2008 Toyota Prius Complaint Log

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS, OPTION PACKAGE 6 MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE LEATHER BUCKET FRONT SEATS, 27,000. MILES. DRIVERS SEAT MANUAL RECLINE MECHANISM FAILS TO CONSISTENTLY POSITIVELY LOCK INTO POSITION AND REQUIRES DRIVER TO REACH AROUND AND PULL ON SEAT BACK TO POSITIVELY LOCK (CLICK) THE RECLINE MECHANISM IN POSITION. ST CHARLES TOYOTA (ILLINIOS) REFUSES TO REPAIR THE SEAT UNDER WARRANTY. THEY STATE, "THEY ALL DO THAT". IF A REAR END COLLISION WHERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE DRIVER SEAT IS NOT POSITIVELY LOCKED, INJURY TO REAR SEAT PASSENGERS (CHILDREN) WOULD LIKELY OCCUR DUE TO THE DRIVER SEAT BACK BEING THRUST INTO THEM BY THE ACCELERATION OF THE IMPACT. DRIVER WOULD LIKELY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SEAT BACK FAILING INTO THE REARWARD RECLINE POSITION.*TR

I OWN A 2008 PRIUS PURCHASED NEW. I HAVE THE HID HEADLIGHTS. THE CAR HAS 49,000 MILES. THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AND WILL COME BACK ON SOMETIME ON THEIR OWN OR BY TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I DO NOT THINK IT IS THE BULBS THAT ARE BAD DUE TO THE COME BACK ON. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING TO ALOT OF PRIUS OWNERS AND THE OUTRAGEOUS PRICES THAT DEALERS ARE CHARGING TO REPLACE THE BULBS JUST FOR IT TO RECUR. *TR

HEADLIGHTS ON TOYOTA PRIUS 2008 STARTED DIMMING AND GOING OUT INTERMITTENTLY AT 50,000 MILES. LIGHTS WILL GO BACK ON WHEN TURNED OFF AND THEN BACK ON AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN STOPPED 3 TIMES BY THE POLICE FOR A HEADLIGHT OUT AND BEEN LET GO WITH A WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES FOR NO REASON ON DRY ROADS AND BRAKES ARE SLOW TO ENGAGE. *TR

VEHICLE BODY LURCHES FORWARD WHEN GAS ENGINE STARTS. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTS FROM COLD, OR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK AND THE GAS ENGINE STARTS. WE TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THIS, BUT THEY SAID IT WAS NOTHING. THIS HAPPENS EVERY SO OFTEN, NOT SURE WHAT LEADS UP TO IT. *TR

I HAVE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH MY PRIUS, 2008 MODEL. THE BRAKING SYSTEM HAS ACTED "WEIRD" ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS...EVEN BEFORE HEARING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2010 MODEL PRIUS! WHEN I BRAKE, SOMETIMES THE CAR DOESN'T RESPOND INITIALLY AND THEN "LURCHES" BEFORE THE BRAKES ENGAGE. ALSO THE ORANGE LIGHT (ABS?) COMES ON WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND THEN DISAPPEARS QUICKLY. I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS WHEN I SERVICED THE CAR (12000 MILES) AND THEY JUST SAID THAT IS A "FEATURE" OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I NEVER HAVE HAD A CAR THAT DOES THAT. I DON'T FEEL SAFE NOR DO I TRUST THE JUDGMENT OF THE DEALER. *TR

I HAVE ABOUT 57,000 MILES ON MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT. NOT BOTH BUT EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT HEADLIGHT. THE LEFT MORE THAN THE PASSENGER SIDE. IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON THE LIGHTS RE LIGHT. AS MY RUNNING LIGHTS ARE ON, ONCOMING TRAFFIC CAN STILL SEE ME COMING, BUT MY VISION IS GREATLY REDUCED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEAD LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. SINCE THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, HE COULD NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER FRONT HEADLAMPS HAVE GONE OUT. BY SWITCHING THE LIGHT CONTROL OFF AND ON, THEN THE HEADLAMPS COME ON FOR 10 - 30 SECONDS AND THEN GO OFF AGAIN. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME THE HEADLAMPS ARE TURNED ON. IT IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. I TOOK THE PRIUS INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE HID MECHANISM AND THE LAMPS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY IS UP, BUT I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. EVEN WITH THAT, THE DEALERSHIP IS CHARGING $300 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I WILL ASK FOR THE OLD PARTS. *TR

