FaultScore

2013 Toyota Prius headlight problems

12 of the 544 complaints about the 2013 Toyota Prius are about the lighting — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 55,000 miles.

A

12

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Exterior Lighting 12 100.0%

Lights across every Toyota Prius year

2004 185 5.3%
2005 349 10.0%
2006 948 27.1%
2007 1,069 30.6%
2008 587 16.8%
2009 111 3.2%
2010 151 4.3%
2011 49 1.4%
2012 36 1.0%
2013 12 0.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Harvest, AL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Replaced low beam on Right Lamp Headlight. Then replace high beam on Right Lamp Headlight. Then realized it is actually appears to be the power going to the Headlight does not appear to be strong enough? Looked to see if there was a recall and noticed several others have reported this same problem. It is so dim that it required high beam to see. When we purchased this car one thing was brightness of the headlights was very nice since we live in a rural area without street lights. The brightness does not meet the headlight safety standard. Currently try to only drive during daylight hours.

NHTSA complaint #11487867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lilburn, GA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Hi, my dim lights don't light the road in front of me, I have a 2013 Prius and to drive it at night is taken my life and any on coming motorists at risk...I put expensive bulbs in and that doesn't help the problem, can you help?

NHTSA complaint #11453327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 4,986 miles Moscow, ID

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

OUR 2013 PRIUS BURNS OUT THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT EVERY THREE MONTHS. IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE TO DRIVE WITH ONLY ONE HEADLIGHT. IT BURNS OUT WHILE MOVING, STATIONARY, ANY TIME AND IT HAS DISCOLORATION LIKE EXCESSIVE HEAT WAS APPLIED.

NHTSA complaint #11362668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 120,000 miles West Frankfort, IL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE LOW BEAM BULB FAILURES. USUALLY IT STARTS WITH 1 THE BURNS OUT THE OTHER WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO. IN THE LAST YEAR WE HAVE REPLACED BOTH BULBS 3 TIMES. THE LAST TIME WAS FEBRUARY 24TH LAST NIGHT ON MARCH 11TH WE RECEIVED A WARNING TICKET FOR A HEADLIGHT OUT. I WENT TO REPLACE THE BULB AGAIN AND IT WAS GOOD, AFTER REMOVING IT I REINSTALLED AND IT WORKED. SHUT THE CAR OFF AND CAME BACK OUT AND IT WOULDN'T COME ON AGAIN WITHOUT DISCONNECTING THE HARNESS AND PLUGGING IT BACK IN. THERE IS NOTICEABLE DISCOLORATION ON BOTH HEADLIGHT PLUGS.

NHTSA complaint #11317660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Walled Lake, MI

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY ME 3 TIMES IN 80K MILES. I AM NOW AWARE THERE IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AS THEY ARE AGAIN FAILING, AND I REPLACED THE BULBS OF BOTH JUST 2 WEEKS AGO. THERE IS NO WARNING, THEY JUST DON'T WORK. I NOTICE IT WHILE DRIVING AND CANNOT SEE WITHOUT BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS ON.

NHTSA complaint #11103766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 55,000 miles Kitty Hawk, NC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY AND WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA complaint #10958616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 302,689 miles Austin, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

BOTH LEFT & RIGHT LOW BEAMS WENT OUT. ALL OTHER LIGHTS WORK FINE.

NHTSA complaint #10690179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sebastopol, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHEN I TURN ON THE LOW BEAM OF THE HEADLIGHTS THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT SHADOW ON THE UPPER HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT GREATLY DIMINISHES VISIBILITY. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR ITS 6 MONTHS SERVICE A FEW WEEKS AGO THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BUT SAID THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX IT.

NHTSA complaint #10574378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 2,216 miles Sebastopol, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHEN I TURN ON THE LOW BEAM OF THE HEADLIGHTS THERE IS A DARK SHADOW ON THE UPPER HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD THAT DIMINISHES VISIBILITY. I ASKED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT IT AT FREEMAN TOYOTA IN SANTA ROSA WHERE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN AUGUST OF 20123 AND WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO FIX IT. IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD WHICH I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME REMEDY. THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10573859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles NEW Philadelphia, OH

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH UPHILL, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF ILLUMINATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING ON AN INCLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 11/15/13

NHTSA complaint #10549461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 341 miles Evans, GA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

MY 2013 PRIUS-V3, HAS A BUILD UP OF CONDENSATION IN HEADLIGHTS, DEALER REPLACED BOTH ONCE. CONDENSATION RETURNED, DEALER TOOK PICTURES AS TOYOTA CORPORATION WANTED. AFTER WEEKS, TOYOTA SAID THEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO FIX PROBLEM UNLESS THERE WAS STANDING WATER IN THE HEADLIGHT. NOTE CONDENSATION SHOULD NOT EXIST, AND CONDENSATION WILL DAMAGE THE BULBS WHICH IN TURN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10531874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 1,000 miles Fort Wayne, IN

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

NEITHER MY WIFE NOR I CAN HEAR THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL INDICATOR (THE CLICKING) WHEN THE SIGNAL INDICATES A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING. THUS, WE DON'T TURN OFF THE INDICATOR WHEN WE FINISH TURNING. THEREFORE, WE ARE VERY OFTEN DRIVING WITH OUR DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS INDICATING A TURN WHEN WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF TURNING. WE CALLED THE LOCAL TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO AUGMENT THE SOUND SO THAT IT IS AUDIBLE. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS CONDITION OF THE PRIUS IS HAZARDOUS AND TOYOTA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND FIX IT.

NHTSA complaint #10519961 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2013 Toyota Prius problems

← Full 2013 Toyota Prius report