106 of the
15,583 complaints filed about the Toyota Prius
are about the equipment —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2007.
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY:VEHICLE CONTROLS:SPEED CONTROL
The contact owned a 2011 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle accelerated at uncontrollable speed, and an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal desperately and the vehicle would not stop. The contact swerved into the lane of the opposite direction causing the contact to strike the front passenger end of the vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, causing the other vehicle to drive into the woods, and the contact vehicle spun in a circle. The contact stated he pulled the emergency brake causing the vehicle to come to a complete stop. No air bags deployed. No one was injured but the contact was unaware if there were any injuries to the other driver. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene and later deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was contacted, and they stated that the accident was being investigated. The failure mileage was 3,000.
NHTSA complaint #11485677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING ON HWY 14 AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 AM, MY SON'S VEHICLE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OFF. HE SUMMONED ASSISTANCE TO AAA WHO CAME AND PUT THE SPARE TIRE IN, HE SUBSEQUENTLY DROVE THE CAR TO SIERRA TOYOTA IN LANCASTER CA AND CHANIN YESCAS SERVICE DEPT MGR ASSISTED WITH HAVING THE CAR CHECK. I AM CONCERNED WITH THIS VEHICLE IT IS THE 2ND INCIDENT WITH HAVE HAD WITH THE VEHICLE WITHIN A WEEK. PLEASE ASSIST ASAP.
NHTSA complaint #10955451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM CONTROL AND THE HEATING AND COOLING UNIT FAILED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM SHUT OFF CAUSING THE HEATING AND COOLING UNIT TO FAIL. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
NHTSA complaint #10701386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 PRIUS. I'VE OWN SEVERAL TOYOTAS AND NEVER HAD A REASON TO SUSPECT TOYOTA WOULD PUT ANYTHING BUT THE BEST QUALITY ACCESSORIES ON THEIR CARS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE POOR QUALITY NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND BACKUP CAMERA THAT CAME STANDARD WITH MY NEW 2013 PRIUS. THEY ARE NOT ONLY POOR QUALITY, BUT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS TO USE. TOYOTA'S NAVIGATION SYSTEM VERY DIFFICULT TO READ, EVEN CONFUSING. I DON'T EVEN CONSIDER IT SAFE TO USE SINCE IT TAKES SO MUCH ATTENTION TO READ IT. IT'S VERY DISTRACTING TO USE IN TRAFFIC. AS FOR THE BACKUP CAMERA, IT IS NOT ONLY USELESS BUT ACTUALLY DANGEROUS. IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A FISH EYE LENS USED IN PHOTOGRAPHY TO DELIBERATELY DISTORT PERCEPTION. IT HAS NO LINES FOR GUIDANCE AND NO RELIABLE DEPTH PERCEPTION. YOU CAN LOOK AT SOMEBODY STANDING BEHIND THE CAR IN THE BACKUP SCREEN, THEN LOOK AT THEM OUT THE BACK WINDOW AND YOU WILL FIND THE PERSON MUCH CLOSER TO THE CAR THAN DISPLAYED IN THE BACKUP CAMERA. THE DRIVER CANNOT EVEN TELL WHERE THE SIDES OF THE CAR ARE MUCH LESS THE DISTANCE TO AN OBJECT. THESE TWO PROBLEMS MAKE THE BACKUP SYSTEM DANGEROUS TO USE. THIS PRODUCT ONLY CREATES AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. SINCE I WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR THESE TWO NEXT TO WORTHLESS, EVEN DANGEROUS ACCESSORIES, I'D LIKE THEM RECALLED AND REPLACED WITH THE QUALITY, SAFE ACCESSORIES I USE TO TRUST AND RELY UPON TOYOTA TO PUT ON THEIR CARS OR BE GIVEN A FULL REFUND FOR WHAT I PAID FOR THEM. I BELIEVE THE ITEMS SHOULD BE TESTED BY GOVERNMENT AND RECALLED. I CANNOT BUT WONDER HOW MANY ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN CAUSE BY THESE TWO POORLY DESIGNED ACCESSORIES. THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SEEMINGLY NEW, TOYOTA POOR QUALITY STANDARDS FOR THEIR ACCESSORIES AND IS IN NO WAY A REFLECTION ON THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. TOYOTA DESIGNED THE CAR AND SELECTED THE ACCESSORIES, NOT THE DEALERSHIP.
