1,069 of the
2,451 complaints about the 2007 Toyota Prius are about the
lighting — 44% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
50,000 miles.
I CANT SEE THE ROAD. Who is in charge of allowing these new bright LED headlights? They make it very hard to see where I’m driving when they’re eye level with my car!! So all I see is a bunch of LED lights coming straight at me, which is very unacceptable because now I can’t see the road. Making it a very obvious safety concern which is weird when I thought the government is supposed to be preventing stuff like this from happening. What the heck
NHTSA complaint #11571556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Metairie, LACrash1 injured
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The lights spontaneously turned off while driving on a cloudy night on an unlit section of interstate. While slowing the car down, it went onto gravel, semi-circled around and flipped over onto the lower median. No air bag deployed. No protection from shoulder seat belt. Head hit steering wheel, and I briefly lost consciousness. Tests showed skull and cervical fractures. The car was "totaled." I was planning a move. Now I consider myself to be lucky to be alive. I am rewriting because of previous a NHTSA computer malfunction changing a serious injury to "NO" injury on the questionnaire.
NHTSA complaint #11554493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Metairie, LACrash
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Both headlights failed, one earlier, then the second, on a cloudy night on an unlit, deserted rural stretch of interstate highway. Driver started slowing down from 60 mph, looking for a place to pull over. An accident resulted--only the defective car was involved. No airbag was deployed. The driver was injured. (Full recovery--months.) The car was totaled.
NHTSA complaint #11550528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Washington, DC
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Toyota North America failed to notify me of the latent defect in the Headlight Operating System. I have had ongoing issues with the flickering of the lights for multiple years. I finally saved up enough money to try and fix the problem and spent $2854.34. After multiple failed attempts to get the problem fixed and having both headlights shut off simultaneously, I went to Alexandria Toyota in Virginia on October 20,2022 to get the problem diagnosed. The Automobile Status Report showed that the failed headlights were a direct result of the latent defect in the Headlight Operating System that was repaired free of charge in two separate Support Programs; one that ended in 2012, and the other in 2013. When I contacted Customer Support Service on October 24, 2022, to inquire when Toyota contacted me and where they sent the Support Program Information regarding the headlight issue, none of the three managers could tell me the date this was sent out, nor the address. I didn’t own the car in 2012, and never received the 2017 notice. If I had received this information, I would have brought my vehicle in at that time. I purchased this vehicle back in 2013 as a “Toyota Certified Vehicle” with the understanding that the 160-point quality assurance meant that this was a safe and reliable vehicle, and that any problems or latent defects were fixed. Toyota misrepresented themselves and are in contradiction with their own policy that states: “The TCUV policy prohibits the certification of any vehicle with an outstanding Safety Recall, Special Service Campaign, or Limited Service Campaign. Thus, no affected units are to be designated, sold, or delivered as a TCUV until all applicable Safety Recalls, Special Service Campaigns, and Limited Service Campaigns have been completed on that vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #11494903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lansing, IA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Driver side light intermittently shut off until I turn the lights off and then they come back on for a little while and then I have to repeat the process
NHTSA complaint #11474816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 203,202 milesGoldsboro, NC
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving the speed was unknown due to the instrument cluster being inoperable. On another occasion while driving approximately 45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to operate properly; however, on that occasion the instrument cluster was operating as designed. The vehicle stability control, ABS, and brake light warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with an actuator and brake booster failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 203,202.
NHTSA complaint #11472401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Satellite Beach, FL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I was driving and all of my dashboard lights disappeared, I couldn't see anything. I was suddenly driving blind. I pulled over but the car would not turn off. I tried again and again, but it would just not turn off. I called Toyota corporate they asked how far I was to a Toyota dealer and told me to take it there immediately. They gave me a case number 220322000191. When I got to the dealer, they said I would have to pay $150 for a diagnosis. I left it there and am now reporting this. There should be a recall on these vehicles, this is extremely dangerous.
NHTSA complaint #11457795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairfield, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
instrument cluster panel goes completely out and blank, speedometer lost, and dash lights gone and causing other issues such as not being able to turn off vehicle, loss of cruise control, unable to open trunk, navigation screen unable to turn off, backup camera not functioning, front lights going on and off while driving at night.
NHTSA complaint #11436694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dove Creek, CO
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Front right light keeps going out, if I turn it off and turn it back on it works. Had the bulb replaced, still having issues.
NHTSA complaint #11424537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mesquite, TXCrash
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Under hard braking (over 50% of the pedal) the front passenger wheel applies all the force to stop the car to that one tire causing it to lose traction and skid. Brakes are insufficient to properly stop the vehicle and no warning lights are illuminated on the dash. Actually more than half of the time the whole dash does nothing, no MPH, no gas gauge, nothing but a blacked out information less panel. Then to top it off the car only has one headlight bc it blows what ever headlight I put into the ballast. 3 of the most common failures for a 2007 and my Prius has a grand slam assortment of serious potential life threatening problems that should have been repaired (never should have been assembled with) by Toyota. Minor wreck when attempting to stop the car under not driving conditions. Thankfully no one was hurt and only had to replace the front hood, bumper and radiator and support but have deemed the car as not road worthy and unfit for any driving conditions.
