Toyota Prius Complaints (2008)

1,497 consumer complaints on file.

#11327240June 4, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
I BOUGHT A USED 2008 PRIUS FOR MY DAUGHTER AT A DEALERSHIP IN MAY, 2020. SOON AFTER THE ABS, BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT'S THE ABS ACTUATOR THAT IS LEAKING. THE LEAKING CAN CAUSE YOUR BRAKES TO LOCK UP AND NOT STOP THE CAR WHEN PUSHING THEM. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR THE 2008 PRIUS. THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND IS DOCUMENTED ON MANY OWNER FORUMS AS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE PRIUS. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, TOYOTA DID OFFER A LIMITED WARRANTY ON THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER, MANY PEOPLE ARE NOW GETTING THIS ISSUE AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS ALREADY EXPIRED. TOYOTA HAS BULLETIN GZ1 WITH OVER 171 COMPLAINTS AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET. I COULD UNDERSTAND A WARRANTY BEING ISSUED FOR A PROBLEM THAT IS COMMON BUT NOT DEADLY, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OF THE ABS ACTUATOR HAS ALREADY CAUSED DEATHS AND SHOULD BE AN ISSUED RECALL AND NOT A TEMPORARY WARRANTY.. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11325200May 19, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MY BRAKE, ABS, VSC, AND (!) LIGHTS ARE ON. THE BRAKES WORK AT ROUGHLY 10% STOPPING POWER. MAKES AN AWFUL BUZZING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE WARNING CHIME IS ON CONSTANTLY THE HIGH PITCH RING IS UNBEARABLE. I CALLED MY LOCAL TOYOTA SERVICE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE CHAMPAGNE ENDED NOV 30TH 2017. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11319703March 30, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
WHEN TURNING THE CAR ON, WHILE IN PARK, THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED. THE ABS ACTUATOR/MODULATOR IS CONSTANTLY WHIRRING. SEVERAL DASH LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED SIMULTANEOUSLY (ABS VSC, E-BRAKE, !). MY DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PRIUS PROBLEM THAT CAN RESULT IN COMPLETE FAILURE OF BRAKING CAPABILITY AND THAT THE REPAIR IS $3,500. ACCORDING TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR, ANOTHER CUSTOMER OF CENTRAL FLORIDA TOYOTA WAS SCHEDULED FOR THIS REPAIR WHEN HIS BRAKES FAILED AND HIS CAR WAS TOTALED. THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND IS DOCUMENTED ON OWNER FORUMS AS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR PRIUS'. MY CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR A COUPLE WEEKS NOW, AND REALIZING HOW SERIOUS IS IT HAS PROMPTED ME TO SCHEDULE THE REPAIR AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I AM A NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATOR AND I RELY ON THIS CAR FOR MY 100 MILE COMMUTES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11318729March 19, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
2008 PRIUS ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON, FRONT PASSENGER TIRE LOCKED UP SUDDENLY ALMOST CAUSING DAUGHTER TO RUN OFF THE HIGHWAY. I DROVE THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. 9 MONTHS LATER THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN, TOYOTA CLEARED CODES COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND RELEASED THE VEHICLE BACK. LIGHTS RETURNED THE NEXT DAY. TOYOTA NOW STATES NEEDS A NEW BRAKE ACTUATOR FOR $2700. TOYOTA HAS BULLETIN GZ1 WITH OVER 171 COMPLAINTS ON YOUR SITE WITH NOT COUNTING ALL THE VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER THIS BULLETIN. THEY WILL NOT FIX THE VEHICLE WITHOUT PAYMENT OF ALMOST HALF OF THE VEHICLE'S WORTH. CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO ASSIST WITH A KNOWN ISSUE. WITH THE RISK OF ACCIDENTS WHEN BRAKES LOCK UP OR FAIL, WHY WAS THIS NOT A SAFETY RECALL INSTEAD OF A "SILENT RECALL" WARRANTY EXTENSION
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317626March 11, 2020
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
MY PRIUS RECALL THE ABS SYSTEM. BUT I AM NO RECEIVE ANY LETTER.TOYOTA DOES NOT SEND LETTER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11315711March 2, 2020
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE. I HAVE CHANGED THE RELAY SWITCH, COMPUTER HID AND HEADLIGHTS AND THEY STILL ARE NOT WORKING. I'VE ALSO HAD TO PAY A TICKET AS A RESULT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11309820February 18, 2020
