2005 Toyota Prius Complaint Log

WE NOTICED SHORTLY AFTER WE BOUGHT OUR 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT SHINE FAR ENOUGH IN ADVANCE OF THE CAR TO PROPERLY ILLUMINATE THE ROAD. WHEN WE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER, THEY CHECKED IT AND SAID THAT THE LIGHTS WERE SET PROPERLY SO AS NOT TO SHINE IN THE FACE OF APPROACHING CAR. NOW THE AUTOMATIC SENSOR WARNING LIGHT WARNING OF A PROBLEM ILLUMINATES AND INDICATES HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS ANY TIME WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. DESPITE HAVING HIGH INTENSITY HEADLIGHTS OFFERED IN THIS PACKAGE (PACKAGE 4), WE STILL DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATE ONLY ABOUT 15-20 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR, EVEN AT 'HIGH BEAMS.' I DON'T WANT TO BLIND SOMEONE, BUT I DO WANT TO SEE THE ROAD MORE THAN 20 FEET IN FRONT OF ME. I AM INDICATING THE PROBLEM BEGAN IN MAY, 2008 BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE SENSOR WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO COME ON, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR PRETTY MUCH EVER SINCE WE BOUGHT IT. THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS A BULLETIN OUT ABOUT IT, BUT WANTS TO CHARGE US ABOUT $500 TO FIX IT SINCE IT IS 8,000 MILES PAST WARRANTY. HAD I KNOWN THAT OTHERS HAVE IDENTIFIED THIS AS A PROBLEM (WWW.PRIUSCHAT.COM), I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE INSISTENT BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. THIS CAR REALLY IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY HERE IN RURAL MAINE WHERE WE HAVE MANY LARGE ANIMALS ON THE HIGHWAYS AT NIGHT (INCLUDING MOOSE). *TR

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. ONE OF MY HID HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT AFTER ONLY 35,000 MILES, JUST 3 MONTHS AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED. TOYOTA CLAIMS ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT HID HEADLIGHTS LAST LONGER THAN HALOGEN BULBS, BUT BY E-MAIL SAID THAT THEY HAD NOT DETERMINED LIFE EXPECTANCY OF PARTS IN MY VEHICLE. LOOKING AT THE MANY PRIUS CHAT ROOMS ON THE WEB, THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM. AS THE REPLACEMENT PART ALONE (A SINGLE BULB) RUNS $350, THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEM WITH HAVING TO REPLACE THE BULB SO SOON AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. *TR

I DRIVE A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. I RECENTLY HEARD ABOUT TOYOTA ADMITTING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM IN MY DRIVING. WHEN I EITHER BEGIN BRAKING OR HAVE BEEN BRAKING AND HIT A POTHOLE OR ROUGH PAVEMENT, IT FEELS LIKE THE PRIUS STOPS BRAKING MOMENTARILY AND THEN QUICKLY RESUMES. THE DURATION IS MAYBE A SECOND, BUT A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN A SECOND. LUCKILY THIS LAPSE IN BRAKING HASN'T HAPPENED WHEN THERE HAS BEEN A CAR RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I THINK IF IT DID, I WOULD HIT THE CAR BECAUSE I HAVE NO CONTROL OF THIS BRAKING LAPSE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AND IF THIS IS A DEFECT THAT COULD BE FIXED, WHY WOULDN'T IT BE FIXED. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FROM WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE PRIUS IN 2008. I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT COMPLAINING UNTIL I JUST READ THE NEWS ARTICLE RECENTLY. *TR

2005 PRIUS BRAKE MY BRAKES FAILED IN THE RAIN. I WAS DRIVING ON A ROAD THAT HAS OLD TROLLEY TRACKS AND I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 20 MPH AND I DECIDED TO STOP FOR A YELLOW LIGHT. I PUT THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I JUST KEPT ROLLING DOWNHILL. NO ABS NOTHING. IF THERE HAD BEEN SOMETHING IN FRONT OF ME I WOULD HAVE HIT IT. AFTER ABOUT 20 FEET MY BRAKES STARTED TO WORK AND AT THAT POINT THE SKID LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS REALLY LUCKY THAT THIS INTERSECTION HAS A STOP 20 FEET BEFORE THE CORNER OR I WOULD HAVE GONE RIGHT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. *TR

