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 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2008 toyota prius. Brakes seems to "lose hold" when driving at slow speeds and hitting a bump in the road. The loss of braking seems to only last for a fraction of a second but is very disconcerting. Also, driver's side headlamp kept malfunctioning, going off periodically when driving. Dealer could not replicate problem in shop, so stated there was no problem. Took car back three additional times for same issue.…
ODI 10307850
Exterior Lighting
Drivers side headlight failed. Did not work at all after turning headlights on and off. I was traveling for work (about 2000 miles of driving over 4 days) and did not have time to either repair the problem myself or take it to the dealer. During the 4 days of driving with one headlight, i noticed the passenger's side headlight failing as well, intermittently, leaving me with no headlights. If i turned the lights off…
ODI 10294405
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Toyota prius 2008, driver's side hid headlight went out at 29k miles <2 years of use, different dealerships tell different stories on whether it's a warranty repair; bulb pricing ranges from $30 to $350; sandy springs toyota sold us the wrong part; owner's manual gives wrong instructions: the light bulb casing looks nothing like the diagram; some online sources cite a total cost + labor $1700; some don't recommend…
ODI 10293988
Exterior Lighting · Service Brakes, Electric
Headlights on toyota prius 2008 started dimming and going out intermittently at 50,000 miles. Lights will go back on when turned off and then back on again. I have been stopped 3 times by the police for a headlight out and been let go with a warning. In addition, the abs system activates for no reason on dry roads and brakes are slow to engage. *tr
ODI 10304864
Exterior Lighting
I own a 2008 prius purchased new. I have the hid headlights. The car has 49,000 miles. The headlights go out and will come back on sometime on their own or by turning the lights off and back on. This is very dangerous. I do not think it is the bulbs that are bad due to the come back on. I went online and found that this problem is happening to alot of prius owners and the outrageous prices that dealers are charging…
ODI 10293189
Exterior Lighting
I have about 57,000 miles on my 2008 toyota prius. When driving at night the headlights will go out. Not both but either the left or right headlight. The left more than the passenger side. If i turn the lights off and back on the lights re light. As my running lights are on, oncoming traffic can still see me coming, but my vision is greatly reduced. *tr
ODI 10310500
Exterior Lighting
Under normal driving conditions both the passenger and driver front headlamps have gone out. By switching the light control off and on, then the headlamps come on for 10 - 30 seconds and then go off again. This occurs every time the headlamps are turned on. It is a definite safety issue. I took the prius into the dealership and was told that the hid mechanism and the lamps needed to be replaced. The original…
ODI 10298178
Exterior Lighting
A recall is necessary on this prius headlight issue. They are continuing to fail right and left and the dealerships are ripping people off to the tune of over $300 to change a headlamp. They fail at less then 16k miles either totally or by intermittently going on and off. *tr
ODI 10291385
Exterior Lighting
I drive my car and the driver side headlight goes off. I can switch the light on and off and it will come on for a few minutes to a little while and then go back off. It happens all the time. Replaced the bulb and check the fuses. *tr
ODI 10292365
Exterior Lighting
After owning our 2008 toyota prius hybrid for 2 years, we have had to replace both headlamps already. They both failed prematurely. Fortunately for us our dealership replaced the headlamps with no charge as we are well under the 36,000 mile warranty. My question is what is going to happen when that warranty expires, and it will soon. Will toyota or our dealership keep replacing these headlights bulbs. I think not!…
ODI 10310238
Exterior Lighting
2008 toyota prius headlights: the driver side headlight goes out unexpectedly. If the lights are turned off and back on the headlight comes back on. This occurs with both low- and high-beam operation. The problem is intermittent and very dangerous. I took the vehicle to a repair shop to diagnose the problem and they said the lights worked fine for them and they couldn't replicate it. They checked the connections…
ODI 10293106
Exterior Lighting
Both headlights on our 2008 prius began flickering on and off, and ultimately would flicker off at night leaving us with no lights. If we turned the lights off and then on again, the lights would work for a few minutes then turn off again. The car was only two years old. When we took the car to the dealership, we were told we would need to replace both bulbs at a cost to us of over 600 dollars. Toyota dealership…