A RECALL IS NECESSARY ON THIS PRIUS HEADLIGHT ISSUE. THEY ARE CONTINUING TO FAIL RIGHT AND LEFT AND THE DEALERSHIPS ARE RIPPING PEOPLE OFF TO THE TUNE OF OVER $300 TO CHANGE A HEADLAMP. THEY FAIL AT LESS THEN 16K MILES EITHER TOTALLY OR BY INTERMITTENTLY GOING ON AND OFF. *TR

I DRIVE MY CAR AND THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT GOES OFF. I CAN SWITCH THE LIGHT ON AND OFF AND IT WILL COME ON FOR A FEW MINUTES TO A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN GO BACK OFF. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. REPLACED THE BULB AND CHECK THE FUSES. *TR

WHEN TRYING TO BRAKE AT SLOW SPEEDS FOR VERY BUMPY, ROUGH OR POT HOLED ROAD, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES DEAD FOR A VERY SHORT INSTANT. IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO BRAKE PEDAL AT ALL. YOUR NOT SURE IF YOU LOST YOUR BRAKES OR WHAT. IT IS LIKE IT SKIPS A BEAT OR SOMETHING. IT MUST BE WHEN THE CAR IS IN THE TRADITIONAL BRAKING MODE VERSUS RE-GEN MODE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 TIMES OVER 2 YEARS. NO ACCIDENT. IT JUST MAKES YOU STOP SLOWER/LONGER. *TR

AFTER OWNING OUR 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID FOR 2 YEARS, WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH HEADLAMPS ALREADY. THEY BOTH FAILED PREMATURELY. FORTUNATELY FOR US OUR DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HEADLAMPS WITH NO CHARGE AS WE ARE WELL UNDER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THAT WARRANTY EXPIRES, AND IT WILL SOON. WILL TOYOTA OR OUR DEALERSHIP KEEP REPLACING THESE HEADLIGHTS BULBS. I THINK NOT! THEY WILL MORE THAN LIKELY MAKE ME PAY FOR THEM! WITH THE 35 COMPLAINTS THAT ARE LISTED HERE ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE, ONE WOULD EXPECT/DEMAND THAT TOYOTA WOULD VOLUNTARILY COVER THE COSTS INVOLVED WITH REPLACING THESE HEADLIGHT BULBS, THAT KEEP GOING OUT PREMATURELY. SURELY THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS WE NEED 2 WORKING HEADLIGHTS TO AVOID BEING TICKETED BY THE POLICE. MY WIFE AND I ARE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA THAT THESE HEADLIGHT BULBS KEEP FAILING PREMATURELY! WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL ISSUE ABOUT THESE HEADLIGHT BULBS. SURELY THEY SHOULD LAST A LOT LONGER THAN 2 YEARS. I HAVE OWNED VEHICLES THAT NEVER HAD THE HEADLIGHT BULBS REPLACED. ONE IN PARTICULAR WAS A 1987 CAMARO WITH 187,000 MILES ON IT. NEITHER HEADLIGHT BULBS WERE EVER REPLACED ON THAT VEHICLE IN THE 12 YEARS WE OWNED IT. *TR

