DRIVER-SIDE HEADLIGHT FUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY AT STARTUP....I HAVE TO TURN SWITCH OFF COMPLETELY AND TURN ON, AND LIGHT FUNCTIONS....MANY PRIUS OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS OVER THE YEARS, AND TOYOTA HAS DONE NOTHING....SOME THEORIZE THE CIRCUIT BOARD CONTROLLING THE HID LIGHTS IS IN A POOR LOCATION AND OVERHEATS/DEFECTIVE....ANYWAY THIS IS NOT A BULB PROBLEM, BUT A SYSTEM PROBLEM.....PLEASE…
2007 Toyota Prius lighting problems
moderate 957 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250
Complaints
957
Recalls
0
Crashes
4
Avg fix
$250
What owners are reporting 11 most recent
HID HEADLIGHT FAILURE. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, WITH BOTH LIGHTS, TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAULTY EQUIPMENT AND THE NHTSA HAS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS AN ISSUE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL PROBLEM. I INTEND TO USE YOUR FINDING THAT SAYS THIS IS "NOT A SAFETY ISSUE" BECAUSE BOTH LIGHTS DO NOT GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN I AM PULLED OVER BY A POLICE MAN. I INTEND TO T…
PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I WENT TO REPLACE IT THE NEXT DAY, THE LIGHT WAS WORKING. TODAY (DEC 30, 2011) PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. *KB
DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMP GOES OFF RANDOMLY. AUTO IS 2007 PRIUS. *TR
BOTH HEADLAMPS (INDIVIDUALLY AND TOGETHER) INTERMITTENTLY GO OUT. TURNING OFF THE HEADLAMPS AND TURNING THEM BACK ON CLEARS THIS PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. THIS IS BECOMING MORE THAN AN INCONVENIENCE, IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
BOTH HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON AN UNLIT MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY. HAPPENED AGAIN THE NEXT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON ANOTHER HIGHWAY. TURNING THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND ON AGAIN BROUGHT THE HEADLIGHTS BACK ON. PREVIOUSLY, DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT WOULD SUDDENLY GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME BOTH HEADLAMPS WENT DIM AT THE SAME TIME. VERY SCARING AND DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THER…
HID LIGHT RANDOMLY GO OUT. SOMETIMES THE DRIVER SIDE, SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER SIDE...SOMETIMES BOTH. THEY USUALLY COME BACK ON BY TURNING THEM OFF AND BACK ON AT THE SWITCH. DEALER QUOTED $700 PER LIGHT TO FIX. RIDICULOUS FOR EARLY FAILURE OF A "UPGRADED" LIGHT OPTION THAT WE HAD TO PAY EXTRA FOR WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR. *KB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. HE WOULD THEN TURN THE SWITCH OFF AND ON AND THEY WOULD COME BACK ON INTERMITTENTLY BUT WOULD SHUT OFF AGAIN. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURE WERE NOTIFIED WHO DENIED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURR…
THE HEADLIGHT ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS TOURING HAS STARTED TO RANDOMLY TURN OFF. IF I SHUT THEM OFF AND TURN THEM BACK ON BOTH HEADLIGHTS COME ON. STOPPED BY STATE COPS FOR ONLY ONE HEADLIGHT BUT WHEN HE HAD ME TURN THEM ON BOTH WERE THERE. $228.00 TO REPLACE ONE BULB. WAITING TO SEE IF IT IS FIXED. 37000+ MILES ON CAR. *TR
HID BULBS (FRONT HEADLIGHTS) GO OUT ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THEY ARE ON SOMETIMES, AND OFF AT OTHER TIMES. REPLACED THE FIRST ONE AT 28K MILES, NOW AT 46K THE OTHER ONE IS DOING THE SAME THING. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE HIGH INTENSITY BULBS. *TR
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2007 Toyota Prius?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 957 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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