Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Safety, Hatchback, Toyota



Having trouble with the headlights of your second-gen (2006-2009) Toyota Prius? Apparently, you're not alone. In fact, 2,500 people complained in a class action lawsuit that the car's high intensity discharge (HID) headlights sometimes turned off without reason. Toyota has now agreed to a settlement of an undisclosed amount - potentially costing the company tens of millions of dollars - to get all of those headlights fixed.

The Los Angeles Times reports that eligible Prius owners will not only get money reimbursed to fix the lights, the headlight warranty will also be extended to five years/50,000 miles, up from three years/36,000 miles. Up to 320,000 Prius owners with HID lights could be affected. Starting in February, eligible owners will be notified by mail and they will have 90 days to register.

Even though this is probably an expensive settlement, by agreeing to it, Toyota does not need to go in front of a jury, risk a recall, and does not have to admit to any wrongdoing. The LAT learned that about half of the complaints regarding the 2006-2009 Prius in the NHTSA database were about "lighting, headlamps or visibility." Prius Chat has a detailed page on the issue, and recommends that even drivers who replaced an HID bulb after five years or 50,000 miles should submit a claim for reimbursement.

[Sources: Los Angeles Times, Prius Chat]Toyota settles Prius headlight lawsuit, could pay "tens of millions" without admitting wrongdoing originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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This is John from Girard Gibbs LLP, one of the law firms for the plaintiffs in the Toyota Prius HID Headlights Class Action Settlement.

A BRIEF REMINDER:

The deadline for mailing claims is May 30, 2011.

Everyone will be considered for reimbursement who paid to repair an HID bulb or electronic control unit (ECU) on their 2006-2009 Toyota Prius and who submits a timely, valid claim:

(1) For repairs within 5 years & 50,000 miles of the car’s original sale or lease date, the reimbursement will be in full. This includes repairs after 5 years or 50,000 miles, if you can show the problem began within that time frame.

(2) For repairs after 5 years & 50,000 miles, YOU SHOULD STILL SUBMIT A CLAIM if you want to be reimbursed. These claims will be paid on a case-by-case basis, based on factors listed on the Toyota Class Action Claim Form.

Keep in mind that this is just a brief reminder -- not a complete list of the details of the settlement. Please visit Toyota Prius HID Headlight Class Action Settlement - Consumer Class Action Attorneys - Girard Gibbs LLP and read the Toyota Class Action Notice for more information about deadlines and eligibility requirements. The settlement requires final court approval (a hearing is scheduled for August 1, 2011), before it will go into full effect.