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
Purchased car used. I noticed immediately that the right light was flickering. In a few days, it started going out. Came back on later, then went out again back and forth. After having bulb replaced, with in 2 days, it did the same thing. Left hid light is now doing the same flickering, though not going out totally yet that i have noticed. Turning lights on and off make them work again until the next time they…
ODI 10572844
Exterior Lighting
Driving down 4 lane, undivided highway at night and both headlights went dark. *tr
ODI 10560612
Exterior Lighting
For years the driver side hid headlight goes off every few minutes. I have to turn the headlights off then on again for both to relight. The driver side light then stays lit for only 2 to 5 minutes. This problem poses a serious risk to me as well as other motorists. This problem needs to result in a formal nhtsa recall.
ODI 10914411
Exterior Lighting
Right headlight started working intermittently around 50,000 miles, then finally failed. Replacing the bulb did not fix the problem. Then left headlight completely failed around 63,000 miles. It was definitely annoying to have one functioning headlight, and now it's just plain unsafe not to have any at all. *tr
ODI 10678434
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Pulling away from home after starting car, i noticed dashboard lights were out, no speedometer, etc. Although blinker lights worked. Later, backing up, i noticed the camera image did not work. Big problem was when i got to work and car would not turn off. I tried for 20 minutes including that i made the mistake of putting smart key into slot thinking that would help only to realize that key could not be removed…
ODI 10556797
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Purchased used in oct 2013, first had to replace headlight in dec 2013. Have replaced right headlight 6 times and ballast once. Problem only temporarily resolved. This month headlight went out again. Have replaced ballast and bulb with no success. Headlight will not stay on longer than 30 sec before going back out. *tr
ODI 10667246
Exterior Lighting
I was driving home at night when both my headlights on my toyota prius suddenly completely went off for no reason. I had an issue a few weeks before, and had noticed that sometimes the front right headlight would just blink off, and a friend of mine had pointed out that i had a headlight out. But when i turned on my car the next time both lights were working... Soon i realized that if the light blinked off, and if i…
ODI 10553883
Exterior Lighting
The exterior headlights continue to malfunction. They turn off randomly, and you much switch them on and off again to get them to continue to work. They at times malfunction at the same time, and the cost of the replacement bulb is astronomical at approx. $200 per bulb. Malfunction continues to happen, even after bulb replacement. *tr
ODI 10565718
Exterior Lighting
Head lights suddenly went out for about 5 seconds at night! They came back on by themselves. I was told by dealer hard to find intermittent problems. Of course it was working when at dealer. Told i needed both hid head lights @$265. Each. Also possible head light assembly and computer. Approx another $2200. My passenger side headlight has been intermittent for a while, but this is the first time both have gone out…
ODI 10551605
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Intermittent headlamp failure. Flicking lights on and off will temporarily remedy only to fail again during the same drive. Near accident on pitch black mountain road when both lights failed. Bulbs have been replaced multiple times by dealer and problem continues. I've been pulled over by law enforcement and given warnings. We have two young children and cannot safely drive our car during the night or for travel.…
ODI 10683538
Exterior Lighting
Most recently i was driving at night and the left headlight was not working at all. The next day i took the car to my local mechanic and both lights were working fine so they were unable to do anything. Two days later i was driving home late and again the lights worked fine. This has been a constant problem. Sometimes the lights (one or both) work and sometimes they don't. Two months ago i was driving on a dark…
ODI 10550915
Electrical System · Engine · Exterior Lighting
Every few weeks (even several times in the same week), the dashboard lights on the car go completely dark, without warning (no, the dimmer switch is not turned to "low" or "off"-- that is the first thing we tried). Simultaneously, or sometimes at different times, the car refuses to turn off, even when the "off" switch is pressed constantly or intermittently, for up to a half-hour. Obviously, it is extremely…
ODI 10576068
Exterior Lighting
The drivers side headlight goes out intermittently. We replaced the bulb, but we are still having the problem. *tr
ODI 10553532
Exterior Lighting
Intermittent hid headlight operation this has been recurring over the last 5 years. Always mentioned during the maintenance check-ups never corrected. *tr
ODI 10548411
Exterior Lighting
Drivers headlights goes on and off randomly. Bulbs will not fix it and there is no factory fix for this problem. If they both go out at the same time very unsafe. For a fairly new car. *tr
ODI 10546897
Exterior Lighting
Both headlights intermittently fail and recover when switch is cycled. Cannot drive vehicle at night. *tr
ODI 10639245
Exterior Lighting · Fuel/Propulsion System
2008 prius headlamps intermittent hid problem. This is a known and common problem with toyota prius 2004-2009. No recall for it that i am aware of, however they light will go out randomly. The cost of repair can been extreme. Toyota was sued for this, but did not make an official recall (http://www.girardgibbs.com/toyota-prius/). When driving my lights will go out for no reason. Turn the switch off and back on will…
ODI 10546764
Exterior Lighting
I was driving about 70mph on sept. 25, 2013 when i noticed my rt. Front headlight went off on a dark road. Later it came back on. When i stopped to pull over, it was out completely. I continued traveling and it came back on. Since then, i've noticed both rt. And left headlight intermittently turn off by themselves and go back on by themselves while driving. Recently it's become more frequent and the left front…
ODI 10552664
Exterior Lighting
My head lights will all of a sudden go out while driving. I've had to click them off and on again, but it keeps happening and is quite scary while driving at night. Since i work until 10:00pm every night, i am constantly driving at night. I have also been stopped by our local police department and issued a warning for having a headlight out. I have been to my local toyota dealer and was told by them that since my…
ODI 10558923
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
My headlight keeps going out. I know its a known problem but there has not been recall and it did not occur until recently, so it does not fit in with the toyota 50,000 miles and under rule. However, i have been stopped a couple times and its happening more and more every day. This should be recalled! *tr
ODI 10542824
Exterior Lighting
One, the other, or both headlight turn off unexpectedly while driving. Rotating the headlight control stalk to off position and then back to on position will relight the headlights. The problem is getting progressively worse. There are now multiple incidents even during short trips. *tr
ODI 10546542
Exterior Lighting
Intermittent hid headlight failure. Headlights - passenger and/or driver side headlight goes out. Turning off the headlights and turning them back on restored the light, however, the lights will again intermittently failed on a longer/shorter trip, this has been occurring repeatedly and i don't feel comfortable driving during night time. It is dangerous and terrifying. There needs to be a recall again asap. I…
ODI 10632153
Exterior Lighting
This has happened a number of times before. We were driving at night about 11:00 p.m. And the headlights were working fine. Suddenly, both headlights went out. I slowed the car and turned the headlights off and turned them back on again very quickly. No problem the rest of the way home. Sometimes the lights would dim and i was not sure if they were on or not and would shut them off again and then on again. Sometimes…
ODI 10531714
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
While driving my car the headlight go off without any warning. This is extremely dangerous. I have already filled one complaint. I thought i had fixed the problem when i replaced my headlights but that only worked for about a month and the same thing started to happen again, now i cant drive at night with out my headlights going out. *tr
ODI 10554841
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
While driving home, friends who were following me passed me then calledto let me know that my car's right front light and left rear light was not working. For the last week or so people coming towards me blinked their lights .. I have regular checkups at the toyota place, so i ignored it. Looking back on it, they were probably trying to tell me about the headlight. I took my 2008 prius to the toyota dealer to…
ODI 10525814
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2008 Toyota Prius.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.