2005 TOYOTA PRIUS HID DRIVER'S HEADLIGHT CONTINUES TO INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO ILLUMINATE. DEALER WANTS >$600 TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT. PROBLEM WELL DOCUMENTED AS RECURRENT ISSUE FOR PRIUS WITH HID HEADLAMPS. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA ASAP. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO LOSE HEADLIGHTS WHILE DRIVING. IT IS ALSO OUTRAGEOUS TO EXPECT CONSUMERS TO PAY $600 TO REPLACE A LIGHT BULB AND NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO GUARANTEE THAT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

I RECENTLY HAD A MICHELIN TIRE SEPARATE ON THE REAR OF MY 05 TOYOTA PRIUS. TIRE WARE HAS BEEN A CONTINUAL PROBLEM. I DISCARDED THE ORIGINAL TIRES AT 40K MILES, THEY WERE TOO CUPPED TO ROTATE AND TOO DANGEROUS TO USE. THERE WAS A LOT OF TREAD LEFT ON THE TIRE, AT LEAST HALF, BUT CUPPING GAVE INTOLERABLE VIBRATION. I HAD MICHELIN TIRES INSTALLED AND HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED. THE ALIGNMENT WAS NOT PERFECT BUT WAS WITHIN SPEC. THE MICHELIN SEPARATED ABOUT 40K MILES LATER AND WAS REPLACED BEFORE IT FAILED. THE TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED A TOTAL LOSS OF TREAD IN ONE LINE AT A DIAGONAL ACROSS THE TIRE TREAD. LUCKILY I HAD GONE IN FOR ROTATION WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM. THE EXTREME TIRE WARE CAUSES NOISE AND VIBRATION. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE DEALERSHIP THROUGHOUT MY OWNERSHIP OF THE PRIUS WHICH I BOUGH NEW. I HAVE REQUESTED TECHNICAL BULLETINS BUT NONE HAVE EVER BEEN AVAILABLE. THE DEALER HAS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE PRIUS HAS A PROBLEM BUT IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED IN ONLINE COMPUTER SITES. THE DEALER JUST KEEPS SUGGESTING THAT I ROTATE THE TIRES MORE FREQUENTLY. WITH MY PAST CARS I HAVE NEVER HAD A CUPPING PROBLEM EVEN WITH ROTATION AND WITH THE PRIUS SINCE IT IS WITHIN ALIGNMENT SPEC, IT SHOULD NOT WEAR TIRES LIKE IT DOES. ANYONE WHO DOES NOT ROTATE AND CHANGE TIRES FREQUENTLY ON THE PRIUS IS LOOKING FOR A BLOWOUT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH HE WAS GOING OVER A RIDGED ROADS WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THE WOULD VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED EVERYDAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS . THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

SPONTANEOUS FAILURE OF REGENERATIVE AND POWER BRAKING SYSTEMS ON PRIUS, RESULTING IN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT BRAKING AND LONG STOPPING DISTANCE; THE 2 OCCURRENCES HAPPENED AT A SPEED OF LESS THAN 30MPH SO I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY COME TO A STOP, BUT AT A HIGHER SPEED IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. THERE WAS NO WARNING, AND IN ONE CASE, THE BRAKES WERE NOT EVEN BEING APPLIED AT THE TIME, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. THE PROBLEM, BRAKE, ABS, AND PS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATE, AND THERE IS AN AUDIBLE ALARM. THE DEALER DID NOT PERFORM ANY REPAIRS AFTER THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT BUT AFTER A SECOND INCIDENT THEY ARE NOW REPLACING THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT AND SEVERAL OTHER ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS. *TR

