Toyota Prius Complaints (2005)

1,051 consumer complaints on file.

#10306644February 5, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT WAS BOUGHT ON DEC 2004. WHILE DRIVING TO MY WORK ON JUNE 30TH 2009, MY PRIUS CAR SPEED REDUCED SLOWLY FROM 45MPH AND DID NOT GO FASTER THAN 30 MPH ON RTE 28 NORTH FROM MANASSAS,VA TO CENTERVILLE VA. SINCE I CANNOT DRIVE MORE THAN 20 MILES PER HOUR, I PARKED THE CAR ON LOCAL ROADS AND ASKED AAA TO TOW MY VEHICLE TO OURISMAN TOYOTA DEALER, CHANTILLY. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND GAVE CAR BACK. I BELIEVE, THIS IS DUE TO COMPUTER SYSTEM FAILURE. BUT DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY. IT HAPPENED ONLY ONE TIME FROM DEC 2004 SO FOR. BUT I AM SCARED OF DRIVING THE CAR TO LONG TRAVEL AND USING ONLY FOR LOCAL DRIVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10306663February 5, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
2005 TOYOTA PRIUS BRAKING DELAY ON BUMPY/WET ROADS SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT 04/16/2007 ON RT 70 IN BRICK, NJ. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10306080February 4, 2010
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ACCELERATOR ON 2005 PRIUS STUCK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305111February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TOYOTA PRIUS BRAKING ISSUES - PRE 2010 MODELS. ON JAN 18TH, WHILE APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON WET PAVEMENT, I APPLIED THE BRAKES ON MY 2005 PRIUS AND FELT WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SLIGHT DELAY IN THE BRAKES ENGAGING. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS CONTRIBUTED TO MY SLIDING OUT INTO THE INTERSECTION AND HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. HAD I STOPPED AN INCH OR TWO EARLIER I WOULD NOT HAVE HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE. TOYOTA HAS ADMITTED TO ITS DEALERS THAT THERE ARE BRAKING ISSUES WITH ITS 2010 MODEL AND I BELIEVE THESE ISSUES MAY GO BACK TO PREVIOUS MODELS ALSO. THE HYBRID SYSTEM HAS NOT CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE PAST 5 TO 6 YEARS. TOYOTA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO THOROUGHLY TEST THIS SYSTEM ON ALL PRIUS MODELS. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305084February 4, 2010
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I READ LOTS OF NEWS REPORTS YESTERDAY THAT THE 2010 PRIUS HAS A BRAKING ISSUE WHEN RUN OVER SPEED BUMPS. MY 2005 PRIUS HAS A SIMILAR BEHAVIOR WHICH SEMI-KNOWN CAUSE WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN THIS, WHILE BEING SLIGHTLY DANGEROUS IN ANOTHER WAY. WHEN ONE DRIVES A 2005 PRIUS TOO FAST OVER A SPEED BUMP, OR THROUGH ANOTHER SITUATION WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO THINK ONE OF ITS WHEELS IS SLIPPING OR SPINNING AT A DIFFERENT RATE THAN THE OTHERS, THE CAR TEMPORARILY (AS I BELIEVE IS IN THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL) FLASHES A BRIEFLY APPEARING INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE FRONT PANEL INDICATING IT IS SLIPPING, AND TEMPORARILY CUTS BACK ON ENGINE POWER. AVOIDING THIS REQUIRES KNOWING THE DRIVING BEHAVIOR OF THE PRIUS, AND I WONDER IF THIS IS THE BEHAVIOR CERTAIN 2010 PRIUS OWNERS MAY BE NOTING. {IF ONE IS LOOKING AT THE ROAD AND SCARED BY THE SUDDEN DROP IN ENGINE POWER, ONE MAY NEVER LOOK DOWN AT THE DASH TO SEE THE INDICATOR FLASH FOR 1-2 SECONDS EITHER.} NORMALLY THIS IS MIGHT SEEM LIKE REASONABLE, BUT THIS BECOMES POTENTIALLY EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SHOULD ONE TRY TO MAKE A SHARP RIGHT TURN ONTO A HIGHER-SPEED MAIN ROAD (40 MPH+) FROM A DEAD STOP ON A SIDE ROAD WITH A HIGH RATE OF ACCELERATION TO ATTEMPT MERGE INTO HIGH-VOLUME, FAST-MOVING TRAFFIC. IN SUCH CASES (ESPECIALLY IF WATER IS PRESENT, BUT EVEN IF THE ROAD IS DRY), I HAVE HAD THE ANTI-SKID FEATURE KICK IN AND CUT BACK ON ENGINE POWER FOR A HALF-SECOND OR SO, WHICH RISKS STALLING THE CAR TEMPORARILY IN FRONT OF AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, I TRY NOT TO DO ANY MANEUVERS LIKE THIS, EVEN THOUGH OTHER CARS OFTEN CAN "BURN RUBBER" A BIT AND DO THIS. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE ISSUE, AS IT IS PRESUMED TO BE NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR THE CAR, AND I NEVER HAD A CAR WITH ANTI-SKID ABILITIES BEFORE. SEEING THIS WAS COMMON FOR ME AT FIRST, BUT IS NOW SOMEWHAT RARE (LESS THAN ONCE/MONTH) DUE TO CHANGING MY DRIVING HABITS. (MY2005 PRIUS LACKS VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL; BUT HAS THE STANDARD ANTI-SKID SAFETY FEATURE.) *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305100February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 5-19 MPH ON AN ICY ROAD SURFACE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS INACTIVATION AND FAILED TO DEACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER ENCOUNTERING ABNORMAL ROADS INCLUDING ICY ROAD SURFACES. THERE WERE NO INJURES. THE