There are 50 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2008 Toyota Priusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
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.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL UNEXPECTEDLY, AND WHEN IT DOES, OFTEN YOU CAN'T GET IT OUT OF NEUTRAL WITHOUT TURNING CAR OFF. THIS HAS AN ELECTRONIC SHIFT SELECTOR. THIS APPEARS TO BE A RAMPANT PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. DO AN INTERNET SEARCH ON 2008 PRIUS SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL AND YOU WILL SEE MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY.
ON THE MORNING OF 11/14/18, VEHICLE (W. 112,000 MILES ON IT) FAILED TO START OR MOVE IN OUR DRIVEWAY. 12/5/18 ADVISED BY CASEYS, THETOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN .WILLIAMSBSURG VA., THAT THE CVT HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $6500 - HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY!. SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD VEHICLE TO DEALER EMPLOYEE FOR SCRAP. I NOTE THE NHTSA IS CONSIDERING A RECALL ON THE CVT'S INSTALLED IN THE TOYOTA COROLLAS. SEEMS OVERDUE. GLAD FOR MY FAMILY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION.
CAR SHIFT LEVER POPS OUT OF DRIVE POSITION AND REVERSE POSITION INTERMITTENTLY ON STARTUP. SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN INTERIOR OF CAR IS HOT AFTER SITTING IN SUN FOR A LONG PERIOD.
CAR STALLED COMPLETELY UNDER HIGH SPEED ACCELERATION ABOUT 70-75MPH MPH ON FREEWAY. LOST ALL POWER .
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD NOT STAY ENGAGED IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED PERIODICALLY. IN ORDER TO KEEP THE GEAR SHIFTER ENGAGED IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE HELD IN THAT POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND STOPPED. THE VEHICLE MADE A CHIMING SOUND AND UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.
INVERTER WATER PUMP REPLACED AT 75000 MILES UNDER RECALL AND FAILURE. SAME PUMP FAILED AGAIN AT 146600 MILES. REPLACEMENT PUMP LASTED LESS MILES THAN ORIGINAL. PUMP DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR SERVICE. DIAGNOSIS WAS PUMP SEIZED DURING EXPRESSWAY DRIVING (65 MPH). DID NOT CAUSE AN IMMEDIATE STOPPAGE BUT VSC WARNING CAUSED REDUCED CONTROLLABILITY.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH TOYOTA AND NHTSA? TODAY IN HOT WEATHER WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON MY 2008 PRIUS ONCE AGAIN SUDDENLY DROPPED ITSELF OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. ONE HAS TO HOLD THE SHIFTER IN DRIVE TO GET OUT OFEVERYONE'S WAY. IF THIS ISN'T A LIFE-THREATENING SAFETY HAZARD THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. UNLESS YOU WANT A FEW FOLKS TO DIE BEFORE ANYTHING GETS DONE ABOUT THIS. THE INTERNET AND PRIUS FORUMS DOCUMENT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED DEFECT. THE DEALER THROWS UP ITS HANDS' NOT OUR PROBLEM!!
I HAVE HAD MY 2008 PRIUS SINCE IT WAS NEW AND I HAVE TAKEN METICULOUS CARE OF THE VEHICLE WITH DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE IT. THE VEHICLE IS BURNING OIL TO THE EXTENT THAT I HAVE TO PUT A QUART OF OIL IN EVERY 700 MILES. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED IT IS AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE BUT TOYOTA USA SAID THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE "HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS". HOWEVER, THE TOYOTA PRIUS CHAT WEBSITE HAS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT OIL CONSUMPTION. TOYOTA DID AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE COROLLA AND CAMRY BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING FOR THE PRIUS. NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH TOYOTA USA TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE BUT THEY REFUSE TO DO SO. THEY DID SAY THEY CORRECTED THE ISSUE IN THE NEWER MODELS . . .BUT YET DON'T WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IS IT AN ISSUE! SO, THEY CORRECTED AN ISSUE THAT THEY CURRENTLY DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE IS AN ISSUE!! SECOND TO THIS ISSUE IS THAT THE BACK WINDOW CAN ONLY BE CLOSED BY THE DRIVER'S WINDOW BUTTON AND WILL NOT CLOSE FOR THE PERSON SITTING AT THAT WINDOW IN THE BACK.
ON A WARM/HOT DAY THE VEHICLE DROPS SUDDENLY ITSELF OUT OF DRIVE OR REVERSE. THIS CAN HAPPEN FROM BEING PARKED OR CRUCIALLY WHILE ONE IS DRIVING. USUALLY THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. YOU CAN BE DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET OR HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR DROPS ITSELF OUT OF GEAR,' VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. ONE HAS TO HOLD THE SHIFT MECHANISM IN DRIVE CONTINUOUSLY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE INTERNET DOCUMENTS THIS EXACT DEFECT IN OTHER 2008 PRIUS'. VISITS TO THE DEALER ARE MET WITH SHRUGGED SHOULDERS.
