2005 Toyota Prius Complaint Log

DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY 70 MPH BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT! TURNED THEM OFF AND THEN BACK ON THEY DID NOT WORK. TURNED THEM OFF AND BACK ON ONCE AGAIN AND THEY WORKED. BOTH LIGHTS SHOULD NOT GO OUT AT ONCE! *TR

MY VEHICLE LIGHTS SPONTANEOUSLY GO OUT. IT USED TO BE ONE HEADLIGHT, THEN I HAD A MECHANIC TAKE IT OUT TO DIAGNOSE AND HE SAID IT MAY BE THE BALLAST. AFTER THAT, IT IS NOW BOTH HEADLIGHTS GO OUT SPONTANEOUSLY, AND THEREFORE SOMETIMES AT THE SAME TIME, LEAVING IN THE DARK AT NIGHT ON THE ROAD. FLICKING THEM OFF AND BACK ON USUALLY FIXES IT ON THE FIRST TRY, BUT SOMETIMES IT TAKES A COUPLE OF TRIES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO HIS VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE SUSTAINED A LACERATION TO THE FOREHEAD AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SEVERED CHEST BRUISING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

I HAD JUST HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND WHEN I WAS LEAVING I STARTED THE CAR BUT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DIDN'T COME ON. I DROVE ON AND STILL NOTHING. WHEN I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, THE LIGHTS CAME ON WITH THE ERROR MESSAGE THAT MY BRAKES WERE ENGAGED. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO DEPRESS AND RELEASE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT THE SAME MESSAGE. I COULDN'T MOVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKES WERE LOCKED. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY HAD TO GET TOYOTA INVOLVED BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THREE COMPUTERS ARE FRIED. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING SINCE I GOT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT HAD SUCH WONDERFUL REVIEWS (YES THIS WAS SOME YEARS AGO) HOW DO COMPUTERS JUST "UP AND FRY" WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I AM HOPEFUL THAT TOYOTA WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND STEP UP AND TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. ALSO, WHATEVER THEY COULD DO FOR ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED SINCE I WAS A DIE HARD PRIUS FAN.....UNTIL NOW??? *JB

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AT NIGHT THE RIGHT HEADLAMP SUDDENLY WENT OUT. I TURNED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF AND THE HEADLAMP CAME BACK ON. APPROXIMATELY 7-8 MINUTES LATER BOTH HEADLAMPS WENT OUT. ONCE AGAIN I TURNED THE HEADLAMP SWITCH OFF AND ON AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS CAME BACK ON. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVERY FEW MINUTES UNTIL I FINALLY REACHED MY DESTINATION. SINCE THEN IT HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN SPORADICALLY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I PURCHASED NEW BULBS THINKING THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM BUT DISCOVERED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT GIVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO THE BULBS FOR CHANGING. IT APPEARS THAT IT MUST HAVE TO BE DONE BY THE DEALER. I FEEL THAT THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT NEEDS ATTENTION. *TR

MY HID HEADLIGHT TURNS OFF, IT CAN BE TURNED BACK ON BY TOGGLING THE LIGHT SWITCH. I HAD PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THE BULB, HOWEVER IT COST OVER $400 TO GET IT FIXED. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE LIKE THIS, TOYOTA DOES NOT SEEM TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY THAT THERE IS A DEFECT. THERE WAS A CASH SUPPORT BUT ONLY FOR 2006 TO 2009 MODELS. THERE SHOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I FLIPPED THE SWITCH AND THEY TURNED ON. THIS NOW HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE AND IT REQUIRES NUMEROUS FLIPPING ON AND OFF OF THE LIGHTS TO MAKE THEM COME BACK ON. *TR

THE CAR WAS INITIALLY SWERVING (AS IF IN A BAD WHEEL ALIGNMENT). THEN IT TOOK A SHARP RIGHT TURN AND JUMPED OFF OF THE FREEWAY. DESPITE MY ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL IT AND KEEP IT ON FREEWAY, DUE TO THE SPEED AND MOMENTUM, IT DROVE OFF THE SLOPE TO THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD, ROLLED OVER AND EVENTUALLY LANDED RIGHT SIDE UP. INITIALLY I THOUGHT IT COULD BE A BLOWN UP TIRE.. BUT THAT DID NOT SEEM TO BE THE CASE.

