2006 Toyota Prius Exterior Lighting Problems
- 816
- 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 816 stored complaint records:
- 5 indicate a crash
- 1 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- Headlights · 3 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 30–60k mi | 399 |
| 60–100k mi | 172 |
| 1–30k mi | 112 |
| 100–150k mi | 46 |
| 150–400k mi | 17 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Headlights constantly go out. Research online proves prius vehicles with hid bulb systems have ballast issues causing constant blowing of either bulbs or ballast failure. Not only is safety constantly compromised, but it is illegal when a headlight goes out driving down the road.
ODI 11307420
Exterior Lighting
The right side head light on my 2006 toyota prius will turn off on its own. It will work again if i shut all the lights off and turn it on again. It doesn't seem to happen while the car is stationary, but will turn off soon after the car starts moving. It doesn't matter if it is on a bumpy road, moving slowly, or on a highway. It will turn off within seconds to several minutes. I took it into the dealership around…
ODI 11279056
Exterior Lighting
The hid headlights are both out, after being on maybe 5 minutes. From everything i have read online and from my mechanic, this is a known issue with my model of car, that has been going on for years. The ballast is faulty, and would need to be tested prior to replacing a hid light. This has been happening for months, and i simply do not drive at night as a result. With the time change, this is to difficult.
ODI 11278349
Exterior Lighting
Head lights randomly go out without warning. Turn switch of then on and they go back on for awhile. Sometimes one headlight. Sometimes other or both. Not safe when driving in dark and lights disappear in mountains on vacation at night!!!
ODI 11266779
Exterior Lighting
Right front headlight occasionally goes out. Sometimes it works when i switch the lights on and off and on again but mostly it has me driving down the street at night with only the left headlight visible. I'm scared to drive at night, knowing that my right headlight will most likely act up again. I even took everything apart trying to get to this headlight to change the bulb but found that the current bulb was…
ODI 11253821
Exterior Lighting
Driving at night all lights go out and the driver cannot see anything. Very dangerious! This happened traveling 60 miles per hour at night.
ODI 11222721
Exterior Lighting
The operation of my hid lights are malfunctioning and the current right head light will occasionally turn off on it's own. After turning them on and off a few times, they then work again. Obviously dangerous for night time driving or resulting in potential tickets.
ODI 11170747
Exterior Lighting
Right front headlight randomly quits while driving, it has been doing this for the last 2 years
ODI 11155940
Exterior Lighting
Problem with intermittent hid headlight operation failure, drivers side failure even on high beam when driving, turning off/back on light comes back on but may fail again. Passenger front headlight works fine.
ODI 11128495
Exterior Lighting
The drivers side intermittent headlight has long been a problem with this vehicle. This was a reported safety issue that was widely ignored which violates california law. I finally took it myself to get replaced after not getting any help with my reporting. I would like to receive a refund for the problem that is a recall issue.
ODI 11098914
Exterior Lighting
When in motion the left front hid light goes out. Turning the light switch off and back on (dangerous on the road at night) brings the light back on. May happen several times in one trip or maybe not at all. Weather irrelevant. Has been happening past several months.
ODI 11085151
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Sometimes as i drive the vehicle, after a while, either one of the headlights turns off randomly. I don't always notice when it happens, other than when pulling up behind another vehicle at a stop light and notice that there is only 1 headlight reflection coming from my vehicle. They both work normally if i turn them off and on again.
ODI 11099340
Exterior Lighting
I have had too many headlight issues throughout the time i've had my prius. I've had the entire assembly replaced once, repaired once, replaced countless overpriced bulbs, and still consistently is a problem. At this time, i'm currently experiencing electrical issues. My passenger headlight went out again. I replaced the bulb and nothing. Not even a buzz noise. But when i disconnect the bulb and turn on the…
ODI 11078563
Exterior Lighting
Headlight, drivers side, will go out occasionally while driving. It will come on again if the headlight switch is turned off then on.
ODI 11063528
Exterior Lighting
The headlights on my prius sometimes don't come on or may come on and turn off while i'm driving. It's usually the driver's side, but the passenger's side has done it once. If i notice it, i can usually turn off the lights and turn them back on and then they both work. It has happened both when i first turn on the lights (while stationary) and also when i have been driving for a few minutes. The problem is becoming…
ODI 11057944
Exterior Lighting
The headlamps on my prius go out intermittently while driving. Sometimes one goes out and sometimes both. It is very dangerous when they both go out while driving at night. I can usually turn the switch off and on to get it back on, but that is uncomfortable when driving down a dark road and have to get the lights back on. This is an ongoing problem and happens regularly.
ODI 11052873
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Headlight intermittently shuts off. It will later come back on again. Same with a tail-light. There are lots of complaints about this please come up with a solution. It seems to be an extremely expensive fix at a dealership due to defective parts.
ODI 11066735
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Vehicle Speed Control
I believe its a glitch in the car's computer. At unpredictable and intermittent intervals the electronic heads up display does not operate. This leaves me with no speedomoeter, no fuel level indicator, no bright or dim indicator for the headlights, and the cruise control does not work. During the incidents the car also might not respond to the power off button, so it keeps running. This problem might last for a day…
ODI 11019826
Exterior Lighting
The headlights on my 2006 prius have been going on and off sporadically since appx. 2010. First, only one headlight on the driver's side would go and off. I asked my toyota dealership multiple times about the problem, but they could never correctly diagnose or fix the problem. I was stopped more than once by the police for having a headlight out. Usually if i turned the headlights off and then on again, both lights…
ODI 11013986
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
The passenger side headlight intermittently turns off and on. The lightbulb is still functional. This will happen wether i'm driving or stationary.
ODI 10993342
Exterior Lighting
While driving the right headlight will flicker and turn off. It can be turned back on by turning off and on the headlights. I got pulled over last night because i couldn't tell it had turned off while driving in town at night. I can tell when it goes off while driving in the country and get it to turn back on. I have read many online forums that dealerships will replace many expensive things trying to fix it but it…
ODI 10970661
Exterior Lighting
Car i purchased for my daughter, had its headlights go out last night in the rain as she was taking an exit off road. Fortunately no one was hurt but she is very shaken up. She said the lights just went out leaving here in almost complete darkness.
ODI 10957831
Exterior Lighting
Three times in the last 12 months the headlights have failed on this car.
ODI 10936812
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota prius. While driving 20 mph, the headlights malfunctioned. The contact could not see the road in front of him due to the malfunctioning headlight adjuster. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000. The vin was not available.
ODI 10936335
Exterior Lighting
The right headlight intermittently goes out. It has happened upon start up, and while driving. It is usually noticed when sitting behind another vehicle (seeing headlight reflection in front vehicle's rear), someone tells me, or, i remember to check. When it's realized, turning the switch off, and on again, makes the light come back on. It doesn't appear to be any particular weather, situation, or length of drive…
ODI 11101447
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2006 Toyota Prius.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.