Toyota Prius Complaints (2008)

1,497 consumer complaints on file.

#10365554November 13, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ON A 2008 PRIUS DECIDES NOT WORK AT VARIED TIMES. IT IS A SPORADIC PROBLEM WHICH OCCURS THEN GOES AWAY. YOU COULD BE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT THEN YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE NO DISPLAY TELLING YOU: 1) HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING, 2) HOW MUCH GAS DO YOU HAVE, OR 3) DISTANCE TRAVELED. IT'S TOO DIFFICULT TO TROUBLESHOOT BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WOULD GOES AWAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10365567November 13, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH 33,000 MILES EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AT RANDOM WHILE DRIVING IN ANY CONDITIONS - HOT OR COLD, WET OR DRY, ETC. TURNING LIGHTS OFF THEN ON SOMETIMES RESOLVES PROBLEM FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10365519November 12, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED UPON START-UP. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST FOR A NEW BULB. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 62,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10365261November 10, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLIGHT PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10364003November 4, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TOYOTA PRIUS HID HEADLAMP GOES OUT AFTER TURNING ON AND WARMING UP. ISSUE AND CONCERN IS THAT THE LAMP APPEARS FUNCTIONAL AT FIRST AND THEN GOES OUT AFTER SOME RANDOM PERIOD OF TIME WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TO THE DRIVER. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE PRIUS HID LAMPS. FIXED BY REPLACING BULB. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10362634October 27, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
RIGHT HEADLIGHT ON 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS GO OUT AND TO GET IT BACK ON, THE LIGHTS MUST BE TURNED OFF AND THEN ON. THIS MAY HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES DURING A DRIVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10362460October 26, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
AT RANDOM TIMES THE HID HEADLIGHTS ON MY 08 TOYOTA PRIUS WILL TURN OFF. IT HAPPENS TO BOTH LIGHTS BUT IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO BOTH LIGHTS AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN BACK ON IF I TURN THE POWER SWITCH OFF AND THEN BACK ON. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING WITH ALOT OF PRIUS MODELS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10362248October 25, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VISIBILITY
ON 12/03/09 WE WERE TICKETED FOR A LEFT HEADLIGHT OUT ON OUR 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS OUT OR GOING OUT. IT LOOKED ON TO US. TWO MILES FROM HOME IT LOOKED AS BRIGHT AS EVER. THE NEXT MORNING, AS MUCH AS WE TRIED, THE GARAGE COULD NOT FIND A BULB OUT, GOING OUT, WEAK, ON OR OFF, NOTHING WAS WRONG! WE HAD A FUNERAL TO GO TO AND PAID THE FINE. TWO WEEKS LATER, A LETTER WAS MAILED FROM TOYOTA LISTING ISSUES REGARDING THESE HID LIGHTS STATING THAT THESE SUDDENLY GO OUT, AND ON AND OFF, AMONG OTHER THINGS, NEAR THE END OF THEIR LIFE. MY CAR IS A 2008. MY HUSBAND AND I CANNOT REPLACE THESE EXPENSIVE, EXOTIC HID BULBS BECAUSE ACCESS IS IN A VERY TIGHT PLACE AND THE BUMPER MUST BE REMOVED--SERIOUSLY!!!! EVEN IF WE COULD DO IT, THESE HID BULBS CANNOT BE PURCHASED IN A NORMAL AUTOMOTIVE STORE. ANYHOW, AGAIN ON 10/17/10 I WAS SEVERAL HOURS OUT OF TOWN, DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE, AT NIGHT, ON A WEEKEND, AND THE OTHER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT!!! I COULD NOT PUT IN A NEW BULB MYSELF. I HAD NO ONE TO CALL WITH THIS EXOTIC HID LIGHT AND CERTAINLY NO ONE THAT WOULD TAKE OFF A BUMPER ON THE INTERSTATE. SUDDEN, COMPLETE LIGHT OUTAGE AT NIGHT IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. ON TOP OF THIS, HID HEADLAMP PROBLEM, ANY LIGHT BULB NEEDS TO BE RELATIVELY EASY TO REPLACE. AT $150. PER BULB, VERY PRICEY LIGHT PLUS BUMPER REMOVAL LABOR EXPENSE AT 1 HOUR ($288), THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SERVICE CLERK ACTUALLY SAID "YOU CHOSE THIS OPTION." HELP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED ON ONE OF THESE DARK ROADS (CHANCES ARE THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH NO ONE ALIVE TO KNOW THIS WAS THE CAUSE)!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10362350October 25, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