NHTSA complaint #10692582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I OWN A 2012 PRIUS WITH THE TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE, INCLUDING RADAR ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL. I BELIEVE THESE SAME RADAR SENSORS ARE ALSO USED TO DETECT IMMINENT COLLISIONS IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, EVEN WHEN CRUISE CONTROL MODE IS NOT ENGAGED. ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 5 IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES PER HOUR, AND WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, MY PRIUS WENT INTO "IMMINENT COLLISION MODE" DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING IN FRONT OF ME -- NO VEHICLES, NO DEBRIS, NO OBSTRUCTIONS. BEFORE SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES, MY SEAT BELT WAS "TIGHTENED" AND THE BRAKES WERE AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED AT FULL FORCE, EVEN WITHOUT MY FOOT TOUCHING THE BRAKE. THIS WAS INCREDIBLY JARRING AND DISTURBING, AND COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF THERE WAS A VEHICLE BEHIND ME. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO VEHICLE BEHIND ME AT THIS TIME. AFTER ABOUT TWO SECONDS OF FULL BRAKING, THE VEHICLE "DISENGAGED" COLLISION MODE AND ALLOWED ME PROCEED AND RETURN TO SPEED. I CALLED THE TOYOTA OF SEATTLE DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE TO THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THIS ISSUE, AND SUGGESTED THAT I BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICING. THEY CONFIRMED THERE WERE NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $100 FOR A BASIC DIAGNOSTIC, AND IF SENSORS HAD TO BE REPLACED, IT COULD COST HUNDREDS OR EVEN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. BECAUSE I AM CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED AND LOOKING FOR WORK, I DID NOT BRING MY VEHICLE INTO THE SERVICE CENTER. I FEEL THIS IS TOYOTA'S OBLIGATION TO FIX, AND SHOULDN'T REQUIRE ME SPENDING MONEY OUT OF POCKET. I WOULD LIKE SOME KIND OF RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA ON THIS ISSUE. I HAVE AVOIDED USING THE RADAR CRUISE CONTROL SINCE THIS MOMENT, BUT THE FACT THAT IT OCCURRED WHILE NOT IN THIS MODE MAKES ME FEEL THAT THE CAR COULD "TAKE CONTROL" AT ANY MOMENT AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THANKS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #10682017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE STARTED HAVING AN INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING ISSUE. AS I AM DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL BEGINS TO SHAKE AND I RECEIVE AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THEN THE ERROR CLEARS AND SAYS THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS INTERMITTENT AND SOMETIMES LASTS LONGER. I KNOW IN THE PAST THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING UNIT IN THE PAST. I BELIEVE THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE RECALL SERVICE DONE, BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT IF THE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED WHY MY VEHICLE IS HAVING THIS ISSUE WITH MY PRIUS.
NHTSA complaint #10678640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE FORWARD, THE CAR SLIPS INTO REVERSE!!! I'VE TAKEN IT TO TOYOTA MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY SAY THEY FIND NOTHING WRONG! I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO BE SURE THE CAR IS ACTUALLY IN DRIVE BEFORE MOVING IT OR I COULD BACK INTO SOMETHING OR SOMEONE BY MISTAKE.
NHTSA complaint #10649597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TOYOTA'S ENTUNE NAVIGATION SYSTEM RANDOMLY FREEZES AND RESETS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY WHERE A PERSON IS DEPENDING ON THE SYSTEM TO GET SOMEWHERE, IT CAUSES A MASSIVE DISTRACTION AND A RISK TO LIFE AND LIMB. TOYOTA IS OFFERING NO RESOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE AND IT'S DEALERSHIPS ARE REFUSING TO EVEN REGISTER USER COMPLAINTS - "UNLESS THEY CAN REPLICATE THE ISSUE" WHICH IS RATHER DIFFICULT SINCE THE PROBLEM IS RANDOM AND THE DEALERSHIPS WILL NOT TAKE USER REPORTS OF THE ISSUE AS CREDIBLE.
NHTSA complaint #10644101 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2009 PRIUS HAS A NON-NAVIGATION MULIT-FUNCTION DISPLAY THAT CONTROLS EVERYTHING FROM SOUND TO TEMPERATURE TO HANDS FREE PHONE. PLUS, IT FUNCTIONS AS THE REARVIEW CAMERA DISPLAY. IN AUGUST OF 2014 AT ABOUT 80,000 MILES THE SCREEN BEGAN TO TURN OFF SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING (IF IT TURNED ON AT ALL.) I HAVE READ MANY REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING TO THE 2009 MODELS. I AM CONCERNED MOST ABOUT THE REAR VIEW SCREEN BECAUSE THIS MODEL OF PRIUS HAS LARGE BLINDSPOTS AND I RELIED HEAVILY ON THIS SCREEN.
NHTSA complaint #10641162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE RUBBER COVER TO THE OUTSIDE TRUCK LATCH HAS MELTED COMPLETELY IN HOT FLORIDA WEATHER AND HAS BECOME GOOEY TO THE POINT OF DRIPPING ONTO MY LICENSE PLATE. THE TRUCK IS VERY DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND SOMETIMES I AM UNABLE TO LOCK OR OPEN THE CAR BECAUSE THE TRUNK IS NOT ALL THE WAY CLOSED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IF I NEEDED TO GET INTO THE TRUNK TO GET A SPARE TIRE I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO. GIVEN MANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE DATING BACK TO 2007 MODELS, TOYOTA SHOULD STOP USING THIS TYPE OF COMPONENT AND SHOULD RECALL THIS ITEM AND FIX IT WITH A DIFFERENT MATERIAL SO THIS DOES NOT KEEP HAPPENING. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THE EXPOSED LATCH WILL CAUSE ELECTRICAL DAMAGE TO THE TRUNK OR LIGHTING BECAUSE OF SEVERE RAIN THAT OFTEN OCCURS IN FLORIDA WHERE THIS PROBLEM SEEMS PREVALENT.
NHTSA complaint #10629342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON JUNE 22, 2010, PURSUANT TO TOYOTA FLOOR MAT RECALL #90L REGARDING POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, MY EXISTING TOYOTA FRONT FLOOR MATS WERE REPLACED WITH NEW TOYOTA ALL WEATHER MATS. AFTER ABOUT 2 YEARS, THE REPLACEMENT MATS FAILED AND WERE REPLACED ON 8/25/2012. THE FAILURE WAS WITH THE RUBBER MATERIAL WHICH FRAYED AT CONTACT OF MY RIGHT FOOT WITH THE MAT AND AT THE 2 HOLES THROUGH WHICH THE RETAINER CLIPS ARE ATTACHED. BOTH FLOOR MAT HOLES TORE LINEARLY ALLOWING THE FLOOR MAT TO EVENTUALLY CREEP UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ON AUGUST 4, 2014 I HAD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER SET OF FRONT FLOOR MATS BECAUSE OF FLOOR MAT FAILURE IDENTICAL TO THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION. CURRENT MILEAGE AROUND 81,000 MILES. THE REPLACEMENT FLOOR MATS THAT TOYOTA PROVIDES ARE OF INFERIOR QUALITY AND NOT ABLE TO WITHSTAND 2 YEARS WORTH OF ROUTINE DRIVING. TOYOTA WILL NOT GUARANTEE THEIR MATS BEYOND 1 YEAR, IT IS OF CONCERN THAT THE FAILING FLOOR MATS SET UP A SAFETY SITUATION EXACTLY COMPARABLE TO THE SAFETY CONCERN THEY WERE MEANT TO ALLEVIATE. THERE IS NO WARNING PROVIDED BY TOYOTA THAT THEIR MATS WILL FAIL AFTER ABOUT 2 YEARS OF AVERAGE DRIVING AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE INSPECTED AND IF DAMAGED, REPLACED. HOW MANY UNSUSPECTING MOTORISTS WHO HAVE REPLACED THEIR FLOOR MATS 2 OR MORE YEARS AGO ARE AT RISK?