POLICE WAS NOT CALLED TO THE SCENE. BOTH VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305162February 4, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE A 2005 PRIUS. THREE TIMES, THE CAR HAS SURGED FOR A FEW SECONDS WHILE STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS SLOWING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. I REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER ON 5-25-05. I WAS TOLD THAT SOMETIMES THAT'S THE WAY THE BRAKES OPERATE. ANOTHER PUZZLING OCCURRENCE WHICH I REPORTED TO THE DEALER ON 4-25-06, WAS THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS, NOTHING HAPPENS, AND THEN IT SURGES FORWARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305197February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
THIS MORNING'S AP STORY ABOUT THE NHTSA LOOKING INTO ALLEGATIONS OF MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY WHILE TRAVELING OVER UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES, POTHOLES OR BUMPS IN 2010 PRIUSES JOGGED MY MEMORY ABOUT THIS HAVING HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES TO ME IN MY 2005 PRIUS. I CAN'T STATE DATES, BUT I'D SAY THAT EVERY 3 MONTHS OR SO, I WILL BRAKE WHERE THE ROAD IS UNEVEN, THE SLIP INDICATOR LIGHTS UP ON THE DASHBOARD, AND I FEEL A LOSS OF CONTROL JUST FOR A MOMENT UNTIL I FEEL THE CAR REGAIN CONTROL. MAYBE THAT'S JUST THE ANTILOCK BRAKES KICKING IN, BUT IT IS AN UNEASY FEELING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305195February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I JUST READ ABOUT THE 2010 PRIUS BRAKING COMPLAINTS. I HAVE A 2005 PRIUS AND CONSTANTLY EXPERIENCE WHAT IS BEING DESCRIBED. EVERY TIME I HIT A BUMP OR A POT HOLE, THE PRIUS LUNGES FORWARD ESPECIALLY IF I'M BRAKING AT THE TIME. ALSO, WHEN I BRAKE ON SLICK ROADS I OFTEN EXPERIENCE THE PRIUS' BRAKES NOT ENGAGING AS THEY SHOULD. ONCE I TRIED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, GOING A PROPER RATE OF SPEED, ON A SNOW COVERED ROAD. THE PRIUS' BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE ENOUGH TO SLOW THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO MAKE THE TURN. I WAS FORCED TO GO STRAIGHT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION IN ORDER TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS "PROBLEM" HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2005. I KNEW IT WAS THE COMPUTER SYSTEM CAUSING THE ANOMALY, BUT I FIGURED THAT I JUST NEEDED TO GET USED TO IT. NOW, AFTER READING THE MEDIA REPORTS, I BELIEVE THIS IS INFACT A PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLES SENSORS AND SOFTWARE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305264February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES DID NOT FULLY ENGAGE WHICH INCREASED THE STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT HAS NOTICED THE FAILURE SINCE THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 47000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305383February 4, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I OWN A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. OCCASIONALLY, AND ALMOST ALWAYS IN RAIN, THE CAR JERKS WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP OR ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305388February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
PULLING AWAY FROM THE CURB, ON A SLOPE, MY 2005 PRIUS DID NOT RESPOND TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLOPE (HUNDREDS OF FEET), THE BRAKE STOPPED THE CAR JUST AT A VERY BUSY, FAST MOVING INTERSECTION. I TOLD THIS TO THE FLOOR MAT RECALL DESK (AS MY FLOOR MAT WAS FINE) AND THEY INSISTED I CALL A DIFFERENT NUMBER, WHICH I NEGLECTED TO DO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305412February 4, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2005 TOYOTA PRIUS STALLED WHILE DRIVING AND IN MOTION. I OWN A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT I HAD JUST DRIVEN ON HIGHWAY ABOUT 25 MILES AND THEN WAS ON LOCAL ROAD. THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND ALL LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR WAS NOT RESPONSIVE TO GAS AND ENGINE WAS SHUT. SO I HAD TO PULL OVER. THE CAR WILL NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS DURING OFF PEAK TIME AND I WAS ON LOCAL ROAD. IF IT HAD BEEN DURING PEAK TIME AND ON HIGHWAY, THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT. THE DEALER HAD NO TECHNICAL DETAILS AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. HE SAID IT WAS SOFTWARE ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305424February 4, 2010
