NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Toyota Prius. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
the cruise control was inop, technician said it was a clockspring failure, replaced the clockspring with a new part from walmart, then at times, the airbag failure light would come on, paid a technician to replace the replacement clockspring with an new one and the failure stopped, walmart is selling a part that could result in death
2008 Toyota Prius gen2 with 139k miles. ABS, Brake, parking brake, and Traction Control lights all illuminated while driving the other day. Potential is losing all electronically assisted braking function in the car. Problem has been confirmed by local independent service center. Independent service center pulled codes: C1256 Accumulator low pressure C1378 Capacitor Communication Malfunction C1391 Abnormal leak of ACC pressure all consistent with ABS accumulator failure. Recommending ABS modulator assembly replacement at $2742.66 Toyota had a warranty enhancement program that covered this component: Warranty Enhancement Program – ZG1 2006-2007 Model Year Highlander Hybrid & 2004-2009 Model Year Prius Vehicles Extension of Warranty Coverage for Brake Actuator Assembly This Warranty Enhancement Program provides enhanced coverage to the vehicle’s “New Vehicle Limited Warranty” as it applies to the Brake Actuator Assembly. The specific condition covered by this program are repairs related to an internal malfunction of the Brake Actuator Assembly. If the condition is verified, the vehicle will be repaired with a new Brake Actuator Assembly at no charge under the terms of this Warranty Enhancement Program. • The Primary Coverage offers warranty enhancement until December 31, 2017, regardless of mileage. • After the Primary Coverage end, the Secondary Coverage is applicable for 10 years from the date of first use, or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first
Brake pedal became hard and vehicle was difficult to stop. ABS warning light appeared on dashboard. This is a problem that Toyota has addressed previously by extending the warranty period to 10 Years/150,000 miles. My vehicle has 122,000 miles on it but the 10 year extended warranty has expired. I took the vehicle to a local repair shop and they confirmed that there was a problem with the brake actuator assembly. Now, Toyota says it would cost over $3000 to remove and replace their already defective part.
ABS failed and mechanic tells me my actuator needs replacement which is a known issue with my generation of Prius.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a direct purchase from the previous owner on August 3, 2025. The contact made other reports with a personal lawyer, the State Attorney General's Office, and AZ.FraudReport Agency. The contact had not heard back from the other contact regarding the other reports made. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 50,000 miles, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was over 200,000.
The ABS brake booster/accumulator is going out and this has been a known issue with Toyota for years. Mine was purchased used a few years ago and had no issues until recently, as the pump is running more frequently.
My name is [XXX] ,i am filing this report on behalf of My daughter [XXX] the driver of the vehicle that involved with the unintended acceleration on the 2009 Toyota Prius .On a good clear morning on [XXX] . My daughter drove the 2009 Toyota Prius to work- when she enter to the parking lot at the speed round 5 mile/hour . Just when she was making a left turn on to the entrance gate with her left foot on the brake pedal . On a sudden the vehicle RPM unintended rev up too high and the vehicle had an unintended accelerating to move forward aggressively causing lose control of the steering . Also she could not brake even though her left foot was on the brake pedal and pressing hard to try to stop the vehicle . . This dangerous incident causing her Prius to bumped into the electrical gate panel control box . The accident caused some damages to her Prius and to the entrance gate control box though no body was hurt . But it got us through the terrible experience because it could kill some one for sure . My daughter been driving this commute car daily in the past 5 years and she has the skill of 20 year driving with good record . This Prius of her still have all OEM equipments with no add- on parts-,no modifying part on any systems what so ever- and NO extra floor mat cause we been warned before about the possible of unintended acceleration causing by aftermarket floor mat to any vehicles. . We feel unsafe after the mystery accelerating problem on Toyota Vehicle that could take people lives . So the mystery unintended accelerating on car is REAL . I am currently checked and find out her Prius has 2 incomplete recalls (un-notice to us ) but none of them related to the unintended acceleration problem . We would like the NHTSA to take this problem seriously to save people life . I will included photos of this incidents and willing to provide all information if needed to address this problem, again to save lives . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I recently took my vehicle to the dealership because all the hazard lights on the dash came on. They diagnosed it as an issue with the inverter water pump and suggested that the engine was overheating, which was causing the hazard light to appear on the dashboard. So I had them replace that part and everything was fine. A week later, I went to drive to work and my entire dashboard was out. My radio, clock, blinkers, and brakes worked, but I could not see the speedometer, gas gauge, odometer or any other dashboard features. When I tried to restart the car, it wouldn't turn off. I tried several times and even got my husband to try. When we couldn't turn it off, I drove blindly straight to the dealership. They diagnosed the issue as being a problem with the combination meter. Recently, I found out that there was a Customer Support Program through Toyota that replaced the combination meter in my same car model. This service expired in 2017. I got the car in 2020-21. Thankfully I was home, and was able to follow my husband to the dealership. I'm not sure what I would've done if this happened while I was out. I am also have traction issues with the brakes. When I try to brake on a slope or incline, the glide hazard lights come on. It's happened several times when it's raining, but it's been happening more when it's not. I typically give enough space between myself and the car in front of me, but it's concerning that the brakes lock up when I'm on any type of sloped surface.
