lengths of time (as short as a few seconds and as long as a few hours - most times it is a short period of time). the burned out headlight warning light never comes on (as the lights are not burned out). this happens in daylight or night (it is more noticeable at night). this has gone on for many months. 3. i have brought my vehicle in to be checked multiple times, the dealer (my vehicle is still under warranty) has not been able to duplicate the problem and has told me that there is no problem. so nothing has been done. i believe that the problem has been going on since before i first verified it in may. for nearly the entire time i had the car i noted sudden changes to the light patterns while driving at night. since the burned out bulb warning never came on i was slow to check for a headlight that was out. once i did note that my headlight was out i took it to the dealer, but it was back on. however the headlights do go out again and again. *tr
06/06/2008250001
 My hid headlights will flicker and then one would go out. i can get the headlight back on by simply turning the lights off and back on. this problem was rarely intermittent around 25k miles and started getting worse as i approached 40k miles. i reported the issue to the toyota dealer on every visit and they could not locate any issues with the headlamps. i can't get in my car without having to shut off the hids multiple times during a very short trips and get pull over several times by the police. recently i got frustrated and took the car in the dealer and ask that they replaced the bulbs. they now acknowledge that driver side bulb is broken and that i have to pay $520 to replace it. i told them that both headlamps go out and so it must be defective or electrical issues. i have searched some owners blogs and found many users reporting this same issue. *tr
09/04/2008500001
 Front head lamp on prius cuts out intermittantly. impossible to replace without major labor (including removing bumper). approximate cost 450.00 to 500.00. *tr
08/01/200837000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving approximately 35 mph at night, the passenger side headlight intermittently shut off. there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle has not been taken to an authorized dealer for repair. the contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. the failure mileage was 37,000 and current mileage was 39,000.
08/20/20081
 Purchased new toyota prius aug. 2006; within one year right headlight went out, but didn't burn out completely, but would go on and off at various times. took in and was replaced under warranty (bulb costs over $300!). august 2008, same thing, right headlight would sporadically work. took into dealer and asked them to research if a short circuit. they said no, just bad bulb. they told me that the bulbs are delicate and this can happen if going over bump in the road. this time i had to pay the $300. two weeks later, the left bulb now sporadically works. i cannot afford to replace a $300 bulb once or twice a year. after reading on priuschat.com, other prius owners are having the same complaints. there must be a defect for 3 bulbs to go out within 2 years and again, they don't burn out completely. when you first turn the lights on, the bulb comes on, but while driving, it just goes out. when you turn your lights off then on again, the bulb comes on again, but won't stay lit. i have been pulled over twice by the police because of this. *tr
08/10/2007550001
 The headlights on my 2006 prius intermittently fail and recover when they are turned off and on again. this has gone on for over one year and i finally began loosing all lights on high beam and they would not recover when they were turned off and on again. i just paid over $500 for a problem that i now realize is shared by many owners. why is there not a recall?? *tr
08/28/2008410001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius, with 41,000 miles. my right headlight failed 2 days ago, car was repaired at the dealer, they changed a $260.00 computer that controls the headlight, which was covered under my extended warranty, my cost $55.00. on my way home both of the headlights failed, returned the car to the dealer, hid light bulb was changed today, my cost $320.00. now the left headlight is also failing intermittently, which seems odd and very coincidental. toyota is unable to tell me, if this is an ongoing problem with their vehicles, though the internet seems to have info on the same situation with other owners. $600-$1,000 seems excessive to repair the headlights that seem to be a model problem, especially affecting 2006 model prius. has there been a recall on these items? *tr
03/01/2008450001
 Driver's side headlamp goes off when vehicle running & being driven. when the headlamp switch is briefly turned off, then back on, the driver's side headlamp comes on again, but always goes back off after a few seconds or up to a minute or two. this cycle of turning off & on can be repeated indefinitely. the problem started spontaneously. nothing has yet been done to correct the problem; a phone call to the local toyota service department was met with uncertainty as to what may be wrong, and i have yet to take it in for service. *tr
08/21/2008456001
 Our toyota prius 2006 is experiencing a potentially dangerous problem with the headlights. the passenger side headlight, and sometimes both headlights continue to wink-out despite the dealer having verified that the connections are solid and the bulbs are in functioning order. simply turning the headlights off and then back on fixes the problem temporarily, however the problem resurfaces the next time we drive the car. *tr
08/12/2008928001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. recently i developed a problem where the drivers side headlight kept going out randomly. i would have to shutoff all lights and turn them back on in order for the light to come back on. not only is it totally unsafe to be turning off the lights (driving or not at night) but it impairs your vision when only one of the two headlights is working. i took my car to the dealer and after $56 in labor, $330 in a hid bulb, and tax, my problem might have been fixed. they don't know as it could be the ballast. however after talking to a scuba buddy who is also a master toyota mechanic he told me that its almost always the bulb and they are more then likely defective and that in his opinion there should be a recall. *tr
04/01/2008150001
 The headlights intermittently shut off while driving. sometimes it's the right one and sometimes it's the left one. i'm afraid that sometime it will be both. this is a safety hazard to have the headlights go out. i have had it checked out but since it is an inconsistent problem, it is not always not working when i take the car in so they have a hard time diagnosing it and refuse to change out the headlight system. they almost look at me in disbelief as if they've never heard of such a thing. yet, i see many other prius' driving around with one headlight on so i know i am not the only one in there complaining about this problem. they need to look into it and do the right thing to fix the problem before a life is lost and they have to do something to fix this problem. *tr
08/06/2008700001
 While driving my 2006 prius one head light will go out and then the other and i have no headlights. some times its the drivers side some times the passenger side and sometimes both. but on the freeway it's scary when they both go out! *tr
04/01/2008270001
 I drive a 2006 toyota prius which i purchased new in 2006. it has 30,000 miles on it. starting at about 27,000 miles, the hid headlights began to intermittently fail while driving. turning the headlight switch off then on again seems to re-ignite the bulb until the next failure. this creates a real safety concern and the local toyota service center is refusing to replace the headlights under warranty stating that they cannot reproduce this issue. there a numerous posts on message boards such as priuschat.com (http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/34584-headlight-problem.html) that suggest this is not an isolated issue, but actually a design and/or manufacturing flaw. without reliable headlights, i am concerned for my safety and the safety of motorists and pedestrians around me. i have a call in to toyota and hopefully they will do the right thing. perhaps a recall is in order, or at least a service bulletin so that dealer service centers don't refuse to perform necessary maintenance. *tr
03/15/2008530001
 The headlights work intermittently with no indication from inside the vehicle that one is not working. i have had the vehicle checked three times, and the only thing that was fixed was a rear taillight bulb. the non-working headlights have been pointed out to me by security guards in the parking garage, and last week i was pulled-over by a new jersey state patrol officer because one of the headlights was out. the only way to get them on again is to turn the car off, and then restart it. it has now become a safety hazard for myself, passengers, and other drivers. toyota's response has been that if i notice them not working, bring the car in with the lights still out, and then they can try to track down the problem. the approximately 5 times i have been told about, or noticed the outages have been as i drove into my office or later at night when the dealer is closed, or out of town on the turnpike. this solution is merely an avoidance by the dealer to replace a known defect. *tr
05/01/2008280001
 The headlights individually go out sporadically. when the car is turned off, and turned back on again, the headlights work. usually, its the left headlight but has also been the right. replacement of the left headlight did not correct the problem. today, the ecu's and hid bulbs were replaced. don't yet know if this corrects the problem. i have heard of others with this issue and am concerned that there should be a recall. losing headlights is dangerous. *tr
01/18/2008350001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius, package 6. the passenger side front headlight intermittently turns off while the vehicle is in motion. there are no specific antecedents. the headlight may stay on or may not during any time driving. if i turn off the headlights and turn them back on, the aforementioned headlight will come back on and stay on. or not. again, there is no way to tell when this will happen. i have reviewed the discussion boards and this appears to be a known problem among several prius drivers. toyota has no tech sheets or recalls on this issue. they say to bring it in and they will check it out, but since it is an intermittent problem, it is impossible to predict whether the problem will occur during an appointment/diagnostic time. this is a safety issue, particularly at night, and i am certainly at risk of getting a fix-it ticket for it. however, i am having trouble fixing something that manifests so unpredictably. i am wondering if there are other complaints about this problem with the prius? i first noticed this problem in 1/2008, at about 35,000 or 36,000 miles, just after the warranty period expired. *tr
06/23/2008430001
 Headlights go out intermittently, usually when the car goes over a bump in the road. turning the headlights off and back on, usually corrects the problem until the next bump. have taken the car to two different toyota dealerships. first one said that because the car is out of warranty, toyota is not willing to cover the cost, said to be $1800.00 to replace both headlight assemblies. second toyota dealer also said that toyota would not cover the cost, said to be $850.00 to replace only the headlight bulbs. *tr
07/23/2008355001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius with 35,543 miles on it. the driver's side headlight intermittently goes off. i will be bringing it to the dealer today. *tr
07/22/2008447001
 Headlight failure. *tr
04/02/2008300001
 While driving my 2006 toyota prius, package #8, the headlights will go out intermittently. they can either go out one at a time or both at the same time. this started a few months ago with about 30,000 miles on the card. i am currently at aprox. 35,000 miles on the car. i can get the light(s) to come back on by turning them fully off and back on again. this will usually keep the lights on for the rest of my trip, short or long, in most cases. but there are times that they lights will go out again and i will need to turn them off and back on to get them to work again. i have not taken the car to the dealer yet, i am in the process of finding the time to do this. i have read online that this seems to be more than an isolate problem related to only my vehicle. *tr
07/15/2008460001
 I have an issue with the headlight (hid) on my 2006 toyota prius. i have discovered that i am not the only one. one headlight will go out, and if i turn it off and then back on it will come back on. the dealer told me i need to replace the bulb - for ~$725. the hid headlights are supposed to last the life of the car. however, the bulb is not under warranty (i have the extended super duper deluxe warranty). so i have to pay this out of pocket. now if the bulbs were regular bulbs - i would just replace them. if this was not such a common problem, i would not be complaining. the issue seems to be widespread, and thus i believe this is a manufacturing defect that should at least be covered under my warranty - if not deserving of a recall. *tr
11/22/200630000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving at an unknown speed, the front headlights would shut off without warning. the vehicle was taken to a dealer twice and they suggested that the contact replace the headlights for $500 per piece. the current mileage was 70,000 and failure mileage was 30,000.
