2005 Toyota Prius Exterior Lighting Problems
- 315
- 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.
Among these 315 stored complaint records:
- 2 indicate a crash
- 0 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- Headlights · 2 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 100–150k mi | 90 |
| 60–100k mi | 89 |
| 150–400k mi | 50 |
| 30–60k mi | 35 |
| 1–30k mi | 11 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Exterior Lighting
My 2005 prius began to have problems with the driver's side headlight. When i first turn my lights on, the headlamp works, but after a few minutes of driving, it goes out. Switching to high beams doesn't make any difference, but if i turn off my lights and turn them right back on, the headlamp works for a short while. I have researched this on prius forums, and it is a very common problem. The dealer wants $2600 to…
ODI 10510699
Exterior Lighting
While driving, both headlights would go off. They would come back on when turning the light control off then back on. A few minutes later, they would go off again and to get them back on i had to switch off/ then back on. It did not seem to be dependent on fast i was driving or if a bump in the road caused the headlights to go off. We took car to dealer and was told everything checked out and both headlight bulbs…
ODI 10499654
Exterior Lighting
The headlights started going on and off intermittently. Both bulbs were replaced recently. The car has an hid headlight system. *tr
ODI 10494821
Exterior Lighting
Around 105,000 we started getting intermittent headlight loss. It usually comes back on if we turn the lights off then back on. It only did it on the passenger side for about a year but now it does it on both sides. *tr
ODI 10561256
Exterior Lighting
The passenger side hid headlight went out. The next time i used the car, the headlight was working again. Since the first occurrence, either headlight has gone out intermittently (i have not been aware that both have gone out at the same time). Each time, the headlights are found to be working again later. I don't know how often the problem is occurring. I don't do a lot of night driving, but i keep my lights on all…
ODI 10511209
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Front right headlight is intermittently going out. I can get it to go back on if i turn switch off and back on but it may fail again within 10 or 80 minutes. Replaced bulb, but still have problem. Dealer said it was the bulb but replacing it has not fixed the issue. *tr
ODI 10497683
Exterior Lighting
Headlights turn off unexpectedly. Turning switch off and then back on temporarily resets and they work for 5 to 10 minutes then go off again. *tr
ODI 10490198
Exterior Lighting
Front passenger headlamp goes out by itself. Will come back on if headlamp switch is turned off and on. Does not occur with hitting a bump in the road or depending upon weather. Very unpredictable. Once driver side headlamp did the same. Regularly the passenger headlamp fails!! Also, rear passenger brake lamp works sometimes and doesn't work other times. Unpredictable. *tr
ODI 10542781
Exterior Lighting
While driving at 6:35 pm in paso robles on hwy 46 both headlights went dark. I rotated the light switch several times, then both headlights lit. Within 5 minutes, it happened again. 2 minutes later, it happened again. Thereafter it happened about every 2 minutes until we got to the hospital emergency room to which i was taking my wife. She died there about 10pm of a heart attack. At about 2 a.m. On my return home…
ODI 10486758
Exterior Lighting
My passengers side head light went out. It came back on when i turned the switch off and back on again. It has happened three more times since, two of which were this morning alone (12/28/2012). *tr
ODI 10490304
Exterior Lighting
Left side headlight quits working then you have to turn off headlights and turn back on then it comes back on. After a while it goes out again then same procedure has to be repeated again. I believe this is a safety issue and needs to be recalled. What if the light on the right side decides to go out especially in the dark where there is no street lights? I ask you nicely please recall the car and fix the issue what…
ODI 10484751
Exterior Lighting
My husband was driving our recently purchased prius and was pulled over by a police officer. One of his headlights was not working. Following that event, the other light has gone out as well. Both headlights go on off when in use. This is disturbing to us because it's a safety issue when driving at night. After doing research, we discovered that this can be an issue in 05-08 toyota prius. *tr
ODI 10482263
Exterior Lighting
In mid june 2012, while driving on the freeway i noticed the left side headlight was not on, initially i thought the bulb was bad since i had already had to replace the right one. I had planed to take the car to elmore toyota of huntington beach, ca to have the bulb replaced but the following day the light was working. After a few days it started happening again. I found that if i turned the lights on and off the…
ODI 10597720
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Headlights (one or both) will randomly turn off while driving. Turning the switch off and back on will turn them back on. *tr
ODI 10487160
Exterior Lighting
First my left headlight went out. Within a minute my right headlight went out as well. I turned the light switch off, then on again, and they both re-lit. This happened four times in the course of 20 miles. The is a regular occurrence now. *tr
ODI 10475936
Exterior Lighting
Last september we noticed the driver side headlight was out. When we turned the car off and on, the lamp came back on. We took the car to the dealer who could not find anything wrong. We have seen a lot of similar complaints on the internet with no resolution. Others have spend big $$$ to fix, however after spending the money, the problem remained. Please advise. *tr
ODI 10505358
Exterior Lighting
Front right light flickers off/on occasionally. Toyota says i need to replace both bulbs at approximately $540 in total cost. *tr
ODI 10486268
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
The left headlight unexpectedly goes out. If i turn the lights off and on again, the headlight comes back on, but soon repeats going out. *tr
ODI 10505929
Exterior Lighting
Right hid intermiitently goes on and off. Unable to see the right side of the road at night. *tr
ODI 10470239
Exterior Lighting
Both headlights turned off simultaneously. Turning the headlight switch off, and back on restored illumination. This happened twice within 45 minutes. *tr
ODI 10523482
Exterior Lighting
I was driving in interstate i-270 in commerce city co. When suddenly the headlights went out and would not come back on until i was completely stopped,so i turn them off then on and they come back on,?? It has kept on happening ever since, they are the hid's and it is my understanding am not the only one having this problem. *tr
ODI 10466973
Exterior Lighting
Driver side headlight keeps shutting off. If i turn off lights and turn back on, it comes back on for a little while. Shuts off about 6 times in 25 miles. *tr
ODI 10500627
Exterior Lighting
Since june.. I have had one or both headlights go off. I have to flick them on and off to get them to go back on. I have run off the road. I have been pulled over by police only to then find my headlight was on. Sometimes when they both go off it will takes many on off of the switch to get them to finally go back on, and i usually have to make my way of the road. This is a terribly dangerous situation. I have had…
ODI 10475108
Exterior Lighting
While driving a canyon road at night, vehicle headlights suddenly went off. Near collision occurred when another car turning in front of affected vehicle because it was not visible in the dark. Later discovered turning the headlights off and then on again caused the headlamps to relight. Since then, one or both head lamps intermittently and suddenly turn off. Reset relights. On june 22, 2012, vehicle was taken to…
ODI 10474312
Exterior Lighting
Intermittent headlight outage - front right side. *tr
ODI 10592978
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2005 Toyota Prius.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.