Toyota Prius Complaints (2005)

1,051 consumer complaints on file.

#11246075August 23, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
SUDDEN FAILURE OF ABS, ACCOMPANIED BY DASHBOARD LIGHTS FOR ABS AND REGULAR BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVEWAY, AND I DID NOT CONTINUE TO TAKE IT OUT INTO THE ROAD DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. TOYOTA EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 12/31/17 (REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE), BUT THE PART SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE IT CAN FAIL FOR DRIVERS (LIKE ME) WHO DID NOT HAVE THE ISSUE ARISE PRIOR TO 12/31/17.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11242195August 7, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY STOPPED WORKING IN MY 2005 PRIUS. YOU PRESS THE BUTTON TO START THE CAR AND THE CAR STARTS BUT NOTHING DISPLAYS. YOU CANNOT SEE YOUR FUEL GAUGE, SO I RAN OUT OF GAS AND ALMOST WAS HIT BY A VEHICLE WHILE WALKING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. YOU CANNOT SEE YOUR SPEEDOMETER SO YOU DON'T KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW SPEED LIMITS. IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND EVEN ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION ZTV TO COVER IT, BUT THEY DID NOT INFORM ME ABOUT THE EXTENSION IN 2013/14. NOW THAT EXTENSION HAS EXPIRED AND THEY WILL NOT REPAIR MY CAR. MY TECHNICIAN AT AUTOMOTIVE PERFECTION DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM, BUT TOYOTA WOULD NOT ACCEPT HIS DIAGNOSIS AND SPARTAN TOYOTA CHARGED ME $132.45 TO MAKE THE SAME DIAGNOSIS. THEY THEN TOLD ME A NEW METER WOULD COST ME $696.06 INSTALLED AND REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE AT LEAST 2012.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240239July 29, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE ACUTATOR FAILED AGAIN AFTER 1 YEAR OF USE. THE BRAKES FAILED ON THIS CAR A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, RESULTING IN PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND MANY WARNING LIGHTS GOING OFF. DEALER AND TOYOTA REPLACED BRAKE ACTUATOR THROUGH HIDDEN WARRANTY I HAD TO FIGHT FOR THEM TO PAY. DROVE CAR OUT OF DEALERSHIP, AND IT MADE A SQUEAKY SOUND COMING FROM UNDER HOOD, NOT FROM BRAKE PADS. TURNED CAR AROUND AND THEY TOOK IT BACK. SAID THEY BLED AIR OUT OF BRAKES. SQUAWK CAME BACK AND ON NEXT OIL CHANGE, TOLD THEM. "NO CODES, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT." WAS THE DIAGNOSIS. SQUAWK CONTINUED OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF, AND THE SAME REPLY FROM SERVICE ADVISORS. "NO CODES, NO WORRY - MAYBE WE NEED ANOTHER BRAKE BLEED, BUT NOT MANDATORY." 2 MORE OIL CHANGES AT DEALER, AND THE LAST TIME, I MENTIONED THE SQUAWK AGAIN AND THE BRAKE BLEED TO A NEW ADVISOR AND NEW OWNERSHIP. "NEEDS A BRAKE ACTUATOR - AND WE WILL NOT PAY FOR IT THIS TIME." I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THEM MANY TIMES DURING THE ONE YEAR WARRANTY OF THE ACTUATOR. NOW THEY WANT ME TO SPEND OVER $2500 ON A NEW ACTUATOR BECAUSE I WAS A FEW MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY ON NEW PART. TOYOTA ALSO REFUSED TO PAY. THE BRAKE ACTUATOR AND ACCUMULATOR HAVE FAILED ON THIS CAR AND OUR OTHER PRIUS A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES NOW. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, AND I'M REALLY SURPRISED YOU ARE NOT WORKING WITH THEM ON A MANDATORY SERVICE CAMPAIGN. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY SEE THIS ISSUE OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND THAT TOYOTA DID A FULL REDESIGN OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE NEW 2017 MODEL YEAR. BRAKES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT SYSTEM ON A CAR. WITHOUT THEM, AN ACCIDENT ALMOST ALWAYS FOLLOWS. PLEASE INITIATE A RECALL ON THIS AS SOON AS YOU CAN. THANK YOU.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11233104July 18, 2019