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO CHECK FOR THE CAUSE AND THEY TOLD US THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BAD AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT WORK BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM (OF WHICH THEY WERE ALREADY AWARE) WITH THE WIRING HARNESS. A DEFECT IN THE WIRING HARNESS - THEIR WORDS- WOULD COST ABOUT $2000.00 TO REPLACE. THEY ARE AWARE THAT THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN THESE VEHICLES, BUT AS OF YET THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL OR OFFER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IF THIS ISN'T A SAFETY ISSUE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD BE. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT GOES OUT SOMETIME AFTER START UP. IF YOU SWITCH THE LIGHTS OFF THEN ON AGAIN IT RUNS FOR A PERIOD (APPROX 4 MIN) THEN GOES OUT AGAIN. REPLACING BULB HAS NO EFFECT. WHEN SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS APPEARS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM AMONG 2005/2006 PRIUS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ACTIVATE. IN ADDITION, THE HEADLIGHTS POWERED OFF INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

DRIVER HEADLAMP TURNING ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. LAMP WILL TURN ON IF I SWITCHED CONTROL OFF AND TURNED IT ON AGAIN, BUT WILL TURN OFF AGAIN WITHIN 10 MINUTES. REPLACED BOTH LIGHTS BULBS, THEN PASSENGER HEADLIGHT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING WITH IN A MONTH OF REPLACEMENT. I REPLACED BULB AGAIN IN THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT AND WITH IN 5 DAYS LIGHT STARTED AGAIN DOING SAME THING. HEADLIGHT TURNS ON IF I SWITCH CONTROL ON AND OFF. FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINS ABOUT PRIUS 2005 ON LINE. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD SHUT OFF AND NOT COME BACK ON DURING VARIOUS SPEEDS. IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AT 65MPH A HEADLIGHT ( RANDOMLY LEFT OR RIGHT) WOULD SHUT OFF AT NIGHT). I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF TO REACTIVATE THE HEADLIGHT!!! THE HEADLIGHT WOULD COME BACK ON ONCE THE SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN, BUT SEVERAL MILES DOWN THE ROAD, A HEADLIGHT WOULD GO OFF AGAIN!!! THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!! WE BROUGHT IT TO A TOYOTA GARAGE, AND WERE TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE HEADLIGHTS BUT NOT FOR OUR 2005 VEHICLE. WE PAID $476.00 TO REPLACE BOTH HEADLIGHTS!! HOW CAN HEADLIGHTS BE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND BE COVERED FOR CERTAIN YEARS ONLY??? WITH THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE IT APPEARS THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM FOR 2005 MODELS TOO!!! WHY WAIT FOR ACCIDENTS OR DEATHS??? THUS OCCURRED AT ALL SPEEDS!! *TR

THE FIRST TIME HAPPENED ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND THE ISSUE GETS WORSE. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE SHOP TO REPLACE A HEADLIGHT AS I THOUGHT IT HAD BURNT OUT. WHEN I ARRIVED, THE PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT WAS WORKING AGAIN. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN SO BAD NOW THAT BOTH HEADLIGHTS MAY TURN OFF WITH NO WARNING AND CAUSE COMPLETE DARKNESS WHILE ON THE ROAD. FROM WHAT THE SHOP TOLD ME IS THAT I WILL HAVE TO POSSIBLY REPLACE THE HID HEADLAMP CPU IN ORDER TO ENSURE NO FURTHER ISSUES. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO PLAGUE THE MAKE AND MODEL OF TOYOTAS. *TR

BRAKES DID NOT APPLY INSTANTLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP LIGHT. WE ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. THANKFULLY WE APPLIED THE BRAKES EARLY, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE THE BRAKES WERE NOT BEING APPLIED AND THAT THE WHEELS JUST KEPT ON MOVING. I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE AGAIN TO MAKE SURE IT WOULD APPLY MORE PRESSURE. WE CAME WITHIN A FEW INCHES OF REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. AND THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 TIMES NOW. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BEFORE A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR DEATH, HEAVEN FORBID, OCCURS. *TR

