Toyota Prius Complaints (2007)

2,004 consumer complaints on file.

#10310860February 16, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE DRIVER SIDE HID HEADLIGHTS WERE FAILING INTERMITTENTLY. AT ONE POINT ALL OF THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. FOG LAMPS WERE STILL WORKING. REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT. 2 MONTHS LATER PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT STARTED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. DIDN'T WAIT FOR A COMPLETE FAILURE TO HAPPEN WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. REPLACED PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310937February 16, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
FIRST TIME THE PRIUS SURGED THE CAR HAD JUST LEFT THE FREEWAY AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS STILL ENGAGED. THE PRIUS SURGED AT 55 MILES AN HOUR FOR A HUNDRED FEET TILL WE GAINED CONTROL. THE SECOND TIME SEVERAL MONTHS LATER WE LEFT THE FREEWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL STILL ENGAGED AND COULD NOT SLOW THE CAR. WE RACED THROUGH HOOD RIVER, OR AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES AN HOUR RIDING THE BRAKE THROUGH TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS- OUR BRAKES SMOKING. FINALLY THE DRIVER FOUND A PARALLEL PARKING PLACE TO SLIDE INTO AND WERE ABLE TO PUNCH THE BUTTON AND TURN OFF THE CAR. THE DRIVER HAVING THE CAR IN PARK TURNED THE CAR ON AGAIN . THE MOTOR WAS STILL IN FULL THROTTLE. THE DRIVER LEFT THE CAR TO FIND A RESTROOM. I STAYED IN THE CAR WITH THE ENGINE OFF. I REACHED DOWN TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND WITH LIGHT PRESSURE PULLED THE PEDAL UP. WHEN THE DRIVER RETURNED AND STARTED THE MOTOR IT WAS AT NORMAL SPEED. WE TOOK THE CAR TO GRIFFITH MOTORS IN THE DALLES ,OR ON THE DEC. 10, 2009. THE FACTORY REP DROVE THE CAR ( W/ 21,690 MILES ON IT AFTER HE DROVE IT) AND ON HIS REPORT WROTE "NO PROBLEM FOUND". *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10311008February 16, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TOYOTA PRIUS 2007: WE OWN THIS VEHICLE WHICH HAS LESS THEN 80K MILES ON IT AND THE HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF WHEN IN USE. THEY DO NOT BOTH GO OUT, IT IS USUALLY FIRST THE PASSENGER SIDE, THEN I WILL HAVE TO TURN THEM OFF AND BACK ON TO GET IT WORKING AGAIN. THEN, AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE DRIVER'S SIDE LIGHT TURNS OFF. WHO HAS EVER HEARD OF HEADLIGHTS DYING OUT SO EARLY? I READ THAT THERE WAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON THE 2005 MODEL SO I CALLED MY LOCAL LANSING, MI TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY SAID THAT IT IS LIKELY THAT THEY ARE JUST GOING OUT. I INFORMED HIM OF THE MILEAGE AND HIS RESPONSE WAS "WELL, THEY ARE UP TO FOUR YEARS OLD." AGAIN, I ASKED WHO HAS EVER HEARD OF BUYING A NEW VEHICLE SUCH AS WE DID WITH THIS ONE, AND THEN THE HEADLIGHTS LASTING ONLY A FEW YEARS, WELL UNDER 100K, NOT TO MENTION THE PRIOR RECALL? THEY SAID WELL IF IT IS A COMPUTER SOFTWARE PROBLEM, INSTEAD OF JUST REPLACING THE BULBS YOU ARE LOOKING AT A THOUSAND PLUS DOLLARS FOR REPAIR. I BELIEVE THIS IS JUST A WAY FOR THEM TO NOT LOSE MONEY AS THERE ARE OTHER DANGEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THESE MODELS. I HAVE CHILDREN AND I DO NOT WANT TO BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN THE EVENING AND THEN I SUDDENLY LOSE THE ABILITY TO HAVE HEADLIGHTS ALTOGETHER! IS THAT WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR A RECALL TO HAPPEN? I HOPE YOU CAN HELP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310463February 15, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMP GOES OUT AND COMES BACK ON - GETS DIMMER AND GOES OUT AGAIN. 2007 PRIUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310569February 15, 2010
EQUIPMENT