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLIGHTS: THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT GOES OUT UNEXPECTEDLY. IF THE LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF AND BACK ON THE HEADLIGHT COMES BACK ON. THIS OCCURS WITH BOTH LOW- AND HIGH-BEAM OPERATION. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND VERY DANGEROUS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THE LIGHTS WORKED FINE FOR THEM AND THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE IT. THEY CHECKED THE CONNECTIONS THINKING THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE. I HAD AN OCCASION DRIVING TO WORK ALONG A VERY DARK RURAL SECTION OF OPEN ROAD WHERE THERE ARE LARGE HERDS OF DEER AND ELK OFTEN JUMPING THE FENCE AND WANDERING CLOSE TO THE ROAD. ON ONE OCCASION MY LIGHTS WENT OUT AND I HAD TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND ON AGAIN WHILE ALSO TRYING TO SLOW DOWN WITHOUT CAUSING AN INCIDENT. UPON THE LIGHTS COMING BACK ON I IMMEDIATELY SAW SEVERAL DEER THAT HAD WANDERED OUT OF THE GROWTH BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INTO MY PATH NO MORE THAN A 100FT IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TO BRAKE VERY HARD TO AVOID THEM. WITHOUT ADEQUATE LIGHTING IF I HAD TRIED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN A CONTROLLED MANNER I WOULD HAVE LIKELY DRIVEN RIGHT INTO THE DEER. THIS CAUSED AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE. I AM NOW FURIOUS AT THE QUOTED COST TO REPLACE THE BULBS. BUT, I HAVE NO OPTION BUT TO SHELL OUT THE MONEY TO REPLACE THEM. I'M EVEN MORE FURIOUS THAT TOYOTA SEEMS TO BE IGNORING THE PROBLEM IN THE HOPE IT WILL GO AWAY. I REGARD THIS AS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE THAT I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS WITH A RECALL TO FIX THE OBVIOUS DEFECT IN THE PRIUS LIGHTING SYSTEM. THIS PROBLEM DETRACTS FROM AN OTHERWISE EXCELLENT CAR. *TR

LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT ON 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS KEEPS GOING OFF. *TR

BOTH HEADLIGHTS ON OUR 2008 PRIUS BEGAN FLICKERING ON AND OFF, AND ULTIMATELY WOULD FLICKER OFF AT NIGHT LEAVING US WITH NO LIGHTS. IF WE TURNED THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN, THE LIGHTS WOULD WORK FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN TURN OFF AGAIN. THE CAR WAS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD. WHEN WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE BOTH BULBS AT A COST TO US OF OVER 600 DOLLARS. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP REPLACED BOTH LIGHTS, THE NEXT DAY THE PASSENGER HID HEADLIGHT WAS ALREADY OUT AGAIN, SO WE TOOK THE CAR BACK, AND THEY SAID THE BRAND NEW BULB MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. I DON'T BELIEVE THEM, IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE HID LIGHTS. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE HID HEADLIGHT SPONTANEOUSLY FAILED, BOTH HIGH AND LOW BEAMS, WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITH ONLY PASSENGER-SIDE HEADLIGHTS BUT WAS CONCERNED THEY MIGHT FAIL AS WELL. CAR IS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD; DEALER COVERED REPLACEMENT UNDER STANDARD TOYOTA PRIUS WARRANTY. *TR

TOYOTA PRIUS 2008 SEEMS LIKE IT RELEASES BRAKE OR THE BRAKE DOESN'T WORK WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP, POTHOLE, OR WET ROADS., ALTHOUGH BRAKE IS APPLIED. FEELS LIKE CAR JUMPS OR SLIPS. A LIGHT INDICATOR COMES ON WHEN THIS OCCURS. IT IS A ORANGE LIGHT INDICATING CAR IS SLIPPING IT HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE YEAR. TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED, BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS MY DRIVING AND COULD NOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM UNLESS IT HAPPENED TO THEM AND IT NEVER DID. SOMETIMES IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR. *TR