07/11/2008350001
 We started having an intermittent problem with the driver's side headlight on our 2006 prius. it would go out for no apparent reason. if we turned the lights off and back on, most of the time it would come back on, but not always. we asked our dealer to check it out for a possible short during a regular oil change. they said that they could find nothing wrong with it. on july 11, we brought it to a different toyota dealer and got them to check it out. they said it was the bulb that needed to be replaced and charged us $427.99 to replace it!!! they had to remove the bumper to replace the bulb! i immediately got online and emailed toyota. i let them know how ridiculous it was to charge $320 for a light bulb and then build a car that had to have the bumper removed to change the light bulb! i also said that i would not assume that a light bulb is burned out if it comes on most of the time. how did they know that it was the bulb and not some wiring or other problem? just a few days later, i got a call from toyota saying they were investigating and wanted all of the details from me. then yesterday, toyota called me and told me that they were mailing me a check for the full cost of $427.99! *tr
07/13/20081
 The hid headlights on the vehicle randomly go off (both sides, but independently). toyota has replaced both headlight assemblies at different times and the control module under warranty. turning the headlights off and then back on again returns both lights to being on. this occurs at least once a week that we can notice. we are now out of warranty and toyota indicates we will have to pay for all diagnostics and repair. *tr
06/01/2008500001
 The headlight on my 2006 toyota prius (passenger side) failed just as the warranty ran out. it was an intermittent issue so it was hard to have it occur when it was in the shop. my dealer split the parts/labor with me, which i appreciated. now my driver side headlight is intermittent off/on. after reading other toyota owners complaints it appears to be a common problem. *tr
07/11/2008410001
 2006 toyota prius headlight system is faulty...numerous consumers having problem with intermittent headlight operation on relatively new vehicles. this is a manufacturer fault, not an owner/operator problem. *tr
07/11/2008299151
 When driving my 2006 toyota prius before dawn, the hid headlights failed. i turned the light switch off, then back on, and the lights came back on. the security guard at my place of work had told me before that one of my headlights were out when i entered the parking lot, but when i turned the car back on, the lights were both working. this is an obvious intermittent, but serious defect. having researched this problem on the various prius chat boards on the web, this is obviously a widespread issue with the hid headlights on the 2006 prius. i would hope that no one has to be seriously injured or die before the nhtsa forces toyota to address this problem. *tr
06/22/2007400001
 The hid headlight problem started about a year ago on my 2006 toyota prius. i noticed that the right headlight went out as i was trying to drive around a cloverleaf at 5:20 am. i did not discover until later that i could turn off the lights and turn them back on and it will come back on. at first it was so intermittent that when i took it into the dealer for service they could not get it to go out. in the last two weeks i have to turn it off and on repeatedly as i travel to my job in the early am. i took it into another dealer when the light was out so they could decide how to fix it and they told me to turn the car off. i was sure that within the hour that they had to look at it that it surely would go out for them, but the service man told me that they could not get it to go out. i have now scheduled to take it back to leave it for a day so they can trouble shoot it. my car is no longer covered because i have 57,000 miles on it. *tr
07/07/2008560001
 For many months, left (usually) or right headlight goes off while driving without warning. turning the light switch off and then back on causes the faulty light to come back on. sometimes it will stay on for hours, sometimes for less than a minute before i have to repeat the switch off/on maneuver. dealer says its the bulb ($362). how can it be the bulb if it goes back on when the switch is toggled? from what i see online this headlight problem is common with prius. *tr
03/03/200650001
 The driver's side headlight (hid) goes out while driving every time we drive the car. turning the switch on and off restarts the bulb but only for a minute or two. we have been stopped by police twice but so far have only received warnings. the car has 40,000 miles and is not covered by the warranty and we did not purchase the extended warranty, the bulbs cost about $409 to replace because the bulb costs $316 or so. we have chosen not to incur this expense and are unable to drive the car at night. i currently have a case number with toyota experience and they are researching the problem. priuschat.com has a lengthy thread on headlight problem. after reading a toyota tsb (see below) i wonder if my 2006 prius, (accepted delivery 1-1-2006) contained 2004 or 2005 bulbs. a toyota technical service bulletin t-sb-0030-08 rev1 april 11, 2008 states the following on the bottom of the second page. note: the hid bulb and hid ecu service parts for 2004 - 2005 model year are not compatible with 2006 and later model year vehicles. installing a 2004 or 2005 model year hid bulb or hid ecu on a 2006 or later model year vehicle may cause an intermittent operation/flickering of the hid bulb. *tr
05/26/2008620001
 About 6 mos. ago the left headlight would turn off for no reason. it would come back on when i turned the switch off and then on. i took it to the dealer and they could not replicate the problem. now the same thing is happening to both lights at the same time. this has happened on pitch black roads for no apparent reason - the lights just go out. an obvious safety issue! i have since taken the car in and am told that both lights along with their motors and computers need to be replaced at the cost of $800 a piece! *tr
05/15/2008350001
 Intermittent headlights for which i have been ticketed. the dealership agrees that there is a problem with the headlights in my 2006 prius and agrees to pay for the parts (2 headlight bulbs @~$370 each) but not for the labor which is over $300 plus diagnostic fees. the dealership informed me that the headlight which came on my prius was found to have a problem and because of this, is no longer being used. but, from what i have read on the internet, i am not the only 2006 prius owner with this problem and many have spent thousands of dollars trying to fix this issue without success. why must i pay to have this repaired when the dealership has agreed that there is a problem with this specific type of headlamp. i even have been ticketed for this problem...just icing on the cake!!!! *tr
05/01/2008560001
 2006 toyota prius headlight problem... passenger light comes on initially then fades out and turns off. resetting the switch turns the light back on only to repeat the process!!! bottomline, the headlight will not stay on! *tr
06/22/2008420001
 Driver hid headlamp works then does not work. you can turn off the light and back on and it will work. then sometimes behind a car or in a reflection i will see the headlamp working or not working. people on priuschat.com are mentioning this is a common problem on a 2006 prius. if this is a defect then i should not have to pay $500 or more per headlight to fix. i am going to the dealer on wednesday. *tr
05/01/2007445001
 Driver's side headlight doesn't work every other time they are turned on. also sometimes stop working. *tr
04/01/2008400001
 Hid headlights go out and lights will work again when turned off and back on. then they will go out again for no apparent reason and work when turned off and on again. *tr
05/24/2008390001
 Hid headlights started failing intermittently at 39,000 miles. both lights will spontaneously go out (sometimes at the same time, sometimes one at a time). turning the light switch off and on will make them go on again for a while. talked to a dealership service manager; he stated he does not think it's the bulbs but bring it in and they will try to diagnose it and will charge a diagnostic fee. also, it has to be malfunctioning at the time for them to figure out the problem. contacted a customer experience representative and was assigned a case #. she stated she knew of the hid failures, she states that it is normal wear & tear but that toyota will help me with the expense. she would not specify what that means, except that they will not pay for all of the repairs. however, they will reimburse me for a rental car. what has previously been a reliable car is now dangerous at night. in fact, the first time i noticed the problem was when both lights failed as i was driving down the freeway in the middle of the night! *tr
06/09/2006377011
 Intermittent functioning of driver's side headlight on 2006 prius after 37,000 miles. dealer/service says it needs to be replaced and will cost $420 for the one light. i expect that the other will follow suit and i'll be out another $420 soon. this is a ridiculous amount to have to pay for a headlight, and not getting it fixed is, obviously, illegal and a safety hazard. since it is near impossible to replace oneself, they seem to have cornered the market and can thus charge whatever they like. *tr
01/15/2008360001
 In january of this year, the driver side headlamp on our 2006 prius began shutting off after a few minutes of operation. it would come back on if the switch is cycled but would then shut off again at what appeared to be a random interval. the dealer replaced the lamp under warranty in january. now the passenger side is doing the same thing. after several visits to the dealer, we were told that this is a known problem but it is not being covered by toyota nor under our extended warranty. the price to replace the headlamp is in excess of $700! this is a known defect with significant safety implications. the dealer tells us it affects 2006+ prius headlamps. *tr
05/16/2008450001
 It began with the driver side headlight going out every once in a while... the dealership didn't believe us since when we brought the car in, it was working. we still dealt with the problem and found that by turning the lights off and then back on that both lights would then work for a period. it's a bit daunting to do this in the night when it is dark and you are driving and have to turn off your lights to get them to work. after the police issued us a citation for the light not working, we had to pay for the toyota dealership to 'diagnose' the problem. $1000.00 dollars later we have a new ecu and a new driverside headlight. the very next day, the passenger headlight went out and is doing the same thing. we are back to turning the lights off to get them both 'on.' the dealership says it's not covered under warranty and we have to pay another 400 dollars for the passenger side light. there is something very wrong and very dangerous with this situation. this is a 2006 prius and these headlights are supposed to be long-lasting. toyota does not seem willing to help out and customers are paying the price. this is a serious safety issue that toyota needs to acknowledge and deal with. *tr
05/30/2008450001
 The driver side headlight on our 2006 prius has been intermittently working since june 2007. taking it in to the toyota dealership in va where we purchased the car, we were told that since it happened to be working at that time, there was nothing that can be done. since moving to north carolina in july 2007, this problem has gotten worse. a dealership here, told my husband and i the same thing - that the headlight was on when we brought it in so they assumed it was fine. after being pulled over by the police in early may 2008 because our headlight was out, we brought the car back to the toyota dealership. we were told by the police that this is a major safety issue and we needed to get it repaired immediately. this time, after paying nearly $100.00 for the problem to be diagnosed at the toyota dealership, we spent almost $500.00 for the replacement of the computer (ecu)and were told the headlight would now work. the next day the headlight went out again. we brought it back in and were told that because of something having to do with the heat caused by the ecu that had been replaced, our headlight had now fully blown out and we would have to pay almost $400.00 for a new hid light. we paid, got a new driver side headlight, and went home. the very next morning (5/30/08), the passenger side headlight went out. there seems to be something very wrong with the headlights on this vehicle. there are pages and pages online of discussions of 2006 prius owners who have the exact same problem with their headlights. this is a major safety concern, and it is illegal to drive with headlights out! i don't understand why toyota is not standing behind it's vehicles and keeping it's customers safe. there is surely a defect in the design. these lights are supposed to last up to eight years... but ours have not made it even three years. we are becoming very frustrated with the service we have received and with the lack of support by toyota in helping us with this. *tr