TWO INSTANCES OF RUNAWAY ACCELERATION WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH I OWNED MY 2007 PRIUS (OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2006) POO POOED BY THE DEALER. SAID THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT ANY SUCH PROBLEM. GOOGLED IT AND IT WAS ALL OVER THE NET EVEN THEN. STILL BLAMING IT ON THE FLOOR MATS WHICH THEY SOLD TO ME SPECIFICALLY FOR MY CAR THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE PURCHASE PRICE. GLAD THIS IS NOW GETTING MEDIA ATTENTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310660February 15, 2010
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE A TOYOTA PRIUS 2007. I HAVE 2 SAFETY ISSUES THAT I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX SO THEY IGNORED MY CONCERNS AFTER REALIZING THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. FIRST PROBLEM IS THE HEAD LIGHTS. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HIGH BEAMS DO NOT SHINE ON THE ROAD BUT SHINE INTO THE TREES. THEY SAY THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENTS FOR IT. ALSO PEOPLE THINK I AM SHINING MY HIGH BEAMS AT THEM WHEN I AM NOT. THEY ARE JUST TOO HIGH....ALSO THE HEADLIGHTS DO NO ILLUMINATE THE SIDES OF THE CAR AND ROAD SO WHEN MAKING TURNS AT NIGHT YOU CANNOT SEE WHERE YOU ARE TURNING. I HAVE TO APPROACH TURNS VERY VERY SLOWLY BECAUSE I CANNOT SEE THE ROADS WHEN TURNING. EVERYONE THAT DRIVES MY CAR COMPLAINS ABOUT THIS NOTICEABLE PROBLEM HOWEVER TOYOTA WONT ADDRESS IT BECAUSE THEY SAY THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT. 2ND PROBLEM THEIR SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. WHETHER THERE IS SNOW ON THE GROUND OR NOT WHEN THE TIRES START TO SLIP THEY LOOSE ALL POWER TO THE WHEELS. I HAVE BEEN IN INTERSECTIONS WHEN THIS HAS OCCURRED AND WAS ALMOST HIT. EVEN WHEN TRYING TO DRIVE OVER THE STOP IN THE CAR WASH...SOMETIMES I AM UNABLE TO POWER OVER THE BUMP. I GET STUCK OFTEN. AGAIN TOYOTA SAYS THIS IS A NORMAL FUNCTION OF THE CAR. NOT SOMETHING I WOULD EXPECT FROM A $24,000 CAR. OUR VALUES HAVE PLUMMETED AND THERE IS NO RECOURSE FOR IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310678February 15, 2010
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
APPROXIMATELY 7 MONTHS AGO MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS BEGAN ACCELERATING DURING USE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THEY HAVE NO FIX FOR IT. I CAN'T USE THE CRUISE CONTROL IN MY CAR FOR FEAR THE CAR WILL NOT STOP ACCELERATING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310666February 15, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2007 PRIUS, WITH HID HEADLIGHTS. BOTH LIGHTS GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME, LEAVING YOU IN TOTAL DARKNESS. WHEN YOU TRY TO TURN THE HIGH-BEAMS ON IN THIS CONDITION THE ENTIRE DASH LIGHTING SYSTEM BLACKS OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD THEY PROBLEM. IT WAS VERY INFREQUENT AT FIRST, STARTING ON THANKSGIVING 2009. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE THIS PAST WEEKEND. I HAVE CALLED A TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY TELL ME WE NEED TO REPLACE THE HEAD LAMPS. I FIND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT THE ENTIRE LIGHTING FAILS, BECAUSE OF A BAD HEADLIGHT, LET ALONE ADD IN THE ATTEMPT TO SWITCH ON THE HIGH BEAMS AND THE ENTIRE DASH LIGHTS GO OUT. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP YET DUE TO SCHEDULING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310300February 14, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. MY BRAKES SEEM TO FAIL MOMENTARILY WHEN I AM TRYING TO STOP AT A BUMPY INTERSECTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE ONE TIME. ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT IT IS A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FEELING, BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE GOING TO BRING YOU TO A STOP. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE TOYOTA DEALER (SMART TOYOTA - MADISON, WI) AND THEIR ANALYSIS AT THE TIME I TOOK IT IN ON MAY 14, 2009 WAS THAT IT COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND ESSENTIALLY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310175February 13, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TOYOTA PRIUS 2007 PASSENGER HID (HEADLAMP) GOES OFF AND ON. LAMP OR CONTROLLER? NO KNOWN EVENT HAS CAUSED THIS. BECAUSE IT CORRECTS FOR NO APPARENT REASON WE ARE CONFUSED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308869February 12, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT TWICE THIS WEEK ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308884February 12, 2010