ODI 10290924
Exterior Lighting
Left front headlight on 2008 toyota prius keeps going off. *tr
ODI 10290725
Exterior Lighting
Driver's side hid headlight spontaneously failed, both high and low beams, was able to continue driving with only passenger-side headlights but was concerned they might fail as well. Car is less than 2 years old; dealer covered replacement under standard toyota prius warranty. *tr
ODI 10291387
Exterior Lighting
Hid headlights on 2008 toyota prius began to dim suddenly and stay dim. Flashing lights on and off temporarily brighten the lights but they become dim again. Happens constantly. *tr
ODI 10291140
Exterior Lighting
I was driving my 2008 toyota prius on the highway at night, and both headlights suddenly cut out. I immediately pulled over, put the car in park, and flipped the head light switch back and forth. In doing this, both lights came back on and remained on for the remainder of my trip. The following day the driver's side light went out, but came back on after i flipped the headlight switch back and forth. The car…
ODI 10294497
Exterior Lighting
Both headlights on our 2008 prius began flickering on and off, and ultimately would flicker off at night leaving us with no lights. If we turned the lights off and then on again, the lights would work for a few minutes then turn off again. The car was only two years old. When we took the car to the dealership, we were told we would need to replace both bulbs at a cost to us of over 600 dollars. *tr
ODI 10290522
Exterior Lighting
My right headlight goes off and sometimes it will come back on with me turning off the on the headlight. My wife today had the light turn off and the maintenance light came on. I tried to turn off then on but the light stayed off. I am going to have the vehicle towed 55 miles to the toyota dealer in redding ca. Upon reading the prius chat site i have found out that this is a common problem with prius's with hid…
ODI 10289924
Exterior Lighting
The right head light will intermittently go out while vehicle is being driven. Turning off the lights completely and then turning them back on will sometime solve the problem and the head lights will work for a while. Driving visibility is greatly affected. Since the problem is intermittent, i never actually know when both my headlights are working properly. And, turning the headlights off and on while driving is…
ODI 10298642
Exterior Lighting
The hd headlights on my 2008 toyota prius go off at times. Last night i was driving and both headlights went off, i tried the brights but they didn't work either. I pulled over to a gas station and turned of the car and restarted it. This time only one light came on and the brights worked only on one side. This happened in august too but then the lights came on again and there wasn't a problem. However in the past 3…
ODI 10288785
Exterior Lighting
I work in the field of law enforcement. I got off duty and was getting ready to leave when another officer notified me that my drivers side headlamp was not operable. As a peace officer i can testify that i've had numerous contacts with the owners of late model prius' pertaining to headlamps and tail lamps being inoperable. This is a serious safety issue and toyota needs to recall the vehicles and make the necessary…
ODI 10289037
Exterior Lighting
I had a headlight go out. Before i could get it fixed i noticed that it would come on when i turned the lights on and then fade out. Subsequently, the other headlight went out while driving down the road, at night. I turned off the headlight switch and then turned it back on and the one light came back on. I took it to the dealer and they replaced one bulb. It lasted a week and then driving at night the lights went…
ODI 10290370
Exterior Lighting
The headlights on my 2008 prius will intermittenlty fail, sometimes both at the same time while driving. The intermittent failure is daily, and will happen several times depending upon the duration of the drive.
ODI 10307516
Exterior Lighting
Off and on high intensity discharge headlights on 2008 prius with nearly 23,000 miles. Since october 2009 my right side hid headlight intermittently turns off. To get the headlight working again i have to pull over, turn the car off, wait a minute, then turn the car back on. Once the light is on again, sometimes it will stay on for the remainder of my trip and other times it will go out again. This is dangerous,…
ODI 10293510
Exterior Lighting
The hid lamps in my 2008 toyota prius began flickering about 4 months ago. After being pulled over by an officer for an out headlight, i noticed the headlight would shut off at random times. The problem has only increased in frequency. One of the headlights now goes out about every 20 minutes; a couple of times they both have shut off at the same time. I keep my lights off during the day, but this has not helped the…
ODI 10304808
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2008 Toyota Prius.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.