08/01/2007500001
 My driver side headlight would intermittently turn off. this occurred almost everytime i turned it on and by the time i got to destination (it would be off). turning headlight off and then back on would work only temporarily, until i drove further and notice it off again based on reflection from car in front of me. the igniter assembly was replaced by dealer yesterday, but problem still exist. car is currently at the dealer again for further diagnosis. *tr
01/05/2008440001
 I have a toyota 2006 prius that the hid headlights fail after a variable amount of time. failure varies from just one light (both passenger and driver side show symptom) to both lights failing at the same time. current solution is to turn lights completely off and turn them back on. this solves the problem temporarily although the light(s) will eventually go out again. so far i have not crashed into anything once my headlight(s) fail but that is obviously a concern i now have when driving at night. current repair recommendation is to replace both bulbs and cost for ~$1000. the car is just over 2 years old and has 44,000 miles on it. *tr
01/01/2008380001
 I have a 2006 prius with hid headlights which will not stay on. when i am driving, one, or both, of my headlights will go out. i will notice this when i'm at a stop and i look for the reflection of my lights in the car in front of me, or when i get home and i look to see if both headlights are shining on my garage door. if i turn the lights off and then right back on again, the headlights come back on. i have googled this and many other prius owners are having the same problem. my independent mechanic said that toyota is not even selling a headlight for my vin number. i took my car to the dealer i purchased it from and they are telling me that to replace the headlights will cost $1,050 and if the ecus which control the headlights are bad, they will cost an additional $650. i said that i felt this was a safety issue that toyota should pay for. they offered me half off the cost of the parts, but want me to commit to paying all the labor. i am going to go pick up my car from the dealer and plan on filing a complaint with toyota usa. i think a problem like this with a car less than two years old should not be my responsibility to pay for. *tr
08/20/2007380001
 Headlight failure on 2006 toyota prius. car was taken to the dealer with approximately 38,000 miles and the dealer beat on the headlight unit and advised me that it now worked. as the months have gone by, both headlight have been shutting down at separate times and by turning the lights on and off the headlights return to normal. the dealer now advises me that he thinks the bulbs need to be replaced at a cost of about $400 each. i see on the internet that this is a very common problem on the 2006 prius and toyota has done nothing to protect the owners from this potentially life threatening issue. i believe it is mandatory that toyota make a recall of all 2006 prius models asap to repair this problem before serious injury or loss of life is caused by losing these lights during both night driving and day driving when used as an effective means of letting other drivers see your position. *tr
06/01/2007300001
 In june of 2007 i had my head light replace in my 2006 toyota prius. i would be driving and it would randomly go off and on. warranty covered the cost. it is april of 2008 and both headlights are going on and off again. at first the right one was randomly on and off and now both right and left, again are on an off and on occasion i will be driving down the road and both go off. this is not a light bulb problem. it was diagnosed as an electronic problem with the wiring behind the light. my car is only 2 years old and should not be having electronic problems, head lights flickering on and off. mechanicsville toyota fixed the first electronic problem with warranty. now no one wants to hear my problem and i believe this is happening to others. *tr
01/04/2008390001
 My 2006 toyota prius intermittently loses one or both of the hid headlights. turning off the lights, and back on, will usually bring both of the lights back on... for a little while. this has caused me to have one 'near-miss' accident when going around a curve, in unfamiliar areas. both of the headlights failed within a few tenths of a second, helping me to run off of the road. no damage was done to the car, but it was a very frightening experience, that i don't want to repeat. it seems apparent from the this site, that it is a wide-spread problem that toyota does not want to admit to. even my toyota brand platinum warranty doesn't cover this, since they say that 'light' bulbs are an 'expendable' item... they meant 'expensive' item... that they do not want to pay for. my local dealer states that they want to 'troubleshoot' it for a few hours at about $90/hr... then 'probably' check the bulbs, at 1.5 hours/each, since they say the front bumper must be removed to remove/replace the lights. then, order the bulbs at $359/each, and a week or so later (after they order the bulbs/receive them), install them for about 1.5hours/each. this is totaling well over $1000 for a car only about 15.5 months old, and just barely out of warranty (at the time about 39,000 miles). with all of the complaints established on this site, as well as the dealership(s) records of 'troubleshooting' and /or repair efforts, toyota needs to be forced into a recall for repairs to this safety related problem that they are currently choosing to ignore. i have requested to speak to a regional toyota service representative, but those efforts were apparently ignored, since several months have elapsed, without any contact. *tr
05/15/2008590001
 2006 toyota prius with hd headlights. either headlight will go out on what seems to be a random basis. does not seem to be related to the amount of time the headlight was on - could be a few minutes before it goes out or a few hours. when car is turned off and then restarted the headlight will come on again for an indeterminate amount of time. it is not predictable. this is an obvious safety problem and an internet search shows that it is not uncommon in this make and model. others with the problem have had various repairs - all very expensive - with uneven results. the dealers do not seem to have a definite fix - just to change parts to see if that helps. although i will indicate an approximate incident date below, it is not really accurate since this has happened with my car at multiple random times within the past four weeks. *tr
05/10/2008320001
 The headlights on my car go out intermittently without warning. sometimes it is only one. sometimes it is both. *tr
01/01/2008400001
 Both headlights on my 2006 prius go out intermittently (not necessarily simultaneously). began noticing this about 5-6 months ago. shutting lights all the way off and then on again usually brings the light(s) back on, but not always and they don't always stay on. this occurs almost every time i drive the vehicle. i mentioned it to my dealer at my last oil change and they advised they could find nothing wrong (bring it back in when it's happening) . . . it had just happened on the way over to the dealer, but shutting lights off and on brought it back on. *tr
01/02/2008350001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. my right headlight will randomly shut off. i am able to turn my lights off/on and the light will restart. there is no initiation factor such as bump or movement. there is a random time frame for this to occur. i can be sitting still prior to moving the car and the light will go out. this has first happened 4months ago and continues to happen. the problem seems to be occurring more frequently and could pose a serious safety issue. so far, only the right headlight has gone out, however, i am concern this may happen to both. i will be scheduling a service repair at my local dealership asap. *tr
03/01/2008500001
 Headlight started to fail around 50,000 miles; right would turn off. not to long after left would turn off but right remain on. turning lights off, then back on would turn light back on. was not happening enough for dealership to track. around 60,000 mile happening more frequently. both lights would also dim and sometimes turn completely off; turning light switch off, then back on made lights return on. sometimes if lights turned off and you attempted to turn on brights, brights would not come on. dealer suggested it was either a headlight that needed to be replaced or a 'headlight control' but needed to check it further. 70,000 lights turning off frequently; left and right, sometimes same time, sometimes individually. headlight control replaced by dealer. continues to do same thing; not resolved. have not taken back to dealer yet. *tr
04/20/2008720001
 Driving normally, my headlight intermittently goes out. recycling the power on the lights corrects the issue but after continuing to drive the light will again go out. the light goes out approximately every 5 minutes. without dependably functioning lights, driving vision is impaired at night and i have been issued a fix-it ticket. i took my car in for service at the dealership and was told that the light bulb will cost $300+. i will fix the problem myself with a replacement philips d4r hid bulb however, several reports of the same issue give me reason to believe that a recall is necessary. *tr
04/25/2008550001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius, the hid headlight goes on and off intermittently. i got pulled over for my right headlight being out and by the time he got my warning written, it was working again. i turned my lights on and off several times.. this seemed to get them working again. i've pulled up on cars at red lights to see my light flickering at times. i only have 55k on my car, hid lamps are supposed to work 10 times longer than halogen...this should not be happening. i've read stories of some who simply replaced the bulb, to others who had to replace the whole assembly before the problem was fixed. this is discussed extensively at priuschat.com. *tr
09/05/200738892502/26/2006
 I have been experiencing intermittent problems with the hid headlights on my 2006 prius for over a year. each time i took the car in the dealer was not able to duplicate the problem. now that both headlights are inoperable, the dealer is telling that i need a new headlight assembly. i was told that the assembly and the bulb were sold as a unit. when i investigated this further on my own and went back to the dealer i was informed that the bulbs are sold independently and that they are $312 each, and 1.5 hours of labor to install. i have an extended service package (platinum) that does not cover light bulbs. i am appalled that headlights this expensive can have chronic issues after 1 and 1/2 years of use and toyota will not take ownership of the fact that there is a manufacturer problem here. *tr
12/18/2007320001002/16/2006
 Hid headlights on 06 toyota prius defective, go on and off intermittently, dealership unable to correct problem on reliable basis. multiple other lights (parking/tail ect.) also going out. *tr
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS
11/20/200729580
 Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the driver's side headlight intermittently failed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was unable to be duplicated. the contact mentioned that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the same failure on numerous occasions and on one occasion the driver's side headlight was replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure was not corrected. the approximate failure mileage was 29,580 and the current mileage was 132,855.
