2008 Toyota Prius Exterior Lighting Problems
- 536
- 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 536 stored complaint records:
- 1 indicate a crash
- 0 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- Headlights · 4 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 30–60k mi | 191 |
| 60–100k mi | 132 |
| 1–30k mi | 71 |
| 100–150k mi | 61 |
| 150–400k mi | 25 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Exterior Lighting
Premature failure of hid light bulb on 2008 toyota prius with 49,000 miles on it . Then being told by the dealer it will cost 250.00 to replace it.i understand this a really common failure on prius with hid light bulbs and it happens alot.. *tr
ODI 10318767
Exterior Lighting
The driver's side hid headlamp intermittently fails while the car is in operation. I have brought this to the toyota dealers several times, only to be told the problem cannot be recreated. *tr
ODI 10317822
Exterior Lighting
2008 toyota prius hid headlamp has gone out on the drivers side...dealership in asheville only says its past the 36,000 miles and out of warranty. Going to have the dealership check out the light and what is wrong. Saw all the complaints with other owners and this is a problem, and a safety issue. There should be a recall on this or a lemon law put on it so toyota will handle the costs. I am just wondering how much…
ODI 10319454
Exterior Lighting
2008 prius head light failure. Both headlights have gone out. Not under warranty i had new headlight put in (1-2009 & 1 in 2010). *tr
ODI 10319923
Exterior Lighting
Headlights often go out. If i stop and manipulate the connection, it will come back on. There is no guarantee the light will stay on. Primarily happens on the drivers side light but passenger side has also gone out. They have never(as yet) both gone out at the same time. *tr
ODI 10317463
Exterior Lighting
Toyota prius hid headlights fail intermittently when driving. Sometimes it is the left headlight, sometimes it is the right headlight and sometimes it is both. Especially dangerous when both headlights turn off by themselves and we are driving at night. *tr
ODI 10331045
Exterior Lighting
Prius 2008 headlamp: both the passenger and driver side headlamps, one at a time, intermittently turn off. If i turn the lights of for a few seconds, the light comes back on and stays on, sometimes for a short while and sometimes for a longer period. I have not had both go out at the same time. This has been going on for at least one month.
ODI 10321912
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
I purchased a 2008 prius with hid bulbs and they both started going out a couple weeks after owning it while i was driving home at night. In just a matter of minutes, i had no lights at all! I was in a urban area, so the street lights were there so that i could see. But if i were in the country, as i usually am about once a week, i would have been in big trouble. *tr
ODI 10318140
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
I have a 08 prius. Several days ago someone told me that one day-time running light was out. Two nights ago i checked and both lights were working so i thought i was ok. Last night after driving about an hour, both head lights went out. I turned the switch off and on again and the lights came back on. About a minute later the right light went off. After another hour of driving the left light went out and i repeated…
ODI 10312625
Exterior Lighting
Intermittent operation of hid headlight (one side) on 2008 toyota prius. Sometimes both hid headlights work as intended; sometimes one (in this case the left) headlight ceases to work. *tr
ODI 10311598
Exterior Lighting
PREMATURE HEADLIGHT FAILURE AT 20,000 MILES. *TR
ODI 10310877
Exterior Lighting
Headlights flicker and turn off and on. Have had headlights replaced 3 times and problem reoccurs. Lights are on when i start driving then turn off and sometimes turn back on.
ODI 10950136
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Hello....i just received a notice from toyota entitled customer support program..(no mention of recall). In it, they say that there is a problem with headlights going out...and while they've been charging for them at 300 dollars each, they now realize that it's some kind of electrical issue....that causes the lights to fail...now, in light of everything else, it seems that this is a potentially serious problem and…
ODI 10320665
Exterior Lighting
Approx. One month ago i noticed that the headlights on my 2008 toyota prius would intermittently turn off while i was driving. This has happened on at least 4 occasions. Three times only the left headlight would go out, and one time both headlights went out simultaneously. I don't do too much night driving so i don't know exactly when the problem began, but my best estimate is one month ago. Again, this is an…
ODI 10317383
Exterior Lighting
To whom it may concern, i am writing to file a complaint about the short lifespan of the hid headlights of my 2008 toyota prius. After less than a little over two years both headlights require replacement as they have been shutting off while driving on the interstate/surface streets resulting in being pulled over by the highway patrol and local police departments. The failure of the hid headlights represents a…
ODI 10307133
Exterior Lighting
My 2008 toyota prius, touring edition with hid headlights: the passenger-side headlamp goes out intermittently after initial ignition at start. Turning off the headlamps momentarily will restore illumination, but it will again malfunction after 20 minutes or so. Other exterior lamps will also shut off momentarily without indication or reason. Toyota refuses to admit their defect, which could prove very dangerous. *cn
ODI 10306998
Exterior Lighting
I purchased a new 2008 toyota prius in oct. 2007 with hid headlights. It is currently 28 months old and has 51k miles. The hid passenger headlight just prematurely burned out and i must have it repaired in order to safely (and legally) drive at night. This is a known toyota defect that needs action to correct. *tr
ODI 10305505
Exterior Lighting
The lights started burning out. They continue to burn out every few months, or less. *tr
ODI 10459056
Exterior Lighting
HID GOING ON AND OFF CONSTANTLY.
ODI 10307354
Exterior Lighting
Just like many other prius seen on road, my prius got the headlight problem,it was starting two years before, sometimes its right headlight on would be suddenly off, if i turned it off and put it back on again and the right headlight would be coming back again. Unfortunately, starting from last week, when i turned on the headlights, the right one just on for around 10 seconds, it would be automatically off but now…
ODI 10450861
Exterior Lighting
2008 toyota prius hid headlights failing after 45k miles or 750 hours. Iniitially it was just the drivers side that would just turn off while driving, now it is both headlights at the same time. If they are turned off, you can then turn them both back on but there is no telling when they will shut off again. I called the dealership and was told that i would have to foot the cost of the replacement lights and labor.…
ODI 10302577
Exterior Lighting
While driving my 2008 prius at approximately 2 a.m.on a mountainous road with many curves and wildlife the passenger headlight went out in both the high and low beams. I was startled and swerved, but luckily i maintained control of the car. I did not feel safe driving while it was still dark. At the first opportunity i pulled of the road in a safe place and spent the remainder of the night in the car. When it was…
ODI 10313126
Exterior Lighting
2008 toyota prius with hid headlamps that flicker and impossible to replace. The cost to replace is prohibitively expensive. The owners manual incorrectly depict headlamp replacement. Generally this is a major repair and not a maintenance issue.*cw
ODI 10303036
Exterior Lighting
2008 toyota prius with hid headlights and 36,800 miles. One or both lights turn off intermittently usually on wet or damp days. Nighttime driving is frightening just waiting for the lights to suddenly go off. This is a well documented safety related defect yet nothing has been done. *tr
ODI 10300111
Exterior Lighting
While driving down the highway, the left headlight quit working. We took it to the dealer, and it was working fine again. This happened several times over the next few months before the dealership finally admitted that it was a known problem that was going to be handled under recall. I asked that they fix it now, and they advised i would have to pay the cost and then possibly be reimbursed as i was past the 36,000…
ODI 10648905
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2008 Toyota Prius.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.