Toyota Prius Complaints (2008)

1,497 consumer complaints on file.

#10662494December 6, 2014
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), POWER TRAIN
WHEN MAKING A TURN FROM A STOP AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY THE CAR JERKS AND HESITATE AS THE ANTI SLIP SYSTEM LIGHT FLASHES AND ENGAGES. YOU CANNOT ACCELERATE QUICKLY INTO TRAFFIC FROM A DEAD STOP MAKING A TURN AS THE CAR REFUSES, JERKS AND ACTS LIKE IT WILL STALL. PAVEMENT IS DRY AND NO GRAVEL. HAPPENS EACH AND EVERY TIME SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR. EASY TO REPLICATE. COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THEN TURN RIGHT WHILE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR DOWN QUICKLY AND THE SLIP SYSTEM KICKS, CAR JERKS, HESITATES AND THEN VERY SLOWLY STARTS TO EVENTUALLY ACCELERATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10662410December 5, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEAD LIGHTS GO OUT. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT LIGHTS WENT OUT. VERY UNSAFE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10661190November 28, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS GO OFF SUDDENLY. SOMETIMES ONE OR THE OTHER, SOME TIMES BOTH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10660741November 24, 2014
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE BLACK PART ON THE "TRUNK" WHICH YOU HAVE TO TOUCH TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK, STARTED MELTING THE FIRST SUMMER AFTER WE BOUGHT THE PRIUS. EVERY SUMMER SINCE IT DRIPS BLACK RUBBER, WHICH SMEARS ALL OVER YOUR HAND EVERY TIME YOU OPEN THE DOOR. IN THE WINTER, IT DOESN'T MELT, BUT THE TRUNK IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OPEN, WHICH COULD CREATE A RISK OF DEATH, IF PASSENGERS WERE TRAPPED INSIDE A BURNING CAR AFTER A COLLISION. FROM WHAT I READ ON THE INTERNET, TOYOTA IS DENYING THIS IS A MANUFACURING DEFECT, CLAIMING THAT PEOPLE ARE USING THE WRONG PRODUCTS TO CLEAN THEIR CARS. WHICH IS ILLOGICAL, AND WHOLLY INACCURATE IN THIS CASE, SINCE MY HUSBAND CERTAINLY NEVER WASHED THE CAR FOR THE FIRST SEVERAL YEARS HE HAD IT, UNTIL I GOT TIRED OF A DIRTY CAR AND HAD IT DETAILED. IT WAS MELTING LONG BEFORE THAT. TOYOTA NEEDS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MISTAKE, AND FIX IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10654665November 13, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WAS DRIVING IN THE DARK WITH MY BRIGHTS ON AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OFF. FLIPPED THE SWITCH AND THEY CAME BACK ON. 4/5 MINUTES LATER THEY WENT COMPLETELY OFF AGAIN AND I HAD TO SWITCH THEM IN THE DARK. THE BULBS ARE FINE. THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT HAS BEEN RANDOMLY GOING ON AND OFF AGAIN BUT WASN'T A NOTICEABLE SAFETY ISSUE. BOTH LIGHTS GOING OFF RANDOMLY IN THE PITCH DARK ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10654331November 12, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE
REAR HATCH BUTTON RUBBER HAS MELTED. CAUSES ELECTRICAL HATCH OPENING MECHANISM TO FAIL COMPLETELY. RUBBER REMAINS STICKY IN HOT WEATHER, TRANSFERS TARRY RESIDUE TO FINGERS. IN COLD WEATHER BUTTON WILL NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE REAR HATCH IS NOT ACCESSIBLE. CAN NOT ACCESS SPARE TIRE. THERE IS NO HATCH RELEASE AVAILABLE AT DRIVER'S SEAT IN FRONT. THERE IS NO MECHANICAL ONLY ALTERNATIVE. CHILD TRAPPED IN TRUNK WOULD HAVE NO WAY OUT. DESPITE NUMEROUS AND WELL DOCUMENTED CASES REPORTED ONLINE TOYOTA WILL NOT FIX PROBLEM VOLUNTARILY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10654164November 11, 2014
WHEELS