HID HEADLIGHTS ON 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS BEGAN TO DIM SUDDENLY AND STAY DIM. FLASHING LIGHTS ON AND OFF TEMPORARILY BRIGHTEN THE LIGHTS BUT THEY BECOME DIM AGAIN. HAPPENS CONSTANTLY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. ON OCTOBER 28, 2009 BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED. HE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES, AND THEN THE HEAD-LIGHTS TURNED BACK ON. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. HE WILL CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY CUT OUT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, PUT THE CAR IN PARK, AND FLIPPED THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH BACK AND FORTH. IN DOING THIS, BOTH LIGHTS CAME BACK ON AND REMAINED ON FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY TRIP. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE DRIVER'S SIDE LIGHT WENT OUT, BUT CAME BACK ON AFTER I FLIPPED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH BACK AND FORTH. THE CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE THIS SAME HEADLIGHT ISSUE ON A DAILY BASIS, THOUGH IT IS TYPICALLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT THAT GOES OUT. I FIRST CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY ENCOURAGED ME TO MERELY CHANGE THE BULB. HOWEVER, I INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM FURTHER, AND CONTACTED TOYOTA DIRECTLY. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THEY HAVE HAD OTHER CARS WITH THE SAME ISSUE, AND THAT THE LIGHT WILL ACTUALLY BURN SO HOT, THAT A MECHANISM SHUTS THEM DOWN, SO THAT IT DOESN'T BURN UP A SENSOR. THEY WENT ON TO SAY THAT THEY HAVE ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN BECAUSE THE BULBS SHOULD LAST LONGER, HOWEVER THEY DO NOT PLAN TO ISSUE A RECALL AT THIS TIME. *TR

I AM NOT BEING MELODRAMATIC WHEN I SAY THAT I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE TODAY. MY 2008 PRIUS ACCELERATED ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS MERGING ONTO AN EXPRESSWAY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR SEEMED TO HAVE A LIFE OF ITS OWN AND TOOK OFF AT AN INCREDIBLY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. IT WOULD NOT STOP, KEPT GETTING FASTER AND FASTER. I MANAGED TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. IT WAS FINE FOR THE 20 MINUTE DRIVE DOWN THAT EXPRESSWAY. AFTER GETTING OFF AND GETTING INTO CITY TRAFFIC I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD. THANK GOD I HAD MY FOOT HARD ON THE BRAKE. IT DID NOT BRAKE AWAY ONLY LUNGED 6 - 12 INCHES. *TR

MY RIGHT HEADLIGHT GOES OFF AND SOMETIMES IT WILL COME BACK ON WITH ME TURNING OFF THE ON THE HEADLIGHT. MY WIFE TODAY HAD THE LIGHT TURN OFF AND THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT CAME ON. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THEN ON BUT THE LIGHT STAYED OFF. I AM GOING TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED 55 MILES TO THE TOYOTA DEALER IN REDDING CA. UPON READING THE PRIUS CHAT SITE I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH PRIUS'S WITH HID LIGHTS. THIS I FEEL IS A FACTORY PROBLEM AND SHOULD NOT COST ME ANYTHING TO FIX. THANKS DENNIS SWOPE *TR

BOTH HEADLIGHTS ON OUR 2008 PRIUS BEGAN FLICKERING ON AND OFF, AND ULTIMATELY WOULD FLICKER OFF AT NIGHT LEAVING US WITH NO LIGHTS. IF WE TURNED THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN, THE LIGHTS WOULD WORK FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN TURN OFF AGAIN. THE CAR WAS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD. WHEN WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE BOTH BULBS AT A COST TO US OF OVER 600 DOLLARS. *TR

WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IT FELLS LIKE THE BRAKES STOP WORKING. IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. DURING ROUTINE SERVICE, A TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT BOTH REAR TIRES EXHIBITED UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. THE REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER HE SPECULATED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM CAUSED THE TREAD TO ABNORMALLY WEAR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,325. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,400. UPDATED 3/8/10 *CN UPDATED 06/11/10. *JB

PRIUS BRAKE PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN MEDIA RECENTLY HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND BRAKING WAS DELAYED FOR AT LEAST ONE FULL SECOND OR LONGER AND VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS ACTUALLY ACCELERATING. *TR

VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AS EXPECTED IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. I BUMPED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME IN THE MORNING. AND THEN ON THE WAY HOME I ALMOST REAR ENDED ANOTHER CAR. THIS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE OR SINCE. I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH ME THAT WOULD MAKE MY TIMING BE SO OFF THAT I WOULD HIT ANOTHER CAR! I TOLD THE DEALER ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY "BRAKE FADE". I DISAGREED AND STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR RECENTLY WHILE THE BRAKING/ACCELERATION CONCERNS ARE INVESTIGATED. I HAVE A 2008 PRIUS. *TR

