Headlight Switch problems of the 2009 Toyota Prius

Over the course of my ownership of the past 3 years, I have replaced 3 headlights, due to broken/faulty seals that allow moisture into the housing, and burning out the ballast which in my opinion is a design flaw as the ballast rests at the bottom of the headlight assembly. I currently am dealing with a right headlight that goes out and I need to turn the switch off and on for the light to return briefly. The headlamp assembly is about $250 plus labor costs of installation.

The headlight just go off while driving. Once you turn the light switch off and then on they come back on for a short time. The dealer is wanting $1,400 to make the repairs. This is extremely dangerous while driving at night. There should be a recall on these vehicles.

While driving the headlights will turn off. Most of the time it is the right headlight and at other times the right or both of them will go out. If I turn the light switch on the steering column off and then back on it will turn them on for a few seconds. When taken to the dealership they said there is no recall but there are plenty of complaints. I was pulled over by a police officer and they let me off with a warning to fix it. It turns off even while sitting in my driveway as well as while driving. There is no rhyme or reason as to when.

2009 Toyota Prius passenger headlight goes off spontaneously while driving or stationary. When you turn off the headlight switch, then turn them on, the headlight turns back on for a while. Then after a while the headlight turns off again. This defect was a NHTSA recall and extended warranty problem but the dealer said the warranty and recall has expired. They want to charge me over $500 to fix this defect. Nhtsa needs to extend the recall and warranty because there have been accident deaths and injury related to this defect. You can see the defect documented on several youtube videos: Toyota Prius headlight failure. Please issue an order for dealers to recall and extend the warranty to fix this headlight defect at no cost to owners !!.

One headlight went out, then the next. I was driving on the interstate after dark and realized that both of my headlights had gone out while I was driving. Turned switch off and then back on (I also put fog lamps on) and they worked for a short time, then they each dimmed and went out. I cannot safely drive at night and am unable to change the lights myself. I took the car to the dealer and the cost quoted was nearly $600 to replace the hid headlamps because the bumper must be removed to replace the bulbs. The dealer seemed unaware of the issue until I mentioned the class action lawsuit in 2011 against Toyota for this very issue.

Right headlight flickers out about 2-3 minutes after turning it on. By turning the switch off and on, the light comes back on. But if fails again in a few minutes. This happens while driving, but also happens sitting in the driveway with the engine off.

I became aware the past few months that my right hid headlight was going off and on when I was driving. I was first alerted to it by other cars flashing me. Then time would go by and it seemed to work. Yet, the problem returned. One time the left light went out as well, and I was without either light. But generally it is just the right light. If I turn the light switch off and on, then both lights work, again usually until I get home, I am aware that these expensive bulbs (more than $600 for both) are the common solution, but I know someone who had the replacement bulbs go out, as well ,after a few months. So it must be the circuity. I will try to limit my driving to day time, and to be diligent to remember to be on the lookout for sudden light failure and switch,the lights on and off. My memory isn't as sharp as it once was, being an elderly retired person. This makes me quite nervous especially on icy roads in an area that darkens early. Suggested repairs are currently above my means. Thank you for hearing this.

This has been a recurring problem. The headlights will turn off without any warning. They turn back on if I flip the switch off and then back on again. The fact that the lights are on every time I leave the house (I can see their reflection against the garage wall) means they are not burnt out, but the fact that I have almost been hit multiple times by people who then honk and flash their brights to tell me my headlights are off means that they are turning off on their own. Through internet searches and chat forums, I have learned that I am not alone in this dangerous issue with my 2009 Toyota Prius.

There has been no injuries or vehicle damage. I left off total repair cost because the repair shop has not finished solving the problem. In 2013 I started have having headlight problems and have it about three months since. I have replaced the headlight bulbs several times on both sides. One time the headlights would operate opposite( one side would be high beam only and the other would be low beam only and when switching the switch inside to high beam the headlights would switch as to what they did only. On wed 8/20/14 the low beam quit working. I earlier purchased a new plug and 2 new bulbs in case I had a problem. I took the car to an independent repair shop( my only Toyota dealer in my town can not be trusted) where I live. He installed the new plug and we tried each of the two new bulbs and they exhibited the same problem - the low beam was just a spec of light; not enough for the low beam. He tested the voltage in the ground side of the plug and the fuse position in the fuse assembly and it lit up his voltage tester with a spec of light. He had no idea what system sent the voltage to the low beam side for the passenger side headlight. I am taking the car back on wed 8/27/14 to finish the job.

While driving at night, both headlights, without warning went out. Immediately, I pulled to the side of the road and turned the headlight switch to off. Then, paused a moment before relighting them, unfortunately relighting them normally failed. So again, I worked with the switch, only to discover that these would relight if and on if I held the lights on using the 'dimmer mode' to bright the road. Unfortunately, mine like others, is unpredictable at best - so reproducing this incident 'on demand' is difficult at best. In reading other consumer complaints, this seems to be an ongoing and costly problem. After further review, I have discovered that this headlight challenge has been part of a class action lawsuit. Shame on Toyota for not issuing a recall on this matter - Prius owners, as well as fellow drivers whom we share the road with are at high risk.