Brake actuator fails. Subject to prior recalls, but they're continuing to be an issue. This vehicle, and thousands of others like it, the electric brake actuator/pump starts running constantly then fails entirely. When that happens, as has to mine, the vehicle has NO power brakes, which can and does cause the vehicle to crash. The replacement part is over a thousand dollars. Toyota has engineered a failure mode that creates massive continuing profits.
Incident Summary: While relocating from northern to southern Alabama, I experienced a sudden and concerning failure in the vehicle’s braking system. While driving, multiple dashboard warning indicators were triggered simultaneously, including: •Brake warning light •ABS light •VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) light •Additional system fault alerts This happened unexpectedly and severely impacted my ability to drive the vehicle safely. Given the nature of these warnings and the critical systems they pertain to, I immediately took the vehicle to a certified Toyota dealership for diagnostics and repair. Following inspection, I was informed that the ABS actuator and related components had failed and would require replacement at an estimated cost of nearly $3,000. I was further advised that while this issue had been part of a previous recall or customer support program, that program is no longer active. Rationale for Cost Coverage Request: 1) Known Safety Issue: This ABS/VSC failure aligns with prior technical service bulletins and recall actions issued by Toyota for Prius models of this era. The abrupt system failure while driving raises significant safety concerns. 2) Purchased from Certified Dealership: The vehicle was purchased from an authorized Toyota dealership. I trusted that all known recall issues would have been properly addressed prior to sale. 3) Recall Program Timing & Fairness: The original recall or warranty enhancement was tied to a timeframe or mileage limit, but given that this issue has not been resolved and is now manifesting as a serious failure, I believe an exception should be made—especially since it was known to affect vehicles like mine. 4) Customer Loyalty and Safety Assurance: I have maintained this vehicle responsibly and expect Toyota, as a brand committed to quality and safety, to assist with this issue in good faith. Request: I respectfully request that Toyota cover the full cost of diagnosing and repairing the ABS system issue.
