Toyota Prius Complaints (2008)

1,497 consumer complaints on file.

#10322565March 28, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TOYOTA PRIUS - 2.5 YEARS OLD, UNDER FULL PARTS & LABOR FACTORY WARRANTY HEAD LIGHTS HID BULBS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP RESPONSE: PAY $771.43+TAX FOR BULBS - GOT WRITTEN QUOTE *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10322511March 27, 2010
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY WIFE KATHY AND I OWN A 2009 PRIUS. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM THAT IS PERSISTENT BUT THE DEALER CANNOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM ON THE LAST SEVERAL VISITS FOR ROUTINE SERVICE. THEY CHECKED BULLETINS ETC. BUT CLAIM NO PROBLEM EXISTS. THE PROBLEM: "LUNGING OF THE VEHICLE AND NOISE WITH SHAKING OF THE CAR." MY WIFE DRIVES THE VEHICLE MOST OF THE TIME AND EXPERIENCES THE PROBLEM OFTEN. I EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM MAINLY IN A PARKED SITUATION STANDING NEXT TO THE CAR TALKING TO FRIENDS. IN QUIET MODE, SOMETHING LIKE A COMPRESSOR KICKS IN OR ENGINE STARTS, CAR LITERALLY LUNGED FORWARD AND ROCKED BACK AND THE CLANGING NOISE SOUNDED AS IF THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE NOT DOING THEIR JOB. I EXPLAINED THE SYMPTOM TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOT A COMPRESSOR? I REALIZE COMPRESSORS ARE OLD SCHOOL BUT THAT'S THE BEST CORRELATION I CAN COME UP WITH. ANOTHER ISSUE: AFTER STARTING THE CAR, MOVES FROM PARK TO NEUTRAL BUT WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. THIS IS AN OCCASIONAL ISSUE. PLEASE HELP! RESPONSE: THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., INC. WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION AND HOPE TO HAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. OUR CURRENT OFFICE HOURS ARE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 5 AM TO 6 PM AND SATURDAY 7 AM TO 4 PM PACIFIC TIME. IF YOU NEED IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE, WE RECOMMEND YOU CONTACT THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER AT YOUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. ----- DEALERSHIP SAID THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING! ------ MY WIFE AND I ARE REALTORS AND WE'VE HAD CLIENTS THAT DON'T WANT TO RIDE WITH US IN A PRIUS BECAUSE OF THE RECENT NEWS. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF MY VEHICLE IS SAFE?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10322419March 26, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT WE PURCHASED NEW IN APRIL OF 08. ON MARCH 19TH I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON A STREET WITH CONSTRUCTION PANELS ON PARTS OF SURFACE. I WAS LEAVING A CAR LENGTH IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN THE CAR AHEAD STOPPED, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR KEPT GOING AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF THE CAR AHEAD. NO ONE HURT BUT DAMAGE TO BUMPER AND HOOD OF MY CAR. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP NEXT MORNING. TOYOTA REP LOOKED OVER IT, RAN DIAGONSTIC CODES AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. I KNOW THE BRAKES FAILED. WE HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR AND TOYOTA SERVICE.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321912March 25, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PRIUS 2008 HEADLAMP: BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE HEADLAMPS, ONE AT A TIME, INTERMITTENTLY TURN OFF. IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OF FOR A FEW SECONDS, THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON AND STAYS ON, SOMETIMES FOR A SHORT WHILE AND SOMETIMES FOR A LONGER PERIOD. I HAVE NOT HAD BOTH GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AT LEAST ONE MONTH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321701March 24, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN HITTING SMALL BUMPS TRAVELLING AT SPEEDS OF 25-50MPH (SUCH AS BUMPS BEFORE BRIDGES) THE ABS WILL ACTIVATE AND THE PEDALS GO LOOSE. IT SEEMS THE CAR CAN NOT BE CONTROLLED FOR ABOUT 3/4 OF A SECOND ONCE THIS OCCURS. LUCKILY I HAVE NEVER BEEN ROUNDING A TURN OR APPROACHING STOPPED TRAFFIC WHEN THIS OCCURS OR I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP. I HAD ONE CLOSE CALL WHERE THE BRAKES SEEMED TO LAG BEFORE KICKING IN, THEN JOLTING HARD AFTER THE DELAY CAUSING ME TO ALMOST LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321738March 24, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I WAS DRIVING TO THE AIRPORT ONE NIGHT AND THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2008 PRIUS TURNED OFF. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THEM BACK ON BY RESETING THE LIGHT SWITCH. THIS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES DURING MY TRIP TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO DUBLIN (CA) TOYOTA BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ACCURATELY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT OK TO THEM EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHTS WERE TURNING ON AND OFF IN THEIR SERVICE BAY. THEY SUGGESTED CHANGING BOTH LIGHTS FOR $600 WHICH THEY SAID WAS A DISCOUNT FROM TOYOTA. HOWEVER THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THIS WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I DECIDED TO ORDER THE BULBS AND CHANGE THEM MYSELF. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE PRIUS. NEED YOUR HELP TO FORCE TOYOTA TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10321756March 24, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE RAN OFF ROAD ON CURVE, DRIVER REPORTED VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. UPDATED 06/03/10*BF UPDATED IVOQ. 06/07/10 UPDATED 9/29/11*CW
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
1
#10319773March 22, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS, YEAR NOT SPECIFIED. CONSUMER STATES SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *TGW THE CONSUMER PUT THE GEAR INTO REVERSE, WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. SHE KEPT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PUT THE GEAR INTO PARK AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320809March 18, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
PRIUS ACCELERATES WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED GOING OVER POT HOLES AND SOMETIMES RIDGES IN THE ROAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320813March 18, 2010