ABS & STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS STAY ON. DEALER SAYS THAT SYSTEMS ARE FAULTY. NOT A WARRANTY REPAIR!!??!!! N.B.: IT WOULD HELP CONSUMERS IF YOUR COMPLAINT-SEARCH FUNCTION WOULD ALLOW SIMULTANEOUS SEARCHES FOR MODEL OF MULTIPLE YEARS; AND, FOR KEYWORDS SO THAT RESULTS WOULD APPEAR REGARDLESS OF WHETHER COMPLAINANT HAS CHOSEN A DIFFERENT--OR, EVEN, AN INCORRECT--CATEGORY OF EQUIPMENT. *TR

WHILE ON A 3 HOUR TRIP ACROSS RT 40 FROM NASHVILLE TO KNOXVILLE, MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT LASTED A FEW SECONDS AND THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED, I TAPPED THE BRAKES TO MAKE IT STOP. THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED, I APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO ABOUT 84 MPH (PROBABLY ABOUT 3 SECONDS) SO I HELD DOWN THE POWER BUTTON AND PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY. I DO NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL (BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE MY CAR DRIVING ITSELF!!!). THERE WERE SOME SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS BUT THE ROAD WAS MOSTLY DRY. THE CAR GOES TO THE DEALER TOMORROW TO REPLACE AN $818 HEASDLIGHT SO THEY ARE GOING TO CHECK OUT THE SUDDEN ACCLERATION PROBLEM WHILE IT'S THERE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 45-55 MPH, SHE SWERVED ACROSS THE ROAD THEN CRASHED INTO A TREE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE FLIPPED AND LANDED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IN ADDITION, SHE CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER TREES. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CRASH DESTROYED THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUFFERED NUMEROUS INJURIES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,000. UPDATED 04/21/08 *BF

I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY 2005 PRIUS FOR 5 YEARS AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING NEARLY 20 TIMES, WHEN BRAKING, IF A POTHOLE OR BUMP IN THE ROAD IS HIT, THE CAR SEEMINGLY JERKS FORWARD/ACCELERATES FOR A SPLIT SECOND. AND THE VSC LIGHT ON THE DASH WILL GO ON FOR A SHORT TIME. *TR

ON 3/1/08 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHEREBY I BROADSIDED A PUBLIC BUS AT AN APPROXIMATE ANGLE OF 45 DEGREES. THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR FROM THE CENTER TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS COMPLETELY SMASHED AND NEITHER THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT I, THE DRIVER, INCURRED WHIP LASH INJURIES AND THE FRONT PASSENGER HIT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED IT AS THE SEATBELT ON THAT SIDE DID NOT WORK EITHER. TOYOTA WAS CONTACTED AND THEIR CLAIM IS THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY BUT THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS NOT RESTRAINED FROM HITTING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. AS TO THE AIRBAGS, THEY CLAIM THAT, DESPITE KNOWING THE CAR WAS DOING BETWEEN 40-45 MPH UPON IMPACT, THAT DUE TO THE ANGLE OF THE COLLISION THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS TRUE. DOES THE LAW ALLOW FOR RESTRAINT SYSTEMS NOT TO DEPLOY IN SUCH ACCIDENTS OR ARE THEY JUST STONE WALLING US? ANY INFO YOU CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. JOHN E. REARDON *TR

THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT SOUTER'S IN BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, NOT HONORING THE RECALL NOTICE ON 2004-2006 TOYOTA PRIUS STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACEMENT. I TOOK IT IN WHEN I GOT THE FIRST NOTICE AND SINCE I HAVE TO USE HAND CONTROLS TO DRIVE I HAVE THESE CONTROLS INSTALLED IN THIS PRIUS. SOUTAR'S SAID THEY WOULD NOT WORK ON THE DEFECT UNLESS THE CONTROLS WERE REMOVED. OR THEY WOULD CALL A TECHNICIAN TO COME UP FROM LA TO REMOVE THE CONTROLS AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY. IT WOULD HAVE COST TOO MUCH. THEY SAID THEY WERE SORRY. *TR

