2007 Toyota Prius Electrical Problems

Combination meter often does not turn on when turning the car on. This means you cannot see a speedometer, any warning lights, fuel tank levels, or mileage. Also the trunk gets locked and is unable to open. Sometimes the car will not turn off. This has been happening on and off for over a year but has gotten increasingly worse. There are no warning signs. This can happen any time you turn on the car but might not always happen. It can also prevent you from turning off the car. When searching online, it seems this is a common problem with high mileage Priuses between 2005-2009 and so Toyota extended a warranty on it but did not tell all of the owners, most likely to get out of a recall.

NHTSA ID

11547630

Incident

Oct 1, 2023

When the 12-volt battery in this car dies, there is NO warning light to indicate the battery is dead or is running low. The driver is given no warning or indication prior to the car being disabled. Once the battery dies, the vehicle immediately decelerates, there is no acceleration, the braking system becomes mostly disabled, and the power steering is not functional. The car becomes disabled, while being driven, without warning. When this event happens, there is a high pitched screaching alarm, and the majority of the dash lights turn on. None of which indicate there is an issue with the 12-volt battery. The large red triangle light with the exclamation mark comes on, as well the lights indicating that there is a problem with the brakes. Additional dash lights also turn on during this dangerous event. The rear view monitor screen states that there is an issue with the transmission. The reality that a minor 12- volt battery is responsible for disabling a vehicle is extremely dangerous, especially since it happens when the car is being driven. This is a serious issue. Toyota must include an indicator light that warns the driver the battery is low prior to the car being being disabled. Please investigate this matter, as it seems to be a common problem, based on online research. My safety was in jeopardy due to the fact that I was driving the car on a main road, with moderate traffic, and lost control of the car as it became disabled. To get my car off of the road required the assistance of several good Samaritans who used their bodies to block traffic in order to get the car out of the flow of oncoming traffic. Fourteen days later, after the battery was replaced, and the car serviced/inspected, I drove the car 10 to 15 miles, wherein the car did the same thing. Per the dealership, the issue was not the 12- bolt battery. Thank you for your time and consideration. Kindly, Cynthia Becker 623-209-4290 [email protected]

NHTSA ID

11532894

Incident

Jul 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while at a stop light, she attempted to drive however, the vehicle failed to exceed 25 MPH. The HC battery, ECU, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle displayed DTC code: P3190 (Engine Failure). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the hybrid battery was severely drained, and the mechanic retrieved DTC codes: P3000 and P0A80 for the hybrid battery pack. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic, who replaced the battery, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. The contact stated the vehicle was actually overfilled with oil at the mechanic's shop that performed the oil change, so that is what caused the issues with my vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11525645

Incident

May 30, 2023

Mileage

160,000 mi

Instrument panel cluster failure. Panel goes black while driving and lose power. Vehicle won’t start or shut off. My vehicle was getting serviced at the dealership and they couldn’t start the vehicle. I was told the instrument panel cluster was the problem. I contacted Toyota Customer Service, and was told they were aware of the issue. They had issued an extended warranty and sent out a letter to all owners this warranty has expired in 2016. If you purchased your vehicle after 2016 you would not have received any notice regarding this. While driving you can’t see you speed, your gear selection, fuel level, lights and no warning lights. The warning is that your vehicle won’t start or shut off.

NHTSA ID

11492035

Incident

Oct 25, 2022

Driver side light intermittently shut off until I turn the lights off and then they come back on for a little while and then I have to repeat the process

NHTSA ID

11474816

Incident

Jul 19, 2022

I was driving and all of my dashboard lights disappeared, I couldn't see anything. I was suddenly driving blind. I pulled over but the car would not turn off. I tried again and again, but it would just not turn off. I called Toyota corporate they asked how far I was to a Toyota dealer and told me to take it there immediately. They gave me a case number 220322000191. When I got to the dealer, they said I would have to pay $150 for a diagnosis. I left it there and am now reporting this. There should be a recall on these vehicles, this is extremely dangerous.

NHTSA ID

11457795

Incident

Mar 22, 2022

The Dash display (shows the speedometer, warning lights, etc) won't come on, and the rear back up camera doesn't either. They seem to both stop at the same time on start up. The car seems to run fine otherwise.

NHTSA ID

11456734

Incident

Feb 12, 2022

After I had auxiliary battery replaced at a Toyota dealer 10/13/21, I started noticing that intermittently, when I turned the car on that the lights on my instrument panel would not be lit (can't see speed, odometer, gas gauge). Then noticed other strange things when the instrument panel was dark, such as the back-up camera would not work, had a hard time turning the car off, and back trunk hatch would not open. Took it back to dealer on 11/12/21, thinking problem was related to the battery replacement. First service advisor said that it was the combination meter...that they see it all of the time with Prius'. While waiting for my car, I googled "combination meter" and saw how ultimately dangerous its malfunction could be over time - e.g. the electrical braking system fails and you have to use your emergency brake to stop the car, which would be exceedingly dangerous at 65 mph. When checking out, my service rep agreed with me that it is a safety and Toyota issue, but there was nothing the dealer could do but replace it (at cost to me of $1100+). I took to a non-dealer who read the code - B1271: "Combination Meter ECU communication stopped. Called Toyota who told me it had not been recalled for safety, but there was a warranty enhancement program to cover the replacement of combination meters, which had expired for my car in 2016. There was nothing they could do except contact the customer relations rep at dealer where I am taking car to get fixed on 11/22/21. They took no responsibility at all. I also know the combo meter had a safety recall for the 2019 Prius' so still an issue.

NHTSA ID

11441128

Incident

Oct 14, 2021

instrument cluster panel goes completely out and blank, speedometer lost, and dash lights gone and causing other issues such as not being able to turn off vehicle, loss of cruise control, unable to open trunk, navigation screen unable to turn off, backup camera not functioning, front lights going on and off while driving at night.

NHTSA ID

11436694

Incident

Oct 6, 2021

Under hard braking (over 50% of the pedal) the front passenger wheel applies all the force to stop the car to that one tire causing it to lose traction and skid. Brakes are insufficient to properly stop the vehicle and no warning lights are illuminated on the dash. Actually more than half of the time the whole dash does nothing, no MPH, no gas gauge, nothing but a blacked out information less panel. Then to top it off the car only has one headlight bc it blows what ever headlight I put into the ballast. 3 of the most common failures for a 2007 and my Prius has a grand slam assortment of serious potential life threatening problems that should have been repaired (never should have been assembled with) by Toyota. Minor wreck when attempting to stop the car under not driving conditions. Thankfully no one was hurt and only had to replace the front hood, bumper and radiator and support but have deemed the car as not road worthy and unfit for any driving conditions.

NHTSA ID

11423693

Incident

May 1, 2021

DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT WHEN TURNED ON RANDOMLY GOES OFF I HAVE TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AGAIN AND THEN IT TURNS BACK ON BUT A LOT OF TIMES IT'LL KEEP TURNING OFF. IT'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. I RARELY DRIVE MY CAR ONLY HAS 35K MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

11390581

Incident

Jul 22, 2014

Mileage

25,000 mi

DASH WENT OUT NO VISUAL, TWICE, 1ST TIME I UNHOOKED FRONT CABLE TO BATTERY, IT COME BACK ON, 2ND TIME, I STARTED CAR, CONSOL WENT OUT AGAIN, HAD TO TAKE IT TO TOYOTA PLACE, TO ORDER NEW CONSOL, BRAKE LIGHT ON, ASB LIGHT ON, AFTER REPLACING BOTH FRONT & BACK BRAKE SHOES, ENJECTOR PUMP WENT OUT

NHTSA ID

11378068

Incident

Dec 3, 2020

Mileage

200,300 mi

2007 PRIUS 144K MILES WHEN PROBLEM 1ST OCCURRED. CAR SERVICED REGULARLY - OIL CHANGED EVERY 3500 MILES. MASTER WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON RANDOMLY WHEN TURNING OR GOING UP/DOWN HILL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS RUN REPEATEDLY (AT TOYOTA AND AT LOCAL MECHANIC) NOTHING EVER FOUND. 12/2016 BROUGHT CAR TO TOYOTA SERVICE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING INITIALLY. 2+ HOURS LATER TOLD OIL IS VERY LOW WHICH MADE NO SENSE; NO OIL SPOT IN GARAGE, CAR PASSED INSPECTION AND WASN'T DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE . WAS TOLD THE 'OIL WARNING INDICATOR' WAS LIT DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE OIL WARNING LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. EVER. (OIL INDICATOR SHOULD COME ON WHEN CAR IS STARTED AND REMAIN ON -BRIEFLY IF THE OIL IS LOW. IT DOES NOT.) TOLD TECH THAT ONLY THE MASTER LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES. NEVER GIVEN AN EXPLANATION. PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. MASTER INDICATOR ONLY COMES ON WHEN THERE IS ALMOST NO OIL. LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED I ADDED 4 QTS. OF OIL, DROVE 687 MILES AND HAD TO ADD ANOTHER 4 QTS. AT THIS POINT I HAVE TO CHECK THE OIL EVERY TIME I GET INTO THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11363736

Incident

Sep 29, 2020

Mileage

193,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, A CODE ILLUMINATED INDICATING TRANSMISSION WOULD LOCK FOR SAFETY AND TO PLACE THE VEHICLE ON A FLAT SURFACE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE ARRIVED AT HIS RESIDENCE AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER NOR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

NHTSA ID

11349778

Incident

Aug 14, 2020

Mileage

200,000 mi

MY HUSBAND AND I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS OR ARE 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO SHE HAS ALREADY HAD FOUR OR MORE INSTANCES OF HER CAR DYING AND MAKING HER LOSE ALL CONTROL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR GOES INTO NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN AND WILL NOT GO BACK INTO DRIVE OR ANY OTHER GEAR THE CAR BECOMES IMMOBILE WITH NO ABILITY EVEN STEER OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR SHUT THE CAR OFF OR PUT IT IN PARK ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS COME ON BRAKES BECOME GLOWING RED HOT AND SEVERE ISSUES WITH LIGHTING AND MOISTURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11337490

Incident

Jul 4, 2020

Mileage

130,000 mi

THE MAIN COMPUTER BOARD SHORTED OUT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP FOUND OUT IT WAS RECALLED 2007-2016 BUT SEARCHED FOR INFORMATION OR SOMETHING UNABLE TO FIND INFORMATION THE CAR STAYED RUNNING UNABLE TO TURN OFF DASHBOARD SPEED AND TRANSMISSION WAS DARK UNABLE TO PUSH BUTTON TO TURN OFF CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

11323423

Incident

May 5, 2020

Mileage

1 mi

SOMETIMES WHEN I START MY CAR, THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL LEVEL AND ODOMETER CLUSTER DISPLAY GOES BLANK. I DO HAVE A SPEEDOMETER APP ON MY PHONE. I HAVE USED TIPS FROM PRIUS OWNERS ABOUT HOW TO GET THE DISPLAY BACK ON. I STILL BELIEVE THIS MAY BE A PROBLEM FOR NORMAL DRIVERS. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN I START THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11308109

Incident

Feb 8, 2020

Mileage

134,000 mi

OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS TO WORK IN THE DARK IN RUSH HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY, DRIVING STRAIGHT, AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IN LOS ANGELES, AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INSTANTLY BLACKED OUT, WITH THE CAR COMPLETELY DEAD AND HALTED. IT COULD NOT EVEN BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL! THE CAR STOPPED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. SHE CALLED 911, AND A WRECKER WAS DISPATCHED TO LIFT THE CAR OFF THE FREEWAY. THANKFULLY SHE WAS NOT INJURED OR KILLED! I THEN RESEARCHED THE LIKELY CAUSE AND DIAGNOSED IT EXACTLY. IT WAS THE "HYBRID WATER PUMP" ALSO KNOWN AS THE "INVERTER PUMP," PART #G9020-47031. THAT PART WAS RECALLED IN 2012, NHTSA RECALL # 12V536000. I HAD IT TOWED TO A NEARBY TOYOTA DEALER, NORTH HOLLYWOOD TOYOTA, TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THAT DEALER LOOKED UP THE VEHICLE'S RECORDS AND SAID THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED IN 2013. WAS IT REALLY? IF SO, THEN A RECALLED PART THAT CAUSES A COMPLETE, INSTANT BLACKOUT ON A PRIUS ALREADY FAILED AGAIN. THE RECEIPT FOR THE REPAIR IS ATTACHED, INCLUDING THE NHTSA RECALLED PART #. THE REPAIR COST $699.09 + TAX, AND CAUSED AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS INSTANT STOPPAGE OF THE VEHICLE ON A JAM-PACKED HIGHWAY. I E-MAILED TOYOTA USA CUSTOMER SERVICE TO APPEAL THE SITUATION, AND THEY SENT ME A REPLY AND ASKED THAT I CALL THEM. ON THE CALL, THEY CLAIMED THERE IS NO RECOURSE FOR ME TO PURSUE. I'M A 51 YEAR OLD U.S. ARMY OFFICER VETERAN AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED OR KNOWN OF ANYTHING THIS SUSPICIOUS AND DANGEROUS IN THE AUTOMOBILE SPACE. THANK YOU, [XXX] REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC *TR