09/19/2008303/08/2006
 Cpsc#i1230059. 2006 toyota pruis computer assembly. consumer stated the hid head lamps and associated controller computer used on the toyota pruis have a design flaw that makes them itermittently, and without warning, quit working. *ln the consumer stated he experienced the failure three times while driving at night
01/16/200837000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with hid bulbs for the headlights which burned out prematurely. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the bulbs were placed on four different occasions since owning the vehicle. the dealer told him to avoid driving with the headlights on unless conditions called for it. the contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint; the manufacturer also paid some of the costs to replace the bulbs. as of may 9, 2010, another bulb had blown out and the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 104,000. the failure mileage was approximately 37,000.
04/18/201053000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving approximately 40 mph at night, the headlights suddenly shut off. the contact turned the light switch off and on and the headlights began functioning normally. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer but the vehicle had not been repaired when the complaint was filed. the failure and current mileages were approximately 53,000.
03/25/200849000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact was driving approximately 45 mph with the headlights activated. suddenly, the driver side headlight became inoperable without assistance. the headlight functioned after engaging the headlight switch. the failure occurred at any given speed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and repaired for the malfunction. the identical failure occurred on a separate occasion. the vehicle has not been repaired at this time. the manufacturer was notified and informed that the service repair would be at the owners expense. the failure mileage was 49,000. the current mileage was 74,000.
11/10/200953945
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving at various unknown speeds, the headlights would fail to illuminate intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer however they were unable to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was contacted but would take no liability claiming a defect did not exist in the vehicle. the failure and current mileages were 53,945.
05/20/2008450001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. in may 2008, around 45k, i noticed that my headlights were dimming and at times turning off at random intervals. i was only able to correct this by turning off my headlights and then turning them back on. i took the car to toyota where they replaced the bulbs and some other items. this lasted for a while and the problem re-occurred. again, i replaced both bulbs but the problem continues. the bulbs are very expensive and to replace them one has to completely remove the front bumper of the car, which is also very expensive. i recently searched the web and found that there are many prius owners experiencing this same problem. this is a very dangerous condition. just last night, while traveling on highway 270 in gaithersburg, md, both my headlights went out at the same time. the dealership tells me that there are no known problems and that toyota has no recalls or bulletins on this issue. this is quite troubling considering the number of complaints. some have spent a lot of money and have yet to resolve this life threatening problem. *tr
10/24/2008609231
 2006 toyota prius with hid headlights. one or both headlights fail repeatedly. dealership claims unable to duplicate concern, and adds working as designed. an investigation into this matter was precipitously closed before the company had even fully answered the complaint, on the grounds that only one headlight was failing which would allow customers to reach a service facility. both headlights regularly fail, often concurrently, and others obviously have this problem as well. clearly had this information been available to investigators, the investigation would not have been closed for this reason. toyota has lowered the price on replacement, but took the position with investigators that this was an item that would require regular replacement. the literature on the product however, indicates that these products should last for the life of the vehicle, which considering that portions are warrantied for 100,000 miles, is a milestone we have obviously not reached. this problem is continuing, so the date and mileage are taken from the invoice when the headlight problem was reported to royal palm toyota, royal palm beach, fl. i pray the nhtsa will reopen its investigation in light of new evidence. *tr
05/10/2009700001
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that the front headlights shut off intermittently; however, after the switch was turned on and off they remained on. the dealer stated that the contact would be responsible for paying $300 per bulb to repair the vehicle and $200 in labor.. there were no related recalls. the contact is concerned about the safety risk while driving at night. the failure mileage was 70,000. updated 03/01/10. *lj the consumer stated both lights go out at the same time while driving at night. the dealer could not guarantee the consumer it wouldn't not happen again. updated 06/15/10.*jb
08/07/200928000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving 25 mph the driver and passenger headlights would randomly shut off. the dealer informed the contact that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced. the dealer cannot guarantee if replacing the headlight assembly would completely remedy the failure. the contact is concerned about the safety risk while driving at night if both headlights shut off since a crash could occur. the failure mileage was 28,000.
12/20/2009600001
 I have a 2006 toyota prius, while driving home the other night my headlights dimmed so low that i could not see while exiting on a ramp and drove so close to the edge i almost went over into the ditch. it was very close. i am now scared to drive my car at night not knowing if my lights will fail. *tr
12/12/2009480001
 I have a safety defect with the headlights on my 2006 prius. the headlight on the right hand side was working intermittently. took it in to the dealer. told me that yes, it was working intermittently and the left side needed replaced also since it would be going out soon. they replaced both headlights at the cost of $614.00. *tr
12/02/200935000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the headlights fail while driving at night. he has to turn the headlamp switch on and then back off to resume headlight operation. it cost $1200 to replace the bulbs and the module. he has to take the vehicle to a local repair facility because the authorized dealer is located too far. the failure mileage was 35,000.
11/16/20091
 2006 toyota prius right headlight bulb keeps blowing. i am getting ready to have it professionally replaced for the third time and i only have 70,000 miles. i have been told it might be the controller unit for the bulb. *tr
09/17/200610000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. it took several attempts to activate the head-lights. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, and the technician stated that the head-lights needed to be replaced at an expense of $700.00. no repairs were made. after the repair identical failures occurred. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and repaired. the passenger side headlight failed after the repair. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the failure mileage was 10,000. the current failure was 95,000. the vehicle identification number was unavailable.
11/03/200953000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. whenever the contact would drive the vehicle she noticed that the left and right headlights suddenly shut off intermittently. the dealer stated that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 53000. updated 12/22/09. *lj the consumer paid $425 to correct the problem, however the consumer was reimbursed. updated 12/29/09. *jb
11/10/2009980001
 I have a 2006 prius with hid headlights. i have a recurring problem which seems to be getting worse. when driving with headlights on, a headlight (sometimes driver side, other times passenger side) will just go off. if i know it has happened (very dark area or can see headlight reflections in the rear of the car in front of me), i simply turn the headlight switch off and then back to on. both lights typically come back on. it is getting worse as i find it is happening more often. i am concerned that it will happen to both lights and cause an accident. i understand the gov.'t had a case open on this topic but closed it - found that only one light going out is not a safety problem. hundreds (possibly thousands) of prius owners also have this problem. toyota seems to know there is some sort of issue with the hid electronics control board but is not offering to fix it for most people (read on line that they did fix it for one person free of charge). faulty headlights sure seems to be a safety issue - is the us gov.'t waiting until several people die from this before admitting it is a safety problem? if only one headlight working is ok, then why can't all automakers just have one headlight vice two? *tr
11/05/2009100001
 Left headlight suddenly goes out, necessary to turn lights off and then back on to reactivate. quite dangerous on mountain roads, this has been going on for awhile, asked dealer and they were evasive about problem. *tr
11/04/20091
 Headlamp go on and off randomly on my 2006 prius. *tr
09/13/200940000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the headlights failed while driving. the headlights were replaced at an expense of $300.00. the repair did not remedy the failure. he had to have the component replaced again. the manufacturer stated that the headlights did not have a recall or warranty. the failure mileage was 40,000, the current mileage was 42,968.
10/16/200610000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving the head-lights intermittently fail. the vehicle was taken to the dealer multiple times. during the first inspection the head-lights were replaced. at the second inspection, the technician concluded that a remedy was not available to remedy the failure. the current mileage was 10,000. the failure mileage was 74000. the vehicle identification number was unavailable.
