2008 Toyota Prius Visibility Problems

THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO OUT, MEANING YOU CAN NO LONGER SEE THE MPH, THE FUEL, AND EVERYTHING IMPORTANT TO DRIVE WITH GAUGES. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANYTIME, DRIVING OR PARKED, ON ANY STREET IN ANY WEATHER. ALSO NOTE, YOU CAN NO LONGER SHUT THE CAR OFF, UNLESS YOU HOLD THE START BUTTON FOR 20 SECONDS. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL STILL NOT SHUT OFF, IT'S ALSO SOMETIMES HARD TO TELL IF THE CAR IS OFF, BECAUSE THERE IS NO MORE DASH. THE ONLY WELL TO TELL IS TO SEE IF THE RADIO GOES ON. THERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO RESET THIS MAJOR MALFUNCTION, TO TRY AND GET THINGS WORKING AGAIN BY DISCONNECTING BATTERIES, BUT THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM, THAT COULD KILL SOMEONE WHILE DRIVING AND NEEDS ATTENTION AND RECALLED SOON AS POSSIBLE!

NHTSA ID

11277937

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED WHILE THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS IN THE ON POSITION. THE REAR DEFROSTER INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACTED CALLED TOYOTA OF POWAY (13631 POWAY RD, POWAY, CA 92064) AND WAS ADVISED TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

NHTSA ID

11062042

Incident

Jan 9, 2018

Mileage

55,000 mi

MY 2008 PRIUS HID HEADLIGHT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE GOES OFF INTERMITTENTLY AFTER FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING. SWITCHING THE HEADLIGHT COMPLETELY OFF AND THEN BACK ON BRINGS IT BACK SOMETIMES. READING FROM OTHER PRIUS OWNERS COMMENTS, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH SOME OF THE PRIUS MODELS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF TOYOTA PROVIDES ANY SUGGESTED FIX TO THIS PROBLEM SINCE IT'S COMMON ON MULTIPLE VEHICLES OF THE SAME MODEL.

NHTSA ID

11010456

Incident

Jul 24, 2017

Mileage

127,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING HOME ON HIGHWAY JUST AFTER DARK, BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHOUT DRIVER INTERACTION. HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS STILL ON, UNTOUCHED. VISIBILITY OUTWARD AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES SEEING ME (BLACK PRIUS AT NIGHT WITHOUT LIGHTS) SEVERELY IMPAIRED, COULD EASILY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PULLED OVER AND TURNED HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF, THEN BACK ON; LIGHTS CAME ON BRIGHT AND IMMEDIATELY DIMMED, APPARENTLY NORMAL. CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND A NUMBER OF SIMILAR (ESCALATING) OCCURRENCES BY OTHERS, WITHOUT A RECALL YET BY TOYOTA. AFTER PULLING OVER AND STOPPING

NHTSA ID

10819159

Incident

Jan 9, 2016

Mileage

112,000 mi

THE DRIVER HEADLAMP TURNS OFF AFTER APPROX 5 MINUTES OF USE. CAN TURN LIGHTS OFF THEN ON AGAIN TO RESTART HEADLAMP. I FIRST TOOK TO DEALER AFTER PURCHASING USED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY DID NOT MENTION WHAT I HAVE RECENTLY LEARNED IS A KNOWN DEFECT. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. CHANGING BULB FIXES PROBLEM FOR A WHILE BUT PROBLEM RE-OCCURS. THIS ISSUE IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, AND TOYOTA IS CHARGING EXORBITANT RATES TO REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR AT NIGHT OR FOR LONG DISTANCES. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS A PERMANENT FIX! *TR

NHTSA ID

10669928

Incident

Mar 1, 2013

BOTH OF MY CARS HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF INTERMITTENTLY AND FOR NO REASON (THE BULBS AND BALLASTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND ARE IN WORKING ORDER). I WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT NIGHT (INTERSTATE 70MPH) AND OCCASIONALLY BOTH HEADLIGHTS WILL JUST TURN OFF. I HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN IN A WRECK MULTIPLE TIMES DUE TO THE FACT I'M DRIVING AT NIGHT AND OUT OF NOWHERE MY LIGHTS GO OUT. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN LOOKING THIS UP ONLINE, I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH MY YEAR/MAKE/MODEL THAT IS HAVING THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON AND OFF SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS AT 75,000 MILES. LAST NIGHT SPECIFICALLY I ALMOST GOT IN A WRECK GOING 70MPH ON THE INTERSTATE BECAUSE OF IT. MANY TIMES I CAN TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN AND ONE OR BOTH WILL WORK AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10626183