MY VEHICLE IS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH TRIM PACKAGE #9, INCLUDING HIGH-INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID) HEADLAMPS - THE ONLY ONES AVAILABLE IN THE ONLY VEHICLE AVAILABLE TO ME, SO THESE WERE NOT AN OPTIONAL PURCHASE. I WAS CONFIDENT IN THE EXPECTED LONG SERVICE LIFE OF HID BULBS BUT HAD ONE FAIL AT 41,000 MILES IN A PATTERN VERY SIMILAR TO OTHERS DESCRIBED ONLINE - INTERMITTENT DIFFICULTY GETTING ONE HEADLIGHT TO TURN ON, FOLLOWED BY DIMMING AND A PINK TINT IN THE LIGHT, AND FINALLY COMPLETE FAILURE. DESPITE THE HISTORY OF PRIUSES HAVING EARLY HID FAILURE, THE DEALER WAS ONLY ABLE TO SUGGEST THAT I PAY FOR A BULB REPLACEMENT, FOR ABOUT $350. GIVEN THAT HID LIGHTING SYSTEMS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MUCH LONGER LIVED THAN THIS, I MUST SUSPECT THAT THERE IS A FLAW IN THE PRIUS'S HID ELECTRONICS THAT IS CAUSING BULBS AND/OR OTHER COMPONENTS IN THE HID LIGHTING CHAIN TO FAIL MUCH SOONER THAN EVER EXPECTED, IF NOT UNEXPECTEDLY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE MOMENTARILY UNRESPONSIVE AT LOW SPEEDS INCLUDING 10 MPH WHEN DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE OR ROUGH SURFACE AND APPEARED TO LUNGE FORWARD. HE NOTICED THE PROBLEM CONTINUOUSLY SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. HE HAD NEITHER TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP NOR SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED TO-DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 86,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000. UPDATED 03/18/10 *BF UPDATED 06/17/10*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING SLOWLY, 5-15 MPH, THE BRAKES WOULD FAIL TO ENGAGE WHEN SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL.THE SKID LIGHT AND CHIME WOULD FLASH ON THE DASHBOARD. AFTER THAT, THE VEHICLE WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. SHE NOTICED THE PROBLEM THREE TIMES. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALER TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. SHE HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,600. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

I WAS HEADED SOUTH ON 22ND STREET CROSSING 7TH AVENUE SOUTH INTERSECTION. WOMAN RAN A REDLIGHT. I STRUCK HER CAR. I HAVE A 2005 PRIUS. THE FRONT END WENT DOWN AS IT WAS DESIGN, BUT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH OUT OF A PARKING LOT IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED THROUGH A STOP SIGN AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE. THE CRASH CAUSED DAMAGES TO BOTH VEHICLES. NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THE CRASH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AFTER THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE CONTACT HAS NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES ALWAYS MALFUNCTION DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 3/24/10 *CN UPDATED 06/30/10.*JB

2005 TOYOTA PRIUS RIGHT HID HEADLAMP FLICKERS AND SOMETIMES TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WILL NOT COVER EXTENSIVE REPAIR COST. FROM INTERNET INFORMATION THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS IF BOTH HEADLIGHTS QUIT SIMULTANEOUSLY. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT BEGAN GOING OUT INTERMITTENTLY, FIRST RARELY, THEN GRADUALLY MORE FREQUENTLY. SWITCHING THEM OFF AND ON WOULD RESTORE IT TEMPORARILY. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY COULDN'T REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. BY THE TIME IT BECAME VERY BAD, THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLAMP WAS OVERHEATING, AND REPLACED IT ($360). NOW, LESS THAN TWO MONTHS LATER IT HAS STARTED GOING OUT AGAIN, AT INFREQUENT INTERVALS. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT ON MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS TURNS OFF SPONTANEOUSLY AT RANDOM TIMES. IT WILL TURN ON AGAIN IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND ON, BUT IT WILL INEVITABLY TURN OFF AFTER 1 TO 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS 39,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER-TRAINED "MASTER MECHANIC" RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND CLAIMS THAT THE "HID ECU" (HID ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT, PART NUMBER 8110747150) IS MALFUNCTIONING AND MUST BE REPLACED. IT COSTS $320 IN LABOR TO ACCESS THE HID ECU UNDER THE DASHBOARD, AND $286.99 FOR THE NEW COMPUTER. THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE HID LIGHTS TURNING OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON ON VARIOUS PRIUS BULLETIN BOARDS ON LINE, YET TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CENTER CLAIMS TO HAVE NO RECORDS OF THIS PROBLEM, AND CLAIMS THERE IS NO RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN. HEADLIGHTS FAILING AT RANDOM DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS. *TR

