Toyota Prius Complaints (2008)

1,497 consumer complaints on file.

#10286078October 2, 2009
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
MY DAUGHTER, DRIVING HER 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS, WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, SPUN AROUND AND HIT BY A SECOND VEHICLE. I WISH TO ATTACH PICTURES OF HER VEHICLE WHICH SHOW THE DESTRUCTION BUT, THE ONE THING THAT THE PHOTOS DO NOT SHOW IS THE SIDE-CURTAINS BEING DEPLOYED. SHE WAS INJURED BUT THANKFULLY HER CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE VEHICLE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE PHOTOS? LET ME KNOW. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10285901October 1, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 PRIUS RANDOMLY STALLS. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN 6 TIMES IN THE LAST 30 DAYS. THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ALL GO ON AND A CONSTANT TONE IS EMITTED. AT THAT POINT I HAVE GREATLY REDUCED ABILITY TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE (APPARENTLY ON ELECTRIC POWER BUT VERY SLOW). SINCE THIS OCCURS WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A SERIOUS POSSIBILITY OF ACCIDENT AS THERE IS VERY LIMITED CONTROL. TO RESET THE PROBLEM YOU MUST PULL OVER AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND SHUT IT OFF. TURNING IT BACK ON CORRECTS THE ISSUE. TOOK IT TO A DEALER. THEY HAD IT FOR A 8 DAYS AND CLAIMED: 1. THE ON BOARD COMPUTER DID NOT RECORD ANYTHING UNUSUAL 2. THEY COULD NOT REPRO THIS DURING THEIR TEST DRIVES 3. THEY RETURNED THE CAR BACK TO ME - 20 MINUTES LATER ON MY WAY HOME THE CAR STALLED AGAIN. 4. AT THIS TIME THEY HAVE NO FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10285751September 30, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOTH HEADLIGHT BULBS WILL GO OUT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS HOT. IT CAN BE ONE AT A TIME OR SIMULTANEOUSLY. ADDITIONALLY BOTH TAIL LIGHT BULBS STOPPED WORKING APPROXIMATELY 1 WEEK PRIOR. WHEN THE REAR BULBS WERE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM SEEMED TO WORSEN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10285758September 30, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
WHEN I DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL JUST BEFORE STOPPING IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKE DISENGAGES FOR A SECOND AND THEN REENGAGES BEFORE COMING TO A HALT. BEEN THIS WAY SINCE I GOT THE 2008 PRIUS. EVERY ONE I SPEAK TO JUST SHRUGS. NO INCIDENTS AS YET. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10285811September 30, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE A 2008 PRIUS WITH ABOUT 40,000 MILES ON IT, THE HEADLAMPS ARE TURNING OFF RANDOMLY. I QUICKLY FLIP THE SWITCH OFF, THEN BACK ON AND THEY REMAIN ON FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES, THEN FAIL AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN ON COUNTRY ROADS. I KEEP THE FOG LIGHTS ON AS BACK UP. JUST GOT BACK FROM DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME $400 TO REPLACE. OUCH! I DECIDED TO TAKE THE RISK AND KEEP ON DRIVING DUE TO THE EXTREMELY HIGH COST AND NO DECENT GUARANTEE AFTER THE INSTALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10285845September 30, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PASSENGER-SIDE HID HEADLAMP FAILED ON MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS AT ~36,400 MILEAGE. TOOK IT TO DEALER 2 DAYS LATER AND THEY SAID PROBLEM COULD BE LAMP OR COMPUTER AND THAT BOTH WERE EXPENSIVE ($300), BUT SINCE LAMP WAS ON THEY COULD NOT INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. I TOOK CAR BACK AND ONCE AGAIN LIGHT DIMMED THEN FLICKERED OFF WHILE DRIVING. I DID SOME READING AND FOUND THAT THIS HID FAILURE IS A WELL-KNOWN DEFECT ON SECOND GENERATION PRIUS. CURRENT MILEAGE IS 36,900 SO NOT UNDER WARRANTY. PLACED CALL TO MANUFACTURER TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS ANY REMEDY FOR THIS DEFECT AND THEY WILL GET BACK TO ME W/IN 24 HOURS. I WILL HAVE TO GET A REPLACEMENT SINCE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT IN SEMI-RURAL AREA WITH ON-AGAIN/OFF-AGAIN HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR A FATALITY, LIKE WITH THE FLOORMATS, TO GET SOME ACTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10285440September 27, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLIGHT FAILURE--HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT AT ANYTIME. DRIVER SWITCHES LIGHTS OFF THEN BACK ON TO REGAIN HEADLIGHT. DEALER SAID IT IS A FAILURE OF THE HIGH DENSITY LAMP ASSEMBLY. ENTIRE ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT IS THE ONLY REPAIR. COST OF ASSEMBLY IS 250 DOLLARS AND 50 DOLLARS TO REMOVE & INSTALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10285323September 26, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS - HID HEADLIGHTS. LIGHTS TURN OFF INDEPENDENTLY AND INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES ONE, SOMETIMES BOTH. RESTARTING VEHICLE WILL RESOLVE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY, BUT THEY USUALLY FAIL AGAIN. I CONTACTED TOYOTA EXPERIENCE HOTLINE. A CASE MANAGER STATED THAT THIS IS NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR THESE HEADLIGHTS WHEN THEY ARE STARTING TO NEED REPLACEMENT. THIS VEHICLE HAD 38000 MILES WHEN PROBLEM STARTED. IF THE BEHAVIOR WERE NORMAL, WOULDN'T IT BE IN THE OWNERS MANUAL? A NORMAL BEHAVIOR WOULDN'T CREATE SUCH A SAFETY HAZARD WITHOUT SOME KIND OF WARNING LIGHT. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN MY TIRE PRESSURE IS LOW, A WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. WE WERE ONLY TOLD TO BRING IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284913September 22, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2008 PRIUS HYBRID. BRAKES FAILED AT LOW SPEED ON SEPTEMBER 19, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH AN ON-COMING CAR. I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT VERY SLOWLY WHEN I OBSERVED A CAR MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO THE STREET I WAS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKE, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE. NO ONE WAS INJURED BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY SLOW SPEED IMPACT. I HAVE CONSEQUENTLY READ OF OTHER DRIVERS' EXACT SAME EXPERIENCES. TOYOTA HAS MODIFIED THEIR BRAKING SYSTEM FOR THE 2010 MODEL. FROM WHAT I CAN READ, THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WHICH HAS TROUBLE DECIDING WHICH SYSTEM TO USE, RESULTING IN A DELAY WHICH CAUSES A COLLISION. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284812September 21, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
DRIVING ON PCH IN CORONA DEL MAR, CA AT A SPEED OF APPROX. 25 MPH. TRYING TO BRAKE AT A PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK WHERE A CAR WAS ALREADY STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE PRIUS. CAR DID NOT BRAKE, INSTEAD IT ACCELERATED AND THE CAR THAT WAS ALREADY STOPPED AT THE CROSSWALK WAS REARENDED. DRIVER OF PRIUS INJURED ANKLE. PRIUS IS TOTALED. POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10284574September 18, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SEP. 1ST I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 PRIUS AND IT STARTED SHIFTING BY ITSELF FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL AND ONE TIME EVEN FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL INTO REVERSE. THIS HAPPENED AFTER I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY ON AN EXIT RAMP AND THEN SLOWED TO A STOP IN ORDER TO GET ONTO THE LOCAL ROAD. ON THE PRIUS, WHEN YOU PUT THE SHIFT INTO THE DRIVE POSITION, THE SHIFTING KNOB THEN RETURNS TO ITS STARTING POSITION, BUT THE CAR IS SUPPOSED TO REMAIN IN THE DRIVE GEAR. MY CAR WOULDN'T DO THAT. ABOUT 2 SECONDS AFTER I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THEN APPLIED THE GAS, IT WOULD SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO NEUTRAL.. THE ONLY WAY I COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WAS BY MANUALLY HOLDING THE SHIFTING KNOB IN THE DRIVE POSITION THE ENTIRE TRIP HOME (25 MILES). WHEN I GOT HOME AND TRIED TO PUT IT IN PARK, IT WOULDN'T DO IT. IT DID GO INTO PARK HOWEVER, WHEN I POWERED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BY HANGING A HEAVY METAL SHOP CLAMP AROUND THE SHIFTING KNOB IN ORDER TO HOLD IT IN THE DRIVE POSITION. I CALLED THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, WHICH IS GRIFFITH MOTORS IN THE DALLES, OREGON. THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE AND TO BRING IT IN. I ALSO CALLED A MUCH LARGER (AND FARTHER) TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN GRESHAM, OREGON. THEY SAID NO ONE HAD EVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING EITHER. I WAITED UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY TO TAKEN THE CAR INTO THE CLOSER DEALERSHIP IN THE DALLES (SEP RD), BUT THE CAR WAS NO LONGER DOING ITS WEIRD THING. THEY SAID THEY CHECKED IT OUT THOROUGHLY WITH THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. THEY SAID THERE WERE NO CODES IN THE SYSTEM INDICATING THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG. IT DROVE FINE UNTIL SEP 15TH, WHEN AT APPROX. 4 PM IT SUDDENLY STARTED SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AT A BUSY INTERSECTION IN KENNEWICK, WA, AND I THEN HAD A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT THE CAR IS NOW IN A BODY SHOP. I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND A PERSON ON CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM WHO'S PRIUS IS DOING THE SAME THING. SUGGESTIONS. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284446September 17, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
