Toyota Prius Complaints (2007)

2,004 consumer complaints on file.

#10260755March 4, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH 45000 MILES. RIGHT HEADLIGHT CONTINUES TO GO OUT. IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF THEN BACK ON IT WILL WORK. THE DEALER WANTS $300 TO REPLACE THE LIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260585March 3, 2009
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
I WAS ALMOST SMASHED BY A SNOWPLOW TODAY BECAUSE MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS' TRAC TRACTION CONTROL REMOVED ALL POWER FROM THE FRONT WHEELS THUS BRINGING ME TO A DEAD STOP IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. THIS OCCURRED ON SNOW/ICE. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR LOSING POWER TO THE WHEELS EVEN IF THEY ARE SPINNING. THE VEHICLE "SENSED" THAT ONE WHEEL HAD SPUN AND PROCEEDED TO PROGRESSIVELY SHUT DOWN POWER TO THE FRONT WHEELS. I NEARLY WET MY PANTS WHEN THIS HAPPENED IN FRONT OF AN ON-COMING VDOT SNOWPLOW. THIS WAS A NEAR CRASH/DEATH/INJURY INCIDENT. IT HAPPENED OVER AND OVER AGAIN ALL DAY. I SEARCH THE INTERNET LATER ABOUT IT AND FOUND THIS: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS04/2008/01/PRIUS_WINTER.HTML TOYOTA'S RESPONSE IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ARTICLE. I THINK THEY ARE DOWNPLAYING A BIGGER ISSUE. A SIMPLE SEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND YOU CAN FIND STORY AFTER STORY JUST LIKE MINE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THIS.*TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260358March 1, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2007 PRIUS PROBLEMS - HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS UNEXPECTEDLY AND RANDOMLY SHUT OFF. I CAN GET THE TAIL LIGHTS TO COME BACK ON BY MILDLY SMACKING THE SIDE PANEL NEAR THE LIGHT. I'VE CHECKED THE BULB CONNECTIONS AND THEY ARE CLEAN AND TIGHT WITH NO EXPOSED OR LOOSE WIRES. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO COME BACK ON IS TO TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHTS AND TURN THEM BACK ON. TOYOTA DEALER SAYS THEY CAN\'T REPEAT THE PROBLEM. MY WIFE AND I ARE GOING TO TAKE VIDEO ON THE NEXT OCCURRENCE. WE HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO OTHER PRIUS ON THE ROAD. QUITE A FEW ARE DRIVING WITH ONE OR BOTH TAIL LIGHTS OUT! I ALSO NOTE THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON-LINE. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT. TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND STOP MESSING AROUND WITH OWNERS! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260243February 27, 2009
VISIBILITY
FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS MY DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT HAS BEEN GOING OUT. IT COMES BACK ON IF I FLICK THE HEADLIGHTS POWER OFF THEN ON AGAIN. RECENTLY IT HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE, HAPPENING EVERYTIME I AM DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS IS UPSETTING BECAUSE I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD MY CAR FOR 2 YEARS, AND I GET MY VEHICLE REGULARLY MAINTAINENCED EVERY 5,000MI AS RECOMMENDED WITH MY EXTRA CARE WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259659February 23, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY FRONT HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY. NOT AT THE SAME TIME AND NOT DUE TO HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. RAIN, HEAT, COLD DO NOT SEEM TO MATTER. THIS STARTED, AS FAR AS I KNOW, IN OCTOBER 2008. MY CAR HAD 37,000 MILES ON IT. BECAUSE A HEADLIGHT WAS OUT, I RECEIVED A FIX IT TICKET, HOWEVER, WHEN I TOOK IT TO GET FIXED, THE HEADLIGHT WAS WORKING AGAIN. SINCE THAT TIME BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT AND BACK ON A FEW TIMES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259413February 20, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I OWN 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. HEADLIGHTS HAVE STARTED GOING OUT STARTING ABOUT 40K MILES. SOMETIMES 1 LIGHTS, SOMETIMES BOTH. DEALER WANTS $300 PER LIGHT PLUS LABOR TO REPLACE. SAYS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. SEVERAL WEB SITES LIST SAME COMPLAINT FROM OWNERS OF 2006 & 2007 (IN THE HUNDREDS IF NOT MORE). OTHERS STATE THEY'VE HAD LIGHTS REPLACED & ISSUE CONTINUES. HAVE ALSO READ THIS IS A COMPUTER CHIP ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN FIXED IN NEWER MODELS BUT TOYOTA DOESN'T ACKNOWLEDGE. I DRIVE VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING & HAVE A 2ND JOB DOING DELIVERIES IN THE EVENINGS. MANY TIMES I'M DRIVING & THE LIGHTS WILL DIM OR 1 LIGHT WILL GO OUT (RANDOM AS TO WHICH LIGHT) OR BOTH LIGHTS