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
FOR THE PAST YEAR SINCE I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE THE CAR ACCELERATES INSTEAD OF SLOW DOWN IF I HIT A BUMP OR BEFORE I STEP ON THE BREAK IT SPEED UP AND SLIPS INSTEAD OF SLOW DOWN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11302457January 28, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT FAILED TO IMMEDIATELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKING DISTANCE WAS EXTENDED. AN AUDIBLE CHIME WAS HEARD WHILE THE ABS, VSC, BRAKES, AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR AND THE ABS BRAKE SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (UNKNOWN) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT YET CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11302223January 27, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKING POWER WAS REDUCED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE TOYOTA OF HOLLYWOOD DEALER, LOCATED AT 6000 HOLLYWOOD BLVD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90028) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 151,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11301644January 24, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKING POWER WAS REDUCED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE BRAKE CEASED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE PANAMA CITY TOYOTA DEALER, LOCATED IN PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 167,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11299330January 14, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
THE BREAK ACTUATOR IS BROKEN AND NOW CAUSING PROBLEMS TO THE CARS BREAK SYSTEM. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. TOYOTA DID HAVE A EXTENDED WARRENTY FOR THE PART BUT NOW IT IS OVER. I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THE PART AND HAVE IT FIXED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298473January 10, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AS NORMAL ON A CITY STREET AND THE SPEEDOMETER AND WARNING LIGHTS (EXCEPT FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT) ALL TURNED OFF. WE PULLED OVER BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK OR TURN OFF. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CONTINUE DRIVING, NOT KNOWING OUR SPEED OR ANY WARNING LIGHTS THAT COULD PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY (INCLUDING KNOWING THE LEVEL OF THE GAS). ONCE WE GOT HOME IT TOOK ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO GET THE CAR INTO PARK AND OFF, BUT PRESSING THE PARK AND POWER BUTTONS IN RANDOM ORDERS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT ULTIMATELY ALLOWED THE CAR TO TURN OFF. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW AND IT'S SCARY NOT KNOWING THE SPEED ALL THE SUDDEN IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. ALSO, HAVING BEEN IN SUCH A HABIT OF CLICKING THE PARK BUTTON AND BEING SAFELY IN PARK, WE ALMOST CRASHED INTO OUR HOUSE AFTER BEING IN THE DRIVEWAY THE SECOND TIME, NOT REALIZING THE DISPLAY HAD JUST GONE OUT AGAIN FOR A SECOND TIME UPON ARRIVING HOME. THE CAR CONTINUED ROLLING FORWARD OF COURSE UNTIL THE BRAKES WERE SLAMMED. I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR MY YEAR PRIUS (2008), BUT HAS SINCE ENDED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS WASN'T A RECALL. TOYOTA NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO HONOR THE REPAIR OF VEHICLES THAT ARE AFFECTED. JUST RECENTLY, IT WAS RELEASED THAT TOYOTA IS RECALLING THE 2019 MODELS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE (SPEEDOMETER GOING OUT) AND THEY ARE REFERRING TO IT AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS SHOULD BE DONE FOR ANY MODEL AFFECTED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE AN END DATE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11297920January 8, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