HID HEADLAMPS GO OUT RANDOMLY AND INDIVIDUALLY, BUT CAN BE RELIT BY CYCLING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF. DEALER IS REPLACING BOTH HID LAMP AND CONTROLLER ASSEMBLIES ON BOTH SIDES; SAYS REPLACING JUST LAMP OR CONTROLLER WILL NOT PERMANENTLY SOLVE PROBLEM. CRASH DANGER DUE TO LAMPS GOING OUT WITHOUT WARNING. *CN

TOYOTA SIENNA ...AT APPROX 36K MILES MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF. BULBS WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE ECU UNIT TO THE HEADLIGHT WAS REPLACED AND WORKED FINE FOR A YEAR. NOW AT 59K THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DOING THE SAME. I AM TOLD AGAIN TO REPLACE THE BULBS(300$) EACH. THE BULBS COME ON BUT JUST GO OUT ON THERE OWN WITHOUT HITTING A BUMP . IT VARIES WHICH LIGHT I WILL HAVE AND I HAVE LOST BOTH WHILE TRAVELING. I THINK THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING BULBS THIS WEE....HOPE IT WORKS. *TR

RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT. *TR

AFTER ONLY 40,000 MILES, FUEL INJECTORS HAVE TO BE REPLACED... $1,000.00. *TR

BRAKES APPEAR TO NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY OR MOMENTARILY RELEASE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT OR POTHOLES. SEEMS TO LAST FOR ABOUT A SECOND. THIS OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND I NOTICED THIS TWO YEARS AGO... ASSUMED IT WAS NORMAL... ODD, BUT NORMAL. THIS CAN BE EASILY REPLICATED. *TR

'05 TOYOTA PRIUS. CHRONIC FAILURE OF ANTILOCK BRAKES AND OF VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL. TOYOTA DEALERS REPAIR SHOP CLAIMS THAT THIS IS TO BE FIXED AT MY EXPENSE. SEEMS TO ME THAT IMPORTANT SAFETY DEFECTS SHOULD BE REPAIRED FOR FREE. HOW MANY LIKE-COMPLAINTS HAVE YOU REC'D.? *TR

MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS THE SAME BRAKE/ACCELERATION PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE MEDIA. SOMETIMES WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES ON BUMPY SURFACES, THE CAR TENDS TO ACCELERATE - OR EVEN LIFT UP SLIGHTLY - UNTIL THE WHEELS TOUCH DOWN AND REGAIN CONTACT WITH A FLAT SURFACE. I NEVER PUMP THE BRAKES, BUT WHEN THIS HAPPENS, MY CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE IS MOMENTARILY INTERRUPTED. THIS PROBLEM HAS RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT I IGNORED IT. HOWEVER, WHEN I READ A DESCRIPTION OF THIS BRAKING PROBLEM BEING REPORTED ON 2010 MODELS, I IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED IT AS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED FROM TIME TO TIME. NOTE: THE "INCIDENT DATE" IS MERELY AN ESTIMATE OF THE FIRST TIME I EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I HAD BEEN PULLED OVER ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS FOR FAULTY TAIL LIGHTS. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THEN MY CHILDREN TOLD ME OF THE FRONT HEAD LIGHTS GOING OUT FOR NO REASON. I DID NOT BELIEVE THEM TILL THE WENT OUT ON ME. AFTER TAKING IT TO SEVERAL TOYOTA DEALERS AND SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, ON 09/10/2009 I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH A "MONICA" FROM THE NHTSA IN DC. I HAVE YET TO HEAR ANYTHING TO THIS DATE AND I AM AFRAID OF A SERIOUS CRASH WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT WITHOUT KNOWING WHY. I ALSO HAVE A CHECK LIGHT THAT HAS BEEN ON SINCE BEFORE MY WARRANTY WENT OUT AND NO ONE WANTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HATE THIS CAR, IT SCARES ME AND THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES AND I HAVE TO DATE ONLY RECEIVED ONE RECALL AND THAT IS ON THE MATS. *TR

