Headlights problems of the 2004 Toyota Prius - part 2

My 2004 Prius with 36,600 total miles has a failing right headlight. Toyota service in honolulu estimate cost of parts & labor totaling $500. To replace the failing headlight and $700 to replace both headlights, which Toyota recommends.

Single drivers side headlight goes off/on intermittently - fixed by turning headlights off/on.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the high intensity discharge (hid) headlights would intermittently fail. The failure recurred for approximately one year. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they advised the contact that the balances on the front headlights needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and the current mileage was unknown. The VIN was unavailable.

One of the headlights operates intermittently. Turning the headlights off and back on causes it to light again.

I have a 2004 toyoto Prius. Since 2004, my headlights have gone out 5 times. The right headlight has gone out 3 times and the left 2 times. The last time I replaced the right headlight, it did not last 12 months.

Headlight on 2004 pries controller broken. May be due to oxide levels in contacts. Smart key oxidation causes poor use. Alarm goes off intermittently.

Have a 2004 Prius. Head light on right side keeps going out. After I turn the headlights off and back on, it comes back on for a shot time. Waiting for both lights to go out while driving at night.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Prius. While driving approximately 55 mph, the contact stated that the headlights shut off without warning. The vehicle was repaired by an authorized dealer. The manufacturer had not been notified. The current mileage was approximately 155,000. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Major problem with the vehicle's headlights. They intermittently turn themselves off without any warning. Tried replacing them per the manual instructions but the installed lamps are different than the manual, so replacing them is not an option. I consider this a major safety defect. These lamps are supposed to last the life of the car. Any headlamp that stops working without warning is a safety issue. I have never heard of this happening before with any car. You can make the light come back on by turning all the lights off and then on again. This defect is going to cause a major accident and folks are going to get hurt or worse.

Intermittent failure of headlights.

The headlights on our 2004 Prius (80,000 miles) have gone on and off intermittently over the past few years. However, it was not until Saturday night while we were on the freeway when both lights went out simultaneously. We were told by the dealer that this happens quite often and the a new bulb would fix the problem. At $800. 00 to replace a defective part, I think this is excessive and unnecessary.

I got my 2004 Prius in Nov 2003. My drivers side headlight failed last year and I was charged at least $200 to replace last year. The same headlight failed about a month or so ago, and I do not have $200+ to get the bulb replaced. I've been unable to do this myself as have many other Prius owners.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the headlights would shut off independently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was advised that the headlights would need to be replaced. In addition, the contact stated that the center console on the dashboard failed. The contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint but no assistance was offered. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000 and the current mileage was approximately 113,000.

My 2004 Toyota Prius has hid headlights and they have become almost completely fogged over in spite of my best efforts to clean them. The problem seems to be the inside of the lamp, which can't be cleaned. Toyota wants $355 per headlight to replace the part + labor. This has become a safety issue and none of my other cars has had this problem.

High intensity discharge (hid) headlights "wink" off & on randomly, which causes a serious safety/visibility problem in the dark. I understand you opened an investigation on this issue a while ago but then closed it without a finding of a safety defect. Please reopen it again. There is a continuously growing body of reports of this issue with the Toyota Prius. . Read more...

My complaint has to do with the high energy discharge (xenon) headlights on my 2004 Toyota Prius. Beginning sometime in February 2010 my wife and I began to notice that the drivers side headlight would shut down after the lights had been on for a few minutes. If the headlights were quickly turned off and then back on (say, while stopped at a traffic light), both headlights would work just fine for a while. I tried to replace the bulbs (d2r type xenon bulbs) which I purchased at a local car parts store for approximately $90 each. After trying to follow the instructions for replacing the bulbs (found in the owners manual), I was unable to open the bulb holders. When I had the car at the dealership (capitol Toyota) for service in late April 2010, I asked if they could fix the headlights. The service rep told me that mere diagnosis of the problem would cost $600, with any ballast or bulb replacement added to that cost. I have never paid more than about $40 to replace both of my vehicle headlights prior to this. I appreciate that these bulbs should cost more than halogen or other types, but the costs I'm encountering are outlandish. In the mean time, we are still driving the car with the problem. Headlights work for five to 10 minutes, and then one, and now, sometimes the other headlight will shut down. Recently, our daughter arrived back from a brief trip complaining that the headlights were very dim. I found out that neither headlight was working - the only lights on the front of the car were the fog lamps. We now do not drive this car at night, and wonder how we will fix this problem.

I have a serious problem with my hid headlights not working and has caused me to not be able to drive the vehicle at night. The problem is that either the right or left headlight will stop working. If you stop and turn the headlights off & on the lights will function again. I live in a small town and have been stopped by the police 3 times. Toyota wants over $2000 to change the hid computer and bulbs which I simply cannot afford. I searched the web and see hundreds of similar complaints. I believe that Toyota needs to recall the Prius for the headlight problem.

My hid headlamp for my 2004 Prius is nearly impossible to change on my own and it costs $600 (!?) to change at the dealer. How is a $600 repair for a minor thing like a headlight not illegal from an auto safety standpoint? do you know if there is a class action lawsuit about this issue?.

2004 Toyota Prius headlight problem - this is clearly a huge safety issue. When driving, my headlight (both) shut off intermittently. Sometimes, one. Sometimes the other. Sometimes both. No incident yet but surely this is a major safety issue. I came very close to an auto accident on 1/3/2010 due to this issue! I called the dealer to have the headlights replaced and they are wanting $870 dollars to replace the bulbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $375 per bulb and $60 per headlight for service!!!!!!!!.

