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
The headlights went off suddenly (of course i was night driving); i stopped, turned the lights off and back on and they worked for about 15 minutes. The driver side light then went out and i had to pull over, turn them off, back on and the light came back on. This is currently an intermittent problem but one that needs resolution. *tr
ODI 10426730
Exterior Lighting
When driving at various speeds, one or both of the hid headlights will go out. If i turn them all the way off, then back on, they will light up, but may go out again or may stay lit. The vehicle is a 2005 toyota prius with hid headlights. Note: the headlights will not relight on their own; they must be turned off then back on. *tr
ODI 10420882
Exterior Lighting
The headlight leveling control warning signal came one, the car has only 36000 miles. This is a very expensive fix and has safety issues, and appears to be a defect on many similar models. *tr
ODI 10420771
Exterior Lighting · Headlights
While driving my 2005 toyota prius on an expressway at night the passenger side headlight went out. There was no lights on the expressway and i nearly hit a parked car on the side of the expressway. I pulled over at the next exit and checked the headlights. The passenger headlight was indeed out. I turned the car off and went into the restroom. When i came out and restarted the car the headlight was on. Five minutes…
ODI 10419598
Exterior Lighting · Unknown Or Other · Vehicle Speed Control
On 7/31/11 i noticed my cruise control would not set. The light came on indicating the cruise was on, but i could not get the speed to hold. The next day, the cruise control worked. Midday on 8/1/11 while parked, i shifted to the d position, but the light indicated i was in n. I shifted back and forth between r and d several times, but the light indicated n. I took my foot off the brake and the car moved backward.…
ODI 10417568
Exterior Lighting
I have a 2005 toyota prius with hid headlights. They began failing, first it was only the drivers side light, and infrequently. I found that when i turned the lights off and on again, the headlight worked again. Because of the high cost of replacement, i lived with the problem. Recently, both lights failed on a back country curvy road. For an instant everything was totally black. I quickly turned the lights off and…
ODI 10415353
Exterior Lighting
The master warning light and another light came on warning of a possible misalignment of the hid headlamps on 2005 toyota prius. This could lead to blinding oncoming traffic if the lamps are misaligned. Toyota dealer service department claimed that even though it was a common problem, repairs would cost ~$600 for a new headlight leveling sensor (load leveling sensor) and installation. *tt
ODI 10414692
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. The contact was driving 60 mph when the automatic headlight sensor failed due to a design flaw and corrosion. The contact stated that the failure could potentially cause the headlights to blind the drivers of oncoming traffic. The manufacture was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 80,000.
ODI 10412415
Exterior Lighting
The right headlamp works intermittently and has been for some time and lately the left is joining in. I have asked about this numerous times over the past couple of years when in the dealership for other services. It isn't a problem any time i have been in their presence; but they noted it in my file. Likewise, as i cross my fingers yearly, they have both been working during inspection. Thought i was crazy until i…
ODI 10554944
Exterior Lighting
I have a 2005 (01/01/05) manufacture date prius. I don't remember the trim package. I noticed the drivers side head light would intermittently fail cycling the light off and on would resume operation. One week later while driving at night both headlights completely failed again cycling them off and on resumed operation. I was issued a warning while driving home from work by the police and demonstrated this fact. I…
ODI 10410293
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. The contact stated that the head lamp leveling system was corroded, causing the headlight to move up and down abnormally. The dealer was notified and advised the contact that there were no recalls for the vehicle. The dealer replaced the head lamps at the owners expense. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,206 and the current mileage…
ODI 10435016
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. The contact stated that the headlights failed without warning. The contact spoke with the manufacturer and was told that the bulbs most likely caused the failure. The headlight bulbs were replaced but to no avail. The contact spoke with the manufacturer a second time and was told that the computer which operated each headlight could possibly need replacing. That vehicle was…
ODI 10420926
Exterior Lighting
I am the original owner of my prius and it has worked wonderfully except for having to replace the headlights. About 4 years ago i had an accident and the front bumper and driver side headlight was replaced. It is now flickering and turns off. The passenger side headlight was also replaced 4-5 years ago and it died about 6 months ago. This is a serious problem since the head light flickers and dies while driving. I…
ODI 10672057
Exterior Lighting
For quite some time it looked like my headlights could barely shine into the distance because they pointed down so much. Months later, i received a warning sign saying that the "headlight auto level" mechanism was broken. After researching this issue online and speaking to several mechanics, it became clear that the problem was caused by the part used by toyota. The part toyota uses in its older cars was not sealed,…
ODI 10450968
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Headlights
The right, passenger headlight goes out and by turning the headlight switch off and back on, the headlight comes back on. It will go off again and i will have to perform the same procedure to get it to come on again. *kb this happens repeatedly during any given trip.
ODI 10441657
Exterior Lighting
Right front headlight would go off while driving. Required that i switch lights off and back on to get the light to work again. I had the front right headlight replaced and three weeks later the left front headlight followed the same sequence of events. I purchased a new headlight and had two different auto mechanics replace it and the left front headlight will not work. I am scheduled to take the car back to the…
ODI 10413183
Exterior Lighting
Our neighbor noticed that our right headlight was out. It proved to be intermittent, going on and off at unpredictable intervals but getting worse with time. We had both headlight bulbs and modules replaced, a procedure that required the removal of the front bumper, among other things, and cost $1,212.98 at an independent garage. We suspected that the cost would have been even higher at a toyota dealership. Now,…
ODI 10651406
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. The contact stated that the headlights failed without warning. The contact had to play around with the headlight switch in order for the lights to illuminate. The failure had occurred previously but was only exhibited on one side of the headlights at a time. The recent failure was exhibited on both headlights. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where he was advised…
ODI 10484682
Exterior Lighting
The headlight on the passenger side just turns off for no reason. I saw it off when stopped. It has done it several times after about a half hour of driving. It goes back on, but i keep the fog lights on just in case it happens in the dark. I think it could effect both head lights and cause a safety problem at night. I drive on unlit streets at night. *tr
ODI 10501889
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. The contact was driving between 35-40 mph when the headlights failed. The contact engaged the emergency hazard lights until she was able to drive to a safe location. The headlights began to function after the contact abruptly jolted the headlight switch however, the driver side headlight would only illuminate sporadically. An authorized dealer was notified of the failure but…
ODI 10389614
Exterior Lighting
The headlight level switch failure (water-rust in switch) is causing real danger. When located in up while in dim - oncoming traffic impaired. When level switch ends down, the line of sight is only several feet in front of vehicle. A shorter person (wife) is unable to see any lighted road. Driving really becomes bad with the bright switched on. Oncoming traffic becomes impaired causing danger. The wife actually…
ODI 10382313
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. The contact was driving 35 mph when the head lights failed. The contact was able to reactivate the headlights by toying with the activation switch until the lights came back on. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised the contact that there were no recalls for the failure and repairs would be at the expense of the contact. The manufacturer was contacted and offered…
ODI 10380053
Exterior Lighting
HID HEADLIGHT FAILED. HIGH COST TO REPLACE ($250). *TR
ODI 10379590
Exterior Lighting
Drivers side hid headlight intermittant operation. Headlamp goes on and off at various times in traffic at night. *tr
ODI 10423844
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
The passenger side headlight would sometimes go out and then come back on after turning the car off/on. Eventually both of the headlights had this problem along with them turning pink in color and back to white while driving. I took the prius into the dealership and since i purchased the extended warranty of 100,000 miles the hid electronic control units (ecus) will be replaced free of charge but the hid light bulbs…
ODI 10381137
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2005 Toyota Prius.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.