The error lights related to the ABS, VSC braking system can suddenly come on, the antilock brakes stop working, and breaking power is greatly diminished. This occurs without warning and when it does, the brakes do not work safely and it is more difficult to bring the car to a stop. I have taken the car in to repair shops who have confirmed the issue. This malfunction produces error code C1256 and multiple mechanics have confirmed it is related to a faulty ABS Actuator Assembly and recommend immediate replacement of the unit. This is a common and known issue with these cars. I have been quoted a range of $2,100+tax to $2950+tax to perform the repair using a brand new part from Toyota.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the instrument panel went blank. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but had become a permanent failure. In addition, the front headlights and rear taillights failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at various speeds, the front headlights failed to work as intended. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the bulbs had melted into the wiring harness. The contact stopped driving the vehicle at night. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
brake actuator assembly failed
The dashboard of the car fades in and out randomly. Sometimes the dashboard doesn't come on at all. And when it does come on, it appears the mileage may have not increased even though the vehicle has been in use. This means that when the dashboard is off the driver is guessing at speed of the vehicle and at the fuel.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel went blank. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but had become a permanent failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls no warranty coverage on the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
Brake actuator failing just like everybody else
Loud grinding noise coming from engine compartment accompanied by a loud shrill alert. When attempting to pull over to a safe place, I put my foot on the brake pedal, but immediately became distressed because it felt like I had no brakes at all. After applying extreme pressure to the brake pedal, the car did begin to slow down, albeit very slowly. I had 2 passengers in the car (ages [XXX] and [XXX] ) and I felt their lives were in jeopardy. Upon researching, I found that Toyota has known about this ABS problem for quite awhile (at one point, they even extended the warranty on the faulty parts). With the gravity of losing the ability to brake while driving, reasonable people would conclude that a recall is in order. It does not matter if it is voluntary by Toyota or mandatory by the appropriate government entities. I, literally, feared for my life and the lives of my passengers. I am grateful it didn't happen while traveling at highway speeds because the outcome could have been much much worse. I sincerely hope that my government who is in charge of protecting it's citizens against known automobile dangers, will take the necessary steps to initiate a recall for all Toyota vehicles that have this serious ABS problem. My fear is that those decisions are made by algorithms and actuarial data rather than by reasonable common sense. I certainly hope there isn't an arbitrary number of deaths before a recall is made. What if one of your family died as a result of purposeful inaction. The diagnostic codes for my Toyota are C1256 and C1391. These both point to serious problems with the ABS system ( actuator, accumulater etc.). Please consider investigating this common and life threatening problem. Thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I have a 2008 Toyota Prius (172k miles). From the sounds coming from the ABS Brake actuator and soft breaks, it is clear from my research online that I will soon have a failing ABS brake actuator. I have the code C1256 thrown which is ABS "Accumulator Low Pressure" Read more: [XXX] I do not feel safe driving it as it is clear one day the brakes will suddenly go out on it. This needs repaired. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
About 3 years ago we started getting the red triangle of death with 2 amber lights on display the vsc and the round circle with the exclamation point in the center. This could happen in 500 miles or it could happen tomorrow. When this happens I loose all exceleration and air conditioning and a orange car emblem with an exclamation point in it on the display screen. Once safely off road press power button off and back on and everything is back to normal except red triangle and car on display screen car is then drivable again. Using a code reader to check codes no codes appear but still have red triangle. Leaving car set for a period of time and restarting car and red triangle is extinguished. Have to drive in right lane on freeway in case it wants to quit. The most recent time was last week had driven it about 80 miles with a stop about halfway for 1 hour and stopped for a movie came back got in car started it and within 1000 feet got the red triangle, was in left turning lane with red light, shut off and restarted and was able to drive again as in all other times, took it to a neighbor who had a code reader(about 9PM) and no codes found, he reset it and red triangle extinguished. This type of happening is very unnerving to say the least, dont know when or where it will lay down with us. Don't know if anyone else has had similar issues with their Prius ours has 213,000+ miles on it. Original hybrid battery it was checked in 2015 and some cells replaced by a shop certified to replace cells in this battery. Thank you.
Brake ABS and front brakes have completely failed because a software error where the and cannot be calibrated and terminates during calibration. The car only has rear brakes which frequently lock of and cause a safety issue. Front brakes completely disabled due to a software calibration issue
In temperatures above 95 degrees the vehicle shifts into neutral while driving, and you need to physically hold the shift lever in Drive or Reverse to keep it out of neutral. It won't go into park at all unless you restart. This could cause a fatal accident while driving, particularly on the freeway. It has not yet been confirmed since it only happens at very high temperatures, which is rare where I live (Seattle). There has been quite a lot of discussion on Reddit and other internet sites about this problem with Priuses, particularly the 2008 model. I have an appointment with my mechanic to replace the shift lever assembly, which appears to be the most commonly referenced fix. There are no warning lights, other messages, or symptoms before or while this is happening. The problem resolves when the air temperature goes back down.
- Steering column components are loose. They make the steering unpredictable. The vehicle moves dangerously from side to side when driving over 65 mph. "U-joint" inside the cabin is the component with play. - Previous recall "12V537000" could be related. My vehicle was not called during that campaign but meets the characteristics. - No dealer has confirmed. - No insurance has inspected. - No warning lamps on. Problem started appearing 2 years ago. Replaced all the steering components with OEM replacements but there is no replacement for steering column components to address the issue on my own.
