2008 Toyota Prius Body & structure Problems

Trunk lock will not unlock or allow opening, back latch malfunctions, when car battery dies or car looses power《• you cannot open the trunk and access emergency tools/equipment and battery to jump car. •》You have to access by climbing through the front of the car if you are able-bodied too. There is no opening handle from the inside of the trunk to be let out, scariest and one of the most important major safety concerns, theres no emergency exit from inside vehicle. Water/snow/ice also falls down into the vehicle when opening hatchback, it slides inward from hood of car or slides back from rear windshield and door, causes water to be pooled up in my battery compartment.

NHTSA ID

11684149

Incident

Aug 1, 2022

I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 35-40 MPH ON A 4 LANE CITY ROAD & A TRUCK PULLED IN FRONT OF ME FROM A SHOPPING CENTER ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF ROAD FROM WHICH I WAS TRAVELING WITHOUT STOPPING IN CENTER MEDIAN CROSSOVER. I HIT BRAKES BUT I HAD NO TIME TO STOP. I'M NOT SURE THE BRAKES EVEN WORKED AS THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS FROM BRAKING. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF MY CAR HIT HARD & ALSO DAMAGED DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WELL, FENDER PANEL. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY HEAD COLLIDED WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. IT RESULTED IN MY HAVING A CONCUSSION, WHIPLASH, A FRACTURE IN MY NECK, SHOULDER PAIN & NERVE ISSUES IN MY ARMS & HANDS, BACK & HIP PAIN. I KNOW IF THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED I WOULDN'T HAVE SUFFERED ALL THE PHYSICAL ISSUES. THIS ALL HAPPENED JAN. 11 & I STILL HAVE PAIN. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS.

NHTSA ID

11395021

Incident

Jan 11, 2021

Mileage

93,000 mi

THE RUBBER TRUNK SWITCH COVER HAS DEGRADED, AND CONTINUES TO "MELT" OR "DISINTEGRATE" OVER TIME. ORIGINALLY THIS WAS A MERE IRRITATION, LEAVING STICKY BLACK RESIDUE ON MY FINGERS EVERY TIME I OPENED THE TRUNK. HOWEVER, NOW THE SWITCH FAILS TO OPERATE MOST OF THE TIME. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE TRUNK TO ACCESS THE SPARE TIRE, AS WELL AS OTHER SAFETY EQUIPMENT OR SUPPLIES.

NHTSA ID

11170924

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

82,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR HATCH BUTTON MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTH DADE TOYOTA (29330 S DIXIE HWY, HOMESTEAD, FL 33033, (786) 465-7908) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRE CONNECTIONS WERE DISCONNECTED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE REAR HATCH BUTTON WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ID

11111075

Incident

Nov 22, 2017

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE HATCHBACK RUBBER DOOR HANDLE MELTED EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS GARAGED AND NOT EXPOSED TO THE SUN'S HEAT. ALSO THE HATCHBACK LATCH WOULD NOT KEEP THE DOOR IN AN OPEN POSITION. IT DROPPED MULTIPLE TIMES HITTING MY HEAD WHILE GETTING THE GROCERIES. CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES IT HIT MY HEAD BUT DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS.

NHTSA ID

11067325

Incident

Feb 5, 2018

TOYOTA PRIUS (2008) - FIRE AFTER MINOR ACCIDENT (BATTERY FIRE) AFTER A FAIRLY STANDARD REAR END COLLISION (25-30 MPH), MY TOYOTA PRIUS CAUGHT FIRE AND BURST INTO FLAMES. I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ON A CITY STREET IN CHICAGO, IL WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, MY VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION. WITHIN MINUTES OF IMPACT (TO RIGHT REAR OF CAR), THE RESPONDING POLICE OFFICER SAW FIRE UNDER THE CAR (BEGAN IN REAR) AND THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED. THE FIRE TRAVELLED TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE CAR HAS BEEN DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE POLICE AND TOW COMPANY BELIEVE THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE PRIUS BATTERY AND THESE CARS ARE VERY UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD WITH THIS CONDITION. THERE HAS BEEN NO RELATED RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE, BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY UNSAFE AND I'M VERY HAPPY I WAS NOT TRAVELING WITH MY CHILDREN AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME TO REVIEW THIS CASE AND TAKING STEPS TO ENSURE TOYOTA ADDRESSES THE ISSUES WITH THE PRIUS VEHICLES. I'VE ATTACHED THE POLICE REPORT AND PHOTOS OF THE CAR FIRE (I ALSO HAVE VIDEO OF THE FIRE, BUT THE FILE IS TOO LARGE TO ATTACH ON THIS SUBMISSION - AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST). NO MAJOR INJURIES - I EXPERIENCED SORENESS / HEADACHES FROM IMPACT/WHIPLASH AND SAW MY DOCTOR FOLLOWING ACCIDENT (NO MAJOR INJURY). PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW IF I CAN PROVIDE ANYTHING ELSE / ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! [XXX] ('PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).')*JB

NHTSA ID

11040438

Incident

Oct 23, 2017

Mileage

60,000 mi

MY 2008 PRIUS (67,500 MILES) REGULARLY SERVICED AT THE TOYOTA DEALER HAD A CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE WHILE I WAS GOING IN REVERSE DOWN MY DRIVE WAY . I HAVE DONE THE SAME MANEUVER EVERY DAY FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS IN THIS DRIVEWAY AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. AS THE BRAKES FAILED I ATTEMPTED TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL MORE TO NO AVAIL. THE CAR CROSSED THE STREET AND WENT IN THE NEIGHBOR YARD ACROSS FROM MY DRIVEWAY. THE CAR IS TOTALED AND I BELIEVE IT WAS A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE THAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE TOTAL LOSS OF MY CAR.

