Toyota Prius Complaints (2008)

1,497 consumer complaints on file.

#10399893May 10, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT INTERLOCK HAD TO BE DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO UNLOCK AND SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO ANY GEAR. IF THE BUTTON WAS NOT DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE HE GEAR AND PLACE THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN ORDER TO DRIVE FORWARD OR IN REVERSE, THE BUTTON HAD TO BE ABNORMALLY HELD DOWN WHILE DRIVING UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. IF THE BUTTON WAS NOT DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10399307May 6, 2011
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE OWNER'S MANUAL INDICATED THAT WHEN THE FUEL SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE HAD AT LEAST 3 GALLONS OF FUEL LEFT. A TOW TRUCK APPEARED ON THE SCENE TO DELIVER MORE FUEL TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 33,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10397217April 23, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS INTERMITTENTLY GO OUT. THE LEFT SIDE OR THE RIGHT SIDE OR BOTH HEADLIGHTS AT THE SAME TIME. A VERY VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITION AT NIGHT! I CHECKED THE TOYOTA SITE, BUT NO SIGN OF A RECALL GOING ON. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY A RECALL HASN'T ALREADY BEEN ISSUED, AS I UNDERSTAND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10397170April 22, 2011
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. IN ADDITION, WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS THEN CONTACTED WHO REFERRED HIM BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 05/24/11*LJ UPDATED 05/25/11 UPDATED 06/16/11
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10396944April 20, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ONE HEADLIGHT ON MY TOYOTA PRIUS KEEPS GOING OUT. 3 NEW LAMPS IN JUST 6 MONTHS. IT IS ONLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10396755April 19, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT, THE BULBS ARE FINE, BUT I HAVE TO TURN OFF AND TURN ON THE LIGHT MANY TIME ON HIGHWAY TO MAKE THEM STAY ON. THAT IS NOT SAFETY WAY EVER. IF I FORGOT TO TURN IT OFF AND ON AGAIN, I CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR POLICE OFFICER WILL GIVE PULL ME OVER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10395991April 15, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WE HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 2007 AND HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OFF DURING OPERATION. WE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS. WHEN CONTACTING TOYOTA THEY HAVE NOT HELPED AT ALL SAYING THAT THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 50,000 MILES FOR THIS AND WE ARE OVER THAT MILEAGE MILE STONE WHICH IS VERY CONVENIENT FOR TOYOTA. THE COST TO PUT IN TWO NEW HEADLIGHTS IS OVER $600 WHICH I CANT AFFORD. WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS I'M READING ABOUT ITS AMAZING THAT A RECALL IS NOT IN AFFECT OR THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ISN'T ORDERING A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10396271April 10, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOTH HEADLIGHTS AND INSIDE LIGHTS FAILED, SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE TRAVELING ON A DARK STRETCH OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT FAILED SUDDENLY ON OCCASION, BUT IT COULD BE TURNED BACK ON MY SWITCHING OFF THE HEADLIGHTS AND THEN TURNING THEM BACK ON. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ALL LIGHTS FAILED, AND IT ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10394334April 5, 2011
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS BRAKING FROM 15 MPH AND ENTERING INTO A PARKING LOT BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES UNTIL THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SCRATCHES DUE TO BEING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A BUILDING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THEY WOULD SEND AN INSPECTOR TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10392365March 21, 2011
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MY 2008 PRIUS HAS BEEN ACCELERATING FORWARD AFTER I GO OVER AMY BUMPS IN THE ROAD. IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. I ASKED MY SEALSKIN ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID MY PRIUS WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. MY HUSBAND SAYS THIS IS INCORRECT AND IT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM TOO. I DRIVE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND I AM SCARED THIS WILL END IN AM ACCIDENT OR SOMEONE GETTING HURT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10390607March 18, 2011