Brake failure while driving. No warnings prior to failure. ABS Module 4450047141
The ABS Actuator failed. It can be inspected. This is dangerous as this has the possibility of causing a brake failure. A retired mechanic plugged in his scan tool and determined that the ABS actuator is leaking. In addition, I can tell audibly that this is the case because the car's pump is starting up every 10-15 seconds trying to fill the air reservoir but is unable to due to the leak. Neither the vehicle nor the component has been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. The brake and ABS lights are lit up on the dashboard. The car's pump is starting up every 10-15 seconds trying to fill the air reservoir but is unable to due to the leak.
My abs actuator has failed at 104k miles
Brake Actuator Failure
The electronic brake actuator failed while driving causing the loss of brakes. Didn't cause accident but still very dangerous situation. Mechanic pulled odb code c1256 from vehicle and says not to drive until it is repaired.
The combination meter is faulty and this makes the dash not show. You don’t know how fast you’re going, how much gas you have, it’s very unsafe and the warranty is supposed to be for 9 years but they will not allow that for everyone even if you have the same problem as someone who was allowed the warranty.
Hello. My 2008 Toyota Prius had a malfunction with the "combination meter" which caused the vehicle dashboard to turn off completely, and we could not turn off the engine at times when stopped and parked. The dealer fixed the problem at a cost of $1580, and both the dealer and Toyota corporate through their brand engagement advocate acknowledged a long term problem with the combination meter. They had extended the warranty coverage for owners for this specific problem for about 10 years but not for owners like me with a vehicle 15 years old. I believe Toyota should cover and reimburse owners for this problem, which is potentially dangerous, no matter the age of the vehicle, especially for long term, loyal owners. There are many of these vehicles still on the road. Thank you. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I was shocked to find out that Toyota appears to be falsifying data in order to get out of paying to repair safety problems with their cars. Hiding safety issues may have already led to injuries and death. We bought a 2008 Toyota Prius in 2014. The title with Virginia DMV is dated 08/01/14. On November 4, 2023, after several indicator lights showed up, I found out from my garage that the car's anti-lock braking system was defective and not working. However, according to the garage manager, Toyota had acknowledged a defect with their anti-lock braking system. There had been a recall some years ago for this part on the 2008 Prius, but it was no longer in effect. On November 6, 2023, Brittany at Toyota told me the same thing. Toyota acknowledged in 2016 that there was a problem with the anti-lock braking system with this model of car, and that it would be replaced for free by Toyota. This was a "customer support program" rather than a recall. However, according to Brittany, the notice of this "customer support program" was not mailed to us. It was mailed to the previous owner, who owned it before 2014. We never received it. Of course, the dates do not work. We bought the car in 2014, and the notice went out in 2016. There was no reason to send the notice to someone who didn't own the car. Brittany, pretty innocently, had revealed that Toyota is falsifying records. She said that Toyota is using state DMV records to find car owners and send notices of faulty and dangerous parts. However, this is obviously not true. Virginia DMV issued our title to the car on 08/01/14, well before the recall. The only way I can see this happening is if Toyota is falsifying records so that they have to pay to fix far fewer cars. This practice could easily lead to injury and death. There would appear to be a notification mailing, with a postage bill to prove it, but it could have been at least partly fabricated by using past owners instead of current owners. If Toyota had not falsi
Yes it is available for inspection upon request. My brakes failed going down the road due to a flaw in brake actuator design that had a previous recall. My safety was put at risk as the brakes failed while I was traveling down the road. The problem has not gone away and can be easily reproduced. There are various warning lamps and the car is unable to be driven. Requests for Toyota to repair the vehicle have been fruitless. This is a KNOWN issue on this year and model.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the messages for the parking brake, tire pressure monitoring system, ABS, and VSC illuminated while driving. The vehicle was later driven to the local dealer who diagnosed that the brake actuator and brake pump were faulty and needed to be replaced. The failure was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed of the Manufacturer's Extended Warranty Coverage for the failure however, the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was 129,674.