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
TOYOTA PRIUS 2007. WILL NOT MOVE WHEN ON ANY SLIPPERY SURFACE. THE TRACTION CONTROL HAS NO OVERRIDE. THIS COULD GET SOMEONE KILLED WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC AND THE TRACTION CONTROL SHUTS THE POWER TO THE WHEELS WHEN IT IS SEVERELY NEEDED. THIS ONLY HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY, MY OTHER VEHICLES WENT THROUGH THE SNOW WITH NO PROBLEM, THE PRIUS KEPT LOSING POWER AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO SHUT IT OFF. SOME ONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND SITS THERE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS SMASHED BY THE ONCOMING VEHICLE. TO REITERATE ONCE THE TRACTION CONTROL TAKES OVER THE DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308985February 12, 2010
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
TRACTION CONTROL STABILITY CONTROL VSC CUTS POWER INSTEAD OF GENTLY BRAKING ONE WHEEL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308978February 12, 2010
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I READ ABOUT THE RECALL OF THE 2010 PRIUS CONCERNING THE ABS SOFTWARE. MY 2007 PRIUS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS RECENTLY WHEN I RAN OVER A CURB AT LOW SPEED AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AT HIGH SPEED AFTER I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND I HIT A WALL ABOUT 5 FEET AWAY. DAMAGE TO MY CAR WAS A CRACKED BUMPER, SLIGHTLY DENTED HOOD, CRACKED HEAD LIGHT. I USED TO GET 50 TO 60 MILES PER GALLON AND I CAN NOT GET OVER 41 MILES PER GALLON NOW. I BOUGHT NEW TIRES AND HAD THEM BALANCED AND ALIGNED BUT THE MILEAGE HAD NOT IMPROVED. DAMAGES TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE CAR WILL AMOUNT TO ABOUT 2 TO 3 THOUSAND DOLLARS. MY TOYOTA DEALER SAYS THAT MY 2007 MODEL IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I HAVE READ BLOGS WHERE PEOPLE WITH MY MODEL TOYOTA HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. I BELIEVE THAT THE ABS SOFTWARE IS FAULTY IN MORE THAN THE 2010 PRIUSES. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310105February 12, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
DRIVING ON ICY ROAD. SLOWLY APPROACHED RED LIGHT. BRAKES DID NOT WORK, NO PUMPING OR SLOWING. THIS OCCURRED TWICE. ABLE TO AVOID ACCIDENT. TOOK TO DEALER WHO SAID BRAKES CHECKED OUT OK. WHY DID THEY FAIL? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308638February 11, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
PRIUS BRAKING BEHAVIOR I OWNED A NEW 2007 PRIUS WHICH I LEASED AND DROVE FOR THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF THE LEASE AND THEN TRADED FOR A VEHICLE WITH A LARGER INTERIOR. THIS VEHICLE WAS LEASED IN FEBRUARY 2007 DURING THE PRESIDENT'S DAY SALE AT KARL MALONE TOYOTA IN ALBUQUERQUE. THIS VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY "PAUSED" BRAKING FOR MOST OF A SECOND WHEN ONE OF THE FRONT WHEELS PASSED THRU A SMALL POTHOLE ON PAVED ROADS. IT MAY HAVE ALSO HAD THIS BEHAVIOR IN OTHER SITUATIONS, BUT I DIDN'T ENCOUNTER ANY OTHER CASES. I EXPECTED MORE BRAKING MISBEHAVIOR WHEN ALBUQUERQUE INSTALLED SOME REDLIGHT CAMERAS BECAUSE THEY ALSO INSTALLED WARNING STRIPS IN THE PAVEMENT APPROACHING THESE INTERSECTIONS. IN SOME CASES THEY DIDN'T INSTALL STRIPS IN THE FOUR GROOVES CUT IN THE PAVEMENT PERPENDICULAR TO VEHICLE TRAVEL, BUT NEITHER THE GROOVES OR THE STRIPS BOTHERED MY PRIUS DURING