THE RIGHT HEAD LIGHT WILL INTERMITTENTLY GO OUT WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. TURNING OFF THE LIGHTS COMPLETELY AND THEN TURNING THEM BACK ON WILL SOMETIME SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND THE HEAD LIGHTS WILL WORK FOR A WHILE. DRIVING VISIBILITY IS GREATLY AFFECTED. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, I NEVER ACTUALLY KNOW WHEN BOTH MY HEADLIGHTS ARE WORKING PROPERLY. AND, TURNING THE HEADLIGHTS OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING IS NOT REALLY A SAFE THING TO DO. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. SHE STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT A WARNING. SHE THEN PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, IT SLOWED DOWN, AND STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 2 ADDITIONAL TIMES. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36616 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37000.

THE HD HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS GO OFF AT TIMES. LAST NIGHT I WAS DRIVING AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF, I TRIED THE BRIGHTS BUT THEY DIDN'T WORK EITHER. I PULLED OVER TO A GAS STATION AND TURNED OF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT. THIS TIME ONLY ONE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRIGHTS WORKED ONLY ON ONE SIDE. THIS HAPPENED IN AUGUST TOO BUT THEN THE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN AND THERE WASN'T A PROBLEM. HOWEVER IN THE PAST 3 DAYS THE PROBLEM HAS RESURFACED. THE BULBS ARE NOT BURNT. I LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS SO IT WAS VERY SCARY WHEN THE LIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OFF ON THE WINDING MOUNTAIN ROAD. *TR

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS BRAKES DID NOT WORK UPON STARTING VEHICLE ONE DAY. NO WARNING, JUST NO BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NEAREST DEALER (50 MILES) AND THE "LINEAR SOLENOID VALVE" WAS "REINITIALIZED". *TR

I WORK IN THE FIELD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. I GOT OFF DUTY AND WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE WHEN ANOTHER OFFICER NOTIFIED ME THAT MY DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMP WAS NOT OPERABLE. AS A PEACE OFFICER I CAN TESTIFY THAT I'VE HAD NUMEROUS CONTACTS WITH THE OWNERS OF LATE MODEL PRIUS' PERTAINING TO HEADLAMPS AND TAIL LAMPS BEING INOPERABLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL THE VEHICLES AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. I CAN SAY THAT THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FIXED THE ISSUE IMMEDIATELY WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIRS. I TOLD THEM I WAS NOT GOING TO PAY THE $300.00 PLUS TO FIX THE ISSUE CONSIDERING IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE LATE MODEL VEHICLES. THE DEALER IS VERY REPUTABLE AND FIXED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT CHARGE. NOW I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE OTHER HEAD LAMP AND HAVING IT REPLACED BEFORE IT GOES OUT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAIL BLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING AROUND THE SPOUT SINCE THERE WAS AN INLET CHECK VALVE FRACTURE. NO MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE INLET VALVE WAS CRACKED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR COST. THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE CHEVROLET MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD REVIEW THE CASE AND INFORM THE CONTACT OF THE OUTCOME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 55 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, MOMENTS LATER THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE FUEL TANK BEING EMPTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

I HAD A HEADLIGHT GO OUT. BEFORE I COULD GET IT FIXED I NOTICED THAT IT WOULD COME ON WHEN I TURNED THE LIGHTS ON AND THEN FADE OUT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE OTHER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AT NIGHT. I TURNED OFF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON AND THE ONE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED ONE BULB. IT LASTED A WEEK AND THEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN. I AGAIN TURNED THE LGITHTS OFF AND ON AND THE CAME BACK ON. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ONLINE. HTTP://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/SEARCH?SOURCEID=NAVCLIENT&AQ=2H&OQ=&IE=UTF-8&RLZ=1T4GGIK_ENUS283US283&Q=PRIUS+HEADLIGHT+PROBLEMS. THIS IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. WHO IS TO SAY THAT SOMEONE HASN'T BEEN KILLED ALREADY. ARE THERE ANY UNEXPLAINED PRIUS ACCIDENTS RUNNING OFF THE ROAD FOR NO REASON? *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS [XXX] WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, IF I DRIVE OVER A BUMP, IE RAILROAD TRACK, THE BRAKES DISENGAGE FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND THEN REENGAGE. IT FEELS LIKE YOU HIT A PATCH OF BLACK ICE. I HAVE HAD NO ACCIDENTS AS A RESULT, ONLY A FEW SCARES. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY TOYOTA AS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2010 PRIUS, BUT NOT THE 2008 PRIUS. THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS ON MY 2008 PRIUS. *TR

