2009 Toyota Prius exterior lighting problems

“Headlights intermittently go off, and I wound have to switch it off and on for light to come back on, but for few minutes until it does it again, and I drive Uber at night. I have searched the problem online, it seems to be a common problem on the second generation Prius from 04-09, I called few repair shops and they acknowledged the problem but did not have an answer to solve it.”

“My 2017 Prius is having headlight failure. I was told by my neighbor that my headlight was out. I bought a new one and went to replace it but they were both working. Thought it was a defective bulb so waited to replace it. I check both headlights when I come to a stop behind a car so I can check the reflection of the headlights. Sometimes they are both on sometimes only one is on, Occasionally both are OUT. What I have noticed is when I turn on the car, immediately the headlights are bright,(not high beam) and immediately go dim. This acts like a bad contact or high resistance somewhere in the circuit. The headlights going on and off seems to be a circuit breaker of some kind. Fortunately I don't drive much at night, however I am having to drive more at night and the possibly of the headlights both failing is TERRIFYING. I started to research the problem and it seams I am not the only person having the problem. The internet is full of other people having the same problem. It seems that nothing is being done about it. I am hoping that Toyota is NOT deciding to just let the people kill themselves because it will be nearly impossible to prove that the headlights…”

“IN DECEMBER OF 2018, I PULLED MY CAR UP TO A REDBOX STATION TO RETURN A MOVIE. I PUSHED THE PARK BUTTON ON MY 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS AND GOT OUT OF MY CAR TO PUT THE MOVIE INTO THE SLOT. THE CAR APPARENTLY WAS NOT IN PARK AND CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD (I TRIED TO CATCH IT, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, AND HURT MYSELF IN DOING SO) UNTIL IT SLAMMED INTO A PARKED CAR IN THE SAME PARKING LOT. MY INSURANCE LISTED IT AS AN AT-FAULT ACCIDENT AND FIXED MY CAR AND THE ONE THAT MY VEHICLE HAD HIT. (I TOLD THE ADJUSTER I KNEW THAT I HAD PUT THE CAR IN PARK) I ALSO HAD A 700.00 DEDUCTIBLE TO PAY FOR FIXING MY DAMAGED CAR. AS TIME WENT BY, THIS STARTED HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. I WOULD PUSH THE BUTTON FOR MY CAR TO GO INTO PARK MODE AND IT WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK. I WOULD HAVE TO PUT THE CAR INTO ANOTHER GEAR AND THEN IT WOULD GO INTO PARK. OTHER WEIRD THINGS WITH THE CAR WERE HAPPENING AS WELL. SOMETIMES THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND MORE AND MORE WHEN I WOULD START THE CAR, THE DASHBOARD WOULD BE COMPLETELY BLACK. I MENTIONED TO MY MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING, HOWEVER, I COULD NOT MAKE IT HAPPEN WHENEVER I TOOK IT TO HIM. I DID MANAGE TO GET IT ON VIDEO THOUGH THAT IT…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER MOOR AUTOMOTIVE LOCATED AT 1246 HARTFORD TURNPIKE, VERNON, CT 06066, WHO REPLACED THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT BULBS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS LATER THE PASSENGER'S SIDE LIGHT BULB FAILED. BOTH BULBS WERE REPLACED AT DAYTONA BEACH TOYOTA LOCATED AT 451 N NOVA RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32114. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOR A 3RD TIME AND WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,667.”

“EVERY DAY ONE OF MY HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING. ONE DAY IT COULD BE THE LEFT ONE, THE OTHER DAY COULD BE THE RIGHT ONE. I'M AFRAID BOTH MIGHT GO OUT DURING NIGHT TIME DRIVING.”

“MY HEADLIGHTS KEEP RANDOMLY TURNING OFF ON THEIR OWN WHILE PARKED OR DRIVING, IN THE DARK OR THE LIGHT. TO TROUBLESHOOT I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS AND TIGHTENED THE WIRE CONNECTIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. ONLY TURNING THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON SEEMS TO TEMPORARILY FIX THE PROBLEM...UNTIL THE NEXT TIME IT TURNS ITSELF OFF. I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH MY HONDA PILOT 2005 A FEW YEARS AGO AND THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE HEADLIGHT WIRE HARNESS KIT THAT WAS CORRODED FROM HUMIDITY AND OVERHEATING AND FAILING. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED DOZENS OF TIME ON MY PRIUS, MOSTLY AFFECTING THE LEFT HEADLIGHT ONLY, BUT A COUPLE TIMES ON BOTH HEADLIGHTS.”