Except for the optional or added accessory high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights and fog lights, all Prius vehicle owners can change Prius light bulbs without traveling to a Toyota dealer's service department. According to the official 2008 Toyota Prius owner's manual, Prius drivers may change light bulbs for the following basic lights: front and rear turn signals; parking and marker lights; headlights (excluding HID headlights); tail lights; and license plate lights.
Replacement for Prius Front Lightbulbs
- To prevent burns, turn off the headlights and any other lights whose bulbs you are replacing, and wait 5 to 10 minutes for the light bulbs to cool down. Verify that the wattage of the replacement light bulb is appropriate.
- Pull the lever beside the driver's seat to open the hood of the Prius. Open the hood and insert the support rod into the corresponding slot. Remove the front engine compartment cover by loosening the screw tabs with a Philips-or cross-head screwdriver, and set it aside.
- Look for the headlight bulb in the engine area behind the front bumper. Unplug the headlight connector by pulling it out; remove the rubber cap. Then, depress the bulb retention spring, remove the old bulb, and replace it with a new one. Then, reinstall the headlight's rubber cover and reconnect its connector.
- Change the front turn signal light bulbs by identifying the base of each bulb in the front side section of the engine compartment. Remove the light bulb by counterclockwise-rotating the base of the bulb. Replace the light bulb with a new one, replace the bulb base in the same location, and turn the bulb base clockwise to secure it.
- Replace the parking and side marker light bulbs similarly to the front turn signal bulbs. Replace the front engine compartment lid and use a Philips-head screwdriver to tighten the screw tabs.
Replace the rear Prius lightbulbs.
- Open the hatchback and carefully pull the tabs up to remove the two light bulb cover panels from both sides of the vehicle. You will notice three light bulb bases in a vertical row: the top is the rear turn signal light, the middle is the back up light, and the bottom is the tail and rear side marker lights.
- Turn the base of the bulb counterclockwise and remove it. Change the old light bulb with a new one, then put the base back into the panel and turn it clockwise to secure it.
- Replace any additional rear light bulbs on each side before putting the cover panels back into place.
- Pull the tab down to remove the upper trim board from the hatch door behind the license plate. Turn the base of the license plate light bulb counterclockwise, then pull it out. Replace the bulb with a new one, then reinstall the bulb base and turn it clockwise to lock; reinstall the hatch door's upper trim board.