Toyota Prius Complaints (2005)

1,051 consumer complaints on file.

#10552191November 14, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD SHUT OFF AND NOT COME BACK ON DURING VARIOUS SPEEDS. IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AT 65MPH A HEADLIGHT ( RANDOMLY LEFT OR RIGHT) WOULD SHUT OFF AT NIGHT). I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF TO REACTIVATE THE HEADLIGHT!!! THE HEADLIGHT WOULD COME BACK ON ONCE THE SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN, BUT SEVERAL MILES DOWN THE ROAD, A HEADLIGHT WOULD GO OFF AGAIN!!! THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!! WE BROUGHT IT TO A TOYOTA GARAGE, AND WERE TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE HEADLIGHTS BUT NOT FOR OUR 2005 VEHICLE. WE PAID $476.00 TO REPLACE BOTH HEADLIGHTS!! HOW CAN HEADLIGHTS BE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND BE COVERED FOR CERTAIN YEARS ONLY??? WITH THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE IT APPEARS THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM FOR 2005 MODELS TOO!!! WHY WAIT FOR ACCIDENTS OR DEATHS??? THUS OCCURRED AT ALL SPEEDS!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10550121October 30, 2013
POWER TRAIN
SHIFT LEVER PLASTIC SHIELD WARPED, PREVENTING GOING INTO PARK. CAR CAN ROLL FORWARD WHEN YOU THINK PARK IS ENGAGED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548715October 21, 2013
STEERING
1TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ABNORMAL RATTLING NOISE FROM THE STEERING SHAFT EVERY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V537000 (STEERING). THE PURCHASED A NEW INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT, HE DISCOVERED THAT THERE HAD NOT BEEN A FAILURE BUT THE STEERING SHAFT BOLTS HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY TIGHTENED, CAUSING THE RATTLING NOISE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE BOTH ADVISED OF THE FAILED REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000. UPDATED 11-04-13 *BF UPDATED 11/6/2013 *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548497October 18, 2013
ENGINE, STEERING
I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR A RECALL ON STEERING MECHANISM WHICH RESULTED IN A BOLT REPLACEMENT. THE SERVICE ADVISER ADVISED ME I NEEDED TO REPLACE WATER PUMP. THIS CAR ALREADY HAD ONE PUMP REPLACED ON A RECALL, WHY WAS THE OTHER PUMP NOT RECALLED? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548187October 16, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT SHUTS OFF BY ITSELF AFTER A FEW MINUTES. WHEN I SHUT OFF THE LIGHTS AND TURN THEM ON AGAIN, THEY BOTH STAY LIT FOR SEVERAL MORE MINUTES OR SOMETIMES LONGER. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY CHARGED OVER $100 TO REPLACE THE BULB AND THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2006-2009 MODELS FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM. I SUSPECT THIS MIGHT EXTEND TO THE 2005 MODEL. AT TIMES BOTH LIGHTS GO OUT IN AN UNPREDICTABLE MANNER. THIS DOES NOT SEEM SAFE TO ME. THANK YOU *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10547543October 10, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I FLIPPED THE SWITCH AND THEY TURNED ON. THIS NOW HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE AND IT REQUIRES NUMEROUS FLIPPING ON AND OFF OF THE LIGHTS TO MAKE THEM COME BACK ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10544358September 19, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY 70 MPH BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT! TURNED THEM OFF AND THEN BACK ON THEY DID NOT WORK. TURNED THEM OFF AND BACK ON ONCE AGAIN AND THEY WORKED. BOTH LIGHTS SHOULD NOT GO OUT AT ONCE! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10544283September 18, 2013
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO HIS VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE SUSTAINED A LACERATION TO THE FOREHEAD AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SEVERED CHEST BRUISING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10544032September 17, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AT NIGHT THE RIGHT HEADLAMP SUDDENLY WENT OUT. I TURNED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF AND THE HEADLAMP CAME BACK ON. APPROXIMATELY 7-8 MINUTES LATER BOTH HEADLAMPS WENT OUT. ONCE AGAIN I TURNED THE HEADLAMP SWITCH OFF AND ON AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS CAME BACK ON. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVERY FEW MINUTES UNTIL I FINALLY REACHED MY DESTINATION. SINCE THEN IT HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN SPORADICALLY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I PURCHASED NEW BULBS THINKING THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM BUT DISCOVERED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT GIVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO THE BULBS FOR CHANGING. IT APPEARS THAT IT MUST HAVE TO BE DONE BY THE DEALER. I FEEL THAT THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT NEEDS ATTENTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10542913September 10, 2013