I HAD SOME BRAKE WORK DONE ON MY CAR AT MEINEKE ON JANUARY 6, AND WHEN THEY DID THE BRAKE BLEED THEY WERE UNABLE TO BLEED THE LEFT REAR BRAKE. THEY DID SOME INVESTIGATING AND SAID IT WAS GOING TO TAKE SEVERAL HOURS OF LABOR TO DIAGNOSE. I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH I DID ON JAN 7. THEY GOT ERROR CODE C1253, AND DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN INTERNAL LEAK IN THE ACTUATOR. THIS IS BOTH A DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE PROBLEM. LOOKING AROUND ONLINE I SAW THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM IN PRIUSES (BOTH GEN 2 AND GEN 3), AND HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM ZG-1. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WEP EXPIRED AT THE END OF 2017. GIVEN THE DANGEROUSNESS OF THE ISSUE (I.E. THIS IS NOT AN OPTIONAL REPAIR IF YOU WANT TO KEEP DRIVING YOUR CAR SAFELY) AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THIS KNOWN PROBLEM, IT SEEMS LIKE TOYOTA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL (IDEAL; WOULD PREVENT PEOPLE FROM DISCOVERING THE PROBLEM BY LOSING BRAKE FUNCTION WHILE DRIVING) OR AT LEAST CONTINUE TO COVER THE FULL COST OF REPLACEMENTS. I'M JUST "LUCKY" I DISCOVERED THE ISSUE WHILE HAVING OTHER BRAKE WORK DONE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11291137December 24, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND COME BACK TO TURN IT ON THERE'S NO DISPLAY FOR SPEED WHAT GEAR I'M IN MILEAGE OR FUEL. THE ONLY WAY I SEEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK IS TO POP THE BACK HATCH AND DISCONNECT THE MAIN POWER FROM THE BATTERY. SOMETIMES I DO THAT 20 OR 30 TIMES BEFORE IT WORKS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11289616December 17, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
RECURRING PROBLEM, INCONSISTENCY IN FUEL LEVELS AT THE GAS PUMP. POSSIBLE HYBRID ENERGY THEFT FROM BATTERIES OR HEATING ELEMENT. LAST FILL-UP AT THE NORTH CONDUIT MOBIL WITH 8 DOLLARS, RESULTING IN A LESS THAN A HALF A TANK LEVEL, WITH A QUARTER TANK LEVEL BEFORE FILL UP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11289134December 15, 2019
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING
MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD I COULD'VE INVOLVED IN BIG ACCIDENT IF I WAS ON A HIGHWAY THE WAY IT SHUTDOWN WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGN. IT JUST SUDDENLY STOPPED
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11281900November 22, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DRIVING THROUGH THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, MY BRAKE ACTUATOR FAILED CAUSING THE FRONT CALIPER TO SEIZE. I WAS UNABLE TO BRAKE SAFELY. THE VEHICLE SWERVED DURING BRAKING AND FAILED TO RESPOND IN TIME TO PREVENT COLLISIONS. HAD I BEEN IN A HIGH-TRAFFIC AREA, INJURY OR FATALITY WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKELY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND TOYOTA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS PART. UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH I AM STILL WITHIN THE MILEAGE LIMIT, THE WARRANTY PERIOD EXPIRED WEEKS BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED. I STRESS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WHICH PRESENTS AN IMMINENT DANGER TO DRIVERS, PASSENGERS, AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11280742November 18, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, EXCESSIVE PRESSURE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND A LOUD SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE SOUNDED AS IF THE BRAKES WERE RELEASING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE, ABS, VSC, AND THE EXPLANATION MARK WITH A CIRCLE ICON WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. WHEN USING THE BRAKES, THE CONTACT WOULD NEED TO ACTIVATE THE VEHICLE'S B MODE TO ASSIST WITH SLOWING DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE'S TIRES WOULD SEIZE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC OR DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11280770November 18, 2019
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT TURNS OFF UNPREDICTABLY, USUALLY WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING TIME. TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON SOMETIMES GETS THE HEADLIGHT TO TURN BACK ON, BUT NOT ALWAYS. THEN WITHIN 10 MINUTES IT WILL TURN OFF AGAIN. NOT ONLY IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AND DRIVING VIOLATION, I ALSO CANNOT SELL THE CAR WITH NON-FUNCTIONING HEADLIGHTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11278327November 5, 2019
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE OBSTRUCTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND CAUSED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO ENGAGE. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON IN ORDER FOR IT TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTH DADE TOYOTA (29330 S DIXIE HWY, HOMESTEAD, FL 33033, (786) 465-7908) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACTUATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Toyota Prius