Toyota Prius Complaints (2008)

1,497 consumer complaints on file.

#10465864July 16, 2012
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, HE HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS TO PUDDLE OF OIL UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE ENGINE PAN . THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY HAD TO REVIEW THE CASE WITH THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 07/26/12
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10465523July 13, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS UNEXPECTEDLY TURN OFF. SOMETIMES ONE AT A TIME, SOMETIMES BOTH. ALWAYS RESET BY TURNING LIGHTS OFF AND THEN BACK ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10464106July 3, 2012
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD ONLY BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL INDEPENDENTLY AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE, REVERSE OR PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER A YEAR LATER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, WHERE THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 07/25/12*LJ UPDATED 7/26/12 *CN UPDATED 07/30/12 THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK OR DRIVE. THE CONSUMER STATED A PIECE OF CLEAR, FLEXIBLE PLASTIC ATTACHED TO THE LEVER BEHIND THE KNOB WITH THE R/N/D SEEMED TO STICK TO THE LEVER GUIDE. IT HAPPENED MORE WHEN IT WAS HOT, EITHER BECAUSE THE CLEAR PLASTIC BECAME MORE STICKY, OR BECAUSE IT EXPANDED A LITTLE OR BOTH. IT WOULD THEN PREVENT THE LEVER FROM RETURNING COMPLETELY TO ITS RIGHT MOST POSITION, AND THE LEVER WOULD STAY IN THE MIDDLE POSITION. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE TRIED TO SLIDE THE CLEAR PLASTIC BACK WITH HER FINGERS TOWARDS THE KNOB, SO IT WAS IN LESS CONTACT WITH THE GUIDE, IT MADE THE LEVER SLIDE MORE FREELY AND SHE HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY MORE PROBLEMS SINCE THEN. UPDATED 08/02/12 UPDATED 08/08/12.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10463296June 27, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10462974June 25, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT FOR NO REASON WHILE I AM DRIVING OR THEY WILL GO DIM WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER BY THE HIGHWAY PATROL ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS BECAUSE THEY THOUGH I WAS DRIVING UNSAFELY WITHOUT 1 WORKING HEADLIGHT AND EACH TIME I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN TURN THEM BACK ON AND BOTH LIGHTS WOULD THEN WORK. THE HIGHWAY PATROL SAID THAT THEY ARE BECOMMING AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY ARE SEEING THIS PROBLEM MORE OFTEN. I REPORTED THIS TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY HAD NO ANSWER OTHER THAN TO REPLACE LIGHTS THAT AT THE TIME WERE WORKING JUST FINE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. NHTSA MUST DO SOMETHING... INVESTIGATE AND/OR RECALL OF THE PRIUS FOR DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS BEFORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10462722June 22, 2012
SERVICE BRAKES
PULLED OUT OF PARKING LOT, STARTED ACCELERATING, WENT TO HIT BRAKES AND BRAKES FAILED. BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL WAS MORE THAN NORMAL, STARTED PULSING BRAKES. DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON (NOT SURE WHICH ONES). PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER 2011, AND TOYOTA RESET THE "BRAKE STROKE SENSOR" CHARGED US FOR THIS WORK, AND RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE SENSOR (~500). DEALERSHIP STATED THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO OVER THREE YEARS. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, THEY DID NOT REPLACE SENSOR AT THAT TIME. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10462064June 18, 2012
POWER TRAIN
THE CAR SHIFTS FROM BOTH R (REVERSE) AND D (DRIVE) TO N (NEUTRAL) FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS AFTER FIRST GETTING INTO THE CAR. I'LL SHIFT INTO R, AND IT WILL DROP TO N. SAME FOR D. THIS CAN HAPPEN A FEW TIMES EACH TIME. USUALLY, WHEN I HOLD IT IN PLACE LONG ENOUGH TO START MOVING OVER 3 MPH, IT SEEMS FINE AND I DO NOT NEED TO CONTINUE HOLDING THE SHIFT LEVER. HOWEVER, LOTS OF REPORTS ONLINE, AND I AM A BIT CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN MORE OFTEN. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED WHILE ACTIVELY DRIVING (ALWAYS IN PARKING LOTS SO FAR). IT MAY BE RELATED TO HEAT, AS MOST OCCURRENCES HAVE BEEN ON HOT DAYS, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY. THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE 2008 PRIUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10462620June 15, 2012
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS:FRONT