MY 2005 PRIUS HAS XENON HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE(HID) HEADLAMPS THAT GO OUT AND STAY OUT UNTIL THE NEXT TIME I TURN ON THE LIGHTS. I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE BULBS VERY FREQUENTLY AND THEY DON'T LAST FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING MY PRIUS AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, UNDER 5 MILES PER HOUR, IN THE RAIN, I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES CEASED TO WORK. I GLIDED INTO THE BACK OF A VERY LARGE SUV. WHILE HIS CAR WAS NOT DAMAGE AND NEITHER OF US WERE INJURED MY CAR CRUMPLED. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THIS ACCIDENT TO OCCUR OTHER THAN THE BRAKES NOT ENGAGING. I AM VERY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING MY CAR IN THE RAIN IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD ME REPEATEDLY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PRIUS BRAKING SYSTEM. I HAVE SEEN DISCUSSION BOARDS WERE MANY PEOPLE WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. *TR

MY TOYOTA PRIUS (2005) GAS PEDAL STUCK. I WAS TAKING MY WIFE TO THE HOSPITAL WITH A HEART ATTACK.WE WERE GOING DOWN A RAMP AND IT STUCK WIDE OPEN. I KEPT PUSHING THE START BUTTTON AND IT QUIT. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALER AND HE TOLD ME TO REMOVE MY FLOOR MATS. I DO NOT THINK MY FLOOR MAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. IT HAS NOT STUCK SINCE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES DID NOT FULLY ENGAGE WHICH INCREASED THE STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT HAS NOTICED THE FAILURE SINCE THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 47000.

"BLIND SPOT" ON PASSENGER FRONT SIDE WINDOW IN 2005 PRIUS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER MADE FOUR ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE AIR BAG UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS DISCONNECTED; HOWEVER, THE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 65-70 MPH. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEGAN TO STICK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED BY POSITIONING HIS FOOT UNDERNEATH THE PEDAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WHEN I WAS PULLING SLOWLY INTO MY REGULAR PARKING SPACE AT WORK, MY 2005 PRIUS SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD AND SMASHED INTO A CEMENT WALL THAT WAS ABOUT 4 - 6 FEET IN FRONT OF ME. THERE WERE CARS PARKED ON EACH SIDE OF ME; I DIDN'T HIT EITHER OF THEM. I WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE WALL AT THE FONT OF THE PARKING SPACE. NO WATER OR ICE OR BAD CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT. THE SURGE WAS MUCH FASTER THAN WOULD HAVE OCCURRED HAD I MISTAKENLY HIT THE ACCELERATOR RATHER THAN THE BRAKE. OVER $3300 WORTH OF DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE FRONT OF MY CAR. MY ANKLE BONE WAS CHIPPED, MY WRIST WAS SORE, I HAD MINOR WHIPLASH. I WAS ALONE IN THE CAR. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THIS WAS NOT A RESULT OF DRIVER ERROR ON MY PART, NOR DO I THINK IT IS A RESULT OF THE FLOOR MAT CATCHING THE ACCELERATOR. WHAT I EXPERIENCED MATCHES MUCH MORE CLOSELY WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF A FLUKE COMPUTER ERROR CAUSING THE CAR TO SURGE FORWARD WHEN I TOUCHED THE BRAKES. IT WAS A STRONG, FAST AND SUDDEN SURGE; MUCH MORE POWERFUL THAN WHAT I EXPERIENCE WHEN I USE THE ACCELERATOR. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO TOYOTA (REFERENCE #200710181201). THEY SENT SOMEONE OUT FROM THE CHICAGO REGIONAL OFFICE TO INSPECT THE CAR IN MINNEAPOLIS. THEY CLAIMED EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE AND REFUSED TO DO MORE. AFTER I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND MY FEAR ABOUT DRIVING MY CAR, THE LOCAL WALSER TOYOTA DEALER DID ANOTHER VERY THOROUGH CHECK AND RESET ALL OF THE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS. IT HAS WORKED FINE SINCE. PRIOR TO THIS 2007 INCIDENT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER TIMES WHEN THE CAR SEEMED TO SURGE RATHER THAN BRAKE AT STOP SIGNS. NONE CAUSED CRASHES. AND ONCE, ALSO PRIOR TO 2007, THE ANTILOCK BRAKES DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE. I NARROWLY AVOIDED A CRASH THAT TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE BEING SERVICED AT THE DEALER, THEY NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DISTORTED. THE PLATING ON THE INTERNAL PART OF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE OVERHEATING. THERE IS NO WAY TO RELEASE THIS HEAT AND THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT A POSSIBLE FIRE MAY OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000. UPDATED 01-14-08. *KB UPDATED 12/12/07. *JB