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS OWNED TWO OF SAME YEAR AND MODEL. BOTH CARS HAD HEADLIGHT DEFECTS AFTER 30,000 MILES. SAFETY ISSUE AND DEALER STATES THE LIGHTS ARE KNOWN TO GO OUT. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR HEAD LIGHTS FAIL BEFORE 200,000 MILES. I WOULD LIKE THIS PROBLEM INVESTIGATED BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE AND MANY OTHER PRIUS OWNERS ARE ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS PER ON LINE RESEARCH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRUIS. WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 60 MPH , THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT INTENTION. AFTER REPEATED BRAKE APPLICATION, HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER THERE WERE SMALL FLAMES INSIDE OF THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER FRONT WHEELS. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,368. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 12/07/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FLOOR MATS WERE NOT THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT. UPDATED 12/08/09

OFF AND ON HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE HEADLIGHTS ON 2008 PRIUS WITH NEARLY 23,000 MILES. SINCE OCTOBER 2009 MY RIGHT SIDE HID HEADLIGHT INTERMITTENTLY TURNS OFF. TO GET THE HEADLIGHT WORKING AGAIN I HAVE TO PULL OVER, TURN THE CAR OFF, WAIT A MINUTE, THEN TURN THE CAR BACK ON. ONCE THE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN, SOMETIMES IT WILL STAY ON FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY TRIP AND OTHER TIMES IT WILL GO OUT AGAIN. THIS IS DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2008 PRIUS WILL INTERMITTENLTY FAIL, SOMETIMES BOTH AT THE SAME TIME WHILE DRIVING. THE INTERMITTENT FAILURE IS DAILY, AND WILL HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES DEPENDING UPON THE DURATION OF THE DRIVE.

THE HID LAMPS IN MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS BEGAN FLICKERING ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO. AFTER BEING PULLED OVER BY AN OFFICER FOR AN OUT HEADLIGHT, I NOTICED THE HEADLIGHT WOULD SHUT OFF AT RANDOM TIMES. THE PROBLEM HAS ONLY INCREASED IN FREQUENCY. ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS NOW GOES OUT ABOUT EVERY 20 MINUTES; A COUPLE OF TIMES THEY BOTH HAVE SHUT OFF AT THE SAME TIME. I KEEP MY LIGHTS OFF DURING THE DAY, BUT THIS HAS NOT HELPED THE PROBLEM. I WAS LUCKY TO NOT GET A TICKET FROM THE OFFICER, AND EVEN LUCKIER TO NOT WRECK ON THE PITCH BLACK ROAD WHEN THEY BOTH SHUT OFF AT THE SAME TIME. *TR