Incident

Aug 17, 2014

Mileage

101,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE HID HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY CUT OFF. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS ONE AT A TIME, AND MOSTLY ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. I AM UNABLE TO TELL WHEN THEY GO OFF UNTIL EITHER I GET PULLED OVER AND WARNED WHICH HAS HAPPENED ONCE ALREADY OR I PULL UP AND SEE REFLECTION OFF BACK OF ANOTHER CAR. THE LIGHTS WILL WORK FOR SHORT PERIODS THEN OFF AGAIN THEN ON AGAIN. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL AND THE MANUFACTURER (TOYOTA) IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AND CHARGING UPWARDS OF $600 FOR REPAIR. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE WHICH I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN OBVIOUS DEFECT. I HAVE ALSO READ THIS HAS OCCURRED TO MANY OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. AFTER A FURTHER LENGTHY RESEARCH MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE IS ACTUALLY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THIS, OF WHICH I WOULD RATHER SEE THE NHTSA TAKE ACTION AND HAVE TOYOTA MAKE GOOD ON THESE DEFECTS, AND RECALL TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10482444

Incident

Oct 25, 2012

Mileage

56,700 mi

MY HEADLIGHTS TURNED THEM SELF OFF ON ANY GIVEN TIME EITHER ONE ON A TIME OR BOTH AT THE SAME TIME SAME THING HAPPENS IF THE HIGHBEAMS ARE ON DAY OR NIGHT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM TEMPORARILY YOU HAVE TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF QUICKLY AND YOU HAVE NO GUARANTEE HOW LONG IT WILL STAY ON I SPOKE TO THE TOYOTA CORPORATION AND THEY WILL NOT HELP BECAUSE MY CAR HAS 90,000 MILES MY CAR IS 2008 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THE DEALERSHIP IS CHARGING $1200 I HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CAR BUT ELECTRICAL IS NOT COVERED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10475626

Incident

Jul 1, 2011

Mileage

75,000 mi

HID HEADLIGHT BULBS GO OUT AND COME BACK ON SOMETIMES BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. I AM TOLD BY MANY OTHER PRIUS OWNERS THAT THIS HAPPENS A LOT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10410632

Incident

Jun 15, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

GREEN GLARE ON WINDSHIELD EMANATING FROM SPEEDOMETER PROJECTOR OBSCURING VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. CAR TAKEN TO TOYOTA DEALER FOR INSPECTION. OUTCOME UNKNOWN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10402445

Incident

May 17, 2011

Mileage

25,000 mi

ON 12/03/09 WE WERE TICKETED FOR A LEFT HEADLIGHT OUT ON OUR 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS OUT OR GOING OUT. IT LOOKED ON TO US. TWO MILES FROM HOME IT LOOKED AS BRIGHT AS EVER. THE NEXT MORNING, AS MUCH AS WE TRIED, THE GARAGE COULD NOT FIND A BULB OUT, GOING OUT, WEAK, ON OR OFF, NOTHING WAS WRONG! WE HAD A FUNERAL TO GO TO AND PAID THE FINE. TWO WEEKS LATER, A LETTER WAS MAILED FROM TOYOTA LISTING ISSUES REGARDING THESE HID LIGHTS STATING THAT THESE SUDDENLY GO OUT, AND ON AND OFF, AMONG OTHER THINGS, NEAR THE END OF THEIR LIFE. MY CAR IS A 2008. MY HUSBAND AND I CANNOT REPLACE THESE EXPENSIVE, EXOTIC HID BULBS BECAUSE ACCESS IS IN A VERY TIGHT PLACE AND THE BUMPER MUST BE REMOVED--SERIOUSLY!!!! EVEN IF WE COULD DO IT, THESE HID BULBS CANNOT BE PURCHASED IN A NORMAL AUTOMOTIVE STORE. ANYHOW, AGAIN ON 10/17/10 I WAS SEVERAL HOURS OUT OF TOWN, DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE, AT NIGHT, ON A WEEKEND, AND THE OTHER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT!!! I COULD NOT PUT IN A NEW BULB MYSELF. I HAD NO ONE TO CALL WITH THIS EXOTIC HID LIGHT AND CERTAINLY NO ONE THAT WOULD TAKE OFF A BUMPER ON THE INTERSTATE. SUDDEN, COMPLETE LIGHT OUTAGE AT NIGHT IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. ON TOP OF THIS, HID HEADLAMP PROBLEM, ANY LIGHT BULB NEEDS TO BE RELATIVELY EASY TO REPLACE. AT $150. PER BULB, VERY PRICEY LIGHT PLUS BUMPER REMOVAL LABOR EXPENSE AT 1 HOUR ($288), THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SERVICE CLERK ACTUALLY SAID "YOU CHOSE THIS OPTION." HELP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED ON ONE OF THESE DARK ROADS (CHANCES ARE THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH NO ONE ALIVE TO KNOW THIS WAS THE CAUSE)!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10362248