BRAKING. MAYBE THAT WAS BECAUSE BOTH WHEELS SAW THE SAME TRANSIENTS. I DIDN'T REPORT THIS TO THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER/GOVERNMENT BECAUSE I CHALKED IT UP TO MORE NONSENSE FROM MODERN ANTI-LOCKING BRAKING SYSTEMS, AND BECAUSE THE BEHAVIOR WAS CONSISTENT/PREDICTABLE AND MOST ANTI-LOCKING SYSTEMS ANNOY ME WITH THEIR BEHAVIOR. WE'VE CONTINUE TO "IMPROVE" ANTI-LOCKING BRAKE SYSTEMS, BUT DIMINISHING MARGINAL RETURNS HAS CAUSED THE IMPROVEMENTS TO ACTUALLY REDUCE THE VALUE OF THESE BRAKING SYSTEMS TO DRIVERS. FOR EXAMPLE, BRAKING DISTANCES IN TYPICAL (I.E. MOST) CONDITIONS ARE LENGTHENED BY THE PREVENTABLE. OVERLY CAUTIOUS ACTIONS OF THESE SYSTEMS. MORE PROBLEMATIC, THESE BRAKING SYSTEMS DO NOT DELIVER THE PERFORMANCE IN URGENT SITUATIONS WHICH THEY SEEM TO PROMISE IN DAY-TO-DAY DRIVING. EVEN BRAKING FOR AN UNEXPECTED YELLOW LIGHT CAN SURPRISE THE DRIVER WITH A FIRMER THAN USUAL PEDAL WHICH THEN REQUIRES MORE EFFORT THAN EXPECTED TO GET THE DESIRED URGENT BRAKING. THE NEEDED BRAKING IS ULTIMATELY AVAILABLE, BUT IT ENDS UP COMING TOO LATE BECAUSE THE DRIVER HAD TO ADJUST HIS ACTIONS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308775February 11, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I OWN A TOYOTA PRIUS 2007 WHICH IT WAS PERFORMING EXCELLENT UNTIL 3 MONTHS AGO THAT THE FUEL ECONOMIC WENT DOWN DRAMATICALLY TO HALF OF IT"S USUALLY FUEL CONSUMPTION AN AVERAGE NOW I GETTING AROUND 200 MILES FOR TANK WHEN I USE TO GET AT LEAST 400 PER TANK NOW THAT'S IT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. I WAS THINKING ON CONTACT THE TOYOTA DEALER BUT MY CAR IT IS BEEN OUT OF THE WARRANTY BECAUSE IT ONLY HAVE 3YEARS OR 36,000 MILES SO I AM AFRAID THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME FOR CHECKING MY CAR IT IS VERY SUSPICIOUS THAT I START W/ THIS ISSUE AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRE BESIDES THAT THE CAR IT IS WORKING EXCELLENT BUT I PAY A LOT MORE TO SAVE ON GAS AN NOW IT IS PERFORMING LIKE ANY REGULAR BECAUSE THE MOST MILEAGE I AM GETTING NOW IT IS 35 MILES PER GALLON.VERY DISAPPOINT ABOUT THIS AND HOPE YOU GUYS LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS VERY SERIOUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308835February 11, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL TO INCREASE SPEED IN SMALL INCREMENTS. CANCELING CRUISE CONTROL AND RESUMING MANUAL CONTROL REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. I HAVE NOT USED THE CRUISE CONTROL SINCE THIS INCIDENT AND HAVE TOLD MY WIFE NOT TO USE IT EITHER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308326February 10, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC, TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
I HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY 2007 PRIUS WITH BRAKING AND TRACTION CONTROL IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS (RAIN, SNOW, ICE), AND ON SLIPPERY OR UNEVEN SURFACES (RAILROAD/TROLLEY TRACKS, MANHOLE COVERS, ETC.). I HAVE REPORTED IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER SEVERAL TIMES STARTING IN THE SUMMER OF 2007 AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THE CAR SEEMS TO LURCH OR SLIDE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS WHICH IS ALARMING EVEN AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT FLASHES, AND THERE IS A MOMENTARY INABILITY TO BRAKE OR STOP THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308370February 10, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I'VE OWNED A 2007 PRIUS SINCE IT WAS NEW AND THE PROBLEM THAT I SEE WRITTEN ABOUT FOR THE 2010 MODEL, MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKES WHEN HITTING A POTHOLE OR ROUGH ROAD, IS EXACTLY WHAT I FEEL IN MY 2007 AND HAVE SEEN REPORTED BY OTHER DRIVERS FOR VARIOUS YEAR PRIUS'S. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT A 2010 PROBLEM ONLY!!! THIS SYMPTOM HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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