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT EXPERIENCES THE SAME HESITANCY AND SHAKING WHILE BRAKING THAT THE 2010 RECALLED MODELS HAVE. I INITIALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP AND THEY CLAIMED TO NOT BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO TOLD ME LAST WEEK AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY HAVE HAD OTHER 2008 OWNERS STATE THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT SINCE THE VEHICLES ARE NOT UNDER RECALL, THERE IS NO RECOURSE FOR THESE CARS. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CRASH DUE TO THE PROBLEM, BUT IT MAKES HANDLING A BIT DIFFICULT WHEN THE BRAKES SHAKE. I FEEL THE RECALL FIX SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO OTHER MODEL YEARS AS WELL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320609March 18, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I WAS DRIVING N ON BROADWAY AND CRASHED INTO A POWER POLE SEVERAL BLOCKS FROM WHERE I WAS GOING. I DON'T REMEMBER THE CRASH OR THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE CRASH DUE TO A HEAD INJURY. I WAS DRIVING A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. I HADN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS BEFORE THE CRASH. MY DOCTORS ARE PERFORMING NUMEROUS TESTS TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE ANY PHYSICAL PROBLEMS WITH ME (SO FAR NOTHING HAS SHOWN UP IN THE TESTS), BUT NO ONE HAS CONSIDERED WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE CAR THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10320876March 18, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING RE SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENT FM OWNER OF A TOYOTA VEHICLE. *TGW 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ACCELERATION SURGES WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND USING THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD FROM 68 MPH TO 74 MPH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320665March 18, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HELLO....I JUST RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM TOYOTA ENTITLED CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM..(NO MENTION OF RECALL). IN IT, THEY SAY THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT...AND WHILE THEY'VE BEEN CHARGING FOR THEM AT 300 DOLLARS EACH, THEY NOW REALIZE THAT IT'S SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL ISSUE....THAT CAUSES THE LIGHTS TO FAIL...NOW, IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING ELSE, IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE A RECALL...NOT A "HIDE THE PROBLEM" KIND OF CUSTOMER SUPPORT LETTER......SOMEONE SHOULD BE MONITORING THIS ONE TOO....IF TOYOTA CAN HIDE SOMETHING THAT IS A RECALL-WARRANTED PROBLEM, WHAT NEXT..? IT WORRIES ME.... *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320669March 18, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2008 PRIUS. AT 35,000 MILES THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT BURNT OUT, COVERED BY WARRANTY. AT 40,000 MILES THE DRIVER'S SIDE BURNS OUT, BUT IT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. $200 TO REPLACE. I'VE NEVER BEEN TOLD BY CARSON CITY TOYOTA THAT PRIUS CARS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HEADLIGHTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320675March 18, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MY 2008 PRIUS SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS I PULLED OVER TO PARK AT THE CURB 2 HOURS AGO. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, NOT NEAR THE ACCELERATOR, AND I LONG AGO REPLACED MY FLOOR MATS SO I KNOW THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL INTERFERENCE. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE CAR. CIRCUMSTANCES WERE IDENTICAL IN THE FIRST OCCURRENCE. NO DAMAGE RESULTED AS THE ACCELERATION SEEMED TO PULSE FOR LESS THAN 1 SECOND AND I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I DID NOTICE SOME GRAVEL IN THE ROAD AS I APPROACHED THE PARKING SPOT BUT I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SKID. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320717March 18, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 25 MPH THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THAT THEY WOULD NOT ENGAGE. WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A CURB WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR NEED TO FILE A POLICE REPORT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,500.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320723March 18, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LEFT FROM HEADLIGHT HAS FAILED AT 28 MONTHS / 36,000 MILES, AND I'VE BEEN QUOTED >$200 TO REPAIR! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320355March 17, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, PARKING BRAKE, POWER TRAIN
I LEFT MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS RUNNING AND HAD TO RUN BACK INTO A HOME WHERE I'D JUST LEFT A SALES APPOINTMENT. EVENTHOUGH I HAD THE KEY FOB IN MY POCKET, I NOTICED OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE AS I WAS CROSSING THE STREET BACK TOWARDS THE HOUSE THAT MY CAR WAS CAREENING INTO THE BUICK PARKED ACROSS THE STREET. I RAN AND JUMPED IN AND STEERED IT AWAY FROM T-BONING THE PARKED BUICK, BUT COULD NOT KEEP IT THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE PRIUS FROM SCRAPING ALONG THE DRIVER'S SIDE CORNER OF THE BUICK'S REAR BUMPER. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10317594March 15, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
CONSUMER IS CONCERNED WITH BRAKING PROBLEMS WITH THE 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. *TS THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE BRAKING PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE, DUE TO IT BEING SO LIGHT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10319652March 15, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2008 PRUIS- TWICE IN COLD WEATHER THE COMPUTER DASHBOARD INDICATORS WOULDNT SHOW ANY INFO INCLUDING SPEED OF CAR AND THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING AROUND THE DASHBOARD CAME ON AND I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF. I LOOKED THIS UP ONLINE AND OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM IN COLD WEATHER WITH THE PRUIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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