Toyota Prius Complaints (2008)

1,497 consumer complaints on file.

#10276554July 13, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS LITERALLY IN A "RUNAWAY" MODE AND THE ENGINE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 12 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. TOYOTA CLAIMS TO BE UNAWARE OF THIS FAILURE AND REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE THE COMPLAINTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,200.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10276065July 8, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS DIM, BUT THE OTHER HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATED PROPERLY. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION, BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS WORKING NORMALLY AT THE TIME. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT SUDDENLY DIMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE HEADLIGHT BEGAN WORKING NORMALLY AGAIN. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH HEADLIGHTS. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND THIS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH HER MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. SHE BELIEVES THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 23,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275440July 1, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. HID HEADLIGHT DIMS OR GOES OUT. TURNING LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON RESTORES HEADLIGHT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM ON PRIUSCHAT.COM AS WELL AS OTHER PLACES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR NIGHT DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275461July 1, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HID HEADLIGHT FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW 2ND WEEK OF APRIL 2008 AND HAS LESS THAN 7,500 MI ON ODOMETER. DRIVER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT FAILED ON THE EVENING BELOW WITHOUT WARNING WHILE ON HIGHWAY. WORKED INTERMITTENTLY BUT DIM, BETWEEN JUNE 22ND TILL REPLACED ON 6/29 UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274597June 22, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES ONE LIGHT, SOMETIMES BOTH. I WILL TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND TURN THEM BACK ON AND THEY WILL BOTH WORK FOR VARYING PERIODS OF TIME BEFORE ONE OR BOTH GO OUT AGAIN. EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DUPLICATE FOR THE SERVICE PERSONNEL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274447June 21, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DRIVERS SIDE HID HEADLIGHT FLICKERS AND DIES. CAN CYCLE POWER AND COMES ON FOR 5 SEC AND DIES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10273984June 16, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BULBS BLOW OUT EACH MONTH IN THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS. THE BULBS WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES EACH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10273545June 11, 2009
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WE BOUGHT THE PRIUS ON JUNE 2008 AND IT HAS ONLY 4023 MILES BUT IN LAST ONE MONTH IT BROKE DOWN THREE TIMES . FIRST TIME THE CAR STOPPED ON HIGHWAY A STRONG BEEP SOUND AND THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT AND A BIG RED ALERT TRIANGLE CAME UP THE CAR LOST IT'S POWER COMPLETELY AND GOT STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF HWY - PRETTY SCARY. THEN ON 6/2/2009 WE NOTICED THAT WE CANNOT OPEN THE HATCH BACK DOOR AND THE CAR IS COMPLETELY DEAD. BOTH TIMES WE TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND FIRST TIME THEY SAID THEY DID NOT FIND ANY THING WRONG AND THEY HAVE RESET ALL THE COMPUTER, SECOND TIME THEY SAID THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED OUT WITHOUT REALLY NY PROPER REASON. LAST NIGHT WE DROVE THE CAR MAY BE ABOUT 15 MILES OR SO AND IT'S THE SAME SITUATION THE BEEP SOUND AND ALL THE HAZARD LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR IS DEAD AGAIN AND WE HAD TO TOW TO THE DEALER. THREE TIMES IN ONE MONTH AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH A $30,000 DOLLARS CAR IS UNACCEPTABLE. SOME ONE REALLY CAN KILL US FROM THE BACK BECAUSE IT IS SO SUDDEN THAT NO WAY THEY COULD PREDICT THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE STALLED WITHIN 5 SECONDS FROM 65 MILES/HOUR SPEED. WE HAVE A CHILD AND SHE TRAVELS ON THE BACK SEAT ALL THE TIME. WHAT IS THE SOLUTION FOR IT? TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR OUR FAMILY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10273044June 7, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I DRIVE A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. AS I WAS DRIVING OUT OF THE GAS STATION AND STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR CONTINUED GOING FASTER. THE BRAKE DID NOT WORK, THE ONLY WAY THE CAR STOPPED WAS BY HITTING ANOTHER CAR. *TR SEE ALSO 10265332 *DSY.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10272773June 3, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY 2008 PRUIS HEAD LIGHTS HAVE BEEN GOING OFF AT NIGHT. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THERE IS NO WARNING AT ALL. AFTER TURNING THE LIGHT CONTROL ON AND OFF THEY WILL COME BACK ON. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME I NEEDED NEW BULBS AT 259.00 EACH. I TOLD THEM THE BULBS WERE WORKING AND ON AND WILL COME BACK ON. AFTER I TOLD HIM READING ABOUT ALL THE PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET HE TOLD ME TO CONTACT TOYOTA. HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE AS OF YET. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10270045May 27, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT ON OUR 2008 PRIUS IN MARCH 2009. SINCE THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD US THAT IF WE SEE EVEN A "FLICKER" TO COME BACK IN AND HAVE IT REPLACED AGAIN BEFORE OUR WARRANTY RUNS OUT. ON MAY 26, 2009, THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHT WENT OUT. WE WILL BE TAKING IT IN TO HAVE IT REPLACED AS WELL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10269596May 21, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