AS OF 11/2014 THERE HAS BEEN A TOTAL OF 3 WHEEL BEARING ISSUES WITH MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE FIRST OCCURRED IN 2012(RIGHT REAR) AND THE OTHER TWO OCCURRED IN 2014(BOTH FRONT). THIS IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERN, SINCE IT CAN CAUSE THE WHEEL TO SEIZE AND CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT IN TOYOTA'S WHEEL BEARINGS FOR THREE TO FAIL ON ONE VEHICLE AND THE FIRST FAILING AT ONLY 70,000 MILES. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE $1700 IN REPAIRS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE IF THE WHEEL SEIZES OR FALLS OFF THIS CAN CAUSE FATALITIES. TOYOTA SHOULD LOOK INTO WHY ONE OF THERE FACTORIES IS PRODUCING DEFECTIVE SUB-PAR WHEEL BEARINGS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10654052November 10, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE HEADLIGHT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING. IT COMES BACK ON WHEN I TURN THE HEADLIGHT OFF AND TURN THEM BACK ON AGAIN. THE HEADLIGHT WILL GO OFF AGAIN AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE HEADLIGHT MAY GO OFF MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN DRIVING. THIS IS A VERY LARGE SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10652916November 5, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT IT WILL GO OFF BY ITS SELF WITH OUT US KNOWING BUT WE COULD TURN LIGHTS OFF THEN TURN THEM BACK ON AND IT WILL STAY ON FOR AWHILE WE HAD TOYOTA REPLACE LIGHT LAST YEAR AND IT WAS FINE FOR APPROX. 6 MONTHS AND THEN STARTED DOIN SAME THING AGAIN FINALLY LAST WEEK IT WENT OUT AND WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL I KNOW OF SEVERAL OTHER PRIUS OWNERS WITH SAME PROBLEM WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10654405November 4, 2014
STEERING, STRUCTURE:BODY
THIS IS A REPORT OF PRODUCT FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT REFUSAL BY TOYOTA TO REPLACE FAILED PARTS POST 36 K MI. WARRANTY. THEY ARE A STEERING WHEEL COMPOUND DISINTERGRATION AND THE PREMATURE OXIDATION OF THE PLASTIC SPOILER PAINT ONLY W/O SIMILARLY OCCURING ON THE SHEETMETAL OF THE BODY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10651323October 30, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I LEAVE MY HEADLIGHTS ON ALL OF THE TIME. SOMETIMES WHEN I AM DRIVING MY PRIUS THE LEFT HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT. IF I TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND THEN BACK ON THE LIGHT WILL COME BACK ON AGAIN. SOMETIMES RESTARTING THE CAR WILL MAKE THE HEADLIGHT COME ON. ALSO THE HEADLIGHT SOMETIMES IS OFF WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED. SAME THING, TURN HEADLIGHTS OFF AND THEN ON OR RESTART THE CAR AND THE HEADLIGHT COMES BACK ON. I THOUGHT I MIGHT NEED A NEW HEADLIGHT BUT WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT (8-13-14) AND THE HEADLIGHT WAS DAMAGED. I NOW HAVE A NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY BUT THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME TWICE (INCLUDING TODAY) THAT I NEED A NEW HEADLIGHT. I DO NOT THINK THAT IS THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR ME AS THIS FREQUENTLY OCCURS WHEN I AM TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I WILL NOT TURN MY LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON AT 60 MPH. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10651003October 29, 2014
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND SURGED FORWARD. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A ROCKED LANDSCAPING. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 8/31/2017*CN
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10650803October 28, 2014
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF ANY INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED OR IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 8/31/2017*CN