05/20/200957800
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving, the driver and passenger headlights shut off unexpectedly. the contact was able to turn them back on. the dealer stated that the failure could not be duplicated. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 57800.
06/01/20091000001
 One or both headlights go out on my 2006 toyota prius. they can be turned on again by turning off the headlights, and turning them on. *tr
08/01/2009610001
 2006 toyota prius with faulty headlights. numerous complaints about this very same issue all over internet. *tr
06/01/20071
 The left hid headlight of my prius continues to randomly go out. while my car was under warranty i took it to the toyota dealer who said they would change the bulbs. this was less than a year ago and again the left headlight randomly goes out. *tr
06/01/200825000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that intermittently while driving the head lamps shut off. an impairment of visibility while driving increased the risk of a vehicle crash. the vehicle was taken to the dealer twice for two sets of replacement lamps. the repairs performed have not remedied the failure. the failure mileage was 25,000. the current mileage was 40,000.
12/15/200734000
 Tl* -the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that intermittently the head lamps fail. an impairment of visibility while driving, increases the risk of vehicle crash.the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the frontal bulbs were replaced. after the repairs the failure resurfaced. as of current date the failures have not been properly remedied. the failure mileage was 34,000. the current mileage was 84,800. the vehicle identification number was not available.
09/03/2009309311
 01/09 passenger side headlight went out, but would come back on when turned of and on. 05/09 brought to dealer for oil change and requested check on headlight - dealer was unable to solve problem as headlight was working 09/09 headlight off when brought to dealer- was told it would require a return appt., a special order for a replacement bulb estimated at $200 + at least $100 labor to move passenger bulb to driver side to test bulb; if problem follows bulb it is the bulb, if not it is a computer issue that would be an additional $600. dealer offered to check for warranty on computer part. could not pass safety inspection at this time. *tr
01/01/200982500
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius which was purchased in december 2008. when the headlights were turned on, the left headlight became dim and shut off within 30 seconds. the headlights remained on after they were turned on and off continuously; however, they would shut off again. the previous owner replaced the headlight assembly at 43,000 miles. the contact is aware of the safety risk while driving at night without headlights. the dealer quoted that the repair would cost $560 to replace the entire headlight assembly again. the current and failure mileages were approximately 82,500.
07/15/2009590001
 Toyota prius headlight problem. for more details go to http://www.hybridcars.com/forums/replacing-headlight-bulb-t910.html. *tr
10/04/2007389851
 I have owned a 2006 prius since february, 2006. i noticed (and so did the police who stopped me on three separate occasions!) the headlights working intermittently. this started in oct. 2007. since then i have had to replace 3 of the headlights and 2 of the headlight modules at a cost of $1589.35 total. the headlights stop with no warning. this is a safety issue, as i drive at night with my children and grandchild. the lights have only stopped one at a time, never at the same time, and i pray that they never do. i have contacted toyota headquarters and they are reviewing my case to see if they can refund some of my out of pocket expenses for this. i would like them to replace my lights with reliable lights, but they are unwilling to do that. they have replaced my lights and module with the same kind of part as the original. thank you for your attention. *tr
07/15/2009350001
 Headlights intermittently go out most often one or the other. often turning headlights off and back on will recover the headlight temporarily. this has led to being stopped by the police for having a headlight out. sometimes it can be ok for days at a time and others it will go out every day. *tr
01/01/2007200001
 1. headlight or headlights turn off unexpectedly 2. occurs regularly on my car. other owners report this problem and say it is a $1000 repair that doesn't always work. because the headlights dim, or shutoff on their own. i will often be driving with one headlight or no headlights and not be aware of it. because they were working when i drove off. due to the dimming feature, i cannot easily tell if they are off or dimmed until someone tells me. then i turn off and on my headlights and it works for a while. 3. i am told it is a $1000 toyota repair, that is not a permanent fix. i think it occurred under warranty, but i was not aware of what i was experiencing until after warranty expired. *tr
03/03/20091
 My 2006 toyota prius has one headlight going out at irregular times. it can be turned on again if the headlight switch is turned completely off, then turned on, but that does not make the headlight stay on. i have had the headlight switch replaced, but that has not corrected the problem. it is mainly the left headlight, but after the switch replacement, very occasionally the right headlight goes out as well. very rarely, both headlights go out. i have consulted the dealer and they want about $1000 to correct the problem, but give no guarantees that this amount will fully correct the difficulty. i am concerned about the safety aspect of this problem, especially if we drive at night. my wife and i are both retired and we need all the lighting from these headlights to see safely. i also understand that if the problem shows up on state inspections, my car will not pass this inspection. the problem did not show up for the first year or so we owned the car, but has become more frequent over the past year. there seems to be no pattern to the failures. *tr
09/12/200822000106/01/2006
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving approximately 65 mph at night, the headlights suddenly failed without warning. the driver experienced extremely limited visibility. immediately, the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. the contact made several attempts to engage the headlight switch before they began functioning properly again. the vehicle was able to resume normal operation; however, the failure occurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing, but they could not duplicate the failure. the driver's side headlight was replaced. the failure occurred twenty five additional times. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on three separate occasions for identical failures, but there were no resolutions. the failure mileage was 22,000 and current mileage was 58,000. updated 08/04/09. *lj updated 08/06/09.*jb
01/15/2009556691
 Hid headlight failures both sides with intermittent outages. *tr
06/11/2009300001
 My 2006 toyota prius has an intermittent headlight problem. at random, with out warning both of the headlights on my 2006 prius will turn off, either at the same time, the left will go out, or the right, some times one then the other. there is no reasoning to it. i can most of the time get them to come back on by switching the switch off and then back on again. this has been occurring for about two years and seems to be happening more frequently. bulb replacement has not had any effect. the dealer can not figure out what the problem is. thank you. *tr
01/11/200825000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. while driving at any given speed, the front headlights dim without warning. the contact has to turn the headlights off and then back on; however, the failure recurs. the headlights have failed intermittently on multiple occasions. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they determined that the light bulb failed. the light bulb has been replaced. the contact is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 25,000 and current mileage was 45,000.
06/01/2009455001
 On my 2006 prius, the hid headlights go and off intermittently. this past monday night (6/1/09), my right font hid light went out on a 56 mile trip in the atlanta metro area .previously, in late this march, the drivers side became intermittent and was replaced at a cost of $350 (replaced bulb & inverter) at a non-toyota repair shop. i called toyota care center and registered complaint and in 24 hrs. i received a callback with approval to reimburse my $350. expense and to cover my right light expense at the toyota dealer- the price of replacement less a $50. deductible. was stopped by police while driving through atlanta on june 1st and rec'd a warning ticket for an outage on the headlight. *tr
01/02/2009800001
 2006 prius headlight problems. headlights go out intermittently. if you flip the lights off and back on, the lights are temporarily restored. both headlight do the same thing. lights flicker then go out; some time both at the same time. *tr
05/13/20099900001
 I own an 06 toyota prius and am experiencing what seems to be a very common problem regarding the headlights on the toyota prius with hid lights. my headlights suddenly go off while driving and the driver side stays out almost all of the time now. upon researching the problem on line i discovered there are many many toyota prius owners who experienced the same problem and are being charged upwards of $2000.00 to repair this problem by toyota dealerships and are being told by toyota tech's that it is a very common problem they are receiving and toyota owners and my self included are being told by the dealerships to file formal complaints with toyota and cause them to recall the items because they are aware of the malfunctions of the headlights and the growing complaints by owners who are furious having to pay on average $1000.00 to $2000.00 to repair headlights. *tr
04/20/20091
 Bought '06 prius 6/06. had to have both headlights (hid) replaced in nov. 07 after 57k miles due to them intermittently going out which got worse with time. currently (apr. 2009) am experiencing the same problem with the replacement bulbs. *tr
05/01/2008400002
 Driver's-side headlight suddenly turns off while driving, usually within 5-15 minutes of driving. this occurs during both city and highway driving. since approximately may 2008, friends and family driving in front of me during group trips would periodically mention that one of my headlights was off. i would later check the headlights and find both operational. eventually, i started to notice, through looking at the reflection in other cars, that my driver's side headlight would indeed be off. turning the lights off very quickly and turning them back on again would usually solve the problem. however, as time went on, the occurrence became more and more frequent. now, my driver's side headlight turns off suddenly, every time i drive, within 15 minutes of turning on. flicking the lights off and on does turn both lights back on, but the problem returns again within 5-15 minutes. i am very concerned about this problem becoming progressively worse, and i have read many accounts online of both headlights eventually failing, which is especially worrisome. *tr updated 04/16/09.*jb
02/01/2009400001
 Hid headlamps self-extinguish while driving, requiring power switch to be cycled on and off to restart. the consequences are reduced visibility and the possibility of driving with no headlights at night. hid headlamps are well under their design life expectancy and should not be failing. replacement is expensive and time-consuming and according to other owners, the fix is only temporary. *tr