NHTSA complaint #11423693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 25,000 milesPortland, OR
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT WHEN TURNED ON RANDOMLY GOES OFF I HAVE TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AGAIN AND THEN IT TURNS BACK ON BUT A LOT OF TIMES IT'LL KEEP TURNING OFF. IT'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. I RARELY DRIVE MY CAR ONLY HAS 35K MILES ON IT.
NHTSA complaint #11390581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 193,000 milesRego Park, NY
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2007 PRIUS 144K MILES WHEN PROBLEM 1ST OCCURRED. CAR SERVICED REGULARLY - OIL CHANGED EVERY 3500 MILES. MASTER WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON RANDOMLY WHEN TURNING OR GOING UP/DOWN HILL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS RUN REPEATEDLY (AT TOYOTA AND AT LOCAL MECHANIC) NOTHING EVER FOUND. 12/2016 BROUGHT CAR TO TOYOTA SERVICE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING INITIALLY. 2+ HOURS LATER TOLD OIL IS VERY LOW WHICH MADE NO SENSE; NO OIL SPOT IN GARAGE, CAR PASSED INSPECTION AND WASN'T DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE . WAS TOLD THE 'OIL WARNING INDICATOR' WAS LIT DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE OIL WARNING LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. EVER. (OIL INDICATOR SHOULD COME ON WHEN CAR IS STARTED AND REMAIN ON -BRIEFLY IF THE OIL IS LOW. IT DOES NOT.) TOLD TECH THAT ONLY THE MASTER LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES. NEVER GIVEN AN EXPLANATION. PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. MASTER INDICATOR ONLY COMES ON WHEN THERE IS ALMOST NO OIL. LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED I ADDED 4 QTS. OF OIL, DROVE 687 MILES AND HAD TO ADD ANOTHER 4 QTS. AT THIS POINT I HAVE TO CHECK THE OIL EVERY TIME I GET INTO THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #11363736 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 120,011 milesFront Royal, VA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT AND STOPS WORKING WITHOUT WARNING.
NHTSA complaint #11327582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 59,767 milesVancouver, WA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HID LIGHTS GOING OFF WHILE DRIVING. ONE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY GOING ON AND OFF. TURNING LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN TURNS THEM BACK ON. HAVE SEEN ONLINE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS PROBEL
NHTSA complaint #11299610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 105,700 milesDurham, NC
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FOR A FEW MONTHS, THE LEFT HAND SIDE FRONT HEADLIGHT HAS GONE OUT, IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN BACK ON AGAIN, IT COMES BACK ON. HOWEVER LAST NIGHT, WHILE DRIVING ON A DARK NC HIGHWAY BOTH LIGHTS WENT OUT. THEY CAME BACK ON WHEN I TURNED THE LIGHTS ON AN OFF AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES. IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I SEE MANY OTHER PRIUS OWNERS EXPERIENCE. IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE BOTH LIGHTS HAVE BEEN GOING OUT FOR SOME TIME, SINCE DRIVING ON DARK COUNTRY HIGHWAYS AT 70 MPH IS NOT SOMETHING I REGULARLY DO.
NHTSA complaint #11289306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 85,000 milesEdmond, OK
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAIL. SOMETIMES ONE HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT AND OTHER TIMES BOTH. SO FAR, IF I DETECT ONE OR BOTH HEADLIGHTS ARE OUT, TURNING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM. DEPENDING ON STREET LIGHTING, I AM NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO DETECT IF THE HEADLIGHTS ARE OFF UNTIL ANOTHER CAR FLASHES TO LET ME KNOW OR I ENTER A DARK ROADWAY WHERE IT BECOMES OBVIOUS.
NHTSA complaint #11282441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 145,000 milesN. Hollywood, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
SIMILAR TO THIS COMPLAINT (NHTSA ID NUMBER:11268053) I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO KEEP BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS WORKING FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. I HAVE TRIED REPLACING THE LIGHTBULBS AND THE BALLASTS WITHOUT SUCCESS. BOTH THE REGULAR LIGHTS AND THE HIGH BEAMS TURN OFF ABOUT EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES AND SOMETIMES FASTER. I DRIVE WITH ONE HAND ON THE SWITCH AND CONSTANTLY TURN THEM OFF THEN BACK ON IN ORDER TO GET WHERE I AM GOING. PLEASE HELP! I AM INTENDING TO GO TO THE TOYOTA DEALER BUT IT IS EXPENSIVE AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A FLAW IN THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE CAR IS IN MOTION OR NOT.
NHTSA complaint #11271124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 122,000 milesBaltimore, MD
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES OF TURNING LIGHTS ON AND OFF, THE HEADLIGHT STAYED ON.IT CUTS OUT AT DIFFICULT TIMES LIKE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. WORRIED POLICE MAY STOP ME. HAVE TRIED SEVERAL FIXES LIKE NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, ETC.
NHTSA complaint #11268053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 215,000 milesFayetteville, GA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL RANDOMLY TURN OFF. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SCARY. PLEASE HELP!