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10650009October 26, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE FIRST TIME BOTH LIGHTS WENT OUT, WE WERE TRAVELING SOUTH ON I-95 NEAR RICHMOND, VA. PRIOR TO THIS, WE THOUGHT THE LIGHTS HAD DIMMED A COUPLE TIMES, BUT WHEN WE CHECKED THEM, THEY WERE FINE. THERE IS NO MISTAKE WHEN YOU LOOSE BOTH HEADLIGHTS WHILE ON HIGH BEAM, THERE ARE NO FOG LIGHTS, SO IT GETS VERY DARK. I THINK GOING TO LOW BEAM GAVE US SOME LIGHT (THE FOG LIGHTS) BUT DO NOT REMEMBER, I THEN TURNED THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON IMMEDIATELY, WHICH TURNED THE LIGHTS BACK ON. SINCE THAT FIRST INCIDENT OF THEM BOTH GOING OUT, WE HAVE SEEN BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT ALONE, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT ALONE, AND AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN TIMES BOTH LIGHTS GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. ALL BUT ONCE, TURNING THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND THEN ON TURNED THE LIGHTS BACK ON. THE LAST TIME BOTH WENT OUT, I HAD TO TURN THE SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE LIGHTS BACK ON. WITH A COST OF OVER $200 PER LIGHT, I DECIDED TO CHANGE THE PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT AND SEE IF THAT LIGHT WOULD STAY ON. IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE. I FOUND IN THE USER'S MANUAL THAT LOW VOLTAGE COULD CAUSE THE HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID) LIGHTS TO GO OUT, SO I HAD AAA CHECK THE ENGINE BATTERY. THE TEST SHOWED THE BATTERY WAS GOOD, BUT IT ONLY HAD 364 COLD CRANKING AMPS SO I HAD A NEW BATTERY PUT IN. WE WERE TOLD BY TWO OTHER SOURCES THAT THE RIGHT BATTERY HAD 450 COLD CRANK AMPS SO I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT ACCOUNT FOR THE HID LIGHT PROBLEM. THAT WAS JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT HAS STILL GONE OUT SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE BULB AND BATTERY WERE REPLACED. SO FAR, WE HAVE NOT HAD BOTH LIGHTS GO OUT AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10649235October 22, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
DRIVING ON SB HWY 35 AT 74MPH, MASTER WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, NO ELECTRICAL OR ENGINE CONTROL. PULLED SAFELY TO SHOULDER OF ROAD. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. GOT OUT OF CAR, LOCKED CAR, UNLOCKED CAR (TOYOTA TECHNICIAN INSTRUCTIONS), THEN CAR RESTARTED. GOT CAR OFF THE ROAD, CONTACTED STATE FARM FOR TOW TO AUTONATION TOYOTA SOUTH AUSTIN. TOYOTA TECHNICIAN REMOVED A THIRD PARTY TELEMATIC DEVICE (IN-DRIVE) FROM OBD PORT. VEHICLE DIAGNOSTIC SCAN SHOWED TWO COMMUNICATION ERRORS U0100 AND U0111. THIRD PARTY TELEMATIC DEVICE WAS NOT REINSTALLED. VEHICLE WAS TEST DRIVEN, HELD OVERNIGHT, TEST DRIVEN AGAIN AND THE ERRORS OR SHUTDOWN DID NOT REPEAT. TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY HAVE SEEN THIRD PARTY DEVICES CONNECTED TO ODB PORT CAUSE ERRORS AND HAVE TO BE REMOVED OR REPLACED. WE HAVE THREE HYBRID VEHICLES IN OUR HOUSEHOLD EACH WITH A THIRD PARTY TELEMATIC DEVICE FROM IN-DRIVE. ALL THREE HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND RETURNED TO IN-DRIVE WITH SUPPLIED PACKAGING AND RETURN INSTRUCTIONS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10648905October 20, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE LEFT HEADLIGHT QUIT WORKING. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND IT WAS WORKING FINE AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE DEALERSHIP FINALLY ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT WAS GOING TO BE HANDLED UNDER RECALL. I ASKED THAT THEY FIX IT NOW, AND THEY ADVISED I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COST AND THEN POSSIBLY BE REIMBURSED AS I WAS PAST THE 36,000 MILE LIMIT FOR BUMPER TO BUMPER REPAIRS. ...A COST OF NEARLY $1,100 TO FIX 1 HEADLIGHT ON A 2 YEAR OLD CAR. I REFUSED, AND THE INTERMITTENT OUTAGES CONTINUED, AND PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE. THEN THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. I AM ROLLING THE DICE EVERY NIGHT I DRIVE THE CAR AS I CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND $2,000 OR MORE TO FIX HEADLIGHTS ON A CAR WITH A KNOWN DEFECT THAT DRAMATICALLY PUTS ME, MY FAMILY, AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD AT RISK OF CATASTROPHE. TOYOTA HAS STATED THIS WILL NOT BE HANDLED AS A RECALL AS IT DEEMS IT TO NOT BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS YOU STILL HAVE 1 WORKING HEADLIGHT. THAT IS UNTRUE, AS MINE HAVE GONE OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY SEVERAL TIMES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10648297October 17, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK IN THE FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY I HEARD A LOUD CONTINUOUS BEEP NOISE WITH ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH WAS LIT. WHEN I TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKE, THE BRAKE DID NOT RESPOND, I WAS GOING AT 30 MPH, SINCE THERE WAS TRAFFIC. I GOT PANIC AND TURNED THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT AND DROVE TO THE CURB AND STOPPED THERE. I TOED THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID THE BRAKE ACTUATOR BROKE AND SAID THAT IT COSTS AROUND 3500 DOLLAR. HOW COME THE BRAKE ACTUATOR FAIL IN THE VEHICLE WHICH IS 5 AND HALF YEARS OLD ? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10645019October 16, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY TOYOTA PRIUS HAS HID HEADLIGHTS. BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY STOP WORKING. AT TIMES HOWEVER, BOTH LIGHTS GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME WHILE DRIVING. THIS CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE LIGHTS WILL TYPICALLY COME BACK ON IF I TOGGLE THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON. I'VE READ THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA FOR THIS VERY ISSUE. I CONTACTED A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY RECOMMENDED I REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS, AT CONSIDERABLE COST. BUT IN MY RESEARCH IT SEEMS THAT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS WITH MANY PEOPLE EVEN AFTER THEIR HID BULBS WERE REPLACED. WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS BAFFLES ME. I'M WONDERING WHO HAD TO DIE BEFORE IT BECOMES A NATIONAL ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10644090October 11, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ON 10/7/14 I ARRIVED HOME AFTER WORK AND NOTICED MY RIGHT HEADLIGHT WAS OUT. IT WAS DARK AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE LIGHT FAILED. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I DID NOT NOTICE THE LIGHT FAILING, HOWEVER, I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN, BASED ON THE NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS FILED (AND NOT FILED). THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME. I LIVE IN LOS ANGELES AND, AS MY CAR IS BLACK AND IF MY HEADLIGHTS ARE OUT I AM AT RISK OF BEING HIT IN THIS VERY CONGESTED CITY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10643199October 7, 2014
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT MY HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY. SOMETIMES THE LEFT IS OUT. SOMETIMES THE RIGHT. SOMETIMES NEITHER. IT IS VERY SCARY TO THINK ABOUT DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN I CANNOT BE CONFIDENT OF THE HEADLIGHTS. IN TRYING TO LEARN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I DISCOVERED IT HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED AS I HAVE TO TRAVEL A LONG DISTANCE AT NIGHT. I PURCHASED A TOYOTA BECAUSE OF IT'S EXCELLENT REPUTATION. NOW I'M WONDERING IF MY CONFIDENCE WAS MISPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Toyota Prius