THE RIGHT HID HEADLAMP ON MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS FAILED. THE HEADLAMP NOW GOES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. I LOOKED INTO REPLACING THE BULB, BUT UPON BEING TOLD THE COST WOULD BE UP TO SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, I DECIDED TO FIND A BULB AND REPLACE ON MY OWN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283976September 15, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS ON CAR GO OFF WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE TO KEEP TURNING THE SWITCH OFF AND ON TO GET THEM BACK ON. THIS IS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE. I WILL BE DRIVING ON A DARK ROAD WITH NO STREETLAMPS AND MY HEADLIGHTS WILL GO COMPLETELY OUT. ALL OF A SUDDEN I FIND THAT I'M DRIVING BLIND. . I HAVE FOUND THAT OTHER PRIUS CARS ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE A 2008 PRIUS WITH 41,000 MILES ON IT. IT'S SCARY AND VERY DANGEROUS: HTTP://WWW.HYBRIDCARS.COM/FORUMS/REPLACING-HEADLIGHT-BULB-T910.HTML#COMM... *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284009September 15, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS HE WAS DRIVING 40 MPH HIS HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF AND HE COULD NOT SEE WHICH RESULTED IN HIM HITTING A DOG. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT SOMEONE WOULD RETURN HIS CALL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEE DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,160.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283844September 14, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HID HEAD LIGHT GOES OFF WHILE DRIVING IN TOYOTA PRIUS 08. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283775September 12, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY 2008 PRIUS FREQUENTLY HAD FAILURE OF ONE AND BOTH HEADLAMPS AT THE SAME TIME. I WAS UNABLE TO BRING THEM BACK ON BY TURNING THEM ON AND OFF. THEY WOULD RESET AFTER VEHICLE SAT FOR A TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283718September 11, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS PKG 6...LOST POWER AT 65MPH...ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND I LOST CONTROL OF CAR...PULLED OVER...LIGHTS SAID THERE WAS NO FUEL BUT I HAD REFUELED EARLIER THAT MORNING. TOOK TO DEALER...COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. ALSO, HID HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY DON'T WORK...VERY UNSAFE...HAS CAUSED TROUBLE WITH POLICE...I AM BEYOND IRRITATED WITH TOYOTA. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282418August 31, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VISIBILITY
WE HAVE 2008 PRIUS THAT FIRST BEGAN HAVING LEFT HEADLAMP GO OUT WHEN DRIVING, WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER SAFE PLACE ALONG ROAD TURN MESS WITH TURNING HEADLIGHTS ON AND OFF... CREATED UNSAFE DRIVING REMAINDER OF TRIP, APROX 200 MILES NIGHT DRIVE TO GET HOME WITH ONE HEADLIGHT... NOT GOOD ON MONTANA ROADS WITH WILDLIFE PREVALENT ON ROADWAY... DEALER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY... TWO WEEKS LATER SAME TROUBLE WITH RIGHT HEADLIGHT WHILE DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT FROM SPOKANE WA. TO BIGFORK, MT AGAIN DANGEROUS 5 HR DRIVE AT NIGHT ON FREEWAY WITH POOR VISIBILITY... THIS TIME DEALER SAID THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE BOTH THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT AND A COMPUTER SUB ASSY... HELP.. BOTH INSTANCES CAUSED UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS, NIGHT WITH ONLY ONE HEADLIGHT WITH LOTS OF WILDLIFE CROSSING THE HWY... AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WE CAN NOT SIMPLY PULL INTO SERVICE STATION AND REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT, IT IS A DEALER ONLY ITEM THAT WE ARE TOLD INVOLVES REMOVING THE FRONT BUMPER TO REPLACE... *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282332August 30, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHT FAILURE, HAD TO HAVE REPLACED. THE PART WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY BUT LABOR FOR $700 WAS NOT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282209August 28, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BOTH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID) HEADLAMPS IN MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HAVE BEEN FLICKERING WHILE DRIVING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, CREATING A SUDDEN UNEXPECTED HAZARDOUS LIMITED VISIBILITY CONDITION. THERE IS LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON THE CAR, WHICH I BOUGHT BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALER IN NOVEMBER 2007. TOYOTA'S WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THE EXORBITANT REPAIR COST OF THE PREMATURELY EXPIRED HID BULBS, THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 400 COMPLAINTS AGAINST THIS DEFECT. THEREFORE I AM FILING AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT, AND A SUGGESTION FOR A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF A RECALL OF THE HID LAMPS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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