Toyota Prius Complaints (2008)

1,497 consumer complaints on file.

#10933864December 8, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY HEADLIGHTS ARE FLICKERING BEFORE GOING COMPLETELY OUT. SOMETIMES IT'S THE LEFT, SOMETIMES THE RIGHT. TURNING THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF, THEN ON, SEEMS TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE BUT ONLY TEMPORARILY. A VERY SMALL % OF THE TIME WOULD BOTH LIGHTS GO OFF COMPLETELY. AGAIN, TURNING LIGHT SWITCH OFF, THEN ON, FIXES IT TEMPORARILY. THERE IS NO EXACT TIMEFRAME IN WHICH THE LIGHTS START TO FLICKER. AND SOMETIMES I NOTICE IT HAPPENING WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP, BUT THAT IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10929799December 4, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF AND IT WILL CHANGE WHICH HEADLIGHT (BETWEEN MY TWO WHITE FRONT HEADLIGHT AND GOLD HEADLIGHTS). IT HAPPENS WHILE I AM DRIVING. I CAN TURN MY HEADLIGHTS ON AND OFF AND IT SOMETIMES FIXES THE PROBLEM. ON ONE OCCASION ALL MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10924885November 7, 2016
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY CAR IS CONSUMING OIL. TOLD TOYOTA DEALER ABOUT IT 2-3 YEARS AGO SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY KEPT SAYING JUST ADD OIL. NOW IT IS WORSE. I NEED TO ADD OIL EVERY GAS FILL UP. NOT LEAKING OR BURNING, BUT USING OIL! I HAVE ADDED 4 QUARTS SINCE LAST OIL CHANGE AND ONLY GONE OVER APPROX 2200 MILES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10924420November 5, 2016
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE REPEATEDLY SHIFTED INTO OTHER GEARS WHILE DRIVING AT FULL SPEED (NEUTRAL OCCURRED MOST OFTEN, BUT ALSO EXPERIENCED IT SHIFTING INTO PARK). THIS ALSO OCCURRED AFTER CAR HAD BEEN IDLING. THE SHIFTER DID NOT APPEAR TO MOVE ON IT'S OWN, YET CAR WOULD SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE ON IT'S OWN. THIS OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY, IDLING, AND ON REGULAR SURFACE STREETS. ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN 5-75 MPH. TSB 0142-11
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10918668October 24, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT BLINKS OFF WHILE DRIVING (IN MOTION). TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF THEN ON AGAIN CORRECTS THE PROBLEM FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT THEN IT GOES OFF AGAIN. REPLACING THE BULB DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10917843October 21, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES
MY PRIUS HAS A LITTLE OVER 67000 MILES ON IT NOW. A COUPLE MONTHS AGO THERE WAS AN INTENSE ALARM GOING OFF WHEN I JUST ENTERED THE HWY. LIGHTS CAME ON ALL OVER THE DASH BUT THE CAR DROVE FINE AND HOME WAS 2 MILES AWAY. BECAUSE OF THE ALARM I PULLED OVER AND REALIZED MY BRAKES WEREN'T WORKING CORRECTLY. I CALLED MY REPAIR SERVICE AND THEY SAID TO CAREFULLY DRIVE HOME AND BRING IT IN THE NEXT MORNING SINCE THEY WERE CLOSING. AS I DROVE HOME THE BRAKES GOT WORSE AND IN PARKING BEHIND MY OTHER CAR IT ALMOST DIDN'T STOP. TURNED OFF THE CAR, CALLED THE SERVICE REPAIR AND THEY SAID DRIVE BACK NOW. THE CAR WAS OFF ABOUT 5 MIN. AND THE BRAKES WERE BETTER BUT NOT 100% THERE. GOT A LOANER DROVE HOME. NEXT DAY HE SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HASN'T HAPPENED IN THE LAST 2000 MILES I PUT ON IT BUT I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE CAR LUNGES WHEN HITTING A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD WHILE BRAKING. IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES STOP FOR A SECOND OR TWO AND THE CAR SPEEDS UP. QUITE A WORRISOME PROBLEM IF THE BRAKES ARE GOING TO GET WORSE AS THE CAR AGES OR THE ABS MESSES IT UP AS I HAVE READ. SOMETIMES THE CAR DOES ACCELERATE FASTER THAN NORMAL BUT MY TOYOTA PICKUP WILL DO THAT SOMETIMES AND I JUST FIGURE IT MIGHT BE SOME KIND OF FUEL SURGE?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10915903October 13, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS GO OUT UNEXPECTEDLY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10915487October 12, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES
WHEN I HAVE THE BRAKE PUSHED DOWN AND I AM IN ANOTHER GEAR BESIDES PARK, THEN THE BRAKE CAN STOP WORKING AND JUST ROLL FORWARD OR BACKWARD DEPENDING ON WHERE I AM AT. IT DOES IT PART OF THE TIME, NOT ALL OF THE TIME. I AM AFRAID I AM GOING TO HIT SOMETHING. IT IS WHEN I AM IN STATIONARY POSITION IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE. I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT DATES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. BUT IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10914844October 8, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOTH HEADLIGHTS CUT OFF AT THE SAME TIME WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT (55-65 MPH) ON AN UNLIT WINDING ROAD ABOVE A RESERVOIR. MANAGED TO STOP THE CAR NEAR THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT GOING OFF THE EDGE AND ALTHOUGH THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT COME BACK ON, WE USED THE HIGH BEAMS TO GET US DOWN THE HILL TO OUR DESTINATION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10914411October 7, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FOR YEARS THE DRIVER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT GOES OFF EVERY FEW MINUTES. I HAVE TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF THEN ON AGAIN FOR BOTH TO RELIGHT. THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHT THEN STAYS LIT FOR ONLY 2 TO 5 MINUTES. THIS PROBLEM POSES A SERIOUS RISK TO ME AS WELL AS OTHER MOTORISTS. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO RESULT IN A FORMAL NHTSA RECALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10910976October 1, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HID LIGHTING , HEADLIGHTS GO OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING . NEED TO TURN LIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF TO TURN BACK ON. ONGOING PROBLEM UNEXPECTED UNABLE TO PREDICT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10909848September 26, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DRIVING AT 35 MILES PER HOUR ON A RURAL PAVED ROAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY NEARLY CAUSING MYSELF AND MY SON GO OFF THE ROAD DOWN AN EMBANKMENT WHILE TRYING TO GET THE LIGHTS TO COME BACK ON AT NIGHT. THE HID HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE IN THE PAST WITH A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT BEING PAID. I NEED TO GET THIS REPAIRED AND WANT TOYOTA TO COVER THE RECALL WARRANTY WORK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10909656September 26, 2016
STRUCTURE:BODY, SERVICE BRAKES, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND TURNED MY CAR INTO A PARKING SPACE. AS I SLOWED MY CAR TO BRING IT TO A STOP, APPLYING THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND CRASHED INTO A RAILING AT THE HEAD OF THE PARKING SPACE. ALTHOUGH I PUSHED THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO TO FLOOR, I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. THE CAR HIT AT SUCH A SPEED THAT IT BROKE A SOLID WOOD RAILING AT THE FRONT OF THE PARKING SPACE. MY CAR WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE. IT SEEMED TO ME THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND THE BRAKE WAS NONFUNCTIONAL. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. I HAD TWO RELATED INCIDENTS PRIOR TO THIS CRASH. THE FIRST, I REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. AGAIN, THE CAR ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP IT. EVEN WITH THE BRAKE FULLY PRESSED, THE CAR HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE, BOUNCED BACKWARD, CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND HIT THE CAR AGAIN BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. SECONDLY, ONE TIME I NOTICED WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE TO MAKE A SHARP RIGHT TURN, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. THIS DID NOT RESULT IN A CRASH.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10909448September 24, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY WIFE, 2 CHILDREN, AND I WERE ON A ROD TRIP LAST NIGHT. ABOUT AN HOUR INTO THE TRIP, I NOTICED THAT I THOUGHT ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS APPEARED TO BE FLICKERING (BUT BOTH HAD BEEN FINE ART HE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP). WE STOPPED ABOUT AN HOUR LATER TO REST, AND I SAW THAT THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WAS OUT. WE DECIDED THAT THE FLICKERING MUST HAVE BEEN THE HEADLIGHT FAILING, AND THAT WE NEEDED TO GET IT REPAIRED AFTER GETTING TO OUR DESTINATION. OUR REAL PROBLEM HAPPENED ABOUT 2 HOURS LATER WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE TRAVELING 65MPH AND WE WERE PLUNGED INTO TOTAL DARKNESS. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE APPROACHING AN EXIT OFF RAMP, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND TO A GAS STATION USING THE LIGHT OF OUR HAZARD LIGHTS. AFTER GETTING TO THE GAS STATION, WE WERE ABLE TO GET BOTH HEADLIGHTS BACK O BY TOGGLING THE HEADLIGHT CONTROL ON AND OFF. WE DECIDED THE SAFE THING TO DOSAS TO GET A HOTEL AND RESUME OUR TRIP IN DAYLIGHT. THE HOTEL WAS ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE DOWN THE ROAD, ONE OF OUR HEADLIGHTS BEGAN FLICKERING AGAIN AND WENT OUT AGAIN IN THE SHORT TIME IT TOOK US TO GET THERE. TOGGLING THE CONTROL AGAIN GOT THE LAMP BACK ON, BUT NEED TO TAKE OUR CAR TO GET SERVICED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE DRIVING IT AT NIGHT AGAIN. AFTER EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND SEVERAL ARTICLES ON LINE, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: HTTP://WWW.TOYOTAPROBLEMS.COM/TRENDS/PRIUS-HEADLIGHTS/ THIS SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT IS NOT ISOLATED TO OUR CASE OR EVEN JUST A FEW CASSIE'S. I URGE THE NHTSA TO REOPEN THEIR INVESTIGATION, AS MANY DRIVERS' AND PASSENGERS' LIVES COULD BE IN DANGER BECAUSE OF THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10909377September 23, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO INCREASE IN SPEED. ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 81,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10908102September 20, 2016