Both 2004 Toyota Prius hid headlights go out, it began with the drivers then passengers going out individually, and by turning them off then on again would bring the lights back on for several minutes, now both go out and do not come back on even after cycling them. Toyota says its a replacement issue not a defect. Seems to me that all the chatter online and Toyotas indifference is coming to a head. I shouldn't have to pay to replace these defective lights.

Both hid headlights failed repeatedly on my vehicle. It took several attempts to restart the lights by turning them off and on.

Left and right headlights failed in November and December of 2009. Headlights were replaced. Left headlight has failed in 2011. I drive 10,000 per year. I do not do much driving with my headlights on.

2004 Toyota Prius - headlights go out intermittently for no apparent reason - need to turn headlights off and back on in order to have the headlight come back on. At first, this only happened in the left headlight, lately the right headlight has been having the problem, luckily it has never happened to both headlights at the same time. Would be particularly dangerous if this happened on a dark country road!.

Last fall the left headlight was noticed to be out on my 2004 Toyota Prius by a neighbor when I came home one night in November, 2009. Made an appointment to get it fixed at my Toyota dealer, but then it came on the next day. When I canceled the appointment with the dealer they mentioned to watch it, since the headlights were known to go on and off. We left within the next couple of days for a vacation drive from MD to nc. Headlight stayed on until we were in nc. Went to a Toyota dealer and was told it would be $900 to replace the headlight since the computer behind the light had to be replaced as well. At that outrageous price - for just one headlight - we did not get it fixed. The headlight then stayed on most of the rest of the trip, but periodically goes off. This is a safety issue and it should certainly not cost almost a thousand dollars to fix a headlight.

My daughter owns a 2004 Toyota Prius with hid headlights. The lights fail one at atime or both at the same time. They come back on usually by turning the switch off and then back on, except when she was driving at night in the fog, and they did not come back on. She had to park and spend the night beside the road, until daylight to continue driving home. She has contacted Toyota about the problem and has found out that the bulbs cost $350 a piece and requires extensive dismantling of the car to install them. This meaning that a $1000 dollar expense for replacing the bulbs, not knowing if there is a deeper seated problem with the power supply to the headlights. I was just wondering if their has been anything done about a recall?.

The passenger side headlight on my 2004 Toyota Prius went out at about 83k miles. It was an intermittent outage, and could be reset by turning headlights on and off. This is dangerous at night! Toyota wanted to change both headlights and ballasts for a total cost of $1086. Headlights are safety-related and I see that this problem is commonly complained about online. Toyota national ofc. Offered to reimburse me 1/2 after I fronted the total money to the local dealer repair shop.

Intermittent headlight failure on my 2004 Toyota Prius, with just over 70,000 miles. This is truly dangerous--someone is going to get killed because of this. The problem seems to be widespread--why has there not been a recall? does someone have to get killed first?.

I have a 2004 Toyota Prius, and my left headlight has turned pink. It is now continuously pink. I was told by my dealership that it would cost $400 to replace the headlamp because it is a xenon headlight. My understanding is that xenon headlights should last longer than mine did.

I have a 2004 Toyota Prius with hid headlights. A few months ago I was driving at night and the headlights cut off completely. It was 11:30pm on a foggy, drizzly night, and suddenly I was driving 70 mph in pitch darkness. I was able to get them to come back on and drive home slowly. I took the car to the Toyota dealer, where they replaced the headlights for $990. A few weeks later the same thing happened, headlights cut out at night. I took the car back to the dealer, where they kept it for several days. They then returned the car, assuring me that the problem was solved. Since that time the driver's side headlight has gone out several times.

2004 Toyota Prius. Both hid headlights will occasionally turn off like the bulb burns out, but if you turn off the headlights and turn them back on it turns on again. Mostly right headlight, but occassionally the left will do this. Not a loose connection. Acts like a relay is tripping on overtemperature or overcurrent and resetting itself after the headlights are turned off. This has been occurring in my car since I purchased it in March 2007. Took it to repairman, but it was going to cost over $2000 to replace a circuit board and headlight assembly. I don't have that money and from what I've read on Prius owners websites this is a common issue.

Both headlights turn off intermittently and twice both have gone out at the same time while driving. There was no warning. To replace one headlight, Toyota of melbourne told me it would be over $600 (labor not included). (bulb and harness).

Passenger side headlight flickers very dimly. I just noticed it today, on my mother's Prius. Did some research, and was amazed at the cost to have the dealer fix this. If it was just the cost of the bulb itself, I could swallow the rather large $130 price (at kragen) and do it myself, but the notes here, and on many other sites indicate that bulb replace sometimes fixes the problem (for a short period of time), and at other times, it does nothing. I would hate to throw $130 down the toilet. The primary issue though, is that the headlight goes dim/out intermittently, without warning or pattern, and there is no way to reliably get it re-lit. I don't feel save asking my 69 year old mother to turn the headlights on and off if it's dark out side (and if it's not dark, how would you know it was working or not). I agree, it does sound like a defect as many many people are having the issue, but more importantly, a serious safety issue. How long must we want before some action is taken by the NHTSA?.

Headlamp goes out intermittently.

Headlights on my 2004 Toyota Prius go off while driving. They come back on when I notice and turn them off and on again. This is a safety hazard.

Less than normal wear and tear; only have 32k miles on my 2004 Prius. The passenger side headlight blinks off or doesn't light in the first place every time I drive it. Nothing done to repair it since this particular component isn't not under warranty that I'm aware of.