THE BRAKING SYSTEM FOR MY 2005 PRIUS HAS BEEN MALFUNCTIONING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN THE SUMMER OF 2012. WHILE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN ON A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE THE BRAKES REFUSED TO BRAKE FOR 1 OR 2 SECONDS, CAUSING A HIGHER-THAN-ANTICIPATED SPEED WHEN GOING AROUND A TURN. THIS PROBLEM INCREASES THE DISTANCE THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO STOP AND I CONSIDER THIS A HIGH SAFETY CONCERN AND A MAJOR PRODUCT DEFECT. NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED FROM THE PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE SO FAR. *TR

MY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT SHUTS OFF BY ITSELF AFTER A FEW MINUTES. WHEN I SHUT OFF THE LIGHTS AND TURN THEM ON AGAIN, THEY BOTH STAY LIT FOR SEVERAL MORE MINUTES OR SOMETIMES LONGER. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY CHARGED OVER $100 TO REPLACE THE BULB AND THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2006-2009 MODELS FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM. I SUSPECT THIS MIGHT EXTEND TO THE 2005 MODEL. AT TIMES BOTH LIGHTS GO OUT IN AN UNPREDICTABLE MANNER. THIS DOES NOT SEEM SAFE TO ME. THANK YOU *TR

BOTH HID HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. I CAN TOGGLE THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND ON AND ONE OR BOTH LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. THEN WENT OUT AGAIN WITHIN A FEW SECONDS TO A MINUTE, OVER AND OVER. MAKES NO DIFFERENCE IF CAR IS NOT MOVING AT ALL OR GOING 70 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE 15 MILES HOME AT NIGHT WITHOUT INCIDENT. WENT TO DEALER NEXT DAY AND THEY SAY ALL THAT IS WRONG IS THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ARE BURNED OUT. ESTIMATE TO REPLACE BOTH IS $474.31. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD BURN OUT AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME. AND IF THEY ARE BURNED OUT THEN WHY DO THEY COME BACK ON AND OFF. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND FOUND THE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT FOR 2006-2009 MODELS. I ALSO FOUND THAT YOU HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 2005 MODEL YET YOU HAVE NOT CONSIDERED THIS A SAFETY MATTER. I DISAGREE. EVEN IF YOU DON'T HELP ME, I WANT MY COMPLAINT INCLUDED IN YOUR DATABASE. *TR

AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT I HEAD A SNAPPING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE WHEELS STOPPED TURNING. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TURN, BUT THE WHEELS WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP. *TR*DT*JB

1. DRIVER'S SIDE HID-TYPE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. WENT ON & OFF INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. REQUIRED A REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT COMPUTER AND BULB. RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE TO GET HEADLIGHTS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. 2. HEADLIGHT LEVELING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS & WARNING LIGHT GOES ON INTERMITTENTLY, GENERALLY DURING & RIGHT AFTER RAIN STORMS. ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 32,000 MILES. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT WHEN BOTH HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF. THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT HAS BEEN TURNING OFF PERIODICALLY, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME BOTH LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. BY TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN ON, THE HEADLIGHTS RETURNED TO WORKING ORDER. THIS IS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM, WHICH BOTH TOYOTA AND NHTSA KNOW ABOUT. REPLACING THE LIGHTBULB APPEARS TO BE ONLY A VERY TEMPORARY, AND COSTLY, SOLUTION. *TR

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY THREE CHILDREN COMING FROM SCHOOL AND SLOWING DOWN US 301 TOWARDS TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN T TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE CAR DID NOT STOP. I HAD TO REAPPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT DOWN VERY DEEP BEFORE THE CAR JERKED AND SLOWLY STOPPED. THANK GOD THERE WAS NO CAR IN FRONT, OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN A COLLISION. WENT TO THE TOYOTA CAR DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE FAILURE CODE WAS DTC C1247 AND TOLD US TO REPLACE THE SKID CONTROL UNIT. BASICALLY, THE ECU OF THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND THE CAR DID NOT HAVE BRAKES ON IT. PLEASE DO A RECALL BEFORE ANYONE GETS HURT ON THIS. *TR

LEFT HID HEADLIGHT ON MY PRIUS KEEPS GOING OFF AT RANDOM, SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS FAST, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AT ALL. BY CYCLING THE HEADLIGHTS ON/OFF TURN THE LIGHT BACK ON. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN TO MORE THAN JUST MY PRIUS BECAUSE I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN MANY PRIUSES WITH THEIR PASSENGER SIDE (LEFT) HEADLIGHT OUT. *TR

I HAD AN ACCIDENT IN MARCH 2013 WHICH CAUSED FRONT END DAMAGE. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED WITH THE HEADLIGHTS BEING REPLACED. EVERY SINCE THE REPAIR THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN GOING OUT FOR NO APPARANT REASON. AT FIRST JUST THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT, NOW BOTH LIGHTS SHUT OFF AT THE SAME TIME AND I HAVE TO TURN THEM OFF AND BACK ON TO GET THEM TO EMIT LIGHT. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE HEADLIGHTS THEMSELVES BUT WHY DO BOTH OF THEM GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME AND WHY DO THEY COME BACK ON AND CONTINUE TO WORK. AT FIRST THIS OCCURED MAYBE ONCE A DAY BUT IT IS OCCURING FREQUENTLY. I DO NOT THINK IT IS THE BULBS BECASUE THEY KEEP SHUTTING OFF AT THE SAME TIME WHICH SUGGEST IT IS SOMETHING ELSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED IN ANTICIPATION TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIKE CALVERT TOYOTA (2333 S LOOP W, HOUSTON, TX 77054) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE BRAKE ACTUATOR NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RELATED THE FAILURE TO AN UNKNOWN RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL HAD ENDED IN 2017. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION TO FUEL UP AND WHEN I LEFT THE GAS STATION I SUDDENLY LOST STEERING IN MY CAR. I COULD ONLY MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD. *TR UPDATED 06/13/13*LJ UPDATED 06/17/2013 *JS

WHEN I STARTED MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS, I GOT A WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE MULTI-FUNCTION DISPLAY THAT THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT LEVELING SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE THAT CORRECTS THE AIM OF THE HEADLIGHTS IF YOU ARE DRIVING WITH AN UNUSUALLY HEAVY LOAD, SO THAT YOUR LIGHTS DO NOT MOMENTARILY BLIND ONCOMING DRIVERS. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE SENSOR IN THE HEADLIGHT LEVELING SYSTEM FAILS, THE HEADLIGHTS AIM THEMSELVES TO A DEFAULT POSITION THAT IS UNSAFE; THE HEADLIGHTS AIM DOWNWARDS, AND ILLUMINATE THE GROUND 20 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR AND NO FARTHER. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THE DARK FASTER THAN 20 MILES AN HOUR WITH THE HEADLIGHTS LIKE THIS. THE PROBLEM BEGINS WITH THE SENSOR IN THE 2004 AND 2005 MODEL PRIUSES, WHERE A GASKET FAILS AND THE INTERIOR PARTS OF THE SENSOR CORRODE AND FAIL. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND NOW OFFERS IMPROVED REPLACEMENT PARTS AND HAS ISSUED THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN BELOW. HOWEVER, REPLACING THIS PART AT A DEALER CAN COST UPWARDS OF $500, DISCOURAGING MANY OWNERS FROM MAKING THE REPAIR, LEADING TO UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR PRIUS DRIVERS AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD. THERE IS NO MANUAL OVERRIDE TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR A DRIVER TO DRIVE IN THE DARK. IT SEEMS LIKE POOR ENGINEERING THAT TOYOTA HAS IMPLEMENTED A SAFETY DEVICE THAT, WHEN IT FAILS, CREATES A MORE UNSAFE CONDITION THAN IF THE SAFETY DEVICE WERE NOT THERE. NOT TO BE OVERLY DRAMATIC, BUT IT WAS A FAILED GASKET AND FAILED SENSORS THAT BROUGHT DOWN THE SPACE SHUTTLE. A REPAIR SUGGESTED ONLINE INVOLVES SPRINGS FROM BALLPOINT PENS, BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS. A REPAIR WITH THE IMPROVED TOYOTA PART OUGHT TO BE MADE AFFORDABLE, IF NOT FOR FREE. US TSB EL004-06 APRIL 28, 2006. AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT LEVELING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT "ON" OR FLASHING. 2004-2005 PRIUS W/HID HEADLIGHTS. REPLACE REAR VEHICLE HEIGHT CONTROL SENSOR WITH IMPROVED ONE. *TR

BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT DURING NIGHT TIME DRIVING. I IMMEDIATELY BRAKED BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THAT MY 9YEAR OLD AND 12 YEAR OLD PANICKED. WHEN I SWITCHED THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF THEY CAME BACK ON. THE INCIDENT RE-OCCURRED AN ADDITIONAL 3 TIMES ON THE WAY HOME. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AS WELL AS THE DEALER. BOTH SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SINCE IT IS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I COULD UNDERSTAND A LIGHTBULB GOING OUT, BUT BOTH GOING OUT AT THE SAME TIME IS A HORRIFIC DANGEROUS SITUATION. I BELIEVE THERE IS AN INHERENT DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OFF AND ON. AT FIRST ALL I HAD TO DO WAS TURN IT OFF THEN ON BUT NOW IT IS TURNING OFF AND STAYING OFF. *TR

ORIGINALLY THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WOULD SHUT OFF RANDOMLY. I WOULD FLICK THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF AND IT WOULD TURN BACK ON. THEN THIS PAST NEW YEARS EVE BOTH HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF AND I FLICKED THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF AND THAT DID NOT WORK. I SHUT OFF THE HEADLIGHTS WITH THE SWITCH FOR A FEW SECONDS AND LUCKILY THEY TURNED ON AGAIN. HOWEVER THE KEPT ON SHUTTING OFF MORE CONSISTENTLY. FIRST THE PASSENGER THEN BOTH. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. AND THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I REPLACED BOTH HEADLIGHT BULBS AT MY OWN EXPENSE. THE BULBS WORKED GREAT FOR 2 DAYS. NOW BOTH HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT STAY ON FOR MORE THAN 45 SECONDS. MY 16 YR OLD SON ALSO DRIVES THIS CAR AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO HIM BECAUSE OF THIS KNOWN DEFECT THAT TOYOTA IS NOT WILLING TO FIX. THIS IS TERRIBLE! FIX THIS PROBLEM! NEW BULBS IS NOT THE FIX. THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE SERIOUSLY WRONG HERE. *TR

ON MY 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS THE HID LIGHTS WERE REPLACED WITH TOYOTA PARTS. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THEY STARTED TO GO OFF AND ON AT RANDOM. THE DEALER REPLACED THEM WITH AFTERMARKET HID BULBS. AFTER ABOUT 18 MONTHS ONE OF THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF AND ON AT RANDOM. THE DEALER NO LONGER CARRIES AFTERMARKET HID BULBS. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD INSTALL THE TOYOTA BULBS WHICH HAVE ISSUES OR I COULD GET AFTERMARKET BULBS AND THEY WOULD INSTALL THEM. WELL THE NEW D2R HID SYLVANIA BULBS WERE INSTALLED BY THE DEALER. WITHIN 2 WEEKS ONE OF THE NEW BULBS WENT OFF AND ON AT RANDOM. NOW A WEEK LATER THE OTHER NEW HID BULB IS DOING THE SAME THING. I HAVE READ THAT THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND ALSO AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR. WHEN WILL THIS SAFETY PROBLEM BE ADDRESSED????? *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT GOES OUT AT UNEXPECTED TIMES. TRYING TO ACTIVATE THE HIGH HEADLIGHTS DOES NOT MAKE THE LIGHT COME BACK ON. THE ONLY WAY THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON IS BY TURNING THEM OFF AND ON FROM THE SWITCH, AND MOST OF THE TIME THE LIGHT GOES OUT AGAIN IN A VERY SHORT TIME. *TR

I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE, BUT INSTEAD OF STOPPING MY PRIUS ACCELERATED,AND JERKED UNDER THE STOPPED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME.THE BRAKES ACTED LIKE ACCELERATED PEDAL. PRIUS OCCASIONALLY HAD THE ACCELERATING JERKS WITHOUT PEDAL INPUT, BUT AFTER FIXING ALL THE RECALLS, I THOUGHT THE CAR IS FINE. BUT THIS TIME, IT WAS NOT A JERK, IT WAS A FULL LEAP, THAT DESTROYED THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR. IT WAS TOWED FROM THE ACCIDENT AND IT IS BEYOND THE REPAIR. I HAD IT ONLY FOR 9 MONTHS. *TR