ENGINE
BURNING OIL AND CLOGGED INJECTORS AT 90000 MILES DESPITE HAVE ALL OIL CHANGES AT PRESCRIBED INTERVALS AS ADVISED BY TOYOTA. AN ENGINE REBUILD AND INJECTOR REPLACEMENT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED. NO SATISFACTION FROM TOYOTA DESPITE KNOWN PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10908296September 20, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ONE OR BOTH OF THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT. SOMETIMES THEY ALSO GO VERY DIM. WHEN EITHER HEADLIGHT GOES OUT, I HAVE TO TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AND TURN THEM ON AGAIN. I HAVE ALMOST GONE OFF THE ROAD A FEW TIMES ON A WINDY STRETCH OF ROAD WHERE THE LIGHTS KEPT GOING OFF EVERY FEW SECONDS. I'VE ALREADY GOTTEN A TICKET OVER THIS, WHEN I WAS ON A WELL-LIT MAIN ROAD AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW A LIGHT HAD GONE OUT. I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS FOR 9 MONTHS. EVERYTHING I READ SAYS THAT BUYING THE EXPENSIVE NEW HEADLIGHTS AGAIN DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. I TRY TO AVOID DRIVING AT NIGHT, BUT I CAN'T ALWAYS, AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. NOTHING DRAWS THE ATTENTION OF THE COPS LIKE BLINKING YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON AND OFF REPEATEDLY WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. WE HAD A FEW REALLY STORMY DAYS AND MY CHOICES WERE TO LEAVE MY HEADLIGHTS OFF, WHICH WAS COMPLETELY UNSAFE IN THAT HEAVY OF A TUCSON MONSOON, OR TO DRIVE KNOWING I'D ONLY HAVE ONE HEADLIGHT ON AFTER A FEW MINUTES, AND I WOULDN'T KNOW WHICH ONE, OR TO DRIVE IN A STORM, CALLING ATTENTION TO MYSELF FOR ONLY HAVING ONE HEADLIGHT, AND INVITING A SECOND TICKET.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10907423September 18, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WILL COME ON NORMALLY BUT THEN WILL DIM AND GO OUT WHILE IN OPERATION (PARKED OR IN MOTION). HEADLIGHT WILL COME ON AGAIN BRIEFLY WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN, BUT THEN DIMS AND GOES OUT. MECHANIC SAID BULBS ARE FINE, THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE COMPUTER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10907176September 16, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
EVER SINCE MY FIANCE AND I HAVE HAD THIS CAR (LATE 2015, BOUGHT USED WITH ABOUT 98,000 MILES ON IT) THERE HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE! WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED THE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED AND THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. FIRST OF ALL, THE SPECIFIC HEADLIGHT TYPE FOR THIS VEHICLE (VIN [XXX]) IS VERY EXPENSIVE. ABOUT $100 PER BULB! SECONDLY, THEY ARE SO DIFFICULT TO REPLACE THAT MY TRUSTED, LONG-TIME AUTO SHOP HAD TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE FRONT BUMPER TO REPLACE THEM, COSTING ME $300 IN LABOR. THAT'S A TOTAL OF $500 FOR REPAIRS, JUST FOR HEADLIGHTS! THEN, JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE STARTED AGAIN. IT IS HAPPENING NOW (SEPT 16, 2016) AND IS A THREAT TO MY SAFETY. I HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER TWICE BY THE POLICE FOR HAVING A "BURNED OUT HEADLIGHT," BUT I SWITCH THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN AND THEY WORK FINE FOR ANOTHER 20 MINUTES OR SO. THIS PROBLEM IS ABSOLUTELY A THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS, PASSENGERS, AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD AT NIGHT. HEADLIGHT REPLACEMENT ITSELF IS SO OUTRAGEOUSLY EXPENSIVE THAT IT IS ABSURDLY UNFAIR THAT UNSUSPECTING VEHICLE OWNERS SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST. TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND PAY FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I AM AFRAID THAT IF TOYOTA DOES NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM, THEY WILL EVENTUALLY BE SUED BY SOMEONE WHO IS HURT IN AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THIS PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, IN MOTION, ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS, WHILE TURNING, WHILE GOING STRAIGHT FORWARD, AND REVERSE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10906338September 14, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID) INDICATOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW HID LIGHT. THE DEALER DID NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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