IN JANUARY 2010 I BEGAN TO SUSPECT THAT THE PASSENGER-SIDE HIGH-INTENSITY-DISCHARGE(HID) HEADLIGHT OF MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, IT SEEMED LIKE MY HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT EVENLY ILLUMINATING THE ROAD AHEAD OF ME. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I CHECKED MY HEADLIGHTS BY TURNING ON MY VEHICLE AND HEADLIGHTS, BUT SAW BOTH HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED PROPERLY. IN EARLY SEPTEMBER 2010, I DISCOVERED THE PASSENGERS-SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED ILLUMINATING APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER TURNING ON THE HEADLIGHTS. AS THE WEEKS WENT ON, THE PASSENGER-SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED ILLUMINATING MORE QUICKLY. AFTER I DISCOVERED THE HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION, I DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. I LEARNED NHTSA LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE AND DECIDED NOT TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL. AS A RESULT, I DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL MY 30,000 CHECK-UP TO HAVE THE DEALER LOOK AT MY HEADLIGHT. ON OCT 21, 2010 I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 238 AT NIGHT IN THE POURING RAIN. I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN BOTH HEADLIGHTS SIMULTANEOUSLY STOPPED ILLUMINATING. UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD OF ME DUE TO THE LACK OF HEADLIGHTS, I COULD NOT PULL OVER. I SLOWED DOWN TO 50 MPH, TURNED OFF THE HEADLIGHTS THEN TURNED THEM BACK ON. THIS CAUSED BOTH HEADLIGHTS TO RE-ILLUMINATE. THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED ILLUMINATING AFTER ABOUT 60 SECONDS. IT IS A MIRACLE I DID NOT DRIVE OFF THE ROAD AND KILL MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE. MY VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND TOYOTA IS REPLACING BOTH HEADLIGHTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10362144October 24, 2010
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL. WHEN THE CAR IS GOING UP OR DOWN A HILL THAT IS SLIPPERY, ICY OR SNOWY, THE VSC KICKS IN, AND ALL POWER IS SHUT OFF TO THE SPINNING WHEEL (S). THIS RENDERS THE CAR UNUSABLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. I HAVE BEEN IN TRAFFIC, AND BARELY ESCAPED RUNNING INTO THE CAR BEHIND ME. NO INJURIES WERE CAUSED, BUT THIS FEATURE IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS AND EVEN FATAL. TOYOTA SHOULD BE PERSUADED TO OFFER OR INSTALL A WAY TO TEMPORARILY DISABLE THE VSC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361726October 22, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ONE OF OUR HEADLAMPS BEGAN TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT ANY APPARENT CAUSE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON A FREQUENT BASIS (25-75% OF THE TIME) BUT COULD NOT BE CAUSED. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED WE REPLACE BOTH BULBS DUE TO THE EXPENSE OF REMOVING THE BUMPER WHICH IS REQUIRED. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS TYPE OF HID BULB TO FAIL AT THIS TIME IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361603October 21, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOTH OF THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS ON OUR 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS WENT OUT ,SIMULTANEOUSLY, WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. ALTHOUGH QUITE FRIGHTENING, FORTUNATELY, THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A WELL LIT STREET AT A SLOW SPEED AND WE WERE ABLE TO REACH OUR DESTINATION SAFELY. IF THIS HAD OCCURRED ON A CURVY ROAD, DARKER AREA, ETC. THE RESULTS MAY HAVE BEEN DEADLY. SINCE BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, OUR ASSUMPTION WAS THAT THE ISSUE WAS ELECTRICAL OR PERHAPS A BLOWN FUSE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE WE WERE TOLD, WITHOUT INSPECTION, THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DEFECTIVE. FURTHERMORE, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED UNDER OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY AND WE ARE EXPECTED TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT BULBS, ESTIMATED AT ~$500. IT IS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, HAS NOT NOTIFIED ITS CUSTOMERS OF THE HAZARD, AND HAS NOT RECALLED THE PART. AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE THE BULBS IMMEDIATELY AND AT OUR EXPENSE, AS WE UNDERSTAND IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361459October 20, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HID LIGHTS GO OUT AT NIGHT. STARTED TO HAPPEN AROUND 50K MILES. I REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE HID TWICE. THE FIRST TIME, IT FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. NOW, AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES, IT TURNS OFF. TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF THEN ON WILL BRING THE LIGHT BACK ON, SOMETIMES FOR MINUTES, OFTEN FOR SECONDS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361147October 19, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE DRIVER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT ON MY 2008 PRIUS BEGAN FLICKERING AT 70,000 MILES. THE FLICKER WOULD BEGIN AFTER 15 MIN OF DRIVING AND THEN HEADLIGHT WOULD GO OUT. PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS FINE. I ORDERED A REPLACEMENT BULB FROM INTERNET BECAUSE REPAIR COST THROUGH DEALER WAS OVER $200. I WAS DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT LAST THURSDAY AND SUDDENLY BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. THERE WAS NEVER ANY FLICKER WITH PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT. I WAS PLUNGED INTO COMPLETE DARKNESS DRIVING 55 MPH ON A DARK COUNTRY ROAD. IT WAS SCARY. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR DO THIS. DEALER SHIP ADVISES IT WILL BE NEARLY $500 TO REPAIR BOTH HEADLIGHTS WHICH I CAN NOT AFFORD. I ORDERED ANOTHER BULB THROUGH INTERNET. I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR AT NIGHT UNTIL BULBS ARE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361240October 19, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT IS NOT WORKING ON OUR 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. IT TAKES THE VERY EXPENSIVE HID BULBS. I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG THE BULB HAS NOT BEEN WORKING AS IT WORKS FOR A MINUTE THEN GOES OUT. THE VEHICLE HAS 38000 MILES ON IT. A DEALERSHIP HAS RECOMMENDED REPLACING BOTH BULBS AT THE SAME TIME TO SAVE MONEY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360036October 12, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS: REFUELING STARTED TO BECOME A PROBLEM AT 35,000 MILES. TANK WOULD NOT REFILL COMPLETELY AND GAS IS "BURPED" OUT TANK. VERY FRUSTRATING REFUELING BECAUSE GAS HOSE CLICKS OFF REPEATEDLY EVEN THOUGH TANK IS NOT FULL. TYPICALLY TANK WILL TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 2 GALLONS OF FUEL AFTER THE FIRST TIME IT CLICKS "FULL". IT TAKES 5 MINUTES TO PUT IN LAST 2 GALLONS AND THEN FUEL BUBBLES UP AND POURS OUT OF TANK. I COULD SEE THE AIR BUBBLES WORKING THEIR WAY TO THE SURFACE AS THE GAS TANK BURPS OUT THE FUEL. THE BLADDER GAS TANK IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW WHEN TANK IS FULL. MICHAEL'S TOYOTA OF BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON HAS BEEN WORTHLESS - FIRST TELLING ME THEY AREN'T AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND THEY HAD NO PROBLEM REFILLING THE CAR AND THE LAST TIME TELLING ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND I SHOULD CALL TOYOTA. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE... THANKS HEAVENS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY BECAUSE I HAVE NO INTEREST IN DOING FURTHER BUSINESS WITH THEM. TOYOTA SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DEFECT AND REPLACE THE BLADDER GAS TANK WITH A REGULAR VERSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10359773October 8, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AS SHE WAS COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. WITHIN ABOUT 1/10TH OF A SECOND, IT WAS MOVING AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE DID NOT INCREASE SPEED GRADUALLY, BUT WAS ALMOST INSTANTLY MOVING VERY FAST. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE COULD HEAR THE ENGINE REVVING QUITE LOUDLY. THE VEHICLE CROSSED A GRASSY AREA ABOUT 20 FEET WIDE AND THEN HIT A POST WHICH WAS ABOUT 6 INCHES IN DIAMETER. IT DEMOLISHED THE POST AND THEN PLOWED THROUGH SOME SMALL TREES AND LARGE SHRUBBERY. THE VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO REST ABOUT 10 INCHES FROM THE CORNER OF A HOUSE. THE CONSUMER STATED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, SHE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL, AND COMPLIED WITH THE RECALL. HOWEVER, SINCE THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED, SHE NOTICED THAT WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED AND GOING UP A RISE IN THE ROAD, THE ENGINE WOULD START TO AUDIBLY REV AND THE VEHICLE WOULD GAIN 2, 3,4 MPH OVER WHAT WAS SET FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL SPEED. IT ALSO GAINED A FEW MILES WHEN ON A DOWNWARD SLOPE. AS SOON AS THE ROAD LEVELED OUT, IT WOULD GO BACK TO WHAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SETTING WAS. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY DISMISSED IT AS NOT IMPORTANT AND SAID IT WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE AND IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL WORK THEY PERFORMED. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10359663October 8, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLAMP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FAILS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. SOMETIMES TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON SOLVES THE PROBLEM ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT GOOD TO DO AT NIGHT. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON, BUT TOYOTA DOES NOT. THEY RECOMMEND A $300 REPLACEMENT OF BOTH BULBS. I AM WORRIED THAT IF BOTH BULBS FAIL THERE WILL BE A WRECK. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ONLINE THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT ADMIT HAVING A PROBLEM WITH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10359433October 6, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AT NIGHT, BOTH HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY OFFER NO ASSISTANCE IF THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10359207October 5, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AND GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY EVERY TIME THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON SINCE APRIL OF 2008 AND WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A REPAIR, DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING DIAGNOSTICALLY WRONG WITH MY LIGHTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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