2004 Toyota Prius Other / unspecified Problems

CONTACTS STATED WATER PUMP AND ALTERNATOR STOPPED WORKING TWICE ON I'-5 TOWED TO TOYOTA TACOMA WHERE THEY FLUSHED FUEL BILLED $500 CAR BROKE DOWN ON WAY HOME TOWED BACK TO TOYOTA TOLD CHARGE WOULD BE 2500 TO FIX .. FLATBED DEDICATED CAR TO BRON'S AUTO HOSES AND COOLANT SYSTEM WAS MELTED PAYED $1500 TO REPLACE IN TIRE COOLANT SYSTEM AND STILL OWE 600 TO SYNCHRONY CAR CARE CARD NOW RETURNING HOME LAST WEEK TURNING AROUND TO BACK UP THERE WAS A LOUD CRUNCH STEERING BROKE STEERING WHEEL CRUNCHES WHEN TURNED WHEELS DO NOT TURN AT ALL MOVING DOWN THE ROAD CALLED TOYOTA THEY SAID THEY FIXED BOTH ON RECALL TO FIX IT MYSELF IT WASN'T THERE PROBLEM PARTS WORE OUT KICK ROCKS THE PARTS DIDN'T WEAR OUT THEY BROKE 5 MINUTES SOONER ID HAVE BEEN HEAD ON IN TRAFFIC ON HWY 405 INSTEAD OF BACKING UP ON THE CITY STREET. UNABLE TO STEER INTO OUR DRIVEWAY I'M ALREADY STUCK MAKING PAYMENTS ON COOLANT SYSTEM REPAIRS THAT WERE RECALL*DT *TP

NHTSA ID

11098144

Incident

May 9, 2018

Mileage

217,029 mi

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. SINCE 2004, MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT 5 TIMES. THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT HAS GONE OUT 3 TIMES AND THE LEFT 2 TIMES. THE LAST TIME I REPLACED THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT, IT DID NOT LAST 12 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384542

Incident

Dec 1, 2010

Mileage

20,000 mi

TRACTION CONTROL DISABLES CAR WHEN SLIPPERY... ENGINE TOTALLY SHUTS OFF. CAN HAPPEN PASSING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WHEN ICY/SNOWY, ETC. ALSO MAKES ASCENDING HILLS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10376360

Incident

Jan 11, 2011

Mileage

102,020 mi

1. EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE DRIVING IN 1 - 2 INCHES OF SNOW, I ATTEMPTED LEFT TURN, ENCOUNTERING A SOMEWHAT DEEPER (APPROXIMATELY 4-INCH, AND HEAVILY TRACKED FROM PREVIOUS VEHICLES) BERM OF SNOW AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE SIDE STREET ONTO WHICH I WAS TURNING. 2. THE FAILURE, HOW OFTEN IT OCCURS, ITS CONSEQUENCES THE TRACTION CONTROL SEIZED ALL MOTION OF FRONT (TRACTION) TIRES, THOUGH SNOW WAS NOT DEEP ENOUGH OTHERWISE TO PREVENT MOVEMENT. THIS LEFT ME IN THE PATH OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC APPROACHING DOWNHILL ON SLIPPERY ROAD. THE TRACTION CONTROL COMPLETELY DISABLED CAR, LEADING TO VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. ALSO, CONTINUED APPLICATION OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE QUICKLY CREATED SMELL OF HOT TRANSMISSION. THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT, EVEN WITH THE OPEN DIFFERENTIAL, THE CAR WOULD HAVE PROGRESSED THROUGH THE SNOW BUT FOR THE TRACTION CONTROL. AND, OF COURSE, THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THIS PROBLEM IS INHERENT TO THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM AND WOULD OCCUR WHENEVER CONDITIONS OCCUR THAT CROSS THE THRESHOLD OF SLIPPERINESS AND RESISTANCE I ENCOUNTERED. 3. THE DEFECT REMAINS UNCORRECTED. THE ESSENTIAL CORRECTION IS REDESIGN AND REPLACEMENT OF THE TRACTION AND/OR ADDING A DISABLING SWITCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10371766

Incident

Dec 19, 2010

Mileage

93,000 mi

RETURNING FROM WORK APPROX 1700 DRIVING MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS IN THE GREATER WASHINGTON D.C. METRO AREA. IT WAS THE FIRST DAY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFICE OPENINGS SINCE THE BLIZZARD OF 2010 HAD STARTED. MY RESIDENCE IS APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES FROM A MAJOR PRIMARY ROAD (VA HWY 7 IN LOUDOUN COUNTY). THE ROAD IS SECONDARY STATE ROAD VADOT OWNED AND MAINTAINED DIRT (PACKED GRAVEL) ROAD FOR APPROXIMATELY 1.25 MILES, PROCEEDING INTO OUR MY DEVELOPMENT THE ROAD IS PAVED ASPHALT FRO THE REMAINING .25 MILES. ON THE SECONDARY ROAD THE CONDITIONS OF THE ROAD WAS PACKED SNOW WITH SMALL RUNS OF LOOSE SNOW. THE ROAD IS VERY WINDING WITH SLIGHT INCLINES AND DECLINES THROUGHOUT. EVERY TIME MY CAR WOULD BREAK TRACTION I WOULD LOSE POWER LEAVING ME WITH NO CORRECTION CAPABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. I ALMOST RAN INTO EMBANKMENTS AND OVER THE SOFT SHOULDER SEVERAL TIMES DESPITE SLOWING DOWN TO A CRAWL. ONCE ENTERING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THE CAR SEEMED TO STABLE OUT UNTIL I BEGAN DRIVING ON AN UPHILL PORTION OF THE ROAD. THIS IS A STEPPER HILL THAN ON THE SECONDARY ROAD. WHEN MY TIRES BROKE TRACTION ALL POWER FROM THE CAR WAS LOST LEAVING ME IN AN UNCONTROLLED SITUATION OF SLIDING AROUND ON THE ROAD EVENTUALLY INTO THE SOFT SHOULDER OF A DOWNHILL CLIFF. I WAS ATTEMPTED TO START MOVING FORWARD GET MYSELF AWAY FROM THE SHOULDER AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE OR PUT ANY SORT OF POWER TO THE WHEELS. I WAS TERRIFIED AND STUCK. I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS FINDING NEW LINES (PATHS) FINALLY REACHING THE TOP OF THE HILL (MY DRIVEWAY) DUE TO THE REMOVAL OF CAR POWER. THIS HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN UN SUSPECTING THROUGHOUT THE MONTH ON THE UNPAVED ROADS PLACING ME IN DANGER. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT IN ANY WINTER CONDITION. IT APPEARS THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS WEBSITE AND I HAVE NO WAY TO CORRECT THIS EXCEPT SELL MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10315682

Incident

Feb 12, 2010

REGARDING MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS: THE 'MULTI-INFORMATION DISPLAY, I.E., COMPUTER DISPLAY, DOES NOT FUNCTION FREQUENTLY, AT WHICH TIME A MESSAGE SAYING THE AIR CONDITIONER IS DISCONNECTED. SIMULTANEOUSLY, WHEN THIS MESSAGE APPEARS, THE RADIO INSTANTLY TURNS OFF. WHEN THIS OCCURS ACCESS TO THE COMPUTER IS IMPOSSIBLE, CONTROLS OF THE AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM ARE UNAVAILABLE EXCEPT THROUGH THOSE ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH CONTINUE TO FUNCTION. THE COMPUTER FUNCTION LATER RANDOMLY IS RESTORED FOR BRIEF TO LONG PERIODS BUT REMAINS SUBJECT TO RANDOM FAILURE AGAIN. THIS FAILURE HAS EXISTED FOR YEARS. DEALERSHIPS REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE EQUIPMENT. THIS DEFECT IS A MAJOR DISTRACTION TO SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. FOR EXAMPLE, DURING COMPUTER SHUTDOWN PERIODS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ALTER AIR CONDITIONER FAN SPEED DURING FREEZING AMBIENT WEATHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10313582

Incident

Mar 1, 2006

Mileage

25,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON A ROAD COVERED WITH THREE INCHES OF SNOW. THE VEHICLE BEGAN BEGAN TO SKID. THE SKID CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED DURING ACTIVATION OF THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT WAS A MANUFACTURER DESIGN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

NHTSA ID

10312832

Incident

Jan 10, 2005

Mileage

1,000 mi

STARTED MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS AND PLACED VEHICLE INTO REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF PARKING SPACE AT DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL. CAR DIED WHILE BACKING, BLOCKING TRAFFIC, AND WOULD NOT RESTART. ORANGE LIGHT GLOWED ON THE STARTER BUTTON. THIS IS 7:45PM. CALLED ORIGINAL DEALER IN WASHINGTON PA FOR ADVICE. NO HELP. LOOKED IN OWNER'S MANUAL FOR ADVICE. NO HELP. CALLED LOCAL DEALER IN CHARLOTTESVILLE VA. NO HELP. A MALE TEACHER OPENED THE HOOD AND FUSE COVER TO ENSURE THAT ALL FUSES WERE SNUG AND SECURE. NOTHING. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THE CAR FINALLY RESET ITS SELF, THE STARTER BUTTON WENT GREEN AND WHEN TRIED THE CAR STARTED. TOLD THE LOCAL DEALER OF THIS INCIDENT AND THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF ANY TROUBLE LIKE THIS. COINSIDENTLY, MY GPS SYSTEM HAD FAILED JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. IT TOOK A MONTH TO GET IT REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10124564

Incident

May 5, 2005

Mileage

17,000 mi

COMPUTER SHUT DOWN IN THE TOYOTA PRIUS CAUSING CAR TO STOP IN A MATTER OF MINUTES ON TWO OCCATIONS.

NHTSA ID

10123979

Incident

Mar 24, 2005

Mileage

15,000 mi

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A STALLING I EXPERIENCED WHILE DRIVING OUR TOYOTA PRIUS (2004) THE CAR STALLED A LITTLE AFTER I MERGED ONTO HIGHWAY 85 IN CUPERTINO. ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON AND THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE AS I TRIED TO DRIVE UP TO 65 MPH. IT APPEARED THAT THE GAS ENGINE QUIT AND IT WAS RUNNING ON ELECTRIC POWER. I WAS ABLE TO COAST ON TILL THE NEXT EXIT. AFTER GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY, I PULLED INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT WHERE I TURNED TO CAR OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT AND IT DROVE FINE BUT ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ON. SO I IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN SUNNYVALE WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR WHERE IT WAS FIXED. I AM NOT SURE THAT TOYOTA DEALERS ARE KEEPING ACCURATE RECORDS OF THE PROBLEM. I READ AN ARTICLE IN THE MERCURY NEWS TODAY'S EDITION IN WHICH ADAM SIMMS, THE OPERATING PARTNER AT TOYOTA OF SUNNYVALE HAS CLAIMED THAT "NONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BOUGHT A PRIUS AT HIS DEALERSHIP HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH STALLING". I KNOW THIS IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM AND HAD IT FIXED AT HIS DEALERSHIP. I AM NOT SURE OF THE EXACT DATE THE INCIDENT OCCURED. I BELIEVE IT WAS SOMETIME DURING THE THE SECOND WEEK OF NOV.

NHTSA ID

10123928

Incident

Nov 9, 2004