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS BEGAN FLASHING AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AS OTHER UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO A STOP AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT THEN DROVE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH INVERTED COOLING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 223,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11232575July 16, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, ALL OF A SUDDEN MY ABS LIGHTS CAME ON WITH A LOUD HI PITCHED ALARM NOISE, AND WHEN I CAME UP TO THE NEXT STOPLIGHT AND PRESSED ON MY BRAKES, THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO BRAKES SO I HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GET THE CAR TO STOP IN TIME. FORTUNATELY I OFTEN PUMP MY BRAKES SO NOTICED THEY WERE NOT WORKING. I HAVE INVESTIGATED THE ISSUE AND HAVE FOUND IT IS A FAULTY BRAKE PUMP ACCUMULATOR. UPON CHECKING THE COST TO REPLACE IS $2800. RIDICULOUS. I LEARNED OF AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE BY SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET. I NEVER RECEIVED THE LETTER OR WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART BY TOYOTA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11218922June 10, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR LOCKS UP IT BRAKES AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SKID. SERIOUS RISK FOR HITTING OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS IN DANGER. ABS, BRAKE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND (!) LIGHTS ARE ON. WHEN CODE IS PULLED IT A ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE ACTUATOR. THE CAR HAS A FAULTY BRAKE ACTUATOR. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS IT AFFECTS MANY OTHER PRIUS OWNERS AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11219112June 10, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES SUDDENLY LOCKED WHILE CAR IN MOTION, RED TRIANGLE AMD XHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. LUCKILY I DID NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. TOWED IT TO TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID MY ABS BRAKE PUMP ACTUATOR FAILED. NOTORIOUS PART TO FAIL ON GENERATION 2 PRIUS. OUT OF POCKET COST TO FIX IT WAS $1900.00
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11218080June 5, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ALSO, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS MORE DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS THAN USUAL AND TOOK LONGER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA OF VERO BEACH (1075 US-1, VERO BEACH, FL 32962) DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW BRAKE ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11218151June 5, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR FAILURE. IT'S DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WHEN THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. SOMETIMES THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11196965April 17, 2019
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2005 PRIUS WHICH EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT PRIUS COMBINATION METER FAILURE. THIS IS A RECOGNIZED DESIGN PROBLEM, HOWEVER, TOYOTA CHOSE TO IGNORE THE SAFETY RAMIFICATIONS AND CATEGORIZED IT AS AN ISSUE COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY. TOYOTA WOULD NOT HONOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPONENT UNLESS YOU COULD DEMONSTRATE THE PART FAILURE. THEY ALSO INCLUDED A TIME LIMIT ON WHEN THIS PART WOULD BE REPLACED. THIS FAILURE RESULTS IN ALL CRITICAL VEHICLE TELEMETRY (SPEED, BLANK ENGAGEMENT, ENGINE FAILURES, GAS LEVEL, ETC) FROM NOT BEING DISPLAYED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11187130March 15, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE ACTUATOR WENT BAD. TOYOTA DID A LIMITED VOLUNTARY RECALL. THIS NEEDS TO BE MANDATORY. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS PART FAILS. ONLY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WILL FIX THIS AND THE COST IS $2,000-$3,000. THE COST IS GREATER THAN THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE THIS CREATING A SITUATION WHERE OWNERS BYPASS THE REPAIR AND STILL DRIVE. PLEASE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF REFUNDS THAT TOYOTA OFFERED AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS MADE REGARDING THIS ISSUE-THIS SHOULD INDICATE HOW WIDESPREAD THE PROBLEM ACTUALLY IS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11186162March 12, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