03/17/2007300001
 Headlight on 2006 toyota prius intermittently go on and off. the computer and bulb have both been replaced twice, but the problem continues to occur. this has been continuous for two years, despite the constant replacement of parts. *tr
10/15/2008360001
 I have a 2006 prius. the driver side head light goes out now and then as i am driving. it is unpredictable. if i turn the lights off and then back on, the light works again. it has been going on for 2 months. now the other light is doing the same thing. *tr
12/15/20081
 2006 toyota prius headlamp goes out intermittently, turning lights off then back on temporarily fixes problem. since problem is intermittent it is impossible to know if front lights are working. *tr
01/01/20071
 The hid headlamps, flicker, go-out at will, sometimes its just one head light other time its both at the same time!!!! toyota has fixed it but after maybe a month it went back to do the same exact thing! this is dangerous!! and apparently happens very very often to alot of other 2006 to 2009 toyota owners. *tr
12/28/2008420001
 2006 toyota prius package 6. hid left headlight intermittent failure. will turn back on if you cycle on/off switch. car has 57,000 miles. problem may have been occurring much sooner. hard to tell unless looking at headlight reflection in car ahead of you. several priuschat.com members have reported same problem. difficulty getting dealer to solve or cover repair. *tr
11/12/2008491001
 One of the headlights keeps going out. i can't really tell when or how it goes out since i can't see it. i'll notice it when i see the reflection in the back of another car. if i turn the bright lights on and off it has no effect, but when i turn them all the way off and back on the light comes back. sometimes on long trips it will stay on the whole time, sometimes it won't. sometimes on short trips it will go out, sometimes it won't. it is not an event i can make happen. i've taken it to the dealer and they can't make it happen (of course). this has been going on for over 1 year. *tr
09/28/2007370011
 I have a 2006 prius. the hid headlights are not reliable. they work sometimes & sometimes they don't. the problem is with the hid bulb. they turn off & on unexpectedly. the dealer price to replace the one bulb was $479. both of my headlight failed within a week of each other. *tr
09/23/2008397501
 My 2006 prius headlights have started flicking off while i'm driving, one or the other, or both at the same time. they will come back on if the lights are turned off, then back on, although they may go back out again in 1-2 seconds, or later. this problem has been reported by other people on the internet (see wiki.answers.com). it's dangerous because the lights go off while driving. the dealerships have not been able to identify the problem. *tr
09/04/2008300001
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. the front right headlight works only intermittently and now does not work. *tr
07/10/2008430001
 Known failure of hid headlamps on 2006 prius. the lights prematurely fail as found on priuschat.com over and over. my lights failed the same way with the passenger side light shutting off. turning off then back on the headlamps cures the problem temporarily. *tr
07/01/2008540001
 Passenger headlight goes out while driving and will only work again if you turn off the headlights. *tr
07/15/2008543001
 2006 toyota prius headlight failure. complete failure of the headlight system during nighttime operation. requires emergency manual switching off and then on of light switch to reignite lights. called toyota and they did not indicate that this is a massive defect. took it to dealer and they quoted expensive, exceeding $800.00 bulb replacements. my car is a commuter car and is beyond warranty. this failure has now occurred 5 times, during evening operation at speeds between 35 and 65, requiring emergency reaction. *tr
04/19/2008850001
 Noticed prius head lamp went out as we were driving. after stopping somewhere and restarting the car the headlight came back on. high beams worked fine. replaced the bulb even though highbeam should be affected and light should not come back on if bulb is blown. asked dealer to look at the headlight. they told us it was a common computer problem and they had seen this problem quite a lot, and it is expensive to fix. due to limited funds we have not been able to repair this problem yet. the problem is occurring more frequently and we are going to have to fix it in order to drive in the dark. *tr
06/30/2008150001
 My hid headlights started burning out, one by one, before the mileage was 20,000. i was told, probably bad lights. now that the car (2006 prius) is out of warranty, i am told that the problem (continuous headlight problems) is probably a bad computer/controller. replacing this will cost over $900. there was no problem or mention while the car was under warranty (and i did ask them to check it, but they said it wasn't necessary). i have read about a number of people with the problem on prius chat. *tr
06/10/2008400001
 Intermittent outage of 2006 prius hid headlamps. this is a continous problem and did not occur on a single day. *tr
04/21/200820
 High intensity discharge headlights intermittently shut off. switching off and back on temporarily resolves the issue. *tr
04/19/200845000402/28/2006
 Hid headlights fail after a variable amount of time. failure varies from just one light (both passenger and driver side show symptom) to both lights failing at the same time. current solution is to turn lights completely off and turn them back on. this solves the problem temporarily although the light(s) will eventually go out again. so far i have not crashed into anything once my headlight(s) fail but that is obviously a concern i now have when driving at night. current repair recommendation is to replace both bulbs and ecus for ~$1000. the car is just over 2 years old and has 46,000 miles on it. *tr
01/01/2008300005012/16/2005
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. the front headlight on the drivers side, which is an hid lamp, works only intermittently. there is no pattern as to when it works and doesn't, and often i do not know when the problem is occurring because i can't see the headlamp (unless i can see the reflection on the back of another car). obviously, this is a safety concern. i took the car in for service at my dealer and they said that toyota knows about the problem but refuses to fix it as a defect in the headlamp. *tr
03/01/2008450005002/03/2006
 At night, the hid headlights will go off. sometimes its the left light, or the right light, or both lights will just go out. in order for me to see again, i have to turn my headlight switch off and then back on. this will turn the lights back on. then they will go out again. this creates a very dangerous situation when both the lights go out at the same time. *tr
01/01/20086500015007/06/2006
 Headlights that arbitrarily shut off. one at a time or both at same time. recycling the headlight switch returns the lights to normal. happens more often in the cold. dealers repair shop quotes $850 to replace the headlight assemblies. *tr
03/01/200838000606/14/2006
 Obne or both high intensity headlights will shut off at random and then when the headlight switch is turned off and back on both are again working normally. then began to occur slightly after the 36,000 mile warranty limit in my 2006 toyota priius but well inside the 36 month limit. dealer has replaced both ecu units but now wants almost $800 to replace both hid headlights as they are non warranty items although he cannot say that they are in fact the issue. have seen many instances of this identical issue on the same make/model of vehicle reported at the similar mileage level in various owner group discussions and internet listings. *tr
04/12/2008549901003/30/2006
 2006 toyota prius with hid-style headlights. on multiple occasions, a headlight has gone out spontaneously. this has happened at least 10 times, and usually the driver's side headlight is affected. the headlight comes back on when the headlight switch is turned off then back on. i have also noticed occasional flickering of the intensity of a headlight. this problem creates a safety risk. *tr
04/11/2008108/26/2006
 I was pulled over last night by our local police and received a citation for a headlight being out. the officer informed me that my passenger side headlight was out and when i tried my highbeams, they too were not working. the officer continued to inform me that i had 72 hours to fix the problem and the citation would be wiped clean. so the following morning i proceeded to fix the headlight when to my surprise the headlight was working just fine when i powered the car up. i wanted to find any recalls on this matter but it seems that all there are is complaints. i was shocked to find just how many people have had the same problem. *tr
04/09/2008460002007/31/2006
 The headlights go out on occasion when driving at night. sometimes it is 2 or 3 a night, sometimes not at all. *tr
03/31/2007370005002/14/2006
 As i see from 43 other complaints involving 2006 toyota prius models, i'm not alone, and that doesn't count the owners who have not filed complaints about the hid (high intensity discharge) headlights that go dark for no apparent reason. in my case, it's usually the left lamp that goes out, which can always be restored by turning the headlight switch off and on again. the only problem is on city streets with ample ambient light, the driver doesn't always know the light has shut down. separate from the nuisance factor here, how long before these lights stop working altogether, perhaps on some dark road at night, miles away from the nearest sign of humanity? on the prius chat blogs, one owner said his headlights were fixed when a dealer installed a new hid controller. my dealership wants me to put this repair in under my extended warranty, which will force me to lose about 1100 dollars in rebate money at the end of the warranty term. (no claims = all but 50 dollars of 1150 returned at end of covered period). needless to say, i'm saving that for something bigger. more importantly, toyota needs to fix these headlights problems for all owners, especially those who've already been tricked into paying for them -- they are safety issues, not regular maintenance issues. *tr
01/08/20084000050
 On our 2006 prius, the headlights will randomly turn off. you must cycle to headlight switch to off and then back again to on to get them to work again. it happens to both headlights. *tr
04/04/2008300001
 Drivers side headlight burn out. *tr
08/13/2007400001000
 I have a 2006 prius and in the fall of 2007 the headlights started going out while i was driving. the problem was fixed by turning the headlight switch off and on. however, the problem persists. sometimes the left will go out sometimes the right will go out and sometimes both at the same time which is extremely dangerous. after several trips to the toyota dealership maintenance dept. they could not determine the problem and suggested that i purchase new headlights at $300.00 each not including labor. they couldn't guarantee that the bulbs were the problem but thought it was worth a try. i didn't like the idea. the headlights were less than 2 years old and hid lights are supposed to have a long life. i have seen where other owners of the prius were having the same issue. when headlights go off while driving at night and the driver can't tell it is dangerous to everyone around. it is also a driving violation and will be a problem with annual inspections. toyota should recall the headlight assembly unit and replace the faulty ones before someone gets seriously hurt. *tr
05/15/2007450005002/04/2006
