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
Had the hid headlights replaced 6 months ago because they were intermittently going on and off. Same thing is happening again. *tr
ODI 10461371
Exterior Lighting
Both headlights spontaneously went out at the same time while driving. This has been an intermittent problem since that date, despite changing the bulbs. Sometimes the lights can be relit by turning the headlight switch off and back on. Sometimes this does not work. Particularly if the bright lights are on, the off-on switching does not work and the headlights remain off. *tr
ODI 10644538
Exterior Lighting
Both headlights go out without warning frequently now. The immediate remedy seems to be to turn switch off and on again to restore them. This has recently become a regular problem as i drive at night. Thankfully the 'fog lamps' are functional and now i am sure to have them switched on in addition to regular headlights so that i am still visible to other drivers. *tr
ODI 10459048
Exterior Lighting
I was driving at night on a narrow country road, lined with trees, at 55 mph. Suddenly , both head lamps shut off. It is a miracle that i didn't wreck, i could not see a thing, and braked blindly. As i was coming to a stop i turned the light switch on and off and the lights came back on. Before i could get home, the lights went off 2 more times! *tr
ODI 10448866
Exterior Lighting
The passenger headlight and taillight stopped working. We replaced the tail light bulb only for it to stop working two days later. We replaced the tail light bulb once a week for a month, and for now it continues to work. The headlight, however, continued not working for about two weeks, then began working again only for the driver side headlight to stop working. After turning the headlight switch off then back on…
ODI 10453584
Exterior Lighting
Headlights dont work, overheating bulbs $800 to replace, you go toyota your car sucks. *tr
ODI 10447826
Exterior Lighting
Headlights go out randomly and only come back on by turning light switch off than on. Replaced bulb and problem continues. *tr
ODI 10452783
Exterior Lighting
Intermittent headlight problem. I purchased the car with 111,500 miles on it, and almost immediately noticed that the passenger's side headlight is intermittent when viewing my reflection in the bumper of the car in front of me. Sometimes it runs fine for over an hour, other times it doesn't last 5 minutes. Turning the headlights off, and immediately back on relights the headlight. This is not only happening at…
ODI 10448018
Exterior Lighting
The driver's side headlight went out while driving at highway speed. Turning the lights off and then on restored the headlights. It happened a couple times in 2 hours of driving. At the end of the trip it was happening about every mile. I took the car to the toyota dealership and they replaced the driver's side lamp. Last night 1/2 hour into a 2 hour night trip the headlights went out. It appeared that both lights…
ODI 10437209
Exterior Lighting · Headlights
The headlamps keep switching off intermittently on my 2004 toyota prius. This has been happening fairly regularly over the last year, but last night (8-2-2011) both headlamps failed at the same time when on a dark, windy road causing me to almost crash into a tree (i couldn't see anything without the lights). When i switch the headlamp control on and off, the headlamps come on again, so it is unlikely to be the…
ODI 10416952
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. The contact was driving 35 mph when both headlights failed intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the ballast failed for the headlights. The manufacturer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 96,000.
ODI 10446398
Exterior Lighting
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. *tr
ODI 10408598
Exterior Lighting
Single drivers side headlight goes off/on intermittently - fixed by turning headlights off/on. *tr
ODI 10454303
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota prius. The contact stated that the high intensity discharge (hid) headlights would intermittently fail. The failure recurred for approximately one year. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they advised the contact that the balances on the front headlights needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and the current mileage…
ODI 10453541
Exterior Lighting
2004 toyota prius has 160,000 miles. The left headlight has been failing intermittently for about a week. Two nights ago, on a dark road, the entire set of front headlights, fog lamps, all suddenly went off. I am happy to say the hazards were functional, because no amount of turning the switch at the stalk would bring the lights back. I pulled car over and turned it off. I had driven approximately 50 miles with them…
ODI 10390020
Exterior Lighting
One of the headlights operates intermittently. Turning the headlights off and back on causes it to light again. *tr
ODI 10483733
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Visibility
The driver's side hid headlight, intermittently, unpredictably and inexplicably shuts off. It will occasionally return to service on its own, but usually requires a cycling of the light's power switch before full function is restored. After which, the length of time before the light shuts off again varies from a few seconds to not at all. After researching this issue, it seems to be a rather systemic problem with…
ODI 10433094
Exterior Lighting
Headlights went out on my 2004 toyota prius while driving down i84 in new york. At night! Flipped switches and turned on and off and they went back on. Had i been on a dark back road who knows what could have happened. Why! *tr
ODI 10373791
Equipment · Exterior Lighting
I have a 2004 toyota 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. *tr
ODI 10384542
Exterior Lighting
Car: 2004 toyota prius problem: intermittent failure of both headlights while driving. Last night while driving along an unlit country road, both headlights failed simultaneously. After stopping the vehicle the lights came back on by turning on and off the headlamps using the stalk mounted switch. This is a very dangerous situation, many others have had the same problem. See the toyota recall website and try this…
ODI 10354802
Electrical · Exterior Lighting
Headlight on 2004 pries controller broken. May be due to oxide levels in contacts. Smart key oxidation causes poor use. Alarm goes off intermittently. *tr
ODI 10360432
Exterior Lighting
Headlights would go out, but come back on. At first, it was only one headlight, but one evening, when one headlight went out, i switched to high beams and both went out. I pulled off the road, turned the car off and back on and the lights worked for about twenty minutes. Dealer had replaced bulbs previously. On august 19, dealer replaced headlamp systems at a very high cost. Manufacturer sent me a check to repay…
ODI 10372804
Exterior Lighting
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. *tr
ODI 10360034
Exterior Lighting
Unsafe nighttime headlamp lighting due to failure of height sensor, p/n 8940847010, 2004 toyota prius. Failure of height sensor caused headlamps to point down. *tr
ODI 10353525
Exterior Lighting
2004 prius at 146k miles with original headlights. Drivers side headlight turns orange and goes out after 2 minutes. Passenger side light goes out randomly and takes out fog lights at the same time. A complete failure of forward facing lighting including fog lamps should not happen if a headlight goes out. Turning the lights off-and-on brings them back for an unspecified amount of time until complete failure once…
ODI 10345655
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2004 Toyota Prius.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.