2004 Toyota Prius Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 184 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the 2004 Toyota Prius, 30% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 105,320 miles. The words owners use most often: “both headlights” (18% of reports).
- 184exterior lighting complaints
- 105,320median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 64%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Both headlights: mentioned in 34 of 184 complaints (18%)
- Switch off: mentioned in 32 of 184 complaints (17%)
- Side headlight: mentioned in 31 of 184 complaints (17%)
- Hid bulb: mentioned in 10 of 184 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical exterior lighting repair on the 2004 Toyota Prius at $1,000, and half of them between $700 and $1,500.
Based on 47 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2016), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 163 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 184 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Toyota Prius exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Prius | 2 | 33% | 1,100 |
| 2025 Prius | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2024 Prius | 4 | 15% | — |
| 2018 Prius | 5 | 14% | 25,000 |
| 2017 Prius | 2 | 2% | 1,100 |
| 2016 Prius | 3 | 2% | 31,200 |
| 2015 Prius | 7 | 4% | 75,000 |
| 2014 Prius | 6 | 3% | 29,000 |
| 2013 Prius | 12 | 3% | 55,000 |
| 2012 Prius | 36 | 8% | 80,000 |
| 2011 Prius | 48 | 9% | 68,000 |
| 2010 Prius | 149 | 5% | 65,000 |
| 2009 Prius | 111 | 22% | 80,000 |
| 2008 Prius | 579 | 39% | 56,850 |
| 2007 Prius | 1,060 | 53% | 50,000 |
| 2006 Prius | 941 | 65% | 49,000 |
| 2005 Prius | 346 | 33% | 101,000 |
| 2004 Prius | 184 | 30% | 105,320 |
| 2003 Prius | 1 | 1% | 68,000 |
| 2002 Prius | 3 | 2% | 83,000 |
| 2001 Prius | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2000 Prius | 3 | 75% | 60,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles may be equipped with an improperly designed brake light switch. A silicon oxide build-up occurs on the contacts inside the brake light switch, which can make it inoperable.
Risk: If the switch is inoperable, the brake lights will not illuminate and can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake light switch. The recall began during december 2004. Owners should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
All the instrument cluster lights continue to go out on my 04 prius. I don't know how much fuel i have this could be a safety issue. I don't know how fast i'm going this could definitely be a safety issue. And zero warning lights come on this is definitely a safety issue. By looking on the internet…
My left headlight goes off but if i turn the headlights back off and back on it comes back on. The headlight is not burned out. This happens while on the freeway in the dark while raining. This happens intermittently and not all the time.
About 1.5 years ago during a vacation. My car decided to not shut off. I drove to the nearest dealership that was about the close. They assisted and said to hold the power button down until it shuts off then turn it back on. This was a dealership in georgia. The mechanic had heard of the problem…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Toyota Priuss have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 184 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the 2004 Toyota Prius (30% of the 610 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Toyota Prius exterior lighting?
Yes: 1 safety recall list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems start?
The median reported mileage is 105,320 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix exterior lighting problems on the 2004 Toyota Prius?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,000 (half paid between $700 and $1,500), from 47 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the 2004 Toyota Prius?
The most frequent phrase is “both headlights”, in 34 of 184 complaints, followed by “switch off” (32).
Other 2004 Toyota Prius problems
See all 2004 Toyota Prius problems or exterior lighting problems across all Prius years.