 2006 toyota prius, headlight failure after 45,000 miles with hid system. light bulbs would intermittently fail (left bulb, right bulb, or both) randomly. power off and on would return them, but period between turning off would vary. first time was at 10pm, could not figure out why the road was so dark on the freeway and then realized the headlights were out. extended warranty did not want to pay full issue, toyota says the hid lights were extinguished--later they said there was an issue with the controllers, but still did not admit fault. car was 1yr 3mos old, with only 45k miles. major safety issue that toyota says is normal to occur. extended warranty paid for hid controller replacement, toyota reimbursed as goodwill for $600 headlight bulbs. if the system is faulty, they should fix it before someone gets hurt! i have found many prius owners having the same issue, most of them 2006 models. *tr
03/14/2008400002012/06/2005
 Driver and passenger side hid lights turn off intermittently. to date, perhaps 20 or more times each, almost always separately, but simultaneously once. frequency of failure increasing with time. turning lights off and on resolves the issue temporarily. *tr
02/29/2008400005002/12/2006
 My passenger side headlight on my 2006 toyota prius fails after a few minutes of operation. it will be operative again when i turn the car back on, only to go out again. i have read in message boards on the internet that this is a common problem. i purchased an extended warranty, but it did not include the bulb, which also must be replaced. the bulb is over $300! the extended warranty covered approximately $650-- so the total cost is nearly $1,000! *tr
03/03/20081010/15/2006
 Drivers side hid headlight flickers then goes out. if you turn off the headlights and turn them back on it re-ignites. *tr
12/20/20073000010002/21/2006
 2006 toyota prius driver side hid headlight will intermittently go out. manually turning both off and on will sometimes turn it on again, but sometimes not. *tr
01/22/200842000102/06/2006
 The drivers side (left) headlight will extinguish itself after being turned on and running for a varying amount of time. if, when this happens, i turn off the headlight switch and immediately turn it back on the light comes on as normal. the amount of time between these failures varies and does not seem to conform to a regular pattern however it has happened numerous times over the past month or so. *tr
01/10/200857000302/10/2006
 Periodically the right front xenon headlight goes out on my 2006 prius. this has happened several times over the past 3 months. had a diagnostic done at the dealership, but could not isolate the problem. *tr
02/25/200810012/01/2005
 My vehicle, 2006 toyota prius, the hid lights have been shutting off intermittently. it starts with the driver side light first, then after a few miles or minutes the passenger light shuts off also. once i turn the light switch on and off, both the driver and passenger light resumes to normal. i reported the problem to the dealer for the first time (9/24/07), the dealer tried to replicate the problem but i was advised that they are not able to replicate the problem. i took my car again back to the dealer (2/25/08) since the hid headlights turning off while driving is now becoming unsafe for me and my family. i was advised by the dealer that both bulbs are needed to be changed but i have read enough of these cases online that replacing the bulbs does not resolve the problem, (http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/34584-headlight-problem.html). i have also seen other prius on the road that have the same problem like ours, in fact, my wife's sister bought an 07 prius and it also showed the same problem. pictures of the hid lights when intermittently off is available if needed. *tr
02/23/200836000101/12/2006
 Both left and right headlights on my 2006 prius intermittently failed, sometimes at the same time. dealer replaced both. now, less than one year after replacement, the left headlight assembly is doing the same thing. incident date refers to the latest failure. *tr
02/23/200840000101/25/2006
 Hid headlights would shut off while driving. have to turn them off and back on to get them to work. repair performed 02/23/2008 was to replace both headlight ecu assembly. *tr
02/22/200839000304/28/2006
 Intermittent hid headlights. *tr
01/28/200855000305/04/2006
 I own a 2006 toyota prius with hi-intensity headlamps. on several occasions the passenger-side lamp has gone off while i am driving. this is a dangerous situation (especially at night). i have just returned from the dealer, where they recommended replacing the bulb at a cost of $424.24! i have since done some web searching and i have found a 'pattern' of many 06 prius owners with the same problem, or more severe, with both lights going out! from the dialog that i read on sites such as priuschat.com, it has been traced to several components of the prius hid light system. there also is evidence of technical bulletins being generated through toyota about this problem. this is clearly an emerging and dangerous situation of recall proportions. i urge you to investigate and act on this situation as soon as possible. *tr
01/05/200847000507/20/2006
 Drivers side hid headlamp fails while driving, can be restarted only by shutting off headlamps and restarting. failure impairs nighttime vision. *tr
02/05/200830950102/08/2006
 While driving at night in heavy fog on a single lane road, my right hid head light went out. by very quickly turning the headlight switch off then on, the headlight came back on and stayed on for the rest of my trip. if they did now come back on, i would undoubtedly had a crash. *tr
12/18/2007320001002/16/2006
 Hid headlights on 06 toyota prius defective, go on and off intermittently, dealership unable to correct problem on reliable basis. multiple other lights (parking/tail ect.) also going out. *tr
02/02/200875000202/14/2006
 My passenger side hid headlight began to go out intermittently. flicking the light off and on restarted it. on one occasion both went out at once while on the freeway in the rain---very scary. the dealer just changed the bulbs yesterday. the passenger side went out with in 10 minutes. when i flicked the lights on and off, it only stayed on for a few seconds. then today, it was dusk driving home, and the divers side went out. i now have no light. this is a safety issue, especially since they go out so fast, are hard to replace and not readily available. i see from posts on the internet that many 2006 prius with hid lights are having similar problems. my dealer is clueless on the cause. *tr
12/30/2007540003004/10/2006
 While driving the car, locally or long distance, one or the other of the headlights will just go out. turning the lights off and on gets it to work again but this is dangerous at night while driving over a mountain pass while visibility is low due to precipitation such as rain or snow and it confuses other drivers. *cn
11/01/20071
 When the lights are first turned on, there is a few seconds of full brightness, then dimming in the right light, and then after a minute or two, it goes out. it comes back on if you turn off the lights and then back on. i first noticed this around 40,000 miles. many people have complained of similar problems here: http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/34584-headlight-problem.html *tr
12/15/200743000401/15/2007
 Hid headlamp bulbs failed within weeks of each other and with less than one year of service on the vehicle. it took almost three weeks to get a replacement bulb after the first failure. during that time the second bulb failed while i was driving at night. after the bulbs were replaced i realized that the hid headlight shutters in the headlight assembly system intermittently failed to properly shift back to low beam from high beam. this problem occurs on the drivers and passenger side. this can result in blinding oncoming traffic and to avoid the problem i can only drive with low beams. toyota advised that both headlight assemblies are defective and must be replaced. toyota has not acknowledged that other 2006 prius owners are having problems with their headlights although many customers have posted similar complaints on the internet. *tr
01/21/20085001/31/2006
 Headlights turn off randomly. both left and right headlight turn off by itself or both will turn off together while driving. paid $385 for new hid light as it is not covered by warranty, but issue still occurring. prius in shop for the third time and dealer says most likely i will have to pay for another new hid light to ensure that it is not simply a headlight issue. we have been pulled over three times for this issue and given a fix-it ticket once. definitely a safety issue as the headlights turn off in the middle of the night on dark roads. *tr
01/17/20084200015003/13/2006
 Hid headlights on 2006 toyota prius go off whenever. turn light switch off then back on, lamp lights back up. very random anytime anyplace any speed. left side light goes off the most but the right one goes off sometime. *tr
01/16/2007101/15/2006
 Since around 40,000 miles i have been having intermittent headlight failures in my toyota prius. the headlights continue to flicker out, before it only happened on my driver's side headlight or my passenger's side headlight, but now it is both times. this happened randomly and there were no crashes or damages to the car involved. i have the hid headlight option installed. i brought the car to a dealership and they reported that there were no issues. they said that the problem couldn't be recreated and only offered to replace the parts but not under the warranty. the headlights continue to flicker out. *tr
10/10/20075000050
 Both headlamps would go out intermittently, turning them off and back on would work for a while, but eventually over a 2 week period would not come back on. toyota first denied the problem telling me it would cost 750 each bulb plus labor to fix. i found on a toyota web site the problem with 2006 prius headlamps showed the dealer and called an 800 #. i was assigned a case # and in a short time my dealer called and said they could fix the problem for labor cost only about $198. if this problem goes to a recall status they will reimburse my labor cost. i now see 16 complaints for the same headlamp problem on 2006 prius on this site. *tr
12/15/2007762002004/10/2006
 I own a 2006 toyota prius with high intensity discharge headlights. after less the a year and a half of ownership both headlights go dim and then go out while driving independent of each other. many times both will go out one right after the other. they do this often, but on a random basis. when the switch is turned off then on the come back on for a short period. the toyota dealerships i have taken the car to say they think it is the bulbs, however they can not guaranty it. they also tell me that toyota has a long back order on the bulbs. in reading a few hybrid web sites and blogs, i have read numerous other owners complaining about the exact same problem. when driving down a dark highway it is very dangerous and scary to all of a sudden have no headlights on a car that is less then two years old. and then to be told that it will be over $750 to maybe fix the problem. *tr
10/10/200735230604/15/2006
 Multiple intermittent outages of passenger side hid headlight while driving. serviced by a dealer twice with dealers not able to repeat outage. pulled over by police officer for outage. *tr
12/10/2007103/12/2006
 The head lights on my 2006 toyota prius go out after a period of time driving. if you turn them off and then back on they come back on for a while then go out again. i have had both the bulbs and control module replaced ant the tune of $500 but the problem still persist. *tr
09/17/20066449910012/21/2005