S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING- LETTER TO THE SECRETARY FROM RE EXPRESSING CONCERNS REGARDING TOYOTA SAFETY PROBLEMS *TGW NOTE: UNABLE TO VIEW FLASH DRIVE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN A 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE REAR ENDED HIM. THE CHEVROLET DESTROYED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, SLAMMING THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE INTO THE SHOULDER CONCRETE WALL, PITCHING THE VEHICLE UP INTO THE AIR ON ITS RIGHT FRONT ROOF AND FENDER, SLIDING DOWN 10-15 FEET LANDING ON ITS RIGHT SIDE, COMING TO A STOP BETWEEN 70 TO 80 FEET FROM THE STOP LINE WHERE HE WAS HIT. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER DID NOT KEEP HIS HEAD FROM THE HITTING THE ROOF. THE CONSUMER HAD A DEEP LACERATION ON THE TOP OF HIS HEAD, AND A HERINATED DISC IN HIS NECK. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10460859June 6, 2012
POWER TRAIN
AFTER 10 MINUTES OF CITY STREET DRIVING, THE CAR WAS IDLING IN PARK FOR 2 MINUTES. THE CAR WAS THEN PUT INTO DRIVE AND THE BRAKE SLOWLY RELEASED. AS SOON AS THE ENGINE TURNED OVER TO ASSIST THE BATTERY DRIVE, THE SHIFT KNOB BOUNCED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE DASH INDICATED NEUTRAL AS WELL. WITH THE BRAKE ON, THE SHIFT KNOB COULD BE PLACED BACK INTO DRIVE AND THE DASH INDICATED DRIVE. THE CAR STAYED IN DRIVE FOR THE FIRST SECOND BEFORE THE ENGINE TURNED OVER THEN SLIPPED BACK INTO NEUTRAL. THIS REPEATED 4 MORE TIMES. PLACING THE CAR IN PARK, TURNING OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING, AND POWERING DOWN THE CAR DID NOT PREVENT THE CAR FROM SLIPPING INTO NEUTRAL. THE CAR STAYED IN DRIVE ONLY BY HOLDING THE SHIFT KNOB IN THE DRIVE POSITION. AFTER THE 3 MINUTE DRIVE HOME HOLDING THE SHIFT KNOB IN DRIVE, THE PROBLEM DID NOT REPEAT. LATER THAT EVENING AND THE NEXT DAY THE PROBLEM DID NOT REPEAT. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 80 DEGREES F ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE OCCURRENCE AND THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE SUN FOR 7 HOURS, THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS RUNNING AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10460596June 4, 2012
AIR BAGS
DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 68 MPH WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES. I ALSO SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP AND REAR ENDED THE OTHER CAR. MY HOOD WAS CRUMPLED, AND THE FRONT END WAS PUSHED IN. RADIATOR FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10459807May 28, 2012
POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE WILL NOT STAY IN GEAR, USUALLY HOT DAYS WHEN IT HAPPEN. WEATHER ITS IN REV OR DRIVE IT WILL SHIFT BACK TO NEUTRAL. IT STARTED JULY 2011. TOOK IT TO DEALER THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE. NOW YESTERDAY MAY 27TH IT HAPPEN AGAIN. YOU WOULD HAVE TO HOLD DOWN OR UP GEAR SHIFT TO HAVE GEAR STAY IN PLACE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10459813May 28, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WATER DROPS OBSERVED IN BOTH HEADLIGHTS MOST LIKELY DUE TO FAULTY SEALS IN BOTH HEADLIGHTS. WENT TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS AND I WAS TOLD BY ONE THAT THIS IS "NORMAL". THIS IS MY NIECE'S CAR AND I HAVE SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES AND NONE OF THEM HAVE EVER HAD WATER CONDENSATION IN ANY OF MY HEADLIGHTS! I HAVE ALSO CALLED OTHER TOYOTA DEALERS AND GET A MIXTURE OF WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A COVERED ITEM UNDER THE CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED WARRANTY. NOW THAT HER WARRANTY IS COMING CLOSE THE END OF TERM (12 MONTHS OR 12000 MILES) THE DEALERSHIP THAT SHE BOUGHT IT FROM IS BALKING AT REPLACING THE HEADLIGHTS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, SINCE I WOULD THINK THAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD GET REIMBURSED BY TOYOTA NORTH AMERICA (SIMILAR TO WHAT MY BMW DEALERSHIP WOULD). NOT SURE IF SHE HAS THE HALOGENS OR THE HID'S, WHICH HAVE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF RANDOM FAILURES WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10459771May 27, 2012
STRUCTURE:BODY
AFTER ONLY ABOUT 3 YEARS USE, THE RUBBER COVER ON THE HATCH RELEASE HANDLE (THE EXTERIOR HANDLE OF THE REAR HATCH) OF OUR 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS, MELTED INTO A STICKY TARRY BLACK RUBBERY GOOEY MESS. I CAN BEST DESCRIBE IT AS BEING A VISCOUS BLACK GLOB LIKE ROOFING TAR. TO OPEN THE HATCH, YOU HAVE TO TOUCH THIS BLACK GOO EACH TIME, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO OPERATE THE HATCH RELEASE. WE BELIEVE THIS MELTING PROCESS STARTED AT ABOUT THE 2 YR. MARK. I THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A SINGULAR ISSUE, BUT HAVE FOUND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL CAR OWNERS, PARTICULARLY IN FLORIDA. WE LIVE IN LOUISIANA. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS, AND IS SELLING THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS FOR $96 PLUS REPAIR COSTS, AND HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT RECALLING THIS. FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, THIS MEANS YOU CAN EXPERIENCE EXTREME DIFFICULTY OPENING THE REAR HATCH (A LIFE SAFETY ACCESS POINT), AND WILL GET STICKY BLACK TAR ON YOU FROM THE MELTED DOWN RUBBER COVER OF THE EXTERIOR HATCH RELEASE HANDLE. TO ME, THIS IS BOTH A SERIOUS LIFE SAFETY ISSUE AND A SERIOUS QUALITY DEFECT THAT TOYOTA IS OPTING TO IGNORE AND ONLY FIXING ON VEHICLES WITH EXTENDED WARRANTIES, SINCE THE FAILURE APPEARS TO OCCUR AT AROUND THE 2 YEAR MARK (IE AFTER 2 YEARS OF EXPOSURE TO THE BRIGHT SUN IN LOUISIANA FOR EXAMPLE). I AM AWARE OF THE OUTSTANDING WORK DONE BY NHTSA ON OTHER SAFETY ISSUES, INCLUDING THE PROBLEM WITH RUSTY FRAMES ON 02 ISUZU AXIOMS, AND I FIND THIS PROBLEM TO BE SIMILAR IN NATURE, SO I AM ASKING FOR YOUR AGENCY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE INSTANCES AND ALSO TO INQUIRE FROM TOYOTA WHY THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THESE HANDLES THAT ARE MELTING IN THE SUN!!! IT'S OUTRAGEOUS. I THINK A DOOR HANDLE OR HATCH HANDLE SHOULD BE MADE TO LAST MORE THAN 2 YEARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10459056May 20, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE LIGHTS STARTED BURNING OUT. THEY CONTINUE TO BURN OUT EVERY FEW MONTHS, OR LESS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10458919May 18, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS GO ON AND OFF AT RANDOM WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES THEY WONT COME BACK ON UNTIL I TURN THE SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON. SOMETIMES ONLY ONE LIGHT WILL GO OFF AND NOT COME BACK ON UNTIL I TURN THE SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON SEVERAL TIMES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10457916May 9, 2012
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY PRIUS HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY ERRATIC AND UNSAFE. WHILE DRIVING, ONE OR THE OTHER AND SOMETIMES BOTH GO OFF. NO BUMPS OR OTHER INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED. THEY JUST GO OFF. BY TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN BACK ON, THEY ALWAYS CORRECT THEMSELVES, UNTIL THE NEXT OCCURRENCE, WHICH MAY BE IN MINUTES, OR DAYS. THIS CONDITION IS ENTIRELY INTOLERABLE AND IS NOT DUE TO LOOSE CONNECTIONS OR BAD BULBS OR ANY OTHER CAUSE. IT OBVIOUSLY IS A DEFECTIVE FIRMWARE OR HARDWARE SENSOR PROBLEM. IT IS VERY UNSAFE, AS IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME AT NIGHT WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. I HAVE LOOKED AT REVIEWS ON THE INTERNET AND IT APPEARS THAT MANY PRIUS OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THANKS AND I HOPE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS COME YOUR WAY TO CAUSE A CORRECTIVE ACTION OF SOME SORT! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10457456May 4, 2012
POWER TRAIN
I STOPPED AT MY MAILBOX YESTERDAY AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. WHEN I GOT BACK IN THE CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE AWAY THE CAR SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL ALL BY ITSELF. I PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE AND AGAIN IT SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL. IT DID THIS 5 TIMES BEFORE I FINALLY HELD THE KNOB DOWN INTO DRIVE SO I COULD GET THE CAR HOME INTO MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THIS MORNING IT SEEMED TO WORK FINE, BUT I AM FINDING TONS OF REPORTS ON THE INTERNET OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND EVEN A YOU TUBE VIDEO OF A LADY WHO DOCUMENTED WHEN IT HAPPENED TO HER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10457379May 3, 2012
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD PAUSE AND THE TIRES LOST TRACTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 25,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10457427May 3, 2012
POWER TRAIN
MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS POPS OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL SPORADICALLY. I HAVE TO HOLD THE GEAR SELECTOR IN THE DRIVE POSITION WITH MY RIGHT HAND WHILE I DRIVE ONE HANDED WITH MY LEFT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10456447April 25, 2012
AIR BAGS
MY HUSBAND HIT A JEEP WHO WENT THROUGH HIS RED LIGHT. WE T-BONED HIM, OUR AIR BAGS "DID NOT" DEPLOY. WE WERE GOING 40 WHICH IS THE POSTED SPEED. MY HUSBAND HIT THE BRAKES BUT THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD GET STOPPED. WE DID GET CHECKED AT THE HOSPITAL. THANKFULLY WE HAD MINOR BRUISES, BUT OUR 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS WAS TOTALED. THE CAR TOOK THE IMPACT WELL, SEAT BELTS KEPT US SAFE, AS WELL OUR GRANDSON'S CAR SEAT BUT, THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T WORK. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0

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