NO BRAKES, 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH ONLY 10,000 MILES. FAILED SENSOR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10269328May 19, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO A HIGH SPEED AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT STOP. HE HAD TO PUSH THE POWER BUTTON IN ORDER TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED, BUT IT WOULD NOT RESET ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10269337May 19, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE RUNS OUT OF FUEL, THE GEAR SHIFTER BECOMES DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE BECOMES NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE OR PLACED INTO NEUTRAL TO PUSH TO A SAFE SPOT. THE OWNERS MANUAL DOES NOT CONTAIN INFORMATION REGARDING THIS FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TAKES A MINIMUM OF THREE GALLONS OF GASOLINE IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESTART. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO NOTIFY CONSUMERS OF THIS ISSUE. THE CONTACT FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME FAILURE THAT HE EXPERIENCED AND BELIEVES THAT IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 32,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10269016May 18, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
OVER PERIOD OF SEVERAL WEEKS CAR WOULD REFUSE TO ACCEPT FUEL. STATED CAPACITY IS OVER 11 GALLONS. VEHICLE HAS NEVER TAKEN MORE THAN 9 GALLONS TO FILL UP AT AN INDICATED EMPTY POINT (1 BAR ON FUEL GAUGE). CAR WOULD NOT ACCEPT FUEL WITHOUT BURPING FUEL ALL OVER THE SIDE OF THE CAR AND PAVEMENT SURROUNDING. EACH SUCCESSIVE FILL UP WOULD REQUIRE LESS FUEL BEFORE BURPING AT FUEL CUTOFF FROM PUMP. TOYOTA CLAIMED THAT I HAD BEEN DOING TO MANY MINI FILL-UPS (NOT INTENTIONALLY SINCE GAUGE WAS MALFUNCTIONING). TOYOTA DEALERSHIP "RESET" FUEL SYSTEM EARLY MARCH 2009 AND SINCE HAS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. BELIEVE TOYOTA (AND US GOV'T AGENCY THAT APPROVED THIS FAULTY SYSTEM IN THE FIRST PLACE) SHOULD REPLACE FUEL SYSTEM WITH VERSION THE EUROPEANS ARE USING AS I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY COMPLAINTS IN EUROPE ON THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268742May 14, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LEFT HEADLIGHT GOES OUT, USUALLY AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN ON FOR A MINUTE. USUALLY IT STAYS OUT FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THE CAR IS ON. THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT ALSO WENT OUT ONCE, REQUIRING ME TO DRIVE WITH JUST THE DIM FLOOD LIGHTS, BUT IT CAME BACK ON A DAY LATER AND HAS STAYED ON. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN EVEN ONE LIGHT GOES OUT, AND IS INTERMITTENT, BUT TO HAVE BOTH LIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IS VERY DANGEROUS. SINCE IT IS INTERMITTENT, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THIS IS A DEFECT AND NOT JUST THE BULB BURNING OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268550May 12, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. IN NOVEMBER OF 2008, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT BULB BLEW OUT. THE BULB WAS REPLACED. IN APRIL OF 2009, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT BULB BLEW OUT AND WAS ALSO REPLACED. CURRENTLY, BOTH HEADLIGHTS ARE WORKING, BUT THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE FAILURES COULD RECUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 06/09/09 *BF UPDATED 06/09/09.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268291May 9, 2009
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I HAD A SUDDEN BLOW-OUT WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 PRIUS ON THE FREEWAY. ALL FOUR TIRES ARE GOODYEAR P185/65R15 AND CAME WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CAR MILEAGE IS ABOUT 19,900. WITHOUT ANY WARNING (LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT, ETC.), THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION ALMOST CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WENT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHO DESCRIBED THE DAMAGE TO THE TIRE AS "TREAD SEPARATION" ON THEIR PAPERWORK. THEY REPLACED THE TIRE AS A "ONE TIME CUSTOMER COURTESY" BUT WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. I AM NOW VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE REMAINING THREE TIRES ON THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268230May 8, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2009 TOYOTA PRIUS, ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON HIGHWAY., PULLED OVER MOMENTARILY AND PROCEEDED. FIRST OCCURRENCE. ENGINE STOP RUNNING ON HWY DRIVING AT 55 MPH, HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. SECOND OCCURRENCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267599May 3, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY 2008 PRIUS PASSENGER HEADLAMP INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO LIGHT. IT IS USUALLY NOT WORKING, BUT SOMETIMES AFTER TURNING THE ON/OFF SWITCH A FEW TIMES, IT WORKS FOR A PERIOD. WHEN IT FAILS, MY HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD CORRECTLY, CAUSING A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION. I HAVE RECEIVED A WARNING FROM LOCAL POLICE. I HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO FIX THIS YET, BUT AFTER READING THROUGH THIS, HTTP://WWW.HYBRIDCARS.COM/FORUMS/REPLACING-HEADLIGHT-BULB-T910.HTML , FORUM, I DECIDED TO FILE A COMPLAINT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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