NHTSA ID

10966665

Incident

Mar 4, 2017

MY REAR HATCH DOOR LATCH COVER AND SWITCH ARE INOPERABLE AND THE RUBBER LATCH COVER IS GUMMY. HATCH WILL NO LONGER OPEN - THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE- HOW CAN I GET TO MY SPARE TIRE?

NHTSA ID

10944236

Incident

Sep 20, 2016

Mileage

105,000 mi

I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND TURNED MY CAR INTO A PARKING SPACE. AS I SLOWED MY CAR TO BRING IT TO A STOP, APPLYING THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND CRASHED INTO A RAILING AT THE HEAD OF THE PARKING SPACE. ALTHOUGH I PUSHED THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO TO FLOOR, I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. THE CAR HIT AT SUCH A SPEED THAT IT BROKE A SOLID WOOD RAILING AT THE FRONT OF THE PARKING SPACE. MY CAR WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE. IT SEEMED TO ME THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND THE BRAKE WAS NONFUNCTIONAL. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. I HAD TWO RELATED INCIDENTS PRIOR TO THIS CRASH. THE FIRST, I REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. AGAIN, THE CAR ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP IT. EVEN WITH THE BRAKE FULLY PRESSED, THE CAR HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE, BOUNCED BACKWARD, CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND HIT THE CAR AGAIN BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. SECONDLY, ONE TIME I NOTICED WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE TO MAKE A SHARP RIGHT TURN, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. THIS DID NOT RESULT IN A CRASH.

NHTSA ID

10909656

Incident

Aug 27, 2016

Mileage

82,000 mi

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT, ON A TOWN STREET AND A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF HER. THE IMPACT WAS ON HER FRONT BUMPER AND HOOD PUSHING THE SIDE QUARTER PANELS BACK. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS AN OLDER PONTIAC GRAND PRIS, THEIR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON THE TOYOTA PRIUS.WHY DID THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOY?

NHTSA ID

10903463

Incident

Sep 3, 2016

Mileage

101,000 mi

THE RUBBER ON THE REAR LIFTGATE HAS DETERIORATED. MY FINGERS GET COVERED IN A STICKY GOO EVERY TIME I OPEN IT.

NHTSA ID

10898928

Incident

Aug 1, 2016

THE REAR LATCH ASSEMBLY IS HELD IN PLACE BY PLASTIC BOLTS. OVER TIME, THE PLASTIC DISTINGRATES. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE REAR LATCH OF THE PARKED CAR, THE PLASTIC CRACKED AND THE ASSEMBLY CAME LOOSE.

NHTSA ID

10853405

Incident

Mar 24, 2016

Mileage

85,000 mi

THE HATCHBACK LATCH HAS A RUBBER COVER WHICH HAS BEEN DETERIORATING FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THERE ARE 100S OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT IT. NOW, THE LATCH PRESSURE PLATE FAILS TO ALLOW ME TO OPEN HATCH AND THE NEARBY (PLASTIC?) PART IS BROKEN--SIMILAR TO MANY OTHERS ON WEB. DEALER QUOTES A $540 COST TO REPAIR THE LATCH AND PLATE.

NHTSA ID

10850312

Incident

Mar 14, 2016

Mileage

106,000 mi

THE LATCH HANDLE ON THE HATCHBACK HAS "MELTED" FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD. THE HANDLE HAS BECOME GOOEY AND LEAVES A BLACK RESIDUE ON MY FINGERS EVERY TIME I OPEN THE HATCHBACK. BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, THE HANDLE IS HARDER TO USE, MAKING IT MORE TRYING TO OPEN THE TRUNK.

NHTSA ID

10811952

Incident

Dec 23, 2015

Mileage

160,000 mi

REAR SWITCH THAT ALLOWS LIFT GATE TO BE OPEN, FAILS. RUBBER BREAKS DOWN AND BECOMES LIKE GLUE, MAKING IT HARD FOR INDIVIDUAL OPENING LIFT GATE TO REMOVE HAND AS NORMALLY EXPECTED, INDUCING STRAIN ON INDIVIDUAL BACK AND CREATING UNEXPECTED TWISTING MOTION CAUSING INJURY AND DAMAGING TRIM ON CAR. TOYOTA HAS ISSUED RECALL IN JAPAN BUT NOT US [HTTPS://TOYOTA.JP/RECALL/KAISYU/121107.HTML] [NOT SURE OF EXACT DATE, THIS IS SECOND REPORT TOYOTA CLAIM 1512-2317-10]

NHTSA ID

10811934

Incident

May 1, 2013

Mileage

100,000 mi

I PURCHASED MY PRIUS IN 2008. APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE, I NOTICED THAT THE HANDLE ON THE BACK HATCH HAD STARTED TO GET REALLY SOFT IN HOT WEATHER AND FREEZE UP A LITTLE IN COLD WEATHER. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST A NUISANCE AS IT SOMETIMES LEFT A BLACK STICKY SUBSTANCE ON MY HANDS; HOWEVER, OVER TIