2006 Toyota Prius Driver assistance Problems

The light up display for the odometer, fuel gauge, and speedometer does not always light up. When it is not lit, the cruise control and any warning and informative alarms/lights also do not work. This is a well-known issue among owners of these cars, related to the capacitors on the circuit board for the display being defective, and there is extensive documentation of it online. It may also have had a technical service bulletin released for the issue, but I'm not entirely sure. The light goes out intermittently and is not always consistently out. I did mention it to the service personnel when I took it in to get recalls repaired recently, and they didn't seem surprised or unaware of the issue. I did not ask them to diagnose or fix it, as I know I can get it done for a better deal elsewhere.

NHTSA ID

11632471

Incident

Dec 6, 2024

The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the steering wheel erroneously steered to the left direction on its own. The contact used force to maneuver the vehicle however the steering wheel independently veered again to the left, right, left, and then back to the right. The vehicle crashed into a curb, and violently accelerated across 2 lanes of oncoming traffic where a van crashed into the vehicle head-on. The air bags deployed upon impact. The contact sustained 11 fractured bones (L1 through L5 lower lumbar, pelvic, pelvis, 11th rib, and sacrum) and received medical attention via trauma center where she remained for over 2 weeks. The other driver of the van sustained unknown injuries but did not receive any known medical attention. A police report was not on file for the incident. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 77,000.

NHTSA ID

11602992

Incident

May 1, 2023

Mileage

77,000 mi

The abs actuator is bad. Cant stop nor use the rechargeable braking. Very dangerous.

NHTSA ID

11466563

Incident

Apr 1, 2022

THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT CAUSING THE HYBRID BATTERY TO DIE. PRESSING THE BREAK IS SUPPOSED TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY BUT THE BATTERY IS NOW COMPLETELY GONE

NHTSA ID

11286744

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

Mileage

188,000 mi

I HAVE TWO CARS TOYOTA PRIUS. THE FIRST YEAR OF 2006. THE SECOND CAR OF 2010. THE SECOND COMPLAINT IS NO. BUT WITH THE FIRST CAR TOYOTA PRIUS 2006. MANY CLAIMS. IN THE FIRST CONTROL. WHEN TURNING THE CAR AT SPEED. THE CAR IS SET ASIDE. I REMIND THE REST OF THE CARS THAT I DRIVING THE CAR. SUCH CASES WERE NOT OBSERVED. THEY ARE PERFECTLY CONTROLLED IN THE CORNERS OF THE ROAD. SECONDLY, IN COLD WEATHER IN AUTUMN OR WINTER. CAR WINDOWS ARE VERY FOGGY. FROM 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. WHILE THE CAR IS WARM AND THE INTERIOR TOO. UNABLE TO ENTER THE CAR, CAN NOT SEE ANYTHING.

NHTSA ID

11155658

Incident

Dec 25, 2017

Mileage

35 mi

COMBINATION METER STOPPED WORKING IN COLD WEATHER. KNOW PROBLEM FOR TOYOTA AND A VERY DANGEROUS ONE. THEY DID ONE REPAIR AND WARRANTY EXTENSION BUT VEHICLES NOW HITTING HIGHER MILIAGE ARE HAVING ISSUES AND IT IS DOCUMENTED BY TOYOTA IN A WARRANTY BULLENTIN NO. POL12-05 FROM TOYOTA

NHTSA ID

11055524

Incident

Dec 15, 2017

Mileage

88,000 mi

MY CAR (06 TOYOTA PRIUS) HAD HIT A POTHOLE WHILE ON MY WAY TO CHURCH ON 11/16/17. THERE WAS A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND THOUGH I WAS FAR BEHIND THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME, MY BRAKE DID NOT STOP AND MY CAR WENT UNDER THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE VEHICLE WAS GOING MAYBE 5-10 MPH AS WE INCHED UP TO THE LIGHT. LOTS OF TRAFFIC, I WAS DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CHECKING TO SEE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND IT WAS BUT CAR WOULD NOT STOP, IN FACT IT FELT LIKE IT REVVED UP.IT WAS TERRIFYING AS I SAW MY CAR PLOW INTO ANOTHER WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. I KNOW THE 2010 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS BUT IT HAPPENED TO ME ON MY 2006 PRIUS. NO RECALL BUT A WARRANT ENHANCEMENT NOTIFICATION WAS SENT TO MY RELATIVE WHO HAD A 2007 BUT I NEVER RECEIVED IT. IT IS ALL ABOUT THE BRAKES AND THE NOT STOPPING PROPERLY. TOYOTA ALSO DID A WEIRD BUY BACK THING AND WANTED MY CAR. I THINK IT IS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO HIDE THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF HAVING A RECALL. I HAVE NEVER HAD A COMPANY TRY TO BUY BACK MY CAR. TOYOTA IS AT FAULT AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE NO ONE ELSE IS KILLED OR HURT BY THIS. IT ALSO SHOWS UP IN THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN BUT AGAIN, NOT A RECALL BUT IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED! MY CAR HAD ABOUT 65K ON IT.

NHTSA ID

11047769

Incident

Nov 16, 2017

Mileage

65 mi

WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED NO DASH LIGHTS FOR FUEL GAGE, SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER INOPERABLE DUE TO FAULTY COMBINATION METER. NO RECALL JUST EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE.

NHTSA ID

11031475

Incident

Oct 3, 2017

I BELIEVE ITS A GLITCH IN THE CAR'S COMPUTER. AT UNPREDICTABLE AND INTERMITTENT INTERVALS THE ELECTRONIC HEADS UP DISPLAY DOES NOT OPERATE. THIS LEAVES ME WITH NO SPEEDOMOETER, NO FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR, NO BRIGHT OR DIM INDICATOR FOR THE HEADLIGHTS, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. DURING THE INCIDENTS THE CAR ALSO MIGHT NOT RESPOND TO THE POWER OFF BUTTON, SO IT KEEPS RUNNING. THIS PROBLEM MIGHT LAST FOR A DAY OR TWO AND THEN IT STARTS TO WORK AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11019826

Incident

Aug 17, 2017

Mileage

140,000 mi

I USED A UHUAL TOW DOLLY TO MOVE MY CAR ABOUT 30 MILES. WHEN I TURNED ON THE CAR TO REMOVE IT FROM THE DOLLY THE VSC, BRAKE & ABS LIGHTS WERE ON. I CONFIRMED THAT MY ABS DO NOT CURRENTLY WORK.

NHTSA ID

11011966

Incident

Jul 11, 2017

Mileage

220,000 mi

FOR APROXIMADAMENTELY TWO YEARS THE BRAKES AVE NOT BEEN WORKING PROPERLY AND WE TOOK IT TO GET EVALUATED AND WE WERE TOLD IT WAS THE BRAKE ACTUATOR. NOW I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A SECURITY PROBLEM TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SELLS THE PART FO A LITTLE OVER $1,700 I WAS ALSO TOLD IT SHOULD BE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY SINCE IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A RECALL BECAUSE OF THIS BEING A SECURITY PROBLEM. I RUN THE RICK TO RUN OUT OF BRAKES AT ANY MOMENT AND I CAN NOT DEIVE MY VEHICLE LIKE THIS.

NHTSA ID

10966420

Incident

Mar 2, 2015

THE COMPUTERIZED THROTTLE CONTROL ON THE PRIUS CAN GET YOU INTO TROUBLE. A PRIUS WILL NOT REVERSE UP A STEEP DRIVEWAY. NO MATTER HOW FAR YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR, THE ENGINE WILL NOT GO ABOVE ABOUT 1000 RPM, AND THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE. NOW, IF BASED ON SOUND OF THE ENGINE, YOU PLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN FORWARD WITHOUT FIRST REMOVING FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR, THE CAR WILL ROCKET FORWARD (AND LIKELY CRASH). IT IS QUITE EASY TO DO THIS, AS THE ENGINE IS STUCK AT IDLE, THEN FURIOUSLY REVVING WITH NO CHANGE OF DRIVER INPUT. FATHER-IN-LAW, AND VARIOUS PEDESTRIANS, WERE MIRACULOUSLY UNINJURED, BUT A VERY NEAR THING INDEED.

NHTSA ID

10966412

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

Mileage

85,000 mi

I WAS IN A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS CAR ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED JERKING (TO THE POINT OF NO CONTROL), THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. CAR LOST CONTROL.*DT*JB CAR WAS TOTALED, TWO WITNESSES AND A POLICE REPORT. I WAS SENT THE EMERGENCY ROOM. NO RESPONSIBILITY WAS ASSUMED BY TOYOTA, WHICH COMPLETED THEIR "INSPECTION" ON MARCH 9TH, 2012. THEN EIGHT MONTHS LATER ON NOVEMBER 14, 2012 THEY COME OUT WITH TWO RECALLS: A STEERING RECALL & AN ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM RECALL, PROBABLY AS PART OF WHAT THEY SAW HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AFTER ABOUT THESE RECALLS THAT MY CAR POTENTIALLY COULD'VE BEEN DEFECTIVE FROM AND PART OF.

NHTSA ID

10863308

Incident

Nov 23, 2011

WHILE DRIVING 20 M/H VEHICLE SUDDENLY ECCELERATED AND I HIT THE GUARD RAIL WHEN EXPERIENCING UNINTENDED ACCELERATITION

NHTSA ID

10809851

Incident

Nov 4, 2015

Mileage

128,780 mi

MY WIFE [XXX] HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE VICTORIAN ON MAIN ST IN SANTA MONICA ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2. FROM STANDSTILL, HER 2006 PRIUS SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO A VERY HIGH RATE ON ITS OWN AND THE CAR'S BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY NON-RESPONSIVE. IN THIS RELATIVELY CONFINED PARKING AREA, AFTER A FRIGHTENING PERIOD OF TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SHE MADE A SPLIT-SECOND DECISION TO CRASH INTO A TREE AT A RELATIVELY HIGH SPEED IN ORDER TO AVOID STEERING THE CAR ONTO MAIN ST. AND CAUSING A MUCH MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT THAT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED MANY PEOPLE, AUTOMOBILES AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY AND POSSIBLY RESULTED IN MULTIPLE DEATHS AND MULTIPLE SERIOUS INJURIES. SHE SUSTAINED A BROKEN FOOT. HER PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISING. BOTH WERE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO ST. JOHN'S HOSPITAL. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE 2 OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. AS A RESULT, AND ONLY BECAUSE OF [XXX] QUICK THINKING AND POTENTIALLY SACRIFICIAL ACTION, [XXX], HER PASSENGER AND MANY OTHER NON-SUSPECTING PEOPLE ARE ALIVE TODAY. IT IS APPARENTLY WELL-ESTABLISHED THAT THE PRIUS CAN ACCELERATE IN THIS MANNER. IN THIS CASE, THE CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD APPEAR TO BE STRAIGHT FORWARD: A CAR PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND STARTED SUDDENLY ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN AND REFUSES TO ALLOW THE DRIVER CONTROL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10766471

Incident

Sep 2, 2015

Mileage

103,000 mi

ON THE MORNING OF MAY,04,2015 UPON ENTERING THE CAR AND STARTING IT UP THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILS TO DISPLAY. NOT CERTAIN WHAT THE ISSUE WAS I PERFORMED VARIOUS CHECK INCLUDING THE THE ACCESSORY BATTERY AND ATTEMPTED MULTIPLE TIMES STARTING AND STOPPING THE CAR TO NO AVAIL. I LEFT THE CAR WHERE IT WAS AND A FEW HOURS LATER WHEN I RETURNED EVERYTHING WORKED FINE FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS THEN THE ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE ISSUE IS OCCURRING NOW MORE FREQUENTLY INCLUDING WHEN DRIVING (STOPPED THEN GO). FURTHERMORE, WHENEVER THIS ISSUE OCCURS IT BECOMES ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO POWER THE ENGINE OFF AND SINCE THEIR IS NO CLUSTER DISPLAY TO LET YOU KNOW VITAL SAFETY INFORMATION, INCLUDING SPEED, GAS, MILEAGE, GEAR (D-R-N) THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE AND HAZARDOUS CONDITION FOR OPERATORS OF THIS VEHICLE. TOYOTA MOTOR CORP. IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THIS HAZARD WHICH RESULTS FROM A MANUFACTURE DEFECTIVE COMBINATION METER.

NHTSA ID

10746364

Incident

May 4, 2015

Mileage

116,000 mi

COMBINATION METER FAILED LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INFORMATION. THERE IS A MANUFACTURER WARRANTY EXTENSION WHICH DOES NOT COVER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD OVER 9 YEARS. THIS REPRESENTS A HAZARD TO THE PUBLIC WHICH HAS A DOCUMENTED SOLUTION AND REPLACEMENT COMPONENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10684156

Incident

Feb 16, 2015

Mileage

246,000 mi

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SELECTOR SHIFTED FROM DRIVE (D) INTO NEUTRAL (N). THIS COULD BE TEMPORARILY CORRECTED BY MANUALLY RE-SELECTING D, BUT IN ABOUT 3 SECONDS, IT SHIFTED BACK TO N. WE DROVE BY KEEPING ONE HAND ON THE LEVER TO KEEP IT IN D. AFTER WE STOPPED, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED IN REVERSE (R) -- THE SELECTOR SHIFTED INTO N AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS. AGAIN, WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE BY MAINTAINING PRESSURE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE R SELECTION. I'VE FOUND SEVERAL REFERENCES TO THIS PROBLEM ON WEBSITES. IT APPEARS TO BE SOLVED BY INSTALLING A NEW SELECTOR ASSEMBLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10681114

Incident

Feb 3, 2015

Mileage

138,100 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 118,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10568888

Incident

Mar 6, 2014

Mileage

118,000 mi

WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL HEAD LIGHTS ON OUR PRUIS STOP WORKING. USUALLY YOU HAVE TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF TO GET THEM TO GO BACK ON WHEN THEY TURN OFF ON THEIR OWN. WE HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS APPROX. 4 TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND AGAIN WE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE HEADLIGHTS. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED SHE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS.

NHTSA ID

10501462

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

Mileage

10,000 mi

CAR'S ENGINE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. ADDITIONALLY, THE DIGITAL DASHBOARD (WHICH SHOWS THE SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, GAS GAUGE, ETC.) WOULD NOT LIGHT UP. TOYOTA DEALER SAYS IT IS DUE TO A FAILED COMBINATION METER. THE PART IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AND MY CAR IS STILL AWAITING THE PART. *TR

NHTSA ID

10496527

Incident

Jan 22, 2013

Mileage

112,000 mi

I FOUND THAT THERE IS MALFUNCTION ON THE BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL, ESPECIALLY INFO BUTTON AND BUTTONS FOR CLIMATE. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON INTERNET AND I FOUND THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A BAD CLOCK SPRING. ALSO, I FOUND THE CLOCK SPRING IS RELATED WITH AIR BAG MODULE. THERE ARE A LOT OF OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM (SUCH AS PRIUSCHAT.COM). I THINK THAT IT COULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. AND I EXPERIENCED ANOTHER PROBLEM. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL OF MY CAR WAS REPAIRED BY THE RECALL SERVICE BEFORE. BUT WHEN I RELEASE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND TRY TO PUSH BRAKE PEDAL, THERE IS DIFFERENCE OF HEIGHT BETWEEN BOTH PEDALS. THE HEIGHT OF BRAKE PEDAL IS HIGHER THAN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, EVEN IF I RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. SO IT IS DANGEROUS TO OPERATE BOTH PEDALS. WHEN I TRIED TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL AFTER I RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, MY RIGHT FEET WAS STUCK WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. I THINK THE RECALL SERVICE FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL OF MY CAR WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. OR THERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM ON THE BRAKE PEDAL OF PRIUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10480610

Incident

Oct 15, 2012

Mileage

91,710 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK AND THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10478646

Incident

Sep 1, 2006

I NEEDED TO WAIT FOR A SERVICE PERSON TO ARRIVE AND OPEN THE DOOR TO THEIR BUSINESS. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES, WHILE GEAR WAS SET IN PARK OUTSIDE A BUILDING WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING AND RADIO ON, THE CAR SUDDENLY JUMPED AHEAD BY SEVERAL INCHES. IT STOPPED JUST AS SUDDENLY. VERY SCARY. I HAVE LEFT THE CAR IN PARK WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING A FEW MORE TIMES TO SEE IF IT WOULD DO IT AGAIN. NO REPEAT INCIDENT SO FAR. IT MOVED A SHORT DISTANCE, BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO HIT A CURB, PERSON, OR CONTAINER WHO/THAT WAS NEAR THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10464271

Incident

Jun 14, 2012

Mileage

47,000 mi

"!", ABS, AND VSC LIGHTS COME ON AND BRAKES STOP WORKING - WHILE DRIVING. MUST COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURN OFF VEHICLE, AND RESTART. THEN BRAKES WORK FOR A WHILE UNTIL PROBLEM RECURS. REPLACED BRAKE STROKE SENSOR. FIXED PROBLEM FOR 17 MONTHS - 20,000 MILES. AGAIN, BRAKES FAIL WHILE DRIVING. GETTING CODE DTC 1247 - FAULT IN STROKE SENSOR. TOLD PART IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND MUST BE REPLACED AGAIN. VEHICLE SHOULDN'T HAVE A PART THAT FAILS EVERY 20,000 MILES RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10445195

Incident

Aug 4, 2010

Mileage

128,858 mi