 In sept 2006, my left headlight began to go out intermittently. it can be restored by cycling the light switch off and back on. toyota at first said that they could not duplicate the problem. the frequency increased, and finally, they (1) asked me if i had had any accidents (no), then suggested that the bulb was defective. it costs ~$1,000.00 to replace it. i didn't at the time, but eventually the sheriff caught me and i had to fix it. it was ok for a while, but now the right side lamp is also doing the same thing, and occasionally, both lamps go out at the same time. . i can't afford another $1000 light bulb. this is really getting to be a *)#*. and, it's unsafe. (i spend 5 hours a day in the commute, and eventually it's going to get me killed). *tr
12/10/200774000212/16/2005
 Failure of both hid headlamps while driving over a two week period, and after only 2 years and 75,000 miles on the car. needed to stop driving at night due to the safety risk until i could get them fixed. it turned out to be an hid computer malfunction and both the computer and headlamp needed to be replaced. the cost was about $750 for each computer/headlamp combination; ie, $1,500 total. the make of my car is a 2006 toyota prius, purchased in late '05. *tr
12/10/200750000206/30/2006
 At approximately 50,000 miles left headlight started to blink out after 10 minutes to one hour operation. light could be re-lit by turning out and turning on headlights again. cost of replacement of light, lamp housing and ecu, in excess of $1000.00 at 60,000 miles, right headlight showing same problem. replacement cost of bulb in excess of $400.00. loss of headlamps one at a time or both at the same time makes night time driving hazardous. unexpected repeated loss of lights is unacceptable. *tr
11/30/200747298512/31/2006
 Head lights and rear lights suddenly went out while driving on the freeway at night. a tractor trailer almost killed me as a result of the light failure. i took the vehicle to the dealer where the vehicle was purchased. they told me to call corporate. it is not covered under warranty was the comment made. i called corporate and was given a reference number.200712041057. i was told that someone from the dealer, atlanta toyota would contact me and assist me with this problem. no one has called. the corporate office also stated someone would call. i am still waiting. i will hold toyota liable if i am injured as a result of light failure while driving at night. this is a safety issue and should be addressed immediately!!!!. the dealership, atlanta toyota does not give a ?!@#$% about my safety. they did not offer to repair the problem and randy penland states he thought it was a relay problem. i also filed a complaint with the customer relations manager carole newcomb. i told them exactly what i am telling you. frankly their response was unacceptable. all they wanted was my money when i purchased it. no customer survive at all. please let them know. needless to say i will not be returning to that dealership. never. *tr
09/05/200742567206/25/2006
 Hid headlamps fail intermittently while driving. failed headlamp can be reignited by cycling the headlamp switch. l/r side failures are independent of each other. dealer advised that both ecu and bulbs must be replaced at cost of $1,000 per side. obvious safety issue with widespread failures among prius owners with hid lamps indicating catastrophic design and/or parts issues. *tr
03/15/2007300005002/28/2006
 Hid headlights go out without warning. sometimes just one, sometimes both. shutting the lights off and back on turns them back on. sometimes this happens frequently, other times not at all or infrequently. car is no longer under warranty. to date has not been corrected as those who have had it corrected advise of very high costs (thousands) and some have had similar failures with the replacements. *tr
10/15/20071
 I own a 2006 toyota prius. i am having problems as well as many other 2006 prius owners with the headlights turning off while driving. the issue is resolved for a short time by turning the lights off and back on again- until the lights turn off again a few minutes later. i have had it in to 2 toyota dealers and they are stating that it is bad lightbulbs. in order to replace these lightbulbs (2) it is $900!! and might i add that the toyota dealers no not carry these lightbulbs in stock. therefore, this leads me to believe that these lightbulbs on a 2006 new prius should not be going out while driving in the dark and are not a regular replacement item if toyota does not even keep the lightbulbs in stock. i currently can not drive my car at night because it is a safety hazard. my lights could turn off at any second and i could easily get hit/and or killed in an accident due to failing headlights. i am currently in the process of dealing with toyota and this issue. i also have the extended warranty on my car which i have spent a lot of money for and they are claiming this is not covered under the warranty. i am sorry but if there are numerous 2006 prius out there that are having this defect, then it should be turned into a recall rather than have everyone pay for their own new $900 lightbulbs! i never would have bought this car if i had known i would have to replace special lightbulbs every 2 years for $900! *tr
11/05/20073000010003/01/2006
 Continual problem with headlights on my 2006 prius going out. i took my car into cabe toyota in long beach a few times and they could not find the problem or recreate it. i have been have trouble with it for 6 months , finally on my las vists toyota tech departments told them to check grounding and if not at fault just to replace the lamp assembly now the other headlight s going out randomly. replacing the headlight i do not believe will solve this safety related issue. i am starting to hear that this is a wide spread problem with the 2006 prius, toyota is rather silent on this issue. *tr
11/06/20074473520
 Headlights on 2006 toyota prius intermittently shut off. first right side, than left. once lights shut off, the switch can be turned off and on and thereafter lights will stay on for a short while than shut off again. from my reading on the web, this is not an isolated case, as other owners of the 2006 are having the same identical problem. *tr
05/01/2007175002002/27/2006
 Hid headlights on this model go out intermittently while driving; turning the lights off and then on again restores the headlight. exact number of failures and date of first failure below is an estimate, as it is nearly impossible under most conditions for the driver of the car to know that one or both headlights are out--increasing the danger of this situation. rainy or dusk conditions are a particular problem. toyota is apparently aware of this situation; the dealer to whom i took it for repair acknowledged this and said that it affects a limited range of vin numbers in 2006 models only. local dealer has replaced both headlamps and says this will fix the problem. this is a serious safety hazard about which drivers may be unaware; drivers should be notified by the manufacturer since toyota and the nhtsa are aware of this problem. i see that there have been at least three previous complaints regarding this problem on the odi website. *tr
08/22/200727107507/10/2006
 Problem started in august 07 with driver's side headlight intermittently shutting off. no high or low beam, often very dim. headlight bulb replaced due to short circuit. replaced driver side headlight assembly. module has also been replaced. dealer currently suggests that it cannot be fixed if problem cannot be duplicated. dealer said they have spoken with toyota and they are not aware of other people having this problem. dealer does not consider this problem a safety issue. problem has yet to be resolved and the car will again be going into the shop. *tr
10/15/2007365001105/09/2006
 Intermittent headlight failure. can be either headlamp. typically one headlamp goes out but sometimes both. they come back on if i shut off and turn back on. *tr
07/01/200735000501/21/2006
 Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. the contact stated that the headlights would not illuminate. she turned the lights off and then on and the lights illuminated. the failure occurred intermittently. she also stated that while driving 50 mph, the high beam lights dimmed. the dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of failure. the powertrain and fuel system were unknown. the failure mileage was 35,000 and current mileage was 37,800.
08/16/200661000109/29/2004
 On 8/16/06 i was driving to work in the morning and after about 15 minutes on the road i got a warning sound and light (triangle) on my dash and a headlight leveling indicator on the monitor. i had 61,000 miles (of course 1,000 miles over my extended warranty). i called the dealer to make sure this was not a problem and that i could get it looked at on my next visit in early sept. they indicated it should be ok so i did. after diagnostics it turns out the auto headlight level had shorted out (not sure what that means) and it was going to cost about $650 to replace. i had to replace to get a safety inspection and this warning also impacted other automated checkout features with the system. this could be luck of the draw but i did some web checking and several folks have had this kind of problem so i am wondering if this is documented and hopefully in line for a recall. *nm
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
12/15/200743000401/15/2007
 Hid headlamp bulbs failed within weeks of each other and with less than one year of service on the vehicle. it took almost three weeks to get a replacement bulb after the first failure. during that time the second bulb failed while i was driving at night. after the bulbs were replaced i realized that the hid headlight shutters in the headlight assembly system intermittently failed to properly shift back to low beam from high beam. this problem occurs on the drivers and passenger side. this can result in blinding oncoming traffic and to avoid the problem i can only drive with low beams. toyota advised that both headlight assemblies are defective and must be replaced. toyota has not acknowledged that other 2006 prius owners are having problems with their headlights although many customers have posted similar complaints on the internet. *tr
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - SWITCH
11/30/200747298512/31/2006
 Head lights and rear lights suddenly went out while driving on the freeway at night. a tractor trailer almost killed me as a result of the light failure. i took the vehicle to the dealer where the vehicle was purchased. they told me to call corporate. it is not covered under warranty was the comment made. i called corporate and was given a reference number.200712041057. i was told that someone from the dealer, atlanta toyota would contact me and assist me with this problem. no one has called. the corporate office also stated someone would call. i am still waiting. i will hold toyota liable if i am injured as a result of light failure while driving at night. this is a safety issue and should be addressed immediately!!!!. the dealership, atlanta toyota does not give a ?!@#$% about my safety. they did not offer to repair the problem and randy penland states he thought it was a relay problem. i also filed a complaint with the customer relations manager carole newcomb. i told them exactly what i am telling you. frankly their response was unacceptable. all they wanted was my money when i purchased it. no customer survive at all. please let them know. needless to say i will not be returning to that dealership. never. *tr
EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS
12/18/2007320001002/16/2006
 Hid headlights on 06 toyota prius defective, go on and off intermittently, dealership unable to correct problem on reliable basis. multiple other lights (parking/tail ect.) also going out. *tr