Incident

Dec 17, 2009

Mileage

43,031 mi

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH BRAKES DISENGAGE WHEN BRAKING. *TGW IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES DISENGAGED WHEN THE TIRES ROLLED OVER A TAR STRIP OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF BUMPS. ALSO, THE HEATING SYSTEM WAS NOT ADEQUATE DURING WINTER CONDITIONS, THE AUTOMATIC DIMMING REAR VIEW MIRROR DID NOT WORK BECAUSE IT WAS BLOCKED BY THE REAR WINDOW FRAME. CONSEQUENTLY, THE CONSUMER WAS BLINDED BY THE LIGHTS OF OTHER VEHICLES BEHIND HIM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10337008

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

FAILURE OF CAR TO BRAKE WHEN DRIVING OVER ROUGH ROAD OR POT HOLES AND GLARE FROM SPEEDOMETER ACROSS FIELD OF VISION IN WINDSHIELD WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10305299

Incident

Jun 1, 2008

I OWN A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. GIVEN THE ALREADY MANY COMPLAINTS, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY COMMENTS ON THIS PRIUS. FIRST THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY. YOU CAN NOT SEE OUT OF THIS CAR. SECOND, I HAD THE HEADLIGHT FAILURES THAT THESE CARS HAVE. I HAVE HAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS REPLACED IN THIS CAR. THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHILE DRIVING IN THE DARK. MANY TIMES I HAD TO TURN THE SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON WHILE DRIVING IN THE DARK TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO COME BACK ON. THIS IS NOT SAFE AND MANY, MANY PRIUS'S HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS BUT NOT WITHOUT A STRUGGLE ON MY PART. LAST POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT THIS 2008 PRIUS HAS THE SAME EXACT ISSUES WITH BRAKES AND STOPPING THAT THE 2010 DOES ACCORDING THE ACCOUNTS I HAVE READ. FOR EXAMPLE, I WENT OVER A RAILROAD TRACK RECENTLY WHICH WHEN IT HITS AN UNEVEN SURFACE IT IS VERY HARD TO STOP! I ALMOST HIT A CAR THAT WAS TURNING JUST PAST THESE TRACKS BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE A GOOD "GRIP" TO THE ROAD. IT HAPPENS ALSO WITH EVEN A SMALL CLUSTER OF SMALL POT HOLES. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE IN MY OPINION. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE HEADLIGHTS ALONE DID NOT MAKE A RECALL. IT IS AN ONGOING UNSAFE SITUATION. THE CAR NOT STOPPING HOWEVER IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND NOT JUST LIMITED TO THE 2010 PRIUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10304923

Incident

Jan 2, 2010

Mileage

30,000 mi

WE HAVE 2008 PRIUS THAT FIRST BEGAN HAVING LEFT HEADLAMP GO OUT WHEN DRIVING, WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER SAFE PLACE ALONG ROAD TURN MESS WITH TURNING HEADLIGHTS ON AND OFF... CREATED UNSAFE DRIVING REMAINDER OF TRIP, APROX 200 MILES NIGHT DRIVE TO GET HOME WITH ONE HEADLIGHT... NOT GOOD ON MONTANA ROADS WITH WILDLIFE PREVALENT ON ROADWAY... DEALER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY... TWO WEEKS LATER SAME TROUBLE WITH RIGHT HEADLIGHT WHILE DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT FROM SPOKANE WA. TO BIGFORK, MT AGAIN DANGEROUS 5 HR DRIVE AT NIGHT ON FREEWAY WITH POOR VISIBILITY... THIS TIME DEALER SAID THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE BOTH THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT AND A COMPUTER SUB ASSY... HELP.. BOTH INSTANCES CAUSED UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS, NIGHT WITH ONLY ONE HEADLIGHT WITH LOTS OF WILDLIFE CROSSING THE HWY... AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WE CAN NOT SIMPLY PULL INTO SERVICE STATION AND REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT, IT IS A DEALER ONLY ITEM THAT WE ARE TOLD INVOLVES REMOVING THE FRONT BUMPER TO REPLACE... *TR

NHTSA ID

10282418

Incident

Jul 1, 2009

Mileage

35,000 mi