2004 Toyota Prius Exterior Lighting Problems
- 160
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
What owners report
- both headlights · 26 records
- side headlight · 26 records
- passenger side · 23 records
- them back · 14 records
- come back · 13 records
- left headlight · 12 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 100–150k mi | 52 |
| 60–100k mi | 45 |
| 150–400k mi | 32 |
| 30–60k mi | 8 |
| 1–30k mi | 7 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Exterior Lighting
While driving on the interstate at night, both headlights suddenly went out. Neither the high beams nor the low beams worked. I had to pull over, and turn the car off. When i turned the car back on, both headlights worked fine. This incident occurred about 4 weeks ago, and i took it to the dealership. The dealership could not find a cause, and i don't think that they believed me. I had no problems with the…
ODI 10578149
Exterior Lighting
HID HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAILING. *TR
ODI 10575735
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Passenger headlamp goes out while car is being driven. Driver side headlamp remains on (illuminated). Turning headlamp switch off and on causes passenger and driver side headlamp to illuminate. On re-illumination, passenger side headlamp sometimes appears normal and at other times appears to be dimmer, more yellowish. Dealer quoted replacement hid bulb and labor to replace will cost $225.00 total. *tr
ODI 10554026
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Same intermittent headlight problem posted here hundreds of times. Why is toyota only fixing 2006+ model years? The same problem plagues all model years. *tr
ODI 10548336
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
My 2004 toyota prius's hid lights are going off intermittently and coming back on when i turned them off and back on again. The driver's side is going off again and will come back on again when i turn it off and then back on. Also, my headlight leveling system warning light is coming on. When i drive on the highway light goes off, i feel very unsafe. I have to turn them off and back on in seconds to avoid a possible…
ODI 10537812
Exterior Lighting
Problem started with the right headlight turning off intermittently. I reported the problem to the local dealership on 8/27/2013 when the vehicle was serviced. The dealership indicated that they could not find a problem because the problem could not be duplicated. Then the same thing started happening with the left headlight. I can correct the problem by turning off & then back on the light switch but this…
ODI 10560535
Exterior Lighting
Headlights (hid) intermittently go out regardless of speed or road conditions. Turning the light switch they come on again and it randomly occurs making driving dangerous. I have replaced the headlights yet the incident recurs randomly making it necessary to turn the lights completely out then on again. *tr
ODI 10534978
Exterior Lighting
Recently, vehicle has started intermittent outages of hid headlamps. Usually on the driver side, but sometimes on the passenger side. Apparently this is the result of a computer called the hid ballast or something. Toyota is quoting outrageous sums to fix the problem. This vehicle should be recalled and the problem fixed for free. *tr
ODI 10523326
Exterior Lighting
Starting last year my passenger side headlight intermittently turns off and will turn back on once i turn lights off and on. Passenger side light continues to periodically shut off for no specific reason throughout the duration of the trip. This issue has caused numerous lighting safety issues as well as instances of being pulled over for headlight being out. After extensive research on internet i have discovered…
ODI 10586280
Exterior Lighting
A couple of month ago, i thought i noticed that the front drivers side hid headlight was off when the passenger side was on. I was driving in my other car while a family member was driving the prius. When i looked at the prius a short time later, both light where on. Over the past couple of months i have noticed that the driver side headlight has been intermittently off when it should be one. Cycling the lights off…
ODI 10513213
Exterior Lighting
Both headlights would cycle on and off. Turning the headlights off and on with the switch would make them both come on. Unpredictable how long before each headlight would turn off, but they are not in sync turning off and on. *tr
ODI 10504392
Exterior Lighting
The passenger side headlight goes off every 10 to 15 minutes of driving. Toyota settled a lawsuit on this issue for 2006+, but not my car. *tr
ODI 10511921
Exterior Lighting
Both headlights suddenly went dark. My wife and i are about 95% sure the entire dash went dark as well. We stopped and toggled the headlight switch, and everything came back on. The dealership recommended replacing the "high intensity discharge" headlights, but they do not know why the dash would have gone dark. *tr
ODI 10490389
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Both headlamps go off and on sporadically, as follows: approximately thirty (30) days after buying this used car, the left hid headlamp appeared burnt out. Both left and right headlamps were replaced on or about january 8, 2013, as recommended for this type of light. On installation, either light would flash on but then go out again, but turning the headlamp switch off then on agan seemed to rectify the problem.…
ODI 10526399
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
I purchased this vehicle in december 2012. Ever since i have had this prius, i have had issues with the front drivers side headlight turning off randomly. Whenever i turn the car on, both headlights are always on, but while driving, the drivers side headlight turns off. I took it to carfix in garner, nc and they thought that it could be the headlight, so they recommended changing it. I ended up having it changed by…
ODI 10583665
Exterior Lighting
My passenger side hid headlight goes out a few minutes after turning on. When turned off and on again comes back on only to go out a few minutes later. *tr
ODI 10487255
Exterior Lighting
Both headlights turn off and on intermittently without warning while driving. It is very dangerous driving in the dark. *tr
ODI 10502398
Exterior Lighting
While driving my 2004 toyota prius home at night on a dark, winding road, both headlights suddenly went out!!!! There was no light! Pitch black! Crazy! I couldn't believe that my lights were out. My brights were not working either. I didn't know what happened to the car! I thought i was going to wreck/crash. I was about 18 miles from home. As i drove, i turned on my dome lights so the oncoming traffic could see me.…
ODI 10482399
Exterior Lighting
Consistently a single headlight on my 2004 toyota prius would flicker and go out. "it may go off again, in another five or 10 minutes, but i could get them to work again by turning them off and turning on again. *tr
ODI 10490165
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
2004 toyota prius with hid headlights is used as a taxi cab. On september 25th, 2012 the drivers side headlight would begin to flicker and turn off after around five minutes of operation. The hid bulb replacement did not resolve the matter. Headlights must be turned off and then on again in order to resume their operation. *tr
ODI 10480025
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
The right headlight keeps going out and after we turn the switch back and forth it goes back on. This past weekend in a driving rain storm at night, the lights went completely out on a windy mountain road. I flicked them on and off several times and they would go on and then go out shortly afterwards. Neither dim or bright would work. I ended up having to pull the bright signal on the column back manually and hold…
ODI 10662185
Exterior Lighting
Hid headlights turning off repeatedly, will go out randomly having nothing to do with movement, on time, the light will come back on if switch is turned off then on again but lights are unreliable. Condition is obviously dangerous during night, fog or poor road conditions. Random turning off has kept re-occurring until present time, where light will persist on for only a few minutes at a time. Toyota dealer wants…
ODI 10482814
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
The headlights go out randomly while driving at night. You have to turn them off and then turn them back on for them to work and they only last a minute after that. Huge safety issue!! *tr
ODI 10465922
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Random failure of lights, began with driver?s side and continues to occur randomly with greater frequency. Passenger side also turns off randomly, though with less frequency. Many occasions, i have had both lights turn off while driving. *tt
ODI 10462715
Exterior Lighting
Passenger side headlight began to turn off intermittently and has continued since.
ODI 10726337
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2004 Toyota Prius.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.