NHTSA complaint #10621152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AS THE NAVIGATION/GPS SYSTEM WAS BEING USED ON A LONG TRIP, THE BACKLIGHT SUDDENLY BURNED OUT. UPON TOUCH, THE SCREEN WAS EXTREMELY HOT. (IT DID NOT COOL DOWN UNTIL APPX. 1 HOUR AFTER THE BACKLIGHT HAD MALFUNCTIONED. WITH THE BACKLIGHT NOT WORKING, IT RENDERS THE ENTIRE NAVIGATION SYSTEM, BLUETOOTH, BACK-UP CAMERA, AUDIO SYSTEM/CD PLAYER USELESS AND NOT USEABLE.(ENTIRE SCREEN IS BLACK.) ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 1/2 YEARS OLD, IT IS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. THE PART COSTS BETWEEN $2400 AND $4500 TO REPLACE. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECORDED ON VARIOUS COMPLAINT BOARDS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE ON 2010 AND 2011 PRIUS CARS BY CONSUMERS.
NHTSA complaint #10615506 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TOYOTA PRIUS (2008) HATCH RELEASE RUBBER COVER PIECE DETACHED AND TORE APART. NOTE THAT MY RX300 SELECTION OF MAKE/PART NUMBER IS BOGUS, AS I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHO MADE THIS RUBBER COMPONENT.
NHTSA complaint #10563215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT. IT GOES OUT AFTER 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING. I REPLACED THE BULB AND IT STILL GOES OUT. THE COST OF BULBS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE MADE TO REPLACE THIS ITEM AND HAVE ALL 2007 PRIUS RECALLED. ONE ACCIDENT COULD CAUSE A MAJOR CATASTROPHE ON THE ROADS BECAUSE LIGHTS TURNING OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF A DRIVE IS UNNERVING AND DANGEROUS.
NHTSA complaint #10550575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HATCH LATCHES SHOULD NOT MELT DOWN IN 2-3 YEARS, AND ACCESS TO THE HATCH IS A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE. AS WITH MANY OTHER 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS VEHICLES THE RUBBER MATERIAL ON THE HANDLE OF THE REAR HATCH HAS BEEN DETERIORATING ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS AND IS GETTING MORE DIFFICULT TO USE. WITHOUT AN EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT BY TOYOTA THE PART WILL FAIL BEYOND THE ABILITY TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH. TOYOTA REFUSES TO RECALL THE PART AND REPLACE IT AS A DEFECTIVE PART.
NHTSA complaint #10546107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HATCHBACK RELEASE LATCH OF MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS DEGRADED ("MELTED" ALMOST). IT NO LONGER FUNCTIONS PROPERLY, AND I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE BACK HATCH DOOR EASILY. SOMETIMES IT REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE EFFORT TO GET IT OPEN. I AM CONCERNED THAT IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE DOOR OPEN. THIS IS A MAJOR CAUSE FOR CONCERN AND IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD.
NHTSA complaint #10543541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UPON STARTING THE ENGINE AND ENGAGING THE AIR CONDITIONING OF MY 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH 10,000 MILES, A STRONG FOUL SMELLING AIR COMES FROM THE A/C VENTS. AT THE 10,000 MILE SERVICING, THE TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER STATED THIS SMELL IS TYPICAL TO SOME TOYOTAS. A TOYOTA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WAS PERFORMED. THE REPORT STATED "NO REPAIRS NEEDED AT THIS TIME VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS PER DESIGNED. I KNOW OF NO VEHICLE DESIGN THAT WOULD STREAM FOUL AIR FROM THE A/C VENTS OF A NEW CAR. MY SAFETY CONCERN IS WITH THE CONTAMINANTS CREATING THE FOUL SMELL AND HOW LONG CAN A HUMAN CONTINUE TO BREATHE THESE CONTAMINANTS BEFORE BECOMING ILL WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #10543441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EVERY TIME I RECEIVED CALL ON MY CELL BLUETOOTH SEEMS LIKE VOICE BREAKING UP. IT IS NOT THE PHONE PROBLEM. I HAVE CHECKED THE SAME PHONE IN MY OTHER CARS AND WORKS FINE. THIS BLUETOOTH NEEDS SOFTWARE UPGRADE.
NHTSA complaint #10542900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.