WILL GO OUT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY ROADS WITHOUT STREET LIGHTS. I NOW HAVE A SPOT LIGHT IN MY CAR THAT'S PLUGGED IN SO I CAN GET SOME LIGHTING TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. PRIUS OWNERS HAVE FOUND THAT TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF & BACK ON WILL SOMETIMES GET THEM TO WORK AGAIN. WITH MINE, SOMETIMES THEY WORK AGAIN FOR A FEW MINUTES, SOMETIMES LONGER. I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I ALSO LIVE IN MD WHERE BY LAW WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE LIGHTS ON IN THE RAIN. WHAT RECOURSE DO WE HAVE AS CONSUMERS TO GET TOYOTA TO FIX THIS ISSUE ON 2006/2007 PRIUS MODELS? I DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO REPLACE HEADLIGHTS AT THE COST BY THE DEALER. I'VE TRIED TO REPLACE ON MY OWN FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL, BUT YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY GET TO THE LIGHTS WITHOUT REMOVING PART OF THE CAR. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A VEHICLE THE OWNER'S CAN'T CHANGE THE HEADLIGHTS THEMSELVES. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE HAVE BEEN DEATHS OR DAMAGES YET. YET! PLEASE HELP US. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259206February 18, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE A 2007 PRIUS PACKAGE 6 WHICH HAS A FAULTY HEADLIGHT. I HAVE SEARCHED SEVERAL FORUMS, MOST NOTABLY (HTTP://PRIUSCHAT.COM/FORUMS/CARE-MAINTENANCE-TROUBLESHOOTING/34584-HEADLIGHT-PROBLEM-2.HTML) WHERE THERE ARE OVER 100 ENTRIES OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. HID HEADLIGHTS FAILING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. TOYOTA SAYS IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY WHICH IS ABSURD. I JUST GOT A TRAFFIC TICKET BECAUSE OF THIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259227February 18, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
AT 4:45 PM ON 2/5/2009 , I DROVE MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS WEST ON SW ANDOVER ST. IN SEATTLE WA. I SLOWED AS I MADE A RIGHT TURN TO PARK PERPENDICULAR TO THE STREET WITH A 6 FOOT HIGH CHAIN-LINK FENCE IN FRONT OF ME ON TOP OF A RETAINING WALL. THE BOTTOM OF THE WALL IS 6 FEET BELOW STREET LEVEL ON A PAVED PARKING AREA. AS THE PRIUS APPROACHED THE FENCE, I BRAKED TO STOP, BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW ,SO I FLOORED THE BRAKE. THE CAR HIT A FENCE POST, PULLING IT OUT OF ITS MOUNT AND THEN THE CAR MOVED OVER THE TOP OF THE WALL PUSHING THE POLE AND FENCE OVER ITS HOOD & ROOF,. THE FRONT OF THE PRIUS DROPPED TO THE AREA BELOW THE WALL WHILE THE REAR REMAINED ON THE TOP. THE FENCE MESH STRETCHED BUT SLOWED THE PRIUS'S FORWARD MOVEMENT AND KEPT THE REAR FROM GOING OVER THE WALL.. THE DASHBOARD WAS STILL LIT AND I LOWERED THE ELECTRICAL WINDOWS AND YELLED FOR HELP. THE FIRST ARRIVAL TOLD ME TO "TURN OFF THE CAR". THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY HE COULD HAVE KNOWN THE CAR WAS RUNNING WAS IF HE HEARD THE SOUND OF THE PRIUS'S GASOLINE ENGINE THAT ONLY KICKS IN AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I OPENED THE DOOR AND JUMPED DOWN TO THE PAVEMENT. THE POLICE CAME AND MADE A REPORT. I DID NOT RECEIVE A CITATION. THE PRIUS WAS EXTRACTED BY A TOW COMPANY AND HAULED AWAY. FORTUNATELY I RECEIVED NO PHYSICAL INJURY. THE CHAIN LINK FENCE WAS TRULY A SAFETY NET. ON 2./12/ 2009, MY INSURANCE COMPANY , USAA, DECLARED MY PRIUS "TOTALED" AND MADE A SETTLEMENT PAYMENT. I THOUGHT PERHAPS MY BRAKES HAD FAILED. I HAD MY PRIUS RECEIVE A ROUTINE 25,000 MILE CHECK AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP JUST EIGHT DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. FROM ARTICLES ON WWW.CONSUMERSAFETY.COM I LEARNED THAT SIMILAR ACCIDENTS WITH THE PRIUS HAVE HAPPENED TO OTHER PEOPLE. AFTER READING THEIR EXPERIENCES, I NOW BELIEVE THAT "UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" WAS THE MORE LIKELY CAUSE OF MY ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259136February 17, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