STARTING IN APPROXIMATELY MARCH AND OCCURRING DAILY THROUGH PRESENT DAY, ONE OR BOTH HEADLIGHTS SPORADICALLY GO OUT. WE STARTED NOTICING THIS IN MARCH WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. OUR OWN TESTS INDICATE THAT IT CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS AT A COMPLETE STANDSTILL OR AT ANY SPEED. IT CAN HAPPEN ZERO TO MULTIPLE TIMES DURING A SINGLE USE OF THE CAR, SOMETIMES UP TO EVERY MINUTE AND A HALF WHILE DRIVING. TURNING THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN CAUSE BOTH HEADLIGHTS TO COME BACK ON. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THIS DID NOT START HAPPENING UNTIL THIS LAST MARCH. WE HAVE HAD NO OTHER TROUBLES WITH THIS CAR AND LOVE THE CAR, ASIDE FROM THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS CAUSED US TO STOP DRIVING THE CAR AT NIGHT, WHICH IS EXTREMELY INCONVENIENT. *TR

DASHBOARD INFORMATION SUDDENLY TURNS BLANK -- NO FUEL LEVEL, SPEED, ETC. , BUT HEADLIGHTS WORK (ALTHOUGH NO INDICATOR ON INSTRUMENT PANEL) AS WELL AS TURN SIGNALS, AIR-CONDITIONING, AND RADIO. I DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER THINKING THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A FUSE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPORTS THAT ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE RARELY SEEN THIS, IT'S A PROBLEM WITH A COMPONENT BEHIND THE POWER SWITCH. THE PART IS IN SHORT SUPPLY AND MAY TAKE AS LONG AS FOUR WEEKS TO ARRIVE. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE DEALER WILL BE PAYING FOR THE COST OF A RENTAL CAR IN THE INTERIM. THE SERVICE FROM THE DEALER IS SUPERIOR AND...I LOVE MY PRIUS.. *TR

HEADLIGHTS WILL RANDOMLY TURN OFF AND ON. SOMETIMES THE LEFT HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT, SOMETIMES THE RIGHT, AND OCCASIONALLY BOTH LIGHTS WILL GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. THE HID BULBS ARE NOT TO BLAME. THESE BULBS, WHEN THEY DO GO OUT, THEY BURN OUT AND NEVER COME BACK. THIS ISSUE IS A CONTROL PROBLEM/DESIGN FLAW OF THE VEHICLE. IF THE NHTSA WOULD LOOK IN ITS DATABASE IT WOULD SEE THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. IF YOU ARE WAITING ON A BODY COUNT YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO WAIT LONG. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON HWY 66 AT 7:30 PM ON MARCH 4TH WHEN A LOOSE COW ENTERED THE ROAD, THEN THE LIGHTS BLINKED OUT. A 2,000 LBS ANIMAL AND A 2,600 LBS CAR DO NOT INTERACT WELL TOGETHER. I SUSPECT YOU WILL KEEP IGNORING THIS AND BE A PATSY FOR TOYOTA. I PLAN ON FILING A SMALL CLAIMS AGAINST TOYOTA AND, IF I CAN FIND A LAWYER WHO WILL TAKE YOU ON, SUE THE NHTSA FOR NOT DOING THEIR JOBS. *TR

MY 2005 PRIUS BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT. WHEN I FIRST TURN MY LIGHTS ON, THE HEADLAMP WORKS, BUT AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING, IT GOES OUT. SWITCHING TO HIGH BEAMS DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, BUT IF I TURN OFF MY LIGHTS AND TURN THEM RIGHT BACK ON, THE HEADLAMP WORKS FOR A SHORT WHILE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ON PRIUS FORUMS, AND IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THE DEALER WANTS $2600 TO FIX IT. I THINK IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED AT NO CHARGE. *TR

THE THREE WAY COOLANT CONTROL VALVE FAILED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, BOTH HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OFF. THEY WOULD COME BACK ON WHEN TURNING THE LIGHT CONTROL OFF THEN BACK ON. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THEY WOULD GO OFF AGAIN AND TO GET THEM BACK ON I HAD TO SWITCH OFF/ THEN BACK ON. IT DID NOT SEEM TO BE DEPENDENT ON FAST I WAS DRIVING OR IF A BUMP IN THE ROAD CAUSED THE HEADLIGHTS TO GO OFF. WE TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT AND BOTH HEADLIGHT BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACE @ $175.00 EACH FOR PARTS PLUS LABOR TO DROP FONT BUMPER SO HEADLIGHTS COULD BE INSTALLED. TOTAL BILL CAME TO $485.00 TO REPLACE TWO HEADLIGHTS THAT WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO PARK BUT THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF IN ORDER TO SHIFT INTO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

