Toyota Prius Complaints (2010)

2,829 consumer complaints on file.

#11505407February 3, 2023
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car slows down to a stop when driving on the freeway. With no power to accelerate, it makes it hard to get to the side of the road to be towed. Been to the dealer twice to address the problem, and was told that if I don't pay $200, that there is nothing they can do. Then when I did pay the money for evaluation, they told me the problem could be one of several things that would start the never-ending process of repairs that will keep me paying until they solve it. I would think that with a $200 code reading, that the dealers software could narrow it down to the exact repair needed. I mentioned to the dealer about the JOV update I had done earlier to the car, but dealer refuses to recognize that there is a recall on my vehicle, and that I needed to pay money(that I don't have) to do anything. My check hybrid system light and orange triangle comes on when the car dies
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11503318January 24, 2023
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I was driving home from work when all the warning light all came on at once. The car suddenly stopped accelerating and the “check hybrid system” was showing on my dash. I was lucky enough to be going down hill so I can make it to a shoulder to get off the road. Tried troubleshooting everything but to no avail and needed to get towed because the Prius would not move at all. Haven’t got the vehicle checked yet because the vehicle will not move and can only be moved if towed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11503502January 24, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I had just gotten back in my car from a quick store trip. My prius turned on like normal but soon after when I was driving different kind of warning lights turned on. My steering was affected ,the car slowed down considerably to the point I was almost rear-ended. The triangle of death, check engine, brake and steering lights all came on with the check hybrid system warning. Before this i had no prior issues with my car. I had it checked by an independent mechanic who states it is the inverter that caused this
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11500240January 5, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES
The brake cylinder and brake pump assemblies broke down in the middle of the highway. The ABS, brake, VSC, and traction lights lit up unexpectedly after ~1 hour of driving. I was able to get the car to the dealership and the service advisor noted that he was surprised that we made it as far as we did without a complete failure of the brake system. He advised that it was not even safe to drive the car around the corner for a few blocks because of the brake system malfunction. They provided an error code of C1391. This is a full failure of the brake system that makes the vehicle unsafe for street operation. This complaint adds to an already well-documented problem with these issues that Toyota acknowledged through a wholly inadequate "voluntary customer support program" which expired after the earlier of 10 years and 150,000 miles [link: https://bit.ly/3CntosU], which for all 2010 Priuses expired in 2021. The issue also appears similar to the ones reported in Defect Petitions DP19-004 and, indirectly, PE10006. This was also the subject of a lawsuit in 2020 that was since withdrawn by the plaintiff (Turner v. Toyota, Case No. 5:20-CV-00320, CD Cal). There are dozens of written reports and videos of people resetting their brake warning lights with paperclips. This is a major safety hazard for those 2010 Priuses that are still on the road and should be remedied by a recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11499493December 30, 2022
AIR BAGS
The driver airbag deployed without an accident while driving in the highway. The airbag deployment caused near control lost of the car. I was lucky to not have any other cars near me so I managed to get the car safely out of the highway. The airbag deployment was scary and caused me not able to see through the windshield due to the gas from the airbag.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11498917December 26, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
My 2010 is covered under a recall. I had total brake failure and the dash light up like a Christmas tree. Brought in before the recall was released and it was repaired under my extended warranty. Then got recall notice, so I guess there was an internal fund transfer.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11498082December 19, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
The braking system malfunction and it's available for inspection upon request. I was almost get into accident when I was driving around 65mph on I-495 because of the fail brake issue Upon online research, it turns out this is a common safety problem on the 2010 prius and toyota only issue extended warranty but not recall. the ABS light, slip Indicator light and brake system light all come on at the same time before I experienced the brake system failed
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11498115December 19, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
My 2010 Toyota Prius seemed to have a faulty ABS actuator/ boaster pump for years but I did not know it until recently. For years the car would display the abs, traction controls, and brake light for 50 miles and then go away but the most recent time it did not go off. The actuator continuously runs and you can hear it consistently buzz every 5-10 seconds. The brake pedal require a lot more force in order for the car to slow down and the car jumps forward when depressing the brakes suddenly. In the past the brake would require much more force but after a few miles on the road the light would go off and the car would seem to function as normal, but most recently as of last week the light would not go off and the brakes require a lot of force still after doing almost 400 miles. I had 2 near misses once almost hitting another car during a rainy day and another missing a stop sign by almost half a car length. I took my car to the dealership and they stated that the error code is showing a faulty abs actuator but the rep told me it should still be fine to drive if I do not want to pay the out of pocket cost and get it fixed immediately. This is a major safety concern for me and my family and even though I been servicing my car for year at the Toyota dealership it was never brought to my attention. Only recently when I had the near misses and had my mechanic run test on it did I realize. I then took my car to Toyota for routine maintenance and it was confirmed that the abs actuator/boaster pump was faulty, yet they offer no remedy and they never even notified me of this faulty OEM issue until I brought it to their attention. The dealership said my VIN did not qualify for any recall or customer satisfaction proposal (CSP) and that if I wish to fix the brakes/actuator issue it would be an out of pocket cost of a few thousand dollars. This is unacceptable and action needs to be taken immediately to recall and rectify this before innocent lives are lost due to brake failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11496943December 11, 2022
