Toyota Prius Complaints (2005)

1,051 consumer complaints on file.

#10523642July 8, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING 55MPH. PULLED OVER & NOTED DRIVER HEADLIGHT OUT. TURNED CAR OFF & THEN RESTARTED & BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT ON. DROVE A COUPLE MILES & NOTED HEADLIGHT OUT & THIS TIME IT WAS THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT THAT WAS OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES IN THE YEAR @ 1/2. WE ALSO HAD A PROBLEM IN THE PAST WITH THE HEADLIGHTS BEING AIMED TOO LOW IN FRONT OF THE CAR CAUSING TROUBLE SEEING. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE AUTO AIMING COMPUTER WAS MALFUNCTIONING & IT WAS REPLACED BY WARRANTY. WE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE SKID CONTROL BRAKE COMPUTER ($2500.) REPLACED 12/06/2012 DUE TO BRAKE MALFUNCTIONING (BRAKES WOULD HARDLY STOP THE CAR). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10523453July 6, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LEFT HID HEADLIGHT ON MY PRIUS KEEPS GOING OFF AT RANDOM, SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS FAST, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AT ALL. BY CYCLING THE HEADLIGHTS ON/OFF TURN THE LIGHT BACK ON. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN TO MORE THAN JUST MY PRIUS BECAUSE I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN MANY PRIUSES WITH THEIR PASSENGER SIDE (LEFT) HEADLIGHT OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10523482July 6, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOTH HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF SIMULTANEOUSLY. TURNING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF, AND BACK ON RESTORED ILLUMINATION. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN 45 MINUTES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10521691June 25, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
1. DRIVER'S SIDE HID-TYPE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. WENT ON & OFF INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. REQUIRED A REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT COMPUTER AND BULB. RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE TO GET HEADLIGHTS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. 2. HEADLIGHT LEVELING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS & WARNING LIGHT GOES ON INTERMITTENTLY, GENERALLY DURING & RIGHT AFTER RAIN STORMS. ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 32,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10521198June 22, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOTH HID HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. I CAN TOGGLE THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND ON AND ONE OR BOTH LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. THEN WENT OUT AGAIN WITHIN A FEW SECONDS TO A MINUTE, OVER AND OVER. MAKES NO DIFFERENCE IF CAR IS NOT MOVING AT ALL OR GOING 70 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE 15 MILES HOME AT NIGHT WITHOUT INCIDENT. WENT TO DEALER NEXT DAY AND THEY SAY ALL THAT IS WRONG IS THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ARE BURNED OUT. ESTIMATE TO REPLACE BOTH IS $474.31. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD BURN OUT AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME. AND IF THEY ARE BURNED OUT THEN WHY DO THEY COME BACK ON AND OFF. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND FOUND THE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT FOR 2006-2009 MODELS. I ALSO FOUND THAT YOU HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 2005 MODEL YET YOU HAVE NOT CONSIDERED THIS A SAFETY MATTER. I DISAGREE. EVEN IF YOU DON'T HELP ME, I WANT MY COMPLAINT INCLUDED IN YOUR DATABASE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10520180June 17, 2013
STEERING, WHEELS
AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT I HEAD A SNAPPING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE WHEELS STOPPED TURNING. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TURN, BUT THE WHEELS WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP. *TR*DT*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10519528June 12, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OFF AND ON. AT FIRST ALL I HAD TO DO WAS TURN IT OFF THEN ON BUT NOW IT IS TURNING OFF AND STAYING OFF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10519456June 12, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT WHEN BOTH HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF. THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT HAS BEEN TURNING OFF PERIODICALLY, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME BOTH LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. BY TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN ON, THE HEADLIGHTS RETURNED TO WORKING ORDER. THIS IS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM, WHICH BOTH TOYOTA AND NHTSA KNOW ABOUT. REPLACING THE LIGHTBULB APPEARS TO BE ONLY A VERY TEMPORARY, AND COSTLY, SOLUTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10516226June 11, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING WITH MY THREE CHILDREN COMING FROM SCHOOL AND SLOWING DOWN US 301 TOWARDS TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN T TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE CAR DID NOT STOP. I HAD TO REAPPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT DOWN VERY DEEP BEFORE THE CAR JERKED AND SLOWLY STOPPED. THANK GOD THERE WAS NO CAR IN FRONT, OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN A COLLISION. WENT TO THE TOYOTA CAR DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE FAILURE CODE WAS DTC C1247 AND TOLD US TO REPLACE THE SKID CONTROL UNIT. BASICALLY, THE ECU OF THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND THE CAR DID NOT HAVE BRAKES ON IT. PLEASE DO A RECALL BEFORE ANYONE GETS HURT ON THIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10512338May 16, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY CAR LIGHTS KEEPS GOING OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10511209May 9, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. THE NEXT TIME I USED THE CAR, THE HEADLIGHT WAS WORKING AGAIN. SINCE THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, EITHER HEADLIGHT HAS GONE OUT INTERMITTENTLY (I HAVE NOT BEEN AWARE THAT BOTH HAVE GONE OUT AT THE SAME TIME). EACH TIME, THE HEADLIGHTS ARE FOUND TO BE WORKING AGAIN LATER. I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING. I DON'T DO A LOT OF NIGHT DRIVING, BUT I KEEP MY LIGHTS ON ALL THE TIME. I SUSPECT THERE ARE MANY DAYLIGHT FAILURES THAT GO UNNOTICED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10510699May 5, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY 2005 PRIUS BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT. WHEN I FIRST TURN MY LIGHTS ON, THE HEADLAMP WORKS, BUT AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING, IT GOES OUT. SWITCHING TO HIGH BEAMS DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, BUT IF I TURN OFF MY LIGHTS AND TURN THEM RIGHT BACK ON, THE HEADLAMP WORKS FOR A SHORT WHILE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ON PRIUS FORUMS, AND IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THE DEALER WANTS $2600 TO FIX IT. I THINK IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED AT NO CHARGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10510722May 5, 2013
STEERING
I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION TO FUEL UP AND WHEN I LEFT THE GAS STATION I SUDDENLY LOST STEERING IN MY CAR. I COULD ONLY MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD. *TR UPDATED 06/13/13*LJ UPDATED 06/17/2013 *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10510251May 1, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHEN I STARTED MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, I GOT A WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE MULTI-FUNCTION DISPLAY THAT THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT LEVELING SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE THAT CORRECTS THE AIM OF THE HEADLIGHTS IF YOU ARE DRIVING WITH AN UNUSUALLY HEAVY LOAD, SO THAT YOUR LIGHTS DO NOT MOMENTARILY BLIND ONCOMING DRIVERS. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE SENSOR IN THE HEADLIGHT LEVELING SYSTEM FAILS, THE HEADLIGHTS AIM THEMSELVES TO A DEFAULT POSITION THAT IS UNSAFE; THE HEADLIGHTS AIM DOWNWARDS, AND ILLUMINATE THE GROUND 20 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR AND NO FARTHER. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THE DARK FASTER THAN 20 MILES AN HOUR WITH THE HEADLIGHTS LIKE THIS. THE PROBLEM BEGINS WITH THE SENSOR IN THE 2004 AND 2005 MODEL PRIUSES, WHERE A GASKET FAILS AND THE INTERIOR PARTS OF THE SENSOR CORRODE AND FAIL. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND NOW OFFERS IMPROVED REPLACEMENT PARTS AND HAS ISSUED THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN BELOW. HOWEVER, REPLACING THIS PART AT A DEALER CAN COST UPWARDS OF $500, DISCOURAGING MANY OWNERS FROM MAKING THE REPAIR, LEADING TO UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR PRIUS DRIVERS AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD. THERE IS NO MANUAL OVERRIDE TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR A DRIVER TO DRIVE IN THE DARK. IT SEEMS LIKE POOR ENGINEERING THAT TOYOTA HAS IMPLEMENTED A SAFETY DEVICE THAT, WHEN IT FAILS, CREATES A MORE UNSAFE CONDITION THAN IF THE SAFETY DEVICE WERE NOT THERE. NOT TO BE OVERLY DRAMATIC, BUT IT WAS A FAILED GASKET AND FAILED SENSORS THAT BROUGHT DOWN THE SPACE SHUTTLE. A REPAIR SUGGESTED ONLINE INVOLVES SPRINGS FROM BALLPOINT PENS, BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS. A REPAIR WITH THE IMPROVED TOYOTA PART OUGHT TO BE MADE AFFORDABLE, IF NOT FOR FREE. US TSB EL004-06 APRIL 28, 2006. AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT LEVELING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT "ON" OR FLASHING. 2004-2005 PRIUS W/HID HEADLIGHTS. REPLACE REAR VEHICLE HEIGHT CONTROL SENSOR WITH IMPROVED ONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10509909April 29, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT DURING NIGHT TIME DRIVING. I IMMEDIATELY BRAKED BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THAT MY 9YEAR OLD AND 12 YEAR OLD PANICKED. WHEN I SWITCHED THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF THEY CAME BACK ON. THE INCIDENT RE-OCCURRED AN ADDITIONAL 3 TIMES ON THE WAY HOME. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AS WELL AS THE DEALER. BOTH SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SINCE IT IS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I COULD UNDERSTAND A LIGHTBULB GOING OUT, BUT BOTH GOING OUT AT THE SAME TIME IS A HORRIFIC DANGEROUS SITUATION. I BELIEVE THERE IS AN INHERENT DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10509624April 25, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DRIVING ON I-405 WHEN THE LEFT HEADLIGHT BEGAN ACTING INTERMITTENTLY. BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER WHEN STOPPED BY TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER WAS UNAWARE WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AND THAT THEIR ONLY SUGGESTION WAS TO REPLACE THE BULB, BUT THAT WOULD COST $500 AND WOULD NOT GUARANTEE FIXING THE PROBLEM. BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES DURING 2007 AND OVER THE FOLLOWING YEARS TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITH THE HEADLIGHT... YIELDING THE SAME RESULTS FROM THE DEALER. MANY TIMES DURING NIGHT DRIVING THE LEFT HEADLIGHT WOULD GO OUT. FINALLY, IN MARCH, 2013 BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE ON I-405 AT NIGHT. HAPPENED TWICE DURING DRIVE HOME WITH 3 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR. HAD HID BULBS REPLACED AS CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE ($657.88) ONLY TO FIND OUT TOYOTA IS COMPLETELY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FROM A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. I AM SHOCKED THEY PUT MY FAMILY AT RISK BY FAILING TO NOTIFY US OF THIS PROBLEM, EVEN WHEN PROACTIVELY CONTACTING THE COMPANY WITH THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS CONTAINED IN THE LAWSUIT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10508198April 14, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT GOES OUT AT UNEXPECTED TIMES. TRYING TO ACTIVATE THE HIGH HEADLIGHTS DOES NOT MAKE THE LIGHT COME BACK ON. THE ONLY WAY THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON IS BY TURNING THEM OFF AND ON FROM THE SWITCH, AND MOST OF THE TIME THE LIGHT GOES OUT AGAIN IN A VERY SHORT TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10505929April 11, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE LEFT HEADLIGHT UNEXPECTEDLY GOES OUT. IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND ON AGAIN, THE HEADLIGHT COMES BACK ON, BUT SOON REPEATS GOING OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10507319April 6, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS THE HID LIGHTS WERE REPLACED WITH TOYOTA PARTS. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THEY STARTED TO GO OFF AND ON AT RANDOM. THE DEALER REPLACED THEM WITH AFTERMARKET HID BULBS. AFTER ABOUT 18 MONTHS ONE OF THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF AND ON AT RANDOM. THE DEALER NO LONGER CARRIES AFTERMARKET HID BULBS. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD INSTALL THE TOYOTA BULBS WHICH HAVE ISSUES OR I COULD GET AFTERMARKET BULBS AND THEY WOULD INSTALL THEM. WELL THE NEW D2R HID SYLVANIA BULBS WERE INSTALLED BY THE DEALER. WITHIN 2 WEEKS ONE OF THE NEW BULBS WENT OFF AND ON AT RANDOM. NOW A WEEK LATER THE OTHER NEW HID BULB IS DOING THE SAME THING. I HAVE READ THAT THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND ALSO AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR. WHEN WILL THIS SAFETY PROBLEM BE ADDRESSED????? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10507158April 4, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE, BUT INSTEAD OF STOPPING MY PRIUS ACCELERATED,AND JERKED UNDER THE STOPPED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME.THE BRAKES ACTED LIKE ACCELERATED PEDAL. PRIUS OCCASIONALLY HAD THE ACCELERATING JERKS WITHOUT PEDAL INPUT, BUT AFTER FIXING ALL THE RECALLS, I THOUGHT THE CAR IS FINE. BUT THIS TIME, IT WAS NOT A JERK, IT WAS A FULL LEAP, THAT DESTROYED THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR. IT WAS TOWED FROM THE ACCIDENT AND IT IS BEYOND THE REPAIR. I HAD IT ONLY FOR 9 MONTHS. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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