NHTSA Complaint #10678716 — 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED USED 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS FROM THE EAST COASTS NUMBER ONE CERTIFIED USED TOYOTA DEALER. I WAS PRESENTED WITH PAPERS SHOWING ALL THE CHECKS PERFORMED WITH A CERTIFIED USED TOYOTA AND THAT THE VEHICLE I WAS PURCHASING HAD PASS ALL THE INSPECTIONS. I TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE DURING THE DAY AND DID NOT USE THE HEADLIGHTS. ONCE I WAS HOME (OVER 3 HOURS AWAY) I USED THE HEADLIGHTS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THE DRIVER'S SIDE LIGHTS WERE VERY DIM. I TOOK THE LOW BEAM BULB OUT AND NOTICE A LOT OF CORROSION ON THE BULB AND MOISTURE IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. I LET IT DRY OUT AND REPLACED BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT BULBS. OVER THE SUMMER I NOTICED A FEW TIME MOISTURE WOULD BUILD UP BUT WOULD BE GONE WITHIN A FEW DAYS. NOW DURING THE WINTER THE MOISTURE HAS FROZEN INSIDE THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY AND IMPEDES ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HEADLAMP. MY VISIBILITY IS REDUCED AND HAS NOW BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE NOT OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR A FULL YEAR YET AND EVEN PURCHASED THE TOP OF THE LINE EXTENDED TOYOTA WARRANTY. MY LOCAL DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY AND THAT WOULD COST AROUND $500 TO BE REPLACED. TOYOTA HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE AND SHOULD REPAIR AT NO COST TO OWNERS DUE TO A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR