Toyota Prius Complaints (2008)

1,497 consumer complaints on file.

#10789133November 8, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY LIGHTS HAVE BEEN GOING OFF INTERMITTENTLY FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A 12 V BATTERY ISSUE AND A COUPLE OF RECALL ITEMS, INCLUDING THE HYBRID COOLING RECALL ISSUE AND THE DEALER THOUGHT THIS MIGHT FIX THE ISSUE BUT IT HAS NOT. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, EACH AND EVERY DAY/NIGHT, WHEN I AM DRIVING ONE OR THE OTHER HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT. OCCASIONALLY BOTH WILL GO OUT. THE ONLY WAY THIS IS REMEDIED IS WHEN I TOGGLE THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND ON. SOMETIMES IT TAKES 2-3 TOGGLES TO GET THE PROBLEM TO RESOLVE, THE SUDDENLY AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN THE ONE OR THE OTHER LIGHTS GO OUT. APPARENTLY THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA PRIUS'S OF MY YEAR. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE AND THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON. I HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING. I HAVE TESTED IT TO SEE IF HAPPEN OVER BUMPS AND IT DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY--IT JUST HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING AND SEVERAL TIMES OVER. I AM NOT A MECHANIC THOUGH YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ONE TO SEE THAT THIS KIND OF ISSUE IS NOT THE BULB, BECAUSE WHEN THE BULBS ARE WORKING THEY SHINE BRIGHTLY. IT HAS TO BE SOME OTHER ISSUE WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE LIGHTING SYSTEM. THIS HAPPENS ON CITY STREETS, ON HIGHWAYS AND WHEN STATIONARY. IT HAPPENS WHEN I AM GOING STRAIGHT AND TURNING. IT HAPPENS AND ANY AND ALL SPEEDS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10787500November 1, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
RIGHT HEADLIGHT GOES OUT AFTER A FEW MINUTES. HAVE CHANGED BALLAST AND BULB TWICE, THE PROBLEM RECURRED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BOTH TIMES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10787530November 1, 2015
STEERING
ON 10-28-15, I WAS DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT. AS I ATTEMPTED TO TURN LEFT TO PARK, I HEARD A LOUD CRACK SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY LOOSE AND KNOW LONGER COULD CONTROL THE MOTION OF THE WHEELS. I COULD MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARDS BUT ALL STEERING CONTROL FAILED. THANK GOD I WAS IN A PARKING LOT! I IMMEDIATELY CALLED TOYOTA AND HAD THE CAR TOWED THERE. THEY COULD NOT PINPOINT THE CAUSE BUT SAID I NEEDED A RACK AND PINION STEERING WHEEL SHAFT REPLACEMENT, SPIRAL CABLE, AND STEERING SHAFT. REPAIR COST TOTAL IS $2298.77. MY CAR IS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I'M UP TO DATE ON RECALLS SO THIS WAS VERY UPSETTING TO ME.....UPDATED 12/30/15 *BF*DT *TP *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10787455October 31, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FLASH OFF WITH NO WARNING. CAN NOT BE REPAIRED. SOMETIMES BOTH FLIP OFF AT SAME TIME. ONE GOES OUT (OR BOTH) APPR. EVERY 5-10 MINUTES OF DRIVING, OR WHILE CAR IS STATIONARY WITH LIGHTS ON.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10787223October 30, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, ONE OF MY HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO CUT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. NOW, STARTING 2 MONTHS AGO, BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS STOP WORKING AT THE SAME TIME WITHOUT WARNING, I HAVE HAD 2 NEAR-MISSES BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE, TOYOTA, MY CAR MANUFACTURER, REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING TO FIX THIS HIGHLY DANGEROUS ISSUE, EVEN THOUGH OVER 200,000 PRIUS OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM. WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OTHER OWNERS OUT THERE WHO HAVE NOT REPORTED ANYTHING?!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10784933October 21, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
KNOWN FORMALLY AS HIGH-INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID) LIGHTS, THEY EITHER WORK INTERMITTENTLY ' MAKING NIGHTTIME DRIVING A LOT MORE EXCITING ' OR FAIL ENTIRELY......UPDATED 12/03/15 *BF UPDATED 11/17/17*JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10781917October 14, 2015
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING
I WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON THE SAW MILL RIVER PARKWAY. EXITED ON THE NORTHBOUND TACONIC STATE PARKWAY RAMP. AFTER CROSSING THE TACONIC STATE PARKWAT OVERPASS. MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS (WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM MY PART) TURNED LEFT AND ACCELERATED ONTO THE GRASSY AREA. EVEN THOUGH MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS AT CORRECTING MY DIRECTION BY TURNING THE CAR TO THE RIGHT AND TO STOP THE CAR, NEITHER THE STEERING INPUTS OR ENGAGING THE BRAKES HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE VEHICLE. AFTER TRAVELING ALMOST THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE GRASSY AREA, THE CAR WAS CAUGHT BY A BRANCH ON THE GROUND, JUST BEFORE THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR WOULD HAVE SLAMMED INTO A TREE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TURN THE CAR OFF. WHEN I TURN THE CAR BACK ON, EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL. THERE WAS NO ERROR MESSAGE FROM THE ECU DURING OR AFTER THE INCIDENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10782256October 14, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS SHORT OUT INTERMITTENTLY. BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT, THE LEFT HAS GONE OUT, THE RIGHT HAS GONE OUT. IF I TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AND FLIP THEM BACK ON, THEY OCCASSIONALLY BOTH COME BACK ON, OR ONE COMES BACK ON OR NEITHER COME BACK ON. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT. IT HAS TO BE ELECTRICAL. THERE'S NO WAY IT'S THE BULBS, I'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND HAVE BLOWN THROUGH MANY BULBS ALREADY. THIS IS GETTING EXPENSIVE BESIDES DANGEROUS. THIS HAPPENS ON BUMPY ROADS, SMOOTH ROADS, TURNING, GOING STRAIGHT. I HAVEN'T FOUND A CERTAIN THING THAT MAKES THEM TURN OFF. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I CAN ONLY CHOOSE ONE DATE BELOW.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10781315October 11, 2015
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE LATCH HANDLE ON THE HATCHBACK HAS DISINTEGRATED. IT IS GETTING HARDER TO OPEN HATCHBACK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10781195October 10, 2015
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TRUNK LATCH HANDLE IS A STICKY MESS. LEAVES BLACK MARKS ON FINGERS. FIX THIS PROBLEM TOYOTA!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10781180October 9, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING IN THE EARLY MORNING BEFORE SUNRISE, SEVERAL TIMES, THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF SUDDENLY. FRIGHTENING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY THE LIGHTS TURNED BACK ON. THIS HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 DIFFERENT TIMES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10779526October 3, 2015
STRUCTURE:BODY
I PURCHASED MY PRIUS IN 2008. APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE, I NOTICED THAT THE HANDLE ON THE BACK HATCH HAD STARTED TO GET REALLY SOFT IN HOT WEATHER AND FREEZE UP A LITTLE IN COLD WEATHER. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST A NUISANCE AS IT SOMETIMES LEFT A BLACK STICKY SUBSTANCE ON MY HANDS; HOWEVER, OVER TIME IT BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND THE HATCH BECAME HARDER TO OPEN. I CANNOT OPEN IT AT ALL NOW (SEPT. 2015), LEAVING ME WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE SPARE TIRE, THE BATTERY, SNOW SHOVEL, OR MY ACCIDENT KIT (FLARES, BLANKET, ETC). MY BACK LIGHT ALSO KEEPS GOING OFF THEN COMING BACK (I GOT A TICKET FOR IT) BUT I CANNOT GET TO THE LIGHT FIXTURE BECAUSE I CANNOT OPEN THE TRUNK. THIS IS THEREFORE A SAFETY HAZARD AND TOYOTA SHOULD FIX IT. I AM TOLD THAT THEY HAVE ADMITTED LIABILITY AND FIXED THIS PROBLEM FOR FREE IN JAPAN. IF THAT IS TRUE, IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE US! LACK OF ACCESS TO BATTERY AND SPARE TIRE AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE REAR LIGHT POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10779532October 3, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS IT HAS HID BULB ASSEMBLY, BOTH HEAD LIGHTS ARE GOING OFF RANDOMLY, AND IT STARTS WORKING AGAIN IF WE TURN OFF SWITCH & TURN ON AGAIN, BUT WE DONT KNOW WHEN IT GOES OFF, YESTERDAY ONLY POLICE ISSUE THE TICKET FOR SAME PROBLEM, I CHANGED THE HID BULB 4-5 TIMES BUT STILL NOT FOUND ANY SOLUTION,
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10763506September 14, 2015
STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE LATCH HANDLE ON THE HATCHBACK HAS DISINTEGRATED. THE HANDLE HAS BECOME GOOEY AND LEAVES A BLACK RESIDUE ON MY FINGERS EVERY TIME I OPEN THE HATCHBACK. BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, THE HANDLE IS HARDER TO USE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE TRUNK. REPLACEMENT PART NUMBER IS 84905-47010.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10761833September 6, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS FLICKER, DIM, AND EVENTUALLY GO OUT ALTOGETHER WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE REPLACED THE 12V BATTERY AND IT STILL OCCURS. CONCERNED FOR SAFETY OF MYSELF AND MY FAMILY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10761128September 2, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
INITIALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER. THEN IT WENT OUT. WHEN I TURNED THE LIGHTS OFF AND ON AGAIN IT CAME BACK ON. SINCE THEN COMPLETELY RANDOMLY ONE LIGHT OR THE OTHER, BUT MORE COMMONLY THE PASSNEGER SIDE WILL FLICKER AND DIM, AND THEN LATER GO OUT. TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON WILL USUALLY RESTORE THE LIGHT BUT MORE THAN HALF THE TIME ONLY TO A DIMMED OR FLICKERING CONDITION. SOMETIMES BOTH LIGHTS JUST GO OUT RANDOMLY AND WITHOUT WARNING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10759598August 26, 2015
POWER TRAIN
ON A WARM/HOT DAY THE VEHICLE DROPS SUDDENLY ITSELF OUT OF DRIVE OR REVERSE. THIS CAN HAPPEN FROM BEING PARKED OR CRUCIALLY WHILE ONE IS DRIVING. USUALLY THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. YOU CAN BE DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET OR HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR DROPS ITSELF OUT OF GEAR,' VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. ONE HAS TO HOLD THE SHIFT MECHANISM IN DRIVE CONTINUOUSLY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE INTERNET DOCUMENTS THIS EXACT DEFECT IN OTHER 2008 PRIUS'. VISITS TO THE DEALER ARE MET WITH SHRUGGED SHOULDERS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10758736August 24, 2015
STRUCTURE:BODY
WE PURCHASED OUR PRIUS IN 2008. APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE, WE NOTICED THAT THE HANDLE ON THE BACK HATCH STARTED TO MELT. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST A NUISANCE AS IT LEFT A BLACK GOO ON YOUR HANDS. AS TIME PASSED IT BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND THE HATCH BECAME HARDER TO OPEN DUE TO THE MELTED HANDLE. LAST WEEK (AUG. 2015) OUR 12 VOLT BATTERY DIED OVER NIGHT AND WE COULDN'T START THE CAR OR GET ANYTHING TO WORK. OF COURSE, WE COULD NOT OPEN THE BACK HATCH AT ALL TO ACCESS THE BATTERY. WE CALLED A TOW SERVICE TO TOW OUR CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER. WE WERE ABLE TO JUMP THE CAR AND DRIVE TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER HERD OF THIS HAPPENING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MELTED HANDLE SHORTED OUT THE WIRING FOR THE REAR LIGHT AND DRAINED THE BATTERY OVERNIGHT. AFTER A LITTLE RESEARCH< WE FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT A LOCALIZED PROBLEM BUT IS PRETTY COMMON ON 2007 AND 2008 PRIUS'. TOYOTA IS NOT WILLING TO FIX TS OWN DESIGN FLAW AND WE ARE OUT $250. THIS POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IF THERE IS A FLAT TIRE OR DEAD BATTERY AND WE ARE UNABLE TO OPEN THE BACK HATCH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10748808August 14, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE WAS OFF AND IN PARK. VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. IN LESS THEN 1 SECOND, VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO NEUTRAL AS DESCRIBED IN THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY TOYOTA (T-SB-0142-11). PROBLEM AS REOCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE, INCLUDING WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 45 MPH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10748297August 12, 2015
STRUCTURE:BODY
I WAS HIT IN THE REAR END WHICH SHOVED ME INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME 7/31/2015. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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