AIR BAGS
THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO CHECK FOR THE CAUSE AND THEY TOLD US THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BAD AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT WORK BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM (OF WHICH THEY WERE ALREADY AWARE) WITH THE WIRING HARNESS. A DEFECT IN THE WIRING HARNESS - THEIR WORDS- WOULD COST ABOUT $2000.00 TO REPLACE. THEY ARE AWARE THAT THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN THESE VEHICLES, BUT AS OF YET THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL OR OFFER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IF THIS ISN'T A SAFETY ISSUE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD BE. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10542926September 10, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT GOES OUT SOMETIME AFTER START UP. IF YOU SWITCH THE LIGHTS OFF THEN ON AGAIN IT RUNS FOR A PERIOD (APPROX 4 MIN) THEN GOES OUT AGAIN. REPLACING BULB HAS NO EFFECT. WHEN SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS APPEARS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM AMONG 2005/2006 PRIUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10542781September 9, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FRONT PASSENGER HEADLAMP GOES OUT BY ITSELF. WILL COME BACK ON IF HEADLAMP SWITCH IS TURNED OFF AND ON. DOES NOT OCCUR WITH HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR DEPENDING UPON WEATHER. VERY UNPREDICTABLE. ONCE DRIVER SIDE HEADLAMP DID THE SAME. REGULARLY THE PASSENGER HEADLAMP FAILS!! ALSO, REAR PASSENGER BRAKE LAMP WORKS SOMETIMES AND DOESN'T WORK OTHER TIMES. UNPREDICTABLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10542344September 6, 2013
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE CAR WAS INITIALLY SWERVING (AS IF IN A BAD WHEEL ALIGNMENT). THEN IT TOOK A SHARP RIGHT TURN AND JUMPED OFF OF THE FREEWAY. DESPITE MY ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL IT AND KEEP IT ON FREEWAY, DUE TO THE SPEED AND MOMENTUM, IT DROVE OFF THE SLOPE TO THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD, ROLLED OVER AND EVENTUALLY LANDED RIGHT SIDE UP. INITIALLY I THOUGHT IT COULD BE A BLOWN UP TIRE.. BUT THAT DID NOT SEEM TO BE THE CASE.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10541903September 4, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAD JUST HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND WHEN I WAS LEAVING I STARTED THE CAR BUT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DIDN'T COME ON. I DROVE ON AND STILL NOTHING. WHEN I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, THE LIGHTS CAME ON WITH THE ERROR MESSAGE THAT MY BRAKES WERE ENGAGED. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO DEPRESS AND RELEASE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT THE SAME MESSAGE. I COULDN'T MOVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKES WERE LOCKED. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY HAD TO GET TOYOTA INVOLVED BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THREE COMPUTERS ARE FRIED. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING SINCE I GOT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT HAD SUCH WONDERFUL REVIEWS (YES THIS WAS SOME YEARS AGO) HOW DO COMPUTERS JUST "UP AND FRY" WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I AM HOPEFUL THAT TOYOTA WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND STEP UP AND TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. ALSO, WHATEVER THEY COULD DO FOR ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED SINCE I WAS A DIE HARD PRIUS FAN.....UNTIL NOW??? *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10538289September 1, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
ONE HEADLIGHT GOES OUT - THIS HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. CHANGING THE BULBS ONLY SOLVES THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW MONTHS. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT IN SECOND GENERATION PRIUS MODELS. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10538086August 30, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
STARTING OVER A YEAR AGO AND OCCURRING EVERY TIME NEEDED,THE HEADLIGHT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SPORADICALLY GOES OUT. IT CAN HAPPEN ZERO TO MULTIPLE TIMES DURING A SINGLE USE OF THE CAR, SOMETIMES UP TO EVERY MINUTE AND A HALF WHILE DRIVING. TURNING THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN CAUSE BOTH HEADLIGHTS TO COME BACK ON. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THIS DID NOT START HAPPENING UNTIL AFTER A MAINTENANCE VISIT AND WAS STOPPED BY A STATE PATROL OFFICER. CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER PRIUS OWNERS, REPLACING THE HEADLIGHT DOES NOT SEEM TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. AT +$350 TO CHANGE THE HEADLIGHT AT THE DEALER, I AM HESITANT TO SPEND MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. WHILE WE HAVE HAD NO OTHER TROUBLES WITH THIS CAR AND LOVE THE CAR, THIS RECURRING ISSUE HAS CAUSED US TO HESITATE DRIVING THE CAR AT NIGHT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10536981August 23, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
STARTING IN APPROXIMATELY MARCH AND OCCURRING DAILY THROUGH PRESENT DAY, ONE OR BOTH HEADLIGHTS SPORADICALLY GO OUT. WE STARTED NOTICING THIS IN MARCH WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. OUR OWN TESTS INDICATE THAT IT CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS AT A COMPLETE STANDSTILL OR AT ANY SPEED. IT CAN HAPPEN ZERO TO MULTIPLE TIMES DURING A SINGLE USE OF THE CAR, SOMETIMES UP TO EVERY MINUTE AND A HALF WHILE DRIVING. TURNING THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN CAUSE BOTH HEADLIGHTS TO COME BACK ON. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THIS DID NOT START HAPPENING UNTIL THIS LAST MARCH. WE HAVE HAD NO OTHER TROUBLES WITH THIS CAR AND LOVE THE CAR, ASIDE FROM THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS CAUSED US TO STOP DRIVING THE CAR AT NIGHT, WHICH IS EXTREMELY INCONVENIENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10534130August 7, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DIGITAL DASHBOARD DISPLAY IS, FROM TIME TO TIME, SO DIM AS TO BE ALMOST INVISIBLE. SOMETIMES IT APPEARS TO BE ABOUT 90% OF BRIGHTNESS, OTHER TIMES AT ABOUT 5% OR LESS. THIS MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO READ SUCH INFORMATION AS SPEED, WARNING LIGHTS, ETC. WHEN IT IS VISIBLE, IT IS A MAJOR DISTRACTION, TAKING CONSIDERABLE TIME AND EFFORT. TOYOTA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT MY TOYOTA DEALER REFUSES TO PERFORM THE REPAIR, CLAIMING THAT AS LONG AS THEY CAN SEE THE DISPLAY AT ANY LEVEL, REGARDLESS OF HOW DIM, THERE IS NOT A CORRECTABLE PROBLEM.SINCE THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, THEY MAY NOT SEE IT AT ITS WORST. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10525625July 18, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES DID NOT APPLY INSTANTLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP LIGHT. WE ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. THANKFULLY WE APPLIED THE BRAKES EARLY, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE THE BRAKES WERE NOT BEING APPLIED AND THAT THE WHEELS JUST KEPT ON MOVING. I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE AGAIN TO MAKE SURE IT WOULD APPLY MORE PRESSURE. WE CAME WITHIN A FEW INCHES OF REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. AND THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 TIMES NOW. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BEFORE A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR DEATH, HEAVEN FORBID, OCCURS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10523912July 9, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
THE BRAKING SYSTEM FOR MY 2005 PRIUS HAS BEEN MALFUNCTIONING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN THE SUMMER OF 2012. WHILE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN ON A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE THE BRAKES REFUSED TO BRAKE FOR 1 OR 2 SECONDS, CAUSING A HIGHER-THAN-ANTICIPATED SPEED WHEN GOING AROUND A TURN. THIS PROBLEM INCREASES THE DISTANCE THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO STOP AND I CONSIDER THIS A HIGH SAFETY CONCERN AND A MAJOR PRODUCT DEFECT. NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED FROM THE PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE SO FAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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