The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the headlights failed without warning. The contact deactivated and activated the headlight switch and the headlights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 114,000.

On multiple occasions prior to the most recent incident date listed, the previously mentioned 2009 Toyota Prius has had intermittent complete or partial headlight failure. On multiple occasions that seem to be random in nature either the drivers side or passenger side headlight will fail individual while the counterpart (opposite headlight) will continue to operate. Also, as random as one individual headlight failing both headlights have gone out or failed simultaneously. The operator has been able to rectify the immediate hazard by simply turning the main activation switch for the headlight from "on" to "off" and then to "on" again. This procedure will, on most occasions temporarily rectify the immediate hazard but the intermittent failure has and will continue. Operator conducted research on the issue and discovered this is a common problem the 2005-2009 Toyota Prius is displaying. Toyota corporate was contacted by the operator and stated that a customer care initiative was directed to all Toyota service departments to reduce the cost of replacement bulbs. However, what is unique about this situation is a headlamp hid bulb on the drivers side was replaced approximately one year ago and is the more frequent headlamp failure occurring. This seems to invalidate the remedy that Toyota corporate has devised which is to replace the bulbs.

Same basic complaint as in other similar 'safety complaints'; for about the last year, headlights go dim, flicker, one or the other will go out for no apparent reason, and more distressing and importantly, in the last couple months, they will both just turn off completely and at the same time while driving down the road at any speed. I have to turn the headlight switch off and on to 'reset' the lights and get them back on. I took the vehicle to the official Toyota repair shop; they would not acknowledge that it is a widespread problem. Blamed the bulbs, which is in conflict with the owners manual instructions, and wanted to charge me $ 550 to replace only the two bulbs. This needs to be a recall item as it is very dangerous to have all lights suddenly go off without any warning, then having to fumble around in the pitch black to turn the light switch off and on again to 'reset' this failure.

For some months now I have been having trouble with the right front headlight in my Prius which is an hid lamp. The lights goes out and then when I turn the light switch off then back on again the lamp lights again. I have to do this numerous times while driving. It either eventually stay's lit or I just give up and anticipate a ticket. On occasion when I try to get the light to come back on the drivers side light goes out, and then I am without headlights until I repeat the process. It is not only dangerous while driving in the dark, but when you try to get the lamp to turn back on, people think your flashing them from behind which causes them to become aggressive. It is very stressful and I knew if I looked this up online I'd probably find that there was a recall. I was not surprised to find out that there were complaint identical to mine, but no recall has been issued against Toyota to fix the apparent design problem. I am a 28 year volunteer firefighter and also a senior safety specialist for my company. Why do we have to wait for a serious incident to occur before Toyota is forced to fix the issue. I will not replace this expensive bulb since it appears that it only remediates the problem for a short period the of time before it happens again. I am entrusting in your organization to do something about the issue to ensure the well being of me, my family and those around us who either drive these models and/or become additional victims from our vehicles due to having to "completely" shut down the headlights in an attempt to get them back up. Again this sometimes creates both headlights to go out until repeated. Can that really be a bulb issue? I think not. Please force this large company to do something about the issue before statistics climb on accidents and or injuries resulting from these headlight failures. Thank you for your time and anticipated actions.

The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at night, the driver's side head light failed. The contact turned the switch back on and then the passenger's side headlight failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the hid headlights needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.

About two years ago one or another of my headlights would go off intermittently. When I turned the switch off and back on, they'd both be on. This was irritating but it was random and sporatic enough that I didn't take it in for service until both lights started going off in recent weeks. I then discovered on the internet the history and extent of this problem. The service people at the dealership only indicated that this problem had occurred with the 2005-2009 Prius but weren't forthcoming with other background information. $500 later I have new lights. My plan is to have "problems" with them every 11 months as long as I own the car, if they don't go off on their own, so that I can get the problem fixed under the dealer's 12 month warranty. Fortunately, most of my driving is downtown in a large city where other lighting is available. I did think whenever I was on the freeway at night I'd better have the lights checked. Although there apparently isn't a body count with this problem, or is there?, it certainly would have been helpful to have received some written information from Toyota or nhst that this problem is pervasive and could be very dangerous.

My 2009 Prius has headlights that intermittently flicker or extinguish at random times. Sometimes the right headlight will extinguish, sometimes it¿s the left headlight, and sometimes both extinguish at the same time. Some times the light(s) come back on without any action, and sometimes it is necessary to turn the headlight switch off and right back on. To date, the lights have resumed normal operation when they are turned on and off, at least so far it has worked every time. This can be extremely dangerous and frightening especially on the freeway or a mountain road. This phenomenon seems to be increasing in its frequency of occurrence. Why hasn't Toyota been forced to recall the Prius for this life threatening safety issue? I was told by the Toyota dealer that it's a bad filament in the headlight, I've never seen a filament behave that way.