While driving, the gear lever doesn’t stay in drive or reverse and pops back into neutral. It’s not engaging in drive or reverse.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, she heard a beeping sound, and the instrument cluster flashed the parking brake and a triangle symbol with an exclamation point was illuminated. The contact stated that the "Failure with Transmission - Pull Over and Shift to Park(P)” message was displayed. The contact stated that the shift indicator on the instrument cluster showed that the vehicle was shifted into park(P). The contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound and started losing motive power. The contact stated that the engine was still running however, the vehicle lost power steering and braking functionality. The contact stated that when she depressed the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled off the roadway and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained normal functionality; however, after driving for ten miles, the failure recurred. The contact drove the vehicle back to the residence and turned off and restarted the vehicle several times. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, the brakes failed when pressed causing the vehicle to crash into the rear end of a second vehicle. During the crash, the air bags did not deploy and the rear driver-side seat belt had sprung outward, although no rear seat passenger was present. The second vehicle's rear driver's side passenger was later treated for an undisclosed injury. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 240,000.
On June 1st yesterday this issue happened again but it was the taillights. The uploaded document is from the most recent repair shop bill for the front headlight (under warranty since it stopped working so close to the previous repair) Intermittently without cause the front right head light goes out (seems like every 3-6 months). And every 12-18 months the tail lights go out (the brake lights still work). The mechanics can't tel if it's a circuit board issue (possible lack of cooling/fan), loos connections and or just poor design. No matter what it is dangerous as I I unexpectedly had to drive on hwys in the dark not knowing my lights all of a sudden aren't working. Thank you very much.
The vehicle we own is no longer covered by an extended warranty offered to Toyota owners of 2004-2009 Prius. The warranty covered the replacement of the digital combination meter which, when failing, no longer displays anything on the dashboard. The situation is dangerous because you lose the ability to monitor fuel tank capacity, speed, warning lights, reverse lights and backup camera. To get around this malfunction requires that the back storage panels be removed and 12-volt battery be disconnected and reconnected. However, the fix is short term since the problem resets itself once the car is turned off. Even when the display is working, we have just discovered that the fuel gauge is inaccurate, causing a serious overflow of fuel due to the display showing 1 bar, when the tank was actually 50% full. Toyota, fully aware of this problem offered a "warranty enhancement" that offered replacement coverage up to September 30, 2013. It only covered customers whose care was demonstrating the problem, excluding any cars that were not showing signs of malfunction. We have a 2008 model, purchased from a Toyota dealership in 2011, that up until around 2-years ago showed no signs of malfunctioning. Therefore, the warranty did not apply. We now, however, are experiencing the malfunction on a daily basis and our vehicle is unsafe, and inconvenient to drive. I called Toyota regarding this and they will not offer any further coverage beyond the September 30, 2013 date. The repair for this malfunction is a minimum $1000, which rightfully should be covered by Toyota due to the potential safety issues surrounding this problem. We would like Toyota to acknowledge customers such as ourselves where the malfunction did not appear until later during our ownership of a 2008 Prius, and pay or reimburse for the repair.
I am currently having this issue with Combination Meter, which means the Prius dash board will not show any speed, fuel, P, R, D label and many more important information is not shown on display. I had complained to Toyota, CASE[XXX] on 19Dec2022, I have spoken to Danial N and manager Alex S from Toyota. They both have denied solving this issue from Toyota as the Warranty Extension ZTV has expired. Even I had provided them proof that Toyota knew about this problem, please see [XXX] from Toyota regarding this. My Prius has 258000 miles, and it is 2008, It is high mileage as per their documents this will accrue in high mileage Prius with cold weather. I live in NJ, and it is getting cold and my car as high miles. Toyota refuse to take care of the problem and I as a consumer will have to pay over $1200 to get it fix as this is only done at Toyota dealership. Currently I am thinking of getting it fix at Paul Miller Toyota of West Caldwell, 1155 Bloomfield Ave, West Caldwell, NJ 07006, 973-287-4050. What's sad is Toyota used to rank at the top of best customer service. I'm guessing most of the problems are just after the 9 years, calculated to guarantee fixing the problem to as few people as possible. THERE'S NO EXTENSION AND TOYOTA WON'T HELP. I TRIED AND WAS TOLD ALL DEALS EXPIRED AND TO HELP ONE WOULD MEAN THEY'D HAVE TO HELP ALL. WE'RE ON OUR OWN. Hoping that Toyota has released a solution to the dangerous and consumer related problem related to the failing Combination Meter. The previous ext. Warranty was only good for 9 years from date of first use which did not help many drivers. Super negligent and ripe situation for class action lawsuits not to mention many potentially fatal accidents on the roads. Toyota has denied fixing this problem even Toyota knows this is on going problem. As a government official please try to help me resolve this issue as this is a major concern for many millions of drivers which Toyota need to resolve this. Please INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Brake actuator is going bad, they had a recall on it and are refusing to fix it. Brakes are a lot harder to press.