MY ABS ACTUATOR WENT BAD. THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM WENT OUT WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO THE STORE. THE CAR NOW HAS NO POWER ASSISTED BRAKING. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT AND I WANTED TO ADD MINE TO THE LIST. GIVEN THE DANGER THAT A FAILING ABS SYSTEM POSES I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT NHTSA KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. IF IT'S COMMON, THEN THE GEN 2 PRIUSES NEED TO BE RECALLED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11183130February 28, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD REMAIN ON WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS USED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GETTEL TOYOTA OF LAKEWOOD (5959 E STATE RD 64, BRADENTON, FL 34208, (941)-567-1080) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11179987February 14, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE COMBINATION METER WHICH CONTAINS THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAS GAUGE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, HAS BEEN GOING DEAD FREQUENTLY (DOES NOT LIGHT UP WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED) FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS. IT USED TO BE 1-2 TIMES A MONTH, BUT RECENTLY IT OCCURS A FEW TIMES A WEEK. THE CAR DRIVES NORMALLY, BUT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO NOT KNOW THE SPEED OR TO KNOW HOW MUCH GAS REMAINS IN THE TANK. EVEN WHEN THE METER STARTS TO WORK AGAIN, THE GAS READING IS NOT ACCURATE. IT IS NOT EVEN POSSIBLE TO TELL IF THE CAR IS RUNNING OR NOT, BECAUSE THE SCREEN IS BLACK. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY TOYOTA BUT THEY NO LONGER OFFER REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ADDRESS ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. EVEN THE SEPARATE TOUCH SCREEN WHICH CONTAINS DIAGNOSTICS TESTS FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS BLACK, SO THERE IS NO WAY TO CORRECT THE ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11171766January 23, 2019
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT, FOLLOWED BY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT. BOTH WILL RETURN ON WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF THEN ON AGAIN, ONLY TO OCCUR AGAIN WITHIN 10 MINUTES. BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITHIN THE LAST 10 DAYS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170267January 15, 2019
POWER TRAIN
WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE CAR WOULD REVERT BACK TO NEUTRAL UNLESS I HELD DOWN THE GEAR SHIFT IN POSITION. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I HAD THE CAR IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS. PARKING (USING THE BUTTON ON THE PRIUS) WAS ALSO DIFFICULT, AND I HAD TO TRY MULTIPLE TIMES TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AS IT CONTINUALLY WANTED TO GO BACK TO NEUTRAL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11162491December 19, 2018
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLAMPS RANDOMLY TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING, BUT USUALLY ONLY ONE AT A TIME. LAST NIGHT (12/18/18), BOTH LIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME AND I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD AS IT WAS POORLY LIT. WHEN LAMPS DO TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING, TURNING THEM OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES WILL USUALLY GET THE IT TO COME BACK ON. THIS IS DEFINITELY A HAZARD AND A RECALL IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11162505December 19, 2018
SERVICE BRAKES
THE ABS ACTUATOR/PUMP HAS FAILED. BRAKES LOST HYDRAULIC PRESSURE AND DO NOT FUNCTION. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR CITY ROADWAY. AUDIO ALARM WITH WARNING LIGHTS FOR BRAKE, ABS, & VSC.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11162055December 17, 2018
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE ACTUATOR PUMP RUNS CONSTANTLY AND SOUNDS LIKE A BARKING SEAL WHEN SITTING AT A RED LIGHT. HIGH-PITCHED WARNING BEEP AND LACK OF NORMAL BRAKING ABILITY FOR THE FIRST 30 SECONDS AFTER START-UP. BRAKE AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS ARE ACTIVE ON THE DASH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11161787December 16, 2018
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES
TAKARA RECALL - CURRENTLY HAVE AN AIRBAG LIGHT ONON MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. BRAKE ACTUATOR RECALL - THE 'BRAKE' LIGHT, VSC, ABS, AND BRAKE SYMBOL LIGHTS ARE ALL ON INDICATING AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE ACTUATOR. I DID RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST, BUT THE RECALL SAID IF I WASN'T EXPERIENCING ANY ISSUES TO IGNORE THE RECALL. THAT RECALL EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 31, 2017. AS THIS AFFECTS THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE CAR, I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA AS WELL AS THE AIR BAG ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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