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE TURN WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACTS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SPUN TWICE AND CAME TO A STOP. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE REPORTED INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO TOOK A COMPLAINT AND STATED THAT SOMEONE WOULD CONTACT HER LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10390458March 17, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I WILL START THE CAR AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS ARE ON THEN ONE OR THE OTHER WILL JUST TURN OFF, LUCKILY BOTH HAVE NOT TURNED OFF AT THE SAME TIME. SOMETIMES THEY CAN BE ON FOR A LONG TIME AND SOMETIMES A SHORT TIME, THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON FOR IT. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, ENOUGH THAT I WAS STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR HAVING A HEADLIGHT OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10390424March 16, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO YEARS AGO, THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE REPLACED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER YET THE FAILURE CONTINUOUSLY RECURRED. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE HEADLIGHT FAILURE WAS DUE TO PRODUCTION AND THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE, BUT AT HER EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10389819March 11, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHT PASSENGER SIDE GOING WHILE DRIVING COMING BACK ON DO NOT KNOW WHEN BOTH WILL GO OUT. COST TO REPLACE ONE HEADLIGHT $150 FOR BULB $95 TO REPLACE. HAVE HEARD OTHER OWNERS HAVING SAME PROBLEMS AND MORE THEN ONE TIME. HAVE HEARD OF OVERHEATING PROBLEM CAUSING EARLY OUTAGE OF BULBS OVER AND OVER. ALSO PROBLEM WITH COMPUTER CAUSING THESE PROBLEMS. PROBLEM SHOW UP FOR FIRST TIME I BELIEVE IN 2010. IT IS GETTING WORST AND I'M NO LONGER DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10386438March 4, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE A 2008 PRIUS AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT HID LAMPS. APPROXIMATE COST IS $150 PER REPLACEMENT. I FEEL THAT THE HID FAILURE IS A HAZARD, BOTH OF THE HID LIGHTS CAME ON AND WENT OUT PERIODICALLY OVER TIME BEFORE EVENTUALLY FAILING, FINALLY. THE HIDS SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 2 YEARS AND INTERMITTENT OUTAGES SHOULD NOT BE A PART OF A CRITICAL NIGHT TIME OPERATING SYSTEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10387828March 3, 2011
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
AFTER A VAGUE SENSE THAT BOTH HEAD LAMPS WERE SOMETIMES GOING DARK, I NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS "OUT" AND HAD IT REPLACED AT A COST OF $245 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. NOW THE OTHER BULB IS GOING DARK ON AND OFF. IF DARK, IT CAN BE MADE TO ILLUMINATE BY TURNING LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON. BULB MOST OFTEN GOES DARK AT SPEED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10384687February 27, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
CONDENSATION BUILDS UP INSIDE THE HID HEADLIGHTS DURING HUMID DAYS, AFTER RAIN, AND AFTER CARWASH. INSIDE OF HEADLIGHT IS STREAKED WITH WATER STAINS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10384557February 25, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PURCHASED NEW 2008 PRIUS AUGUST 13, 2008. HAS HID HEADLIGHTS. PRESENT MILEAGE 45000. AROUND JANUARY 15, 2011, FIRST NOTICED HEADLIGHTS APPEARED TO NOT BE ON IN EARLY EVENING. CHECK SWITCH, TURNED IT OFF-ON, HEADLIGHTS CAME ON. 2ND TIME, 2 DAYS LATER, LIGHTS AGAIN SEEMED TO NOT BE ONE, CHECKED SWITCH, WHICH WAS ON. TURNED SWITCH OFF THEN ON, LIGHTS CAME ON. SUBSEQUENT TIMES, PROBLEM WITH DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT INTERMITTENTLY TURNING OFF. SOMETIMES TURNS ON WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING, OTHER TIMES MUST TURN SWITCH OFF, THEN ON. NO NOTICED PROBLEM WITH PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT. DANGEROUS WHEN HEADLIGHT SWITCHES OFF AT NIGHT. NOTICED ON WEBSITES THAT OTHERS EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER FROM WHOM PURCHASED VEHICLE. TOLD THAT SINCE CAR OUT OF WARRANTY, WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR COSTS (ESTIMATED $300-$500 COST). INDICATED PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY BULB GOING BAD, BUT COULDN'T GUARANTEE REPAIR WORK WOULD FIX PROBLEM. ASKED DEALER WHY HID BULB GOES BAD AFTER ONLY 30 MONTHS OF OPERATION (HAVE ORIGINAL HEADLIGHTS IN 2004 CHEVY CAVALIER AND 1976 GMC PICKUP). WAS TOLD THAT SHOULD ONLY EXPECT 24 MONTHS OF LIFE WITH HID BULBS WHICH CONTRADICTS WHAT WAS TOLD BY DEALER WHEN CAR PURCHASED THAT BULBS SHOULD LAST LIFETIME OF CAR. TOYOTA IMPLIES THAT ISSUE IS MY PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10384085February 23, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP GOES OUT AND COME BACK ON INTERMITTENTLY-HAD TO HOLD HEADLIGHT SWITCH MANUALLY TO HAVE HEADLIGHT STAY ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10383856February 20, 2011
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PROBLEM: REAR RIGHT WHEEL STUD BROKEN. I REMOVED RIGHT SIDE FRONT AND REAR WHEEL LUG NUTS TO ROTATE TIRES USING THE TOYOTA SUPPLIED LUG WRENCH. SWITCHED THE TIRES AND REINSTALLED THE LUG NUTS. HOWEVER ONE LUG NUT ON THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WOULD NOT TIGHTEN. AFTER A COUPLE TURNS I DECIDED TO REMOVE THE OTHER LUG NUTS ON THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. ONE OF THE LUG NUTS FELL OFF WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE IT. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE WHEEL STUD HAD BROKEN OFF ABOUT 1/2 INCH FROM THE WHEEL FLANGE. I PRESSED THE BROKEN STUD FROM THE WHEEL FLANGE AND INSTALLED A NEW STUD PURCHASED FROM THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. THIS KIND OF FAILURE, IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN DURING VEHICLE MOVEMENT, COULD RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. I HAVE THE BROKEN STUD AND LUG NUT IN MY POSSESSION. LOOKS LIKE A CYCLIC FATIGUE, SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NEVER OCCUR IN THIS APPLICATION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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