SAFETY ISSUES WITH TOYOTA 2008 PRIUS HEADLIGHT SYSTEM. AFTER LIVING WITH POOR HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION AND OTHER HEADLIGHT ISSUES FOR ABOUT 19 MONTHS, I AM REGISTERING WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUES. HEADLIGHTS: 1. NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH. 2. CANNOT BE AIMED TO GIVE DISTANCE ILLUMINATION 3. BLINK OFF DRIVING AT NIGHT I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS, MOSTLY UNRESOLVED, TRIPS TO THE DEALER WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. 1. IT TOOK TWO TRIPS TO THE DEALER, TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM FOR RAISING AND LOWERING THE HEADLIGHTS. I WAS TOLD THE ASSEMBLY HAS NO SHIELDING OR SEALS TO PROTECT IT FROM PHYSICAL OR CORROSION DAMAGE 2. AFTER ALIGNMENT ADJUSTMENTS, THE HEADLIGHTS CONTINUED TO BE AIMED TOO LOW. WITH LOW BEAM THEY ARE SO LOW THAT A PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLE, ANIMAL, MORE THAN ABOUT 30 FEET AWAY IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT. THE HIGH BEAM SETTING IS SOMEWHAT BETTER. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH DEER STANDING ON THE ROAD AND SEEING THEM BARELY IN TIME TO AVOID THEM. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAVE NOT SEEN BICYCLES OR PEOPLE WALKING ON THE EDGE OF THE ROAD IN THE DARK AGAIN, AVOIDING THEM AT THE LAST SECOND. THE HIGH BEAM THE HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH TO CAUSE ANYONE TO FLASH BACK AT ME WHEN THEY APPROACH FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I HAVE THE (EXPENSIVE) HIGH INTENSITY LIGHTS. THEY HAVE INVESTIGATED AUXILIARY HEADLIGHTS FOR ME BUT HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER, SUGGESTING I GO TO AN AFTERMARKET PERSON TO INSTALL ADDITIONAL LIGHTS. (I AM RELUCTANT TO DO THIS, FOR REASONS OF COMPLEXITY, AND POTENTIAL LEGALITY.) 3. I HAVE MADE THREE ADDITIONAL ROUND TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR THE PROBLEM OF HEADLIGHTS (HIGH AND/OR LOW BEAM) THAT TURN OFF FOR NO REASON AFTER DRIVING A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. LUCKILY IT IS JUST ONE'.USUALLY BUT NOT ALWAYS THE RIGHT SIDE. ONE 'COMPUTER' HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE DEALER'S SERVICE SHOP PERSONNEL INDICATE ALL THESE ARE PROBLEMS THEY HAVE SEEN PREVIOUSLY AND ARE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR. *TR

TOYOTA 2008 PRIUS HID HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY TURN OFF (ONE AT A TIME, USUALLY NOT TOGETHER) WHILE DRIVING AT DAWN, NIGHT OR DUSK. NO REPAIRS DONE AT THIS TIME UNTIL TOYOTA OR THE VENDOR WHO SUPPLIES TOYOTA HID HEADLIGHTS, COMPUTER CHIP, ELECTRONICS, SOFTWARE, SENSORS, ETC. EVALUATE WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. THE WORKAROUND IS DRIVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP, AND TO UNSAFELY TURN THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF, THEN BACK ON. IT IS UNFAIR TO THE CONSUMERS TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT COMPONENTS, LABOR WHEN THE MANUFACTURER(S) DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING (BASED ON TALKING TO SERVICE REP IN JULY 2009, NO SERVICE BULLETINS FROM TOYOTA, AT AIRPORT TOYOTA IN VANDALIA, OH). *TR

I HAVE 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS AND I HAD ALSO HAD ISSUES WHEN TRYING TO BRAKE OVER UNEVEN SPEED BUMPS OR METAL CONNECTIONS IN BRIDGES (I DO NOT KNOW THE NAME OF THE CONNECTORS). ONE TIME WHILE DRIVING ON THE BRIDGE I STARTED TO BRAKE SINCE THE UPCOMING STOPLIGHT HAD TURNED RED. TRYING TO SLOW MY CAR DOWN (SINCE I WAS DRIVING A STREET, I WAS NOT GOING FAST IN THE FIRST PLACE), I PRESSED MY BRAKE PEDAL AS I WAS GOING OVER THE METAL BRIDGE CONNECTORS AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. IT WAS IF I WAS DRIVING ON ICE. THERE WAS A CAR AHEAD OF ME SO I SLAMMED REAL HARD ON THE BRAKES AND LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STOP JUST A FEW INCHES BEHIND THE OTHER CAR SO I DID NOT HIT IT. IT WAS REAL CLOSE CALL. I HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES WHEN I GO OVER SPEED BUMPS (AND I AM GOING SLOWLY OVER THE BUMPS). IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THE BRAKES TO TAKE EFFECT. SO I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS ONLY RELATED TO THE NEWER 2010 PRIUS MODEL. AS DISCUSSED, I HAVE BRAKING PROBLEMS WITH MY OLDER 2008 PRIUS. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT I BELIEVE THE STICKY PEDAL PROBLEM CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON JAPANESE MADE TOYOTAS (SUCH AS THE PRIUS). IF YOU LOOK UP "STICKING ACCELERATOR PEDAL" ON THE INTERNET, YOU WILL FIND THE SAME ISSUE HAS HAPPENED WITH THE PRIUS TOO. HOWEVER, LUCKILY, I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS STICKY PEDAL PROBLEM. *TR