NHTSA ID

11302378

Incident

Jan 9, 2020

Mileage

162,000 mi

ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS, THE DASH DOES NOT LIGHT UP(SPEED, GEAR SELECTIONS , GAS LEVEL, ETC) WHEN THIS HAPPENS YOU CAN NOT SHUT THE ENGINE OFF OR REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY WHICH ARE BIG SAFETY ITEMS WHEN YOU HAVE TO PARK AS YOU CAN NOT LOCK THE DOORS AND ALL INFORMATION ON THE LARGE DISPLAY DOES NOT WORK OR ANY OF THE DASH DISPLAY SO YOU HAVE NO INDICATION OF SPEED, ENGINE WARNINGS ETC. I PURCHASED MY 2007 PRIUS FROM MY LOCAL COUNTY AND NOW THEY HAVE A 2009 PRIUS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. ALL PRIUS SHOULD BE RECALLED BY TOYOTA, REGARDLESS OF AGE AND FIXED A IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PRIUS. THE ESTIMATE I HAVE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IS APPROXIMATELY $1,200 AND THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY TOYOTA AS A DEFINITE RECALL SAFETY PROBLEM. IT IS A START, STOP PROBLEM WHEN YOU CAN NOT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE OR REMOVE THE KEY AND WHILE DRIVING NO SPEED INDICATION.

NHTSA ID

11300471

Incident

Dec 20, 2019

Mileage

78,000 mi

DASHBOARD TROUBLES SHUT OFF AND DONT SHOW DASHIGHT NOTHING

NHTSA ID

11297217

Incident

Nov 20, 2019

THE DASHBOARD WOULD NOT LIGHT UP EVEN OF THE CAR IS ON AND CAN BE DRIVEN.IT WON'T STOP THE CAR. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND I JUST STARTED IT BUT THE DASH BOARD WOULD NOT LIGHT UP THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAS LEVEL.

NHTSA ID

11290443

Incident

Dec 17, 2019

Mileage

234,000 mi

SOMETIMES THE DASH WON'T LIGHT UP OTHER TIMES THE CAR WON'T SHUT OFF PLUS ON THE TAILGATE THE LITTLE ELECTRICAL PIECE FELL OFF WHERE YOU OPEN THE TRUNK

NHTSA ID

11286524

Incident

Oct 23, 2019

THE RUBBER COVER TO THE EXTERNAL TRUNK LATCH HAS MELTED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS EITHER GOOEY TO THE TOUCH IN WARM WEATHER OR FROZEN SOLID AND IMMOVABLE IN COLDER TEMPERATURES. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE, AT TIMES, DUE TO THE INFLEXIBILITY OF THE RUBBER I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE TRUNK AND, THUS, ACCESS THE SPARE, ANY OF MY REPAIR TOOLS, OUR EARTHQUAKE KIT, FLARES, JUMPERS, ETC. THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE INTERNAL METHOD FOR OPENING THE HATCHBACK/TRUNK. TOYOTA NEEDS A RECALL OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART AS THE COST TO REPAIR IT IS EXORBITANT, QUOTED TO ME AS $352.

NHTSA ID

11267228

Incident

Oct 9, 2019

Mileage

214,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUSTER PANEL WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. ALSO, THE ABS AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION TOYOTA PINELLAS PARK (727-231-1423, LOCATED AT 8501 US HIGHWAY 19 NORTH, PINELLAS PARK, FL 33781) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN RECALL IN 2017. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 138,000.

NHTSA ID

11265399

Incident

Jun 5, 2019

Mileage

138,000 mi

IF I DRIVE ON THE EXPRESSWAY OR AROUND TOWN AND I'M DRIVING A HALF HOUR SOMETIMES LESS MY CAR MAKES A LOUD BUZZING NOISE AND MY INSTRUMENT PANEL THE HAZARD LIGHTS GO ON AND I LOSE MY BRAKES. THIS WAS VERY SCARY. THANK GOODNESS I WASN'T GOING TO FAST TOWARD THE LIGHT AND DIDN'T HIT ANYONE. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE IT DOES THIS ALL THE TIME IF I'M DRIVING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME 1/2 HOUR OR MORE. MY VEHICLE WAS ON CITY STREET AND ON HIGHWAY. I WAS IN MOTION. ON THE HIGHWAY 70MPH AND ON CITY STREETS 35/40 MPH.

NHTSA ID

11253488

Incident

May 12, 2019

Mileage

220,000 mi