Headlight problem

[Bsacavag]

I hope they also include 2004 in the investigation as that's what I have and have the same exact problems. 3 times now we've had BOTH headlights go out together! There is no doubt someone is going to get killed with this problem!

[rachmaninoff]

I had this problem about 2 years ago my right headlight would go out soon after i started driving. It started out a small issue would go out rarely but then it would start going out almost instantly after driving a short distance. Cycling the lights on and off helped but it was a lost cause. i brought it in and they replaced the light but the dealership i guess didn't test it and the new lamp was faulty and was stuck in high beam mode so i had to have it replaced again.

now 2 years later i just saw my right headlight go out. it only happened once and when i cycled my headlights off then on it came back and hasnt gone out again since but what the heck whats with this issue keeps coming back??

[yardman 49]

Originally Posted by Bsacavag

I hope they also include 2004 in the investigation as that's what I have and have the same exact problems. 3 times now we've had BOTH headlights go out together! There is no doubt someone is going to get killed with this problem!

Does the 2004 come with fog lights? Even if both headlights fail completely, you could use these in a pinch. Also, even if both headlights went out, your running lights would still be lit in the front of the car, so you wouldn't be completely "invisible" to oncoming traffic.

[Ct. Ken V]

Hey, yardman,

Although I have a 2005, the only difference between the 2004 & 2005 model years was the number of option packages being reduced from 9 to 6 by the addition in 2005 of the rear wiper being added as "standard equipment". So yes, if you had HID headlights in either year (this still holds true all the way up through the 2009 model year), then you automatically had foglights (the 2 features are grouped together within the different option package levels).

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

[GreenIsGood]

I've had this headlight problem for about three weeks or so. Went to dealer, said they couldn't find anything wrong with the lights or the panel. I have only 20,500 miles on this car, a 2008 with HID.
Called Toyota, talked to two different people and have been assigned a case number. Out of curiosity, has anyone with this problem taken the car to Rohrich Toyota in Pittsburgh? If so, what was the result?

[etkal]

I also have recently had this same problem with the HID lights. A couple of months ago my fiancée told me my headlight was out, so I went and turned the car back on, and it was fine. I figured she was looking at it from the side or something. Then a month later I was pulled up behind another car and noticed in the reflection that it was out. Turning the lights off and then back on cleared it up. The next time when I cycled the lights it came back on but very dim, then eventually came back up. Since then it seems to be happening more often.

The dealer said they've only seen a few problems and just replace the bulbs, but at a few hundred dollars each it seems these should last a lot longer!

I just called Toyota Customer Experience and reported it, got a case number. I'll also call NHTSA once I get my VIN handy.

<ET>

[windstrings]

Originally Posted by rachmaninoff

I had this problem about 2 years ago my right headlight would go out soon after i started driving. It started out a small issue would go out rarely but then it would start going out almost instantly after driving a short distance. Cycling the lights on and off helped but it was a lost cause. i brought it in and they replaced the light but the dealership i guess didn't test it and the new lamp was faulty and was stuck in high beam mode so i had to have it replaced again.

now 2 years later i just saw my right headlight go out. it only happened once and when i cycled my headlights off then on it came back and hasnt gone out again since but what the heck whats with this issue keeps coming back??

Could be coming back.. I think there are bad lots of bulbs out there, or else the ballast is not quite in harmony with the bulbs making them go out prematurely.

At any rate, my guess is the dealer didn't put your bulb back in quite right and it was misaligned preventing your highbeam from engaging.

If you look closely while someone plays with your high and low beam, you will see the metal reflector move back and forth to deflect the light to create high vs low beam.... just my guess.

Bulbs are getting so cheap now, its almost a non issue, unless you can get the dealer to replace it, its no longer rape and pillage like they tried to initially make it.

[Miss_Taz]

Originally Posted by GreenIsGood

I've had this headlight problem for about three weeks or so. Went to dealer, said they couldn't find anything wrong with the lights or the panel. I have only 20,500 miles on this car, a 2008 with HID.
Called Toyota, talked to two different people and have been assigned a case number. Out of curiosity, has anyone with this problem taken the car to Rohrich Toyota in Pittsburgh? If so, what was the result?

Yeah, I just had it there in May 2009 also. Mine is an 06, with about 50k miles on it. They sold me "sorry, Charlie", not covered. I'm going to try this 800-331-4331 number to see if I can get it covered. If not, I'm going to ebay to get me a new set of bulbs...

-Vikki

EDIT: Oops, I lied. I normally go to Rorhich, but this time I happened to be in Cory, so I went to Kenny Ross. My bad. I also filled out a NHTSA report this morning. So we'll see...

[Miss_Taz]

OK - Logged my case w/Toyota. Let the fun begin! :-D

[tadyergey]

I have a 2006 with 60K miles on it adn just noticed this problem. No rhyme or reason when it kicks off as of yet, but a cycle on the on/off switch fixes it.

I'll get my VIN and give NHTSA a call...