I STARTED UP THE CAR THIS MORNING, PUT IT INTO REVERSE, AND A SECOND OR TWO LATER, IT SHIFTED ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL. THE SHIFT LEVER FELT LIKE THERE WAS MORE RESISTANCE TO IT THAN USUAL. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND ALSO HAPPENED WHEN I TRIED TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF AND TRYING TO SHIFT SEVERAL TIMES, THE CAR FINALLY STAYED IN GEAR. THE PROBLEM IS THE SAME AS DESCRIBED IN THIS THREAD: HTTP://WWW.TOYOTANATION.COM/FORUM/62-PRIUS-FORUM/343977-08-PRIUS-WONT-STAY-GEAR.HTML, WITH THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING THAT IT WAS A RATHER COLD DAY (0 DEGREES F) WHILE MOST OF THE POSTS IN THE THREAD MENTION THE PROBLEM OCCURRING ON A HOT DAY. WHILE THE MALFUNCTION ON MY CAR WAS PROBLEMATIC BUT NOT LIFE-THREATENING, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE CAR COULD SHIFT ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL WHILE I AM DRIVING (AS DESCRIBED BY SEVERAL POSTERS IN THE ABOVE THREAD), WHICH WOULD BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

PETITION FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO DEFECT CONDITIONS IN UPPER IMMEDIATE STEERING EXTENSION SHAFT #2 MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE 2004-2009 TOYOTA PRIUS VEHICLES W/RESPECT TO RECALL 12V-537. *SMD AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE CURRENT LOSS OF STEERING ISSUE WAS CAUSED BY A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE UPPER STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. THE UPPER STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS DECOUPLED FROM THE ELECTRIC- POWER- ASSIST COLUMN OUTPUT SPLINE. A CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE DECOUPLED COMPONENTS REVEALED THAT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE UPPER STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED ON THE SPLINE OUTPUT OF THE POWER ASSIST COLUMN. THIS ALLOWED A METALLURGICAL FAILURE ON THE INTERIOR OF THE UPPER STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT, WHICH CONSEQUENTLY ALLOWED SEPARATION OF THAT SHAFT FROM THE ELECTRICAL STEERING POWER ASSIST COLUMN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE SHAFT SPLINE SHOWED A LONG TERM DETERIORATION OF THE UPPER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT #2 INSIDE SPLINE AS EVIDENCE BY METALLURGICAL SHARDS OF DETERIORATED SPLINE METAL STILL RESIDING IN THE UPPER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT CAVITY. ALSO, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD CANCEL AND NOT RE-ENGAGE, THEN THERE WERE TIMES, WHERE THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DIS-ENGAGE AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT OFF COURSE WHENEVER THE CONSUMER TOOK HIS EYES OFF THE ROAD, FOR EVEN A MOMENT. THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO STEER THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY OR IT WOULD DRIFT INTO ANOTHER LANE. APPARENTLY, IT WAS DUE TO A COMPUTER ALGORITHM THAT WOULD ATTEMPT TO CORRECT FOR WIND AND ROAD SURFACE ANOMALIES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE DAYS LATER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NEEDED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED GOING ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. BOTH BULBS WERE REPLACED RECENTLY. THE CAR HAS AN HID HEADLIGHT SYSTEM. *TR