THE TRACTION CONTROL ON MY 2005 PRIUS IS DANGEROUS. THIS IS A WELL-DOCUMENTED PROBLEM (WWW.PRIUSCHAT.COM) . TOYOTA WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN THE CAR HITS EVEN A SMALL PATCH OF WATER AND THE TIRES SLIP, THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN FOR WAY TOO LONG. SO, WHEN ACCELERATING RAPIDLY FROM A STOP, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE TIRES HAPPEN TO SPIN, THE CAR JUST COASTS FOR WAY TOO LONG. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN ACCELERATING RAPIDLY ONTO A FREEWAY FROM A STOP, WHICH I HAVE TO DO FREQUENTLY. MY ENTRANCE ONTO THE 101 IN HOLLYWOOD REQUIRES THIS TYPE OF ACCELERATION, AND I DREAD IT EVERY TIME I DO IT. I OWN A 2005 PRIUS. DO A SEARCH ON WWW.PRIUSCHAT.COM USING THE TERM "TRACTION CONTROL" TO SEE MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. THIS IS THE FIRST COMPLAINT I HAVE EVER FILED, AND I REALLY HOPE SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. *JB

2005 TOYOTA PRIUS HID LAMP BURN OUT. REPLACE OF LAMP IS APPROX. $400.00 EACH.

FIVE NO STARTING CONCERNS AFTER TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. *TR

2005 PRIUS BRAKING ISSUE: MY BRAKES DELAYED TO ENGAGE WHEN I TRIED TO BRAKE ON AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. I ENDED UP GOING THRU A CURB AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND JUST MISSED BEING IN AN CRASH. I NOW AVOID ENGAGING THE BRAKE IF THE ROAD IS UNEVEN (WHERE POSSIBLE) TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF RESPONSE. *TR

OWNED A PRIUS AND HAD A BRAKE FAILURE.. COMING OF THE HIGHWAY SLOWING TO A STOPLIGHT BY TAKING FOOT OFF GAS, WHEN I STARTED TO GET CLOSE TO THE CAR INFRONT I HIT THE BRAKES TO COMPLETE MY STOP WHEN I DID NOTHING HAPPENED.. I ENDED UP REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.. I HAD MY CAR REPAIRED AND I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO TOYOTA DEALER (WHO DID THE REPAIRS) THEY SAID THEY CHECKED THE BRAKES BUT DIDN'T SEE ANY ISSUES.. THE BRAKING PROBLEM HAPPENED AFTER THAT TOO.. BUT THEY JUST IGNORED MY CLAIMS.. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT LEVELING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY AND REMAINS ON AT RANDOM INTERVALS. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, BUT OCCURS EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. HE SPOKE WITH TOYOTA AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000. UPDATED 10/31/07. *JB