The inverter water pump failed while I was driving 50mph, it caused the car to stop working and the brakes malfunctioned as well. When I tried to hit the brakes I had to hit them a lot harder and it still acted like it wasn’t going to stop. I was lucky enough that the light up ahead was still green and the cars in front of me started going forward.
Trunk lock will not unlock or allow opening, back latch malfunctions, when car battery dies or car looses power《• you cannot open the trunk and access emergency tools/equipment and battery to jump car. •》You have to access by climbing through the front of the car if you are able-bodied too. There is no opening handle from the inside of the trunk to be let out, scariest and one of the most important major safety concerns, theres no emergency exit from inside vehicle. Water/snow/ice also falls down into the vehicle when opening hatchback, it slides inward from hood of car or slides back from rear windshield and door, causes water to be pooled up in my battery compartment.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V537000 (Steering) and the vehicle was repaired under recall. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel started to shake with the traction control warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the recall repair had failed. The contact made an appointment with the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and suggested that the vehicle be diagnosed by an authorized Toyota dealer. The failure mileage was 119,000.
The electric dashboard (warning lights, speedometer, fuel gauge, etc.) is sometimes off when starting the car. The backup camera and the center display also will not be working. The car will not shut off when the displays are not working. It will usually fix itself after pushing the on/off button a few times. It has happened many times now but isn’t predictable. It hasn’t been looked at by a mechanic yet.
I had purchased this 2008 Prius touring model used on 4/8/22. The first time I drove it at night I was on the freeway traveling at 55 mph and suddenly had almost no visibility due to loss of headlights. It was terrifying and pure luck that I made it off and home. The headlights turn off one at a time. I took the car to Atomic Auto in Portland, Oregon and they said the type of bulbs in the car often do this when they are failing and need to be replaced. This shop put new bulbs in yesterday, May 12th. It was raining heavily when I left the shop and I turned the headlights on. They failed again in the same way. I had no idea there was a problem like this with any car. I have searched online and now know that this has been a problem with Toyota Prius.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that she was unable to start the vehicle. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the hybrid battery to be replaced due to faulty strips causing leaks. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.
The catalytic converter was stolen off of the car and yes it is available for inspection upon request. I’m not sure of the safety risk, we drove the car one time and the engine light came on. The problem has not been reported to a dealer or independent service center. Once the incident happened one of our neighbors called the police and they came but they didn’t know which apartment we were in and out neighbor told us that it was our catalytic converter and the police waited for a few minutes and then they left. Our neighbor told us when they heard our car starting.
The instrument cluster goes completely blank (no fuel gauge, no speedometer, no odometer) and the car cannot be shut down.
DASHBOARD SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, HEADLIGHT INDICATORS, TRANSMISSION STATUS, CRUISE CONTROL DO NOT SHOW, ARE NOT LIT UP. BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT WORK NOR DO THE BACK-UP LIGHTS. THIS OCCURED AFTER THE AUXILIARY BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND BACKUP CAMERA WILL OCCASSIONALLY SPONTANEOUSLY RETURN WHEN THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR A WEEK OR LONGER BUT THEN WILL GO OUT NEXT TIME THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR TURNING OFF CONSISTENTLY AND AT TIMES THE START BUTTON NEEDS TO BE MANUALLY DEPRESSED FOR 5+ SECONDS TO SHUT DOWN.
Enroute to Maryland, dashboard lights failed - no speedometer, no gas tank info, no mileage. Safety issue.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the instrument cluster intermittently failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with instrument cluster failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.