THE ELECTRONIC(?) SHIFT MECHANISM IN THE CAR MALFUNCTIONS/DOES NOT STAY ENGAGED IN TEMPERATURES APPROXIMATELY 28 DEGREES FAREHEIT & BELOW WHEN CAR HAS SAT IDLE FOR PERIODS OF TIME. THE NIGHT OF THIS INCIDENT I WAS RETURNING FROM A BUSINESS TRIP WHERE MY CAR HAD BEEN SITTING OUT IN THE WEATHER FOR APPROXIMATELY 28-30 HOURS. THE TEMPERATURE THIS PARTICULAR DAY WAS 9 DEGREES; HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN IN THE PAST WITH TEMPERATURES RANGING INTO THE MID TO UPPER 20'S. {DUE TO OUR MILD WINTER LAST YEAR I DON'T RECALL IT HAPPENING MUCH IF AT ALL-- IT DID HOWEVER OCCUR THE WINTER YEAR PRIOR [2010-2011] AND I REPORTED IT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER. THEY LOOKED AT ME AND TOLD ME THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY SUCH PROBLEM.} WHEN I POSITION MY SHIFT SELECT FROM THE CENTER POSITION & SELECT EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE CAR TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES UPON PRESSING THE GAS. THE OTHER NIGHT I HAD PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED I HAD TO PHYSICALLY HOLD THE DRIVE SELECTOR IN THE "D"/DRIVE POSITION FOR 28 MINUTES BEFORE THE SELECTOR REMAINED ENGAGED. (IN PAST INCIDENTS I HAVE HAD TO HOLD THE SELECTOR IN POSITION FROM 5-10 MINUTES- THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO GET WORSE IN RLATION TO LOWER TEMPS. ARE THERE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF SUCH A PROBLEM? *TR

AROUND 105,000 WE STARTED GETTING INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT LOSS. IT USUALLY COMES BACK ON IF WE TURN THE LIGHTS OFF THEN BACK ON. IT ONLY DID IT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FOR ABOUT A YEAR BUT NOW IT DOES IT ON BOTH SIDES. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. THE NEXT TIME I USED THE CAR, THE HEADLIGHT WAS WORKING AGAIN. SINCE THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, EITHER HEADLIGHT HAS GONE OUT INTERMITTENTLY (I HAVE NOT BEEN AWARE THAT BOTH HAVE GONE OUT AT THE SAME TIME). EACH TIME, THE HEADLIGHTS ARE FOUND TO BE WORKING AGAIN LATER. I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING. I DON'T DO A LOT OF NIGHT DRIVING, BUT I KEEP MY LIGHTS ON ALL THE TIME. I SUSPECT THERE ARE MANY DAYLIGHT FAILURES THAT GO UNNOTICED. *TR

FRONT RIGHT HEADLIGHT IS INTERMITTENTLY GOING OUT. I CAN GET IT TO GO BACK ON IF I TURN SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON BUT IT MAY FAIL AGAIN WITHIN 10 OR 80 MINUTES. REPLACED BULB, BUT STILL HAVE PROBLEM. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE BULB BUT REPLACING IT HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUE. *TR

THE MULTI INFORMATION DISPLAY NO LONGER SHOWS THE VEHICLE SPEED AND OTHER SPECS SUCH AS FUEL GAUGE, WARNING LIGHTS, AND SUCH. THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES COULDN'T TURN OFF, AND IT WOULD REQUIRE ME TO PRESS AND HOLD THE POWER BUTTON FOR MORE THAN 5 SECONDS IN ORDER TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. DRIVING IS QUITE DANGEROUS AS I NOT EVEN SURE IF THE CAR IS EVEN "READY" OR NOT, AND WHAT GEAR (D, N, R) IT IS IN. TOYOTA IS CHARGING ME 400 FOR THE REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE BULLETIN STATED THAT THIS IS CAUSE THE MANUFACTURER DEFECT ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD. MY SISTER WHO OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS (16X,XXX) DID RECEIVE THE NOTICE OF RECALL FOR THE MULTI INFORMATION DISPLAY, BUT I DIDN'T ANY NOTICE AT ALL. THIS REPAIR SHOULD BE COVERED BY TOYOTA. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! *TR

DIGITAL DASHBOARD DISPLAY IS, FROM TIME TO TIME, SO DIM AS TO BE ALMOST INVISIBLE. SOMETIMES IT APPEARS TO BE ABOUT 90% OF BRIGHTNESS, OTHER TIMES AT ABOUT 5% OR LESS. THIS MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO READ SUCH INFORMATION AS SPEED, WARNING LIGHTS, ETC. WHEN IT IS VISIBLE, IT IS A MAJOR DISTRACTION, TAKING CONSIDERABLE TIME AND EFFORT. TOYOTA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT MY TOYOTA DEALER REFUSES TO PERFORM THE REPAIR, CLAIMING THAT AS LONG AS THEY CAN SEE THE DISPLAY AT ANY LEVEL, REGARDLESS OF HOW DIM, THERE IS NOT A CORRECTABLE PROBLEM.SINCE THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, THEY MAY NOT SEE IT AT ITS WORST. *TR