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS - THE CAR HAD STRANGE ACCELERATION ISSUES AND WOULD ACT LIKE IT WAS GOING OVER POTHOLES WHEN THE ROAD WAS SMOOTH. THE ABS WOULD ENGAGE WHEN THE ROADS WERE DRY, EVEN AT SLOW SPEEDS. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, LOOKING FOR A PARKING SPACE. I SAW ONE, APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND MY CAR LURCHED SIDEWAYS, TO THE RIGHT. I THOUGHT MY AXLE HAD BROKEN. I GOT OUT AND SAW THAT I HAD HIT THE CAR THAT WAS PARKED ALONG THE STREET, BUT HAD NOT CAUSED ANY DAMAGE TO IT. MY TIRE RODS AND AXLE WERE BROKEN AND DAMAGE TO MY STEERING COLUMN WAS FOUND. I THOUGHT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY MY WARRANTY, BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY HITTING THE CAR NEXT TO ME. MY CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE SIDEWAYS WHEN I BRAKED. THE DEALERSHIP HOOKED THE CAR UP TO THE COMPUTER AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NO RECORD OF ANY FAILURES. *TR

2005 AND 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS BRAKING PROBLEMS. I HAVE A 2005 AND A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. ON BOTH OF THESE VEHICLES, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS WHICH ARE BEING DESCRIBED IN THE NEWS ABOUT THE 2010 PRIUS MODEL. I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT RELATING TO THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE POTENTIAL IS CERTAINLY THERE. THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN I AM MOVING FORWARD, HAVE THE BRAKE SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED, AND I HIT A POT HOLE OR SPEED BUMP. THE WHEELS MOMENTARILY SPEED UP, SO I REACT BY PRESSING HARDER ON THE BRAKES AND THE WHEELS SLOW DOWN. *TW

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. WHILE COMING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS IN A STUCK POSITION UNABLE TO RELEASE. WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED; HOWEVER, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF FOR A MOMENT. THE VEHICLE RESTATED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. ALSO, THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER IF THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,943.

HID HEADLAMPS BEGAN TO RANDOMLY TURN OFF ON THEIR OWN AT AROUND 34K MILES. DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER SIDE; ONE OR THE OTHER. PAID FOR AND REPLACED BOTH HID LAMPS, BUT NOT CONTROLLER COMPUTER. AT 42K MILES, PROBLEM RETURNS. ONE TIME WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, BOTH HEADLIGHTS BLINKED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. TURNING HEADLIGHT CONTROLS OFF, THEN ON AGAIN RESOLVES THE PROBLEM UNTIL PROBLEM RECURS. LIGHTS MAY STAY ON FOR DURATION OF TRIP, OR TURN OFF AGAIN AFTER JUST A FEW MINUTES. *TR

BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE HIGH BEAMS WORK BUT ONE OR BOTH OF THE REGULAR HIT LIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINE APPROX. 30,000 MILES (THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT 61000 MILES). *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT INTERMITTENTLY WOULD TURN OFF. ONCE I DISCOVER MY HEADLIGHT IS OFF, I CAN TURN OFF MY HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY AND TURN THEM BACK ON IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE BOTH HEADLIGHTS WORKING AGAIN. INITIALLY I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN BUT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE. AS TIME GOES BY, THE INTERMITTENT ISSUE IS BECOMING MORE OFTEN. THE DEALERSHIP HAS RECOMMENDED THAT I HAVE BOTH HEADLIGHTS REPLACED WHEN I CALLED INITIALLY BUT I UNDERSTAND HID HEADLIGHTS SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 1 YEAR OF USAGE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITH THESE ISSUES FOR 3 YEARS AND THE HEADLIGHTS STILL WORK AS LONG AS I MONITOR THEM CONSISTENTLY WHILE I DRIVE. *TR