VEHICLE WAS OFF AND IN PARK. VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. IN LESS THEN 1 SECOND, VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO NEUTRAL AS DESCRIBED IN THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY TOYOTA (T-SB-0142-11). PROBLEM AS REOCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE, INCLUDING WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 45 MPH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED GEARS INTO NEUTRAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000. UPDATED 04/07/15*LJ THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR AND POPPED INTO NEUTRAL. THE NEXT DAY, EVERYTHING WORKED NORMALLY. UPDATED 06/30/15*JB
THE CAR MOVES FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL MODE. I PUT THE CAR IN "D" AND IT SUDDENLY MOVED BACK TO "N". KEEP THE LEVER HELD ON "D" AND YOU CAN DRIVE, OTHERWISE IT SWITCHES BACK TO "N". HAPPENED 3 TO 4 TIMES TODAY. VERY SCARED IF THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR GETTING STARTED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AS THE CAR BEHIND MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH SPACE OR INDICATION OF THE VEHICLE SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE OF LOSS OF ACCELERATOR. *TR
1 - AFTER BEING PARKED THE CAR WILL GO INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE, BUT WHEN YOU LET OFF OF THE BRAKE, IT WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL. 2 - IF LEFT RUNNING IN PARK, THE CAR WILL GO OUT OF PARK AND GO INTO NEUTRAL. THIS WILL ALLOW THE CAR TO ROLL, IF IT IS NOT ON EXACTLY FLAT LEVEL GROUND. 3 - WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR WILL JUMP OUT OF DRIVE AND GO INTO NEUTRAL. 4 - IN ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS, YOU CAN HOLD THE SHIFTER LEVER IN THE DESIRED MODE AND THE CAR WILL DRIVE FINE. 5 - TALKED TO A TOYOTA REPAIR FACILITY AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS. DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE NET AND FOUND MANY OF THESE SAME INCIDENTS. 6 - THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE, THAT APPARENTLY TOYOTA DON'T WANT TO ADMIT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY SHIFT FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT REPLACING THE SHIFTER MAY RECTIFY THE FAILURE BUT WAS UNABLE TO GUARANTEE IT WOULD BE A PERMANENT FIX. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. REMAILED 08/20/14*LJ
WHEN I TRIED TO SHIFT MY CAR INTO GEAR, IT AUTOMATICALLY WENT TO NEUTRAL . THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN WARM WEATHER. I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE HOLDING THE LEVER IN THE APPROPRIATE POSITION. THIS IS BOTH CUMBERSOME AS WELL AS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I DID CALL MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TO REPORT THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS NEVER CALLED BACK. SINCE THIS OCCURS SPORADICALLY , I JUST LET IT GO. IT HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY, MAY 6, 2015, WHEN I TRIED TO PUT IT IN REVERSE. IT JUMPED TO NEUTRAL & GOT CLOSE TO ROLLING OFF A DROP OFF IN A PARKING LOT. I HELD THE LEVER IN REVERSE, & LUCKILY PREVENTED MY CAR FROM GOING OFF A CLIFF. FRIGHTENING! *TR
MY 2008 PRIUS WON'T STAY IN GEARS OCCASIONALLY GEAR JUMPED BACK FROM D TO N MODE. FORTUNATELY, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WHEN I DROVE 70 MILES PER HOUR. I WENT TO TOYOTA CENTER AND THEY SAID I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SHIFT LEVER. I DON'T KNOW WHY I SHOULD PAY FOR IT, IT IS A DEFECT OF THIS CAR, NOT BECAUSE HOW I DRIVE THIS CAR. PLUS, I DON'T HAVE THIS MONEY, SO I DIDN'T REPAIR FOR IT. I NEED TO REPORT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GET KILLED. I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL 2008 PRIUS, TO MAKE SURE OUR (CUSTOMER) SAFETY. *TR
ON OCCASION THE VEHICLE WILL POP OUT OF D OR WILL HAVE A PROBLEM GETTING INTO D. THIS DAY I PARKED, LEFT THE VEHICLE RUNNING (ON) SINCE IT WAS COLD IN BOSTON AND MY WIFE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. EXISTED THE CAR, RETRIEVED A PACKAGE I WAS DELIVERING FROM THE BACK SEAT AND LEFT. ABOUT 5 MIN LATER, MY WIFE SAID THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE FEELS THE CAR MOVING FORWARD AND BEFORE SHE CAN STOP IT THE CAR CRASHED INTO A TRUCK WITH A VERY LARGE TOW HITCH ASSEMBLY. THE CRASH NAILED MY FRONT HOOD VIRTUALLY DEAD CENTER. DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE BUT SEEMS FROM OTHER ONLINE COMMENTS THAT THIS IS NOT UNKNOWN ABOUT GEAR DIFFICULTY ALTHOUGH POPPING OUT OF P SEEMS LIKE A NEW ADD-ON OR MAYBE FEW OF US EVER LEAVE A CAR RUNNING. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026