NHTSA complaint #11253519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 111,300 milesLOS Angeles, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ONE HEADLIGHT ON MY CAR KEEPS SHUTTING OFF, WHILE THE OTHER IS FINE. I AM ABLE TO "FIX" THE ISSUE BY TURNING MY HEADLIGHTS OFF AND THEN TURNING THEM ON AGAIN. DEALERS INITIALLY TOLD ME IT WAS BECAUSE THE BULB BURNED OUT, BUT I REPLACED BOTH AT THE SAME TIME, AND IT'S ALWAYS THE DRIVER'S SIDE BULB THAT "BURNS OUT." UPON FURTHER REVIEW ON PUBLIC FORUMS, IT APPEARS THE BULB IS PERFECTLY FINE AND THERE'S SOME TYPE OF ELECTRICAL ISSUE/CONNECTION PROBLEM THAT CAUSES PROBLEMS WITH THE BULB. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ON AND IN-MOTION ON ANY STREET.
NHTSA complaint #11232117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Jose, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF ON THEIR OWN WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. VERY DANGEROUS !!!
NHTSA complaint #11218197 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 80,000 milesWilmington, NC
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS GO OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. VERY DANGEROUS!!
NHTSA complaint #11217333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 170,000 milesLivermore, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ONE HEADLIGHT TURNS OFF RANDOMLY. EVERY NOW AND AGAIN TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND ON AGAIN WILL FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING 70MPH DOWN A DARK HIGHWAY YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT THE LIGHTS WILL COME BACK ON.
NHTSA complaint #11209804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 97,000 milesEugene, OR
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AND GO OUT EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT THAT SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM. NOT SAFE TO BE GOING D DOWN ROAD AND HEADLIGHTS GO.OUT COMPLETELY. .IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR.NEARLY 6.MONTHS. HAD HEADLIGHT REPLACED 3 MONTHS AGO.
NHTSA complaint #11209432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 160,000 milesSpartanburg, SC
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
SPORADICALLY, THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WILL NOT LIGHT UP. WHEN THIS HAPPEN THE BACKUP CAMERA WILL NOT DISPLAY AS WELL. THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS, IT IS A WHILE BEFORE THE THEY WILL DISPLAY.
NHTSA complaint #11207161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 159,634 milesForest Ranch, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TAKATA RECALL 1. DRIVING ON SURFACE STREET AT APPROX. 45 MPH ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN FOR AN INTERSECTION ALL THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, WHILE I WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY HAD FAILED, EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. AFTER THAT INCIDENT THE BRAKES ARE WORKING NORMAL. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A RECALL TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND IT IS NO LONGER VALID, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL AND THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM (USED) NEVER NOTIFIED ME OF ANY RECALLS. I AM A TOYOTA OWNER WITH A DEFECTED VEHICLE (A KNOWN DEFECT BY THE MANUFACTURE). WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS? 2. THE HEADLAMPS (LEFT) INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT, I HAVE REPLACED THE LAMP, CHECKED THE FUSES AND IT STILL HAPPENS, OTHERS HAVE DESCRIBED LOOSING BOTH LAMPS. BOTH ISSUES ABOVE ARE SAFETY ISSUES THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SERIOUS INJURY INCIDENTS. THESE SAFETY ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA.
NHTSA complaint #11197059 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 175,000 milesWarwick, RI
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
EVERY DAY THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT RANDOMLY AT NIGHT. VERY DANGEROUS.
NHTSA complaint #11196105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 65 milesSAN Bernardino, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY HEADLIGHT CONSISTENTLY FLICKERS ON AND OFF. I HAVE CHANGED MY BULB, BUT IT CONTINUES TO TURN OFF AT TIMES. FROM MY RESEARCH ONLINE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE 2007-2009 PRIUS MODELS WERE RECALLED DUE TO FAULTY HEADLIGHTS.
NHTSA complaint #11191019 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 40,000 milesEast Amherst, NY
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS CONSTANTLY GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING. I DO NOT OPERATE THE LIGHTS IN DAYTIME. IT'S A MAJOR FLAW AND PROBLEM WITH THIS 2006-2009 MODEL AND A SAFETY HAZARD. NOT TO MENTION I AM ALMOST ALWAYS SUBJECT TO POLICE ISSUES TICKETS AND FINES. I HAVE REPLACED MY BULBS COUNTLESS TIMES. THE LIGHTS GO OUT WHILE STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. ALWAYS ONE AT A TIME.
NHTSA complaint #11154843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 141,036 milesReedley, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FRONT HEADLIGHT (BOTH) SOMETIMES ALL LIGHTS WILL GO OFF. MOST OF THE TIME IT IS ONE OR THE OTHER BUT I HAVE HAD IT HAPPEN WHERE BOTH COMPLETELY TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING. ON THE FREEWAY!!! THIS HAPPENS DAILY AND IVE EVEN BEEN PULLED OVER MORE THAN 3 TIMES DUE TO ME NOT KNOWING ABOUT A LIGHT OUT! TURNING ON AND OFF THE LIGHTS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX!
NHTSA complaint #11150097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.