RIGHT HID HEADLAMP GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING. TURNING LIGHTS OFF THEN ON BRINGS IT BACK FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. LAST NIGHT, BOTH LIGHTS WENT OUT ON A DARK MOUNTAIN ROAD IN THE RAIN. TOYOTA SAYS "BULBS" ARE NOT COVERED. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE HID HEADLAMPS ON THE PRIUS AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPAIR THEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258749February 16, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HID HEADLIGHTS GO OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON....SOMETIME DRIVES SIDE, SOME TIME PASSENGER SIDE, SOMETIMES BOTH...IF TURNED OFF THEN BACK ON THE LIGHT COME BACK ON........SOMETIMES FOR LONG TIME SOMETIMES FOR MINUTES THEN GO THROUGH AGAIN...2007 TOYOTA PRUIS 45,000 MILES...........VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258643February 14, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2007 PRIUS HEADLIGHTS GO ON AND OFF. COST TO REPLACE IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AT $300 TO $500 PER HID BULB. DON'T KNOW WHEN THERE ON OR OFF AT 39,500 MILES. VERY LABOR INTENSIVE TO GET AT BULBS, NEED TO REMOVE BUMPER. NO DIY OPTIONS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258591February 13, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE HID HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2007 PRIUS ARE MALFUNCTIONING. THE LIGHT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WILL FREQUENTLY GO OUT, LEAVING ME WITH ONE HEADLAMP. IF I CYCLE THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON, THE DRIVER'S HEADLIGHT WILL COME BACK ON FOR A WHILE, THEN REPEAT. THIS IS TRUE FOR BOTH LOW AND HIGH BEAMS - THE LIGHT GOES OFF ALTOGETHER. I VIEW THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MONTHS AND STILL CONTINUES EVERY TIME I DRIVE WITH THE LIGHTS ON. MY CAR HAS ABOUT 42,000 MILES BUT IS LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2007 AND 2006 PRIUS MODELS WITH THE HID HEADLIGHTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258325February 11, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE A 2007 TOYTOA PRIUS WITH HID HEAD LIGHTS THE PASSENGER SIDE GOES OUT ABOUT EVERY OTHER DAY. WHEN I TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF THAN ON THE LIGHT WILL COME BACK ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258347February 11, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HID HEADLIGH GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY BEGINNING WHEN CAR WAS NEW, BUT ONLY A FEW TIMES. LATER, HID HEADLIGHT BEGINS TO GO OUT MORE FREQUENTLY, BUT THEN RESUMES NORMAL OPPERATION LATER. IS A DEFINATE SAFETY ISSUE AS DRIVE MAY NOT ALWAYS REALIZE ONE HEADLIGHT HAS GONE OUT. COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257719February 6, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT OPERATION. LOW BEAM GOES OUT, THEM COME BACK ON WHEN LIGHTS ARE CYCLED ON AND OFF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257297February 3, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ONE OF THE HID HEADLIGHTS IN MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE HEADLIGHT IS SUPPOSED TO LAST LONGER THEN STANDARD HALOGEN BULBS. BUT L;ATEY ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS WAS NOT TURNING ON AND I HAD TO TURN OFF AND ON THE HEADLIGHTS TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO TURN ON AGAIN. I HAVE HEARD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TOYOTA PRIUS HID BULBS IN THE 2004-2009 YEAR AND I WOULD LIKE A RECALL. I WORRY THAT EVEN THOUGH I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, I AS A CONSUMER MIGHT BE OUT 300-1200 BECAUSE THE BULBS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AND I ONLY HAVE 50K MILES ON THE CAR AND ITS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD, AND I OWE 3 MORE YEARS OF PAYMENTS ON IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257102February 1, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT, BULBS GOES OUT, THEN RELIGHTS WHEN YOU TURN THE SWITCH OFF, THE BACK ON. THESE ARE HID HEADLIGHTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256930January 30, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2007 TOYOTA PRIUS, HID LIGHTS STARTED GOING OUT AT LESS THAN A YEAR OLD. DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256987January 30, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I OWN A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE LEFT HID HEADLIGHT FAILS APPROX. EVERY TWO-THREE WEEKS. I NEED TO TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHTS AND THEN TURN ON AGAIN WHICH SOMETIMES WORKS TO GET THE LIGHT WORKING AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256988January 30, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DRIVERS SIDE XENON HEADLIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FAILS WHILE DRIVING. SWITCHING THE HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN RESTORES FUNCTIONALITY. UNSURE OF FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE AS ITS DIFFICULT TO KNOW IF A HEADLIGHT FAILS UNTIL DRIVING IN A VERY DARK AREA (I.E NO ROADLIGHTS, OTHER CARS, ETC). SEEM TO NOTICE IT OCCURRING APPROXIMATELY TWICE PER WEEK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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