Toyota Prius Complaints (2007)

2,004 consumer complaints on file.

#10556052December 14, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ALMOST EVERY TIME I USE THE HEADLIGHTS, ONE OR BOTH WILL EXTINGUISH AT SOME POINT. IF I TURN THEM OFF AND BACK ON, THEY WILL COME BACK ON AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. THE OCCURRENCE IS RANDOM, BUT HAPPENS MOST OF THE TIME I USE THEM. SOMETIMES I CAN SEE WHEN ONE GOES OUT, BUT FREQUENTLY, I DON'T KNOW UNTIL I EITHER GET ON A VERY DARK ROAD OR AM STOPPED BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE AND SEE THE REFLECTION IN THEIR CAR. I THINK THIS IS DANGEROUS ON AT LEAST TWO LEVELS - THEY WILL GO OUT WHEN I REALLY NEED THEM OR ONCOMING TRAFFIC WON'T SEE ME PROPERLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10555932December 13, 2013
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK
TRUNK LATCH HAS BECOME MELTED/STICKY LEAVING A RESIDUE ON HANDS DURING SUMMER AND FROZEN AND NON-WORKING DURING COLDER MONTHS. THIS CAUSES ISSUES DUE TO INABILITY TO ACCESS TRUNK FOR SPARE TIRE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10555519December 10, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
IN THE BEGINNING WE WOULD BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE LEFT HEADLIGHT WOULD GO OUT THEN THE RIGHT SIDE STARTING GOING OUT. IF WE TURNED THEM OFF AND RIGHT BACK ON THE WOULD COME ON AND SOMETIMES STAY ON AND SOMETIMES NOT. THEN OCCASIONALLY THE Y WILL BOTH GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME LEAVING TOTALLY IN THE DARK. WE REPLACED THE BULBS AND THAT HELPED FOR A WHILE BUT THEY STARTED AGAIN. I THEN REPLACED THE BALLASTS. THAT DID NO GOOD. THIS IS NOT ONLY ANNOYING BUT A BIG SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10555406December 10, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY
RUBBER HATCH LATCH COVER HAS DETERIORATED AND IT HAS BECOME DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE HATCH, AND VERY DIFFICULT IN COLD WEATHER (MY WIFE CANNOT OPEN IT AND IT IS HER CAR). I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10554983December 5, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE RUBBER ON THE REAR HATCH RELEASE HAS DETERIORATED CAUSING DIFFICULTY OR IMPOSSIBILITY OF OPENING THE REAR HATCH. THIS COULD POSE A SAFETY ISSUE IN AN EMERGENCY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10554634December 3, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY. YOU THEN HAVE TO SWITCH THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND IT COMES BACK ON. A PARTICULAR PROBLEM BECAUSE OUR LEFT LIGHT WENT OUT AND THEN WE HAD TO DEPEND ON THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT ONLY UNTIL THE LEFT ONE COULD BE FIXED. WE HAD NO HEADLIGHTS SEVERAL TIMES DURING THIS TIME. THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT JUST GOES OFF WHENEVER AND YOU HAVE TO CLICK IT BACK ON. VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS AT NIGHT. I'VE TALKED TO DOZENS OF OTHER PRIUS OWNERS AND THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THE FIX. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10554712December 3, 2013
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
REAR LATCH ASSEMBLY ON MY PRIUS HAS STARTED TO MELT AND BLOCK THE OPENING OF THE REAR LATCH. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THE 2007 PRIUS. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR WHERE THE PLASTIC MELTED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10554454December 2, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
FOR THE PAST YEAR, THE RUBBER SURFACE OF THE REAR HATCH RELEASE HAS BEEN GOOEY, LEAVING BLACK MARKS ON MY HANDS. THE FUNCTION OF THE RELEASE HAS BEEN ERRATIC. OFTEN, I CAN'T RELEASE IT AT ALL. IT SEEMS PARTICULARLY BAD IN COOLER WEATHER. I'VE READ THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PRETTY COMMON PROBLEM AND FIND IT SURPRISING THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT RECALLED THESE VEHICLES TO REPLACE THE ASSEMBLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10554566December 2, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