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I BOUGHT A NEW TOYOTA PRIUS IN 2005. WHEN THE VEHICLE RIDES OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT THE STABILITY CONTROL MAKES THE CAR QUICKLY LURCH FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED DOZENS OF TIMES OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. RECENTLY, I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY BRAKES IN ICY CONDITIONS. I WAS CRUISING AT ABOUT 15 MPH TO A STOP SIGN, NOT ON SNOW, IT WAS JUST BELOW FREEZING THAT DAY, WHEN I APPLIED THE FOOT BRAKE I FELT NO RESISTANCE IN THE PEDAL. I COULD FEEL THE ABS SYSTEM DISENGAGE FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR USING THE BRAKES SO I ROLLED TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW MINUTES LATER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305450February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
THE PRIUS BRAKING PROBLEM IS NOT LIMITED TO 2010 MODELS. I HAVE A 2005 PRIUS AND HAVE NOTICED THAT AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, IF THE CAR MOVES OVER AN UNEVEN OR SLICK SURFACE, THE BRAKES SEEM TO DISENGAGE FOR A MOMENT. AN EXAMPLE IS APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE TRAVELING OVER A CROSSWALK STRIPE THAT HAS BEEN MOISTENED BY FOG OR RAIN. THE CAR SEEMS TO LURCH FORWARD AS THE BRAKES SEEM TO DISENGAGE AND THE SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON. THEN THE BRAKES COME BACK ON. THIS CAN BE SOMEWHAT DISCONCERTING AND COULD BE HAZARDOUS IF THERE WERE AN OBSTACLE OR PEDESTRIAN IMMEDIATELY AHEAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305483February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND BRAKING UPON APPROACHING A CURVE AND A METAL PLATE ON THE ROAD ABOUT 40 FEET BEFORE A STOP SIGN. THE CAR ACCELERATED MOMENTARILY (SURGED) ON THE UNEVEN SURFACE, FOR LESS THAN 1 SECOND. AS I DROVE THIS STRETCH OF ROAD ONCE PER WEEK, I THEN APPROACHED IT MORE SLOWLY. AT LOWER SPEEDS, THE BRAKING PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR, BUT WEEKS WHEN I FORGOT TO DRIVE MORE SLOWLY, THE BRAKING PROBLEM RECURRED (NOT SURE OF THE HIT RATE - PERHAPS 40% OF THE TIME AT ~35 MPH). I AM UNCERTAIN OF THE DATES: VERY ROUGHLY, APRIL 2009 - SEPTEMBER 2009, WHILE THE METAL PLATE WAS IN PLACE. // I HAVE EXPERIENCED A BRAKING PROBLEM ON ONE OTHER OCCASION ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF UNEVEN ROAD, GOING ABOUT 35 MPH AND OVER A POTHOLE. THIS WAS APPROXIMATELY JANUARY 1, 2010. ONCE AGAIN, THE CAR ACCELERATED/SURGED FOR LESS THAN 1 SECOND. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305485February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TEMPORARY LOSS OF SPEED CONTROL WHEN HITTING UNEVEN SURFACE (POTHOLE) DURING BRAKING. HAS OCCURRED ON AT LEAST TWO OR THREE OCCASIONS RECENTLY (BASED ON MY RECOLLECTION FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT OF BRAKING ISSUE WITH 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS). I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR WITH NO OTHER CONSEQUENCES (STAYED ON ROAD; DIDN'T HIT ANOTHER CAR OR PEDESTRIAN). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305553February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I OWN A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS AND I WANT TO REPORT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM IN THAT MODEL AS WELL. DURING THE 4 1/2/ YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THE CAR THERE HAVE BEEN THREE INCIDENTS WHERE THE ABS SYSTEM TOOK TOO LONG TO KICK IN. IN TWO OF THOSE INCIDENTS, IF THERE HAD BEEN ONE MORE SECOND BEFORE THE BRAKES WORKED, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. ALL THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED ON SMOOTHLY PAVED FREEWAYS. I WANT IT TO BE KNOWN THAT THE ABS FAILURE IS OCCURRING IN 2005 MODELS AND ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT. DURING MY OWNERSHIP OF THE CAR THE BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT THIS DID NOT PREVENT THE ABS FAILURE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THE INCIDENT DATE I AM INCLUDING IS THE MOST RECENT TIME THIS HAPPENED ON THE NORTH 5 FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES IN DECEMBER 2009. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305596February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2005 TOYOTA PRIUS - WHEN APPLYING BRAKE LIGHTLY IN THE PHASE OF SLOWING DOWN, AS I GO OVER A DEFECT IN THE ROAD, THE CAR SPEEDS UP IMMEDIATELY UNTIL I PUT HEAVY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR STOPS. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER HAS TEST DRIVEN THE CAR AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO RECONSTRUCT THE DEFECT WHICH IS INTERMITTENT. THEIR RESPONSE IS DISBELIEF! APPROXIMATE INCIDENT DATE IS LATEST DATE BUT PROBLEM HAS BEEN THERE ALL ALONG. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305582February 4, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH OVER RAIL ROAD TRACKS THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE HIS FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 12 TIMES LAST YEAR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56000. UPDATED 3/8/10 *CN UPDATED 06/04/10.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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