2005 PRIUS TOTALED. WHEEL SUDDENLY JERKED TO RIGHT AND PULLED VEHICLE OFF ROAD. NO APPARENT REASON FOR THIS, AS NOTHING HIT, POLICE REPORT TAKEN BY HIGHWAY PATROL, WITNESSES FROM BOTH DIRECTION TO PHYSICAL ACCIDENT. NO ONE HURT. VEHICLE CONSIDERED TOTAL. INSURANCE SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR TO CHECK IT OUT. CASE ALSO FILED WITH TOYOTA, WHO IS SENDING PERSON TO CHECK OUT VEHICLE. ALSO, COMPLAINT ON THIS WEDSITE, AS COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IN AND GET BULLETIN ON RECALL RELATED TO FAULTY STEERING FOR PRIUS.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON IT LUNGED FORWARD WHILE HIS FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES AGAIN IT STOPPED ACCELERATING AND BEGAN TO PERFORM NORMALLY. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED FOUR ADDITIONAL TIMES. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34000.

BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. *JB

DRIVING ON I-405 WHEN THE LEFT HEADLIGHT BEGAN ACTING INTERMITTENTLY. BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER WHEN STOPPED BY TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER WAS UNAWARE WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AND THAT THEIR ONLY SUGGESTION WAS TO REPLACE THE BULB, BUT THAT WOULD COST $500 AND WOULD NOT GUARANTEE FIXING THE PROBLEM. BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES DURING 2007 AND OVER THE FOLLOWING YEARS TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITH THE HEADLIGHT... YIELDING THE SAME RESULTS FROM THE DEALER. MANY TIMES DURING NIGHT DRIVING THE LEFT HEADLIGHT WOULD GO OUT. FINALLY, IN MARCH, 2013 BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE ON I-405 AT NIGHT. HAPPENED TWICE DURING DRIVE HOME WITH 3 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR. HAD HID BULBS REPLACED AS CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE ($657.88) ONLY TO FIND OUT TOYOTA IS COMPLETELY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FROM A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. I AM SHOCKED THEY PUT MY FAMILY AT RISK BY FAILING TO NOTIFY US OF THIS PROBLEM, EVEN WHEN PROACTIVELY CONTACTING THE COMPANY WITH THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS CONTAINED IN THE LAWSUIT. *TR

MY TOYOTA PRIUS 2005 HAS THE SAME BRAKING ISSUE AS DESCRIBED IN THE MEDIA TODAY FOR THE 2010 MODEL. IN ADDITION, THE SKID CONTROL CAUSES A SUDDEN POWER LOSS DURING ACCELERATION IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS TO THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED WITH BRAKING FAILURES IN THE 2010 MODEL (POTHOLES, EVEN SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD, RAPID ACCELERATION AROUND CURVES, IN ADDITION TO WHEN THERE IS ICE ON THE ROAD) THAT REPORTEDLY HAS BEEN FIXED. ALTHOUGH THE COMPLETE POWER LOSS LASTS LESS THAN A SECOND RECOVERY OF POWER IS SLOW ENOUGH TO HAVE STRANDED ME IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAITING FOR ACCELERATION IN A NUMBER SITUATIONS WHERE THERE WAS NO RISK ASSOCIATED WITH LOSS OF TRACTION. I CONTACTED TOYOTA SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND TRIED FILED A COMPLAINT (I WAS REALLY PERSISTENT), BUT THEY REFUSED TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A DESIGN FLAW SAYING ONLY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. WHEN I POINTED OUT THAT THE VEHICLE, AS DESIGNED, WAS DANGEROUS, THEY ONLY REITERATED THAT IT WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND REFUSED TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION. IT FELT TO ME THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT ADMITTING THE PROBLEM COULD AVALANCHE INTO A PROBLEM SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY HAVE NOW. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A RECURRING AND PERSISTENT ISSUE THAT HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR (FOUR PLUS YEARS). *TR