I'VE ALSO BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR HATCH ON MY 2007 PRIUS FOR SOME TIME. THE RUBBER HAS SOFTENED AND PARTIALLY MELTED IN WARM WEATHER, MAKING IT EXTREMELY HARD TO GRIP AND DEPRESS THE RELEASE BUTTON, PARTICULARLY FOR A WOMAN WITH WEAK FINGER JOINTS. SEVERAL TIMES IT HURT MY HANDS TO GRIP AND PRESS THE RELEASE. NOT TO MENTION THE GOOEY MESS IT MADE ON MY FINGERS WHEN I'D TRY TO OPEN IT. THEN ONCE THE WEATHER TURNED COLDER, IT SEEMS THE RUBBER SOLIDIFIED IN AN ABNORMAL SHAPE AND RECENTLY IT HAS BECOME IMPOSSIBLE FOR EVEN A MAN WITH STRONG HANDS TO DEPRESS AND OPEN THE HATCH. I FEAR IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO WRESTLE THE SPARE TIRE OUT OF THE TRUNK WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE HATCH. SURE, YOU CAN GAIN ACCESS TO THE HATCH AREA BY FOLDING DOWN THE SEATS, BUT HOW COULD YOU OPEN THE COVER FOR THE TIRE WELL AND PULL OUT THE SPARE TIRE? AND IN AN EMERGENCY, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK TO ASSIST SOMEONE. WE'VE OWNED FOUR PRIUS CARS, INCLUDING A 2008 MODEL, AND THIS IS THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA REALLY SHOULD RECALL THESE MODELS AND FIX THIS ISSUE. PLEASE HELP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10554032November 27, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHT RANDOMLY GOES OUT. IF LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF THEN ON, IT COMES BACK ON. LIGHT GOES OUT APPROXIMATELY EVERY 5-10 MINUTES WHILE DRIVING. I'VE READ OTHER REPORTS ON THIS ISSUE AND BELIEVE TOYOTA NEEDS TO DEVELOP A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10553791November 25, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE RUBBER TRUNK RELEASE MELTED THIS SUMMER, CREATING A STICKY MESS AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE TRUNK. HAD TO TRY NUMEROUS TIMES WITH GREAT FORCE TO OPEN THE TRUNK. NOW THAT THE TEMPERATURE HAS DROPPED, THE RUBBER BAR IS FROZEN HARD AND I CANNOT DEPRESS IT TO OPEN THE TRUNK. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10553569November 24, 2013
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL, STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
I AM REPORTING A DEFECTIVE 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS TRUNK HATCH RELEASE. THE MATERIAL APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. IT APPEARS TO BE A GENERAL ISSUE DUE TO POOR QUALITY CONTROL AND FAULTY DESIGN BY TOYOTA. THE REPAIR COST FOR THIS CRUCIAL FUNCTION IS OBSCENELY HIGH (AROUND $500). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10553607November 24, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
HATCHBACK LATCH DOES NOT RESPOND TO SMART KEY AND WILL NOT OPEN TO TOUCH AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR ABOUT TEN MONTHS. ALSO, THE RUBBER LATCH COVERING HAS DETERIORATED INTO A SOFT, STICKY BLACK SUBSTANCE THAT STAINS MY FINGERS WHEN I TRY TO OPEN THE LATCH. THE DETERIORATION PROBLEM PRECEDED THE HATCHBACK OPERATIONAL PROBLEM BY FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS AS BEST I CAN RECALL. I WAS ABLE TO TOLERATE THE MESSY PROBLEM BUT CANNOT PUT UP WITH A HATCHBACK THAT IS INOPERABLE BECAUSE IT PREVENTS ME FROM ACCESSING THE SPARE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT, AND MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THE CARGO AREA. I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD NOTIFY CUSTOMERS OF THIS DEFECT AND PROVIDE A FREE REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10553628November 24, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE REAR HATCH RELEASE ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS DETERIORATED AND HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE HATCH. TONIGHT IT IS VERY COLD OUT AND THE MECHANISM STUCK AGAIN AND WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED UNLOCKING TO MAKE SURE IT DIDN'T RE-LOCK THE DOORS AND PULLED AGAIN ON THE LATCH AND THE WHOLE BACK PART BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. THE COMBINATION OF THE STICKING AND THE COLD MADE THE PLASTIC PIECE THAT IS ALL THAT IT IS HOLDING THE LATCH BRITTLE TO THE POINT OF SIMPLY BREAKING WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE HATCH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10553558November 23, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I AM ONE OF THE MANY VICTIMS OF THE DEFECTIVE PRIUS 2007 HATCH OPENING SWITCH. AFTER 4 YEARS THE RUBBER COVER TURNED TO TAR FOR MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. ESSENTIALLY THE RUBBER COVER MELTS INTO THE ELECTRONIC SWITCH MAKING IT INOPERABLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10552272November 14, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK DOOR FAILED TO OPEN. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE MATERIAL THAT LATCHED THE DOOR WITH THE TRUNK WAS MELTED AND THE TRUNK COULD NOT BE ACCESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10551870November 12, 2013
AIR BAGS
AT AN INTERSECTION, THE PRIUS WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER SIDE BY A 1999 DODGE CARAVAN. THE FRONT AIRBAGS IN THE DODGE DEPLOYED AND THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. THE PRIUS' CURTAIN AND SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE PRIUS DRIVER SUFFERED HEAD AND BRAIN INJURY, INJURIES TO NECK, UPPER TORSO AND EXTREMITIES. INFORMATION WAS SUPPLIED BY LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10551913November 12, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE
THE RUBBER LATCH THAT PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE TRUNK AREA OF MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS ESSENTIALLY MELTED. WHEN I TOUCH IT MY HAND COMES AWAY WITH A BLACK GOOEY SUBSTANCE. IN THE SUMMERTIME THIS IS MORE OF AN ANNOYANCE THAN ANYTHING (I HAVE TO CARRY AROUND WET-WIPES, AND I OFTEN PUT GROCERIES ETC. IN THE PASSENGER CABIN JUST TO AVOID ACCESSING THE TRUNK), BUT IN THE WINTER IT CAN BE QUITE DANGEROUS, AS THE MELTED LATCH FREEZES, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK. THIS MEANS THAT I CANNOT ACCESS MY TOOLS, SPARE TIRE, SNOW EQUIPMENT, OR ANYTHING ELSE BACK THERE. THE DEGRADATION OF THE HANDLE LATCH ACTUALLY BEGAN SOME TIME AGO (IT PROBABLY BEGAN AFTER I HAD OWNED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS) BUT IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME SO I FINALLY DECIDED TO TRY TO GET IT FIXED. MY TOYOTA DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE ME OVER $300 TO REPLACE THE PART. THIS STRUCK ME AS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS GIVEN THAT IT APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT THAT CREATES A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10551223November 7, 2013
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL, STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
2007 TOYOTA PRIUS REAR HATCH HANDLE FAILURE. RUBBER COVER MELTS INTO ELECTRIC SWITCH MAKING IT INOPERABLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10551206November 6, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT, NOTICED THAT PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LAMP TURNED OFF. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON THE CURB AND TRIED TO TURN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON OFF AGAIN, BUT COULD NOT TURN ON ONE HEAD LIGHT. I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH ONE LAMP, SINCE LOCAL TOWNSHIP POLICE CAN GIVE ME A VIOLATION TICKET. THE HIGH BEAM WORKS BUT NOT THE LOW BEAM. TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE VIA PRODUCT RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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