TIRES, TIRES:MARKINGS, TIRES:SIDEWALL
Tires losing air and noticed the rubber breaking down and separating from the sidewall on all four tires. Took into Evans dealership and they informed us the tires were a safety issue and tried to sell new tires. They told us the tires were made in 93 but we bought in 2016, so we looked up and DOT number on tire (only had u093). The service tech did not understand the DOT numbers since it was missing the last four numbers. They do have a date on the paperwork U09304160416 The tires only have approximately 25, 000 miles and car is garage kept. Rubber should not be breaking down. What can we do? We had no idea about the date until they pointed it out. Legally these tires are a safety issue. Tires P 195/60R15
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11495822December 2, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
Driving when I had to stop because of traffic light. Almost ran into a car because my brakes did not function correctly. ABS light and brake lights in dashboard came on. Pulled over. Called Tow truck. Had it towed to dealer. Brake Booster and master cylinder were replaced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11495232November 28, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
Own a 2010 prius w 110k miles on it and now hearing brake booster buzzing every minute when car is on when im sure its not suppose to be going off that frequently. And of course I missed the recall date.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11494890November 25, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES, WHEELS, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I was driving my 2010 Toyota Prius and my car started beeping when I was driving when I tried to slow down the car was not able to stop the breaking system ABS started displaying and my car started to beep and it won’t stop beeping. I did take my car to the dealer for a recalled inspection after my car broke down and I was no longer able to drive for my own safety. After I took the car to Downey Toyota for hybrid recall they didn’t tell me anything but on the document they gave me it did state that the ABS was a problem. Now my car is still not able to be used because of my own safety concerns since the vehicle won’t break when I put the brake pedal and a none stop beeping sound that won’t stop at all.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11493054November 10, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
The brake booster assembly and pump failed in my Prius. This causes the brakes to barely function. It disables both ABS and traction control. I nearly ended up running a red light and getting into a major collision with my three children in the car. The ABS, traction control, and BRAKE lights are all illuminated. Toyota advised they are aware this is a common failure but refuse to fix it. A dealership inspected it to confirm the flaw. Toyota will not fix it so I am forced to drive this vehicle with barely functioning brakes with my 3 children in the car still as I have no choice.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11491804November 1, 2022
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
There is a long-standing problem with the instrument panel being very difficult to see when operating the vehicle on a very sunny day. It is very dim even when the "instrument panel light control" is adjusted, especially when wearing sunglasses. No response by dealer.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11486931September 28, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake booster actuator internal leak. Toyota refuses to cover the repair for the known defective and previously recalled part. See recall "D0H" and "customer support" campaign "ZJB" from Toyota. These are critical braking parts that control ABS, traction control, stability control, front/rear brake bias, regenerative braking and brake pedal feel and pressure. Loss of braking and all previously mentioned safety features occurs when the car sets the error codes, disabling and crippling the braking system. Longer stopping distances and much less responsive brake pedal is immediate. This part costs $700 from the dealer and they want over 2000 to fix the car due to the known defective, recalled part. This affects most Toyota hybrids of this era. The Prius is especially important to get recalled IMMEDIATELY, due to this being a common taxi and rideshare car, carrying multiple lives and heavier loads, in more severe operating conditions. Please look into this!! Toyota corporate has been called and they refuse to help or acknowledge the problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11486381September 26, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Brake, ABS and traction control warning lights went on when I was driving. I was able to brake but it was not functioning at 100%. The local mechanic was able to scan the code to get the C1391: Abnormal Leak of ACC PRESS error. The warning lights remain when I drive or parked. I no longer feel safe driving my vehicle. I plan to take my car to the Toyota dealer for further diagnosis and repair. I was informed that this is a very costly repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11485058September 18, 2022
ENGINE
Engine is taking in coolant problem
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11483527September 8, 2022
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact stated that the power steering and power brakes failed. The contact stated that the "check hybrid system" and "check battery" warning lights were illuminated. The contact steered off the roadway safely; however, he was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the inverter needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V684000 (Hybrid Propulsion System). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 387,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11482524September 2, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
My brakes are failing. The brake booster leaks. The stopping distance is greater. All the warning lights are on on the dash. Error code C1391 on the unit. Two dealers would not repair it under warranty or recall. They gave me a price of $2600-$2800.The situation still exists. The car has had the engine replaced out of warranty but by the dealer but the brakes were not replaced as a preventive measure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11482526September 2, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
Brakes became soft the stopping distance grew.All my dash warning signs lit up. Why was my car to repaired in warranty or recalled when the problem was a manufacturer error? Toyota can't pick and chose which cars they will fix when they all have the same problem. I am attaching a 'Customer Support Program' sample and my car falls under the Primary Coverage section. My car was diagnosed at a dealership on 5/14/2021. But not fixed under warranty or recall. Toyota has recall on brakes for many of the newer cars too. Same issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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