ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO I BEGAN EXPERIENCE A RANDOM SHUT DOWN OF MY PS HEAD LIGHT. ONLY BE TURNING MY LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON RESTORED IT FOR SOME AMOUNT OF TIME.. LAST WEEK THE SAME THING STARTED HAPPENING WITH THE DS HEADLIGHT. NOW ETHER ONE OR BOTH RANDOMLY JUST GOES DARK. WHEN BOTH GO OUR ON A TWO LANE ROAD IT GETS REALLY DARK. I CAN NOT CAUSE IT TO HAPPEN AND CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LO…
2005 toyota Prius lighting problems
moderate 303 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250
Complaints
303
Recalls
0
Crashes
2
Avg fix
$250
What owners are reporting 8 most recent
THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT ON MY 2005 PRIUS WAS GOING ON AND OFF AND THEN WENT OUT ALL TOGETHER AFTER ABOUT 3 WEEKS. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER THEY SAID THE BULB AND LABOR WOULD BE $320 AND THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THAT ONE HEADLIGHT WAS ALSO OUT AND THAT WOULD BE $250 - SO IT WOULD BE ALMOST $600 FOR 1 HEADLIGHT!! I THINK AFTER READING MANY OTHER PRIUS OWNER'S SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON …
DRIVER'S SIDE HID HEADLIGHT ON MY 2005 PRIUS GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY. IF I TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND THEN BACK ON, THE BULB STAYS LIT FOR A LITTLE WHILE, UNTIL IT HAPPENS AGAIN. FROM WHAT I'M READING ON THE INTERNET, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF BUT WILL NOT RESOLVE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE - IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE WITH ONLY ONE FUNCTIONAL HEADLIGHT. I PAID GOOD MONEY TO GET…
2005 PRIUS HID HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING AND CONTINUE TO GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY AS THEY WILL RELIGHT IF CYCLED ON AND OFF. REPLACED BULB AND ISSUE CONTINUES. *TR
I THOUGHT MY HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED, SO I TOOK THE CAR TO HAVE IT DONE. THE SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM COULDN'T BE FIXED BECAUSE IT WAS THE AUTO LEVELING SENSOR IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. AFTER A FEW MORE WEEKS OF DRIVING LIKE THAT, A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH BOARD AND THE DISPLAY IN THE CONSOLE. I ORDERED THE PART AND HAD IT REPLACED. IT SOME WHAT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM, BUT THE…
MY PASSENGERS SIDE HEAD LIGHT WENT OUT. IT CAME BACK ON WHEN I TURNED THE SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. IT HAS HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES SINCE, TWO OF WHICH WERE THIS MORNING ALONE (12/28/2012). *TR
HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF UNEXPECTEDLY. TURNING SWITCH OFF AND THEN BACK ON TEMPORARILY RESETS AND THEY WORK FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES THEN GO OFF AGAIN. *TR
HEAD LIGHT ARE INTERMITTENT; SAME PROBLEM AS 2006 AND LATER RECALL
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2005 toyota Prius?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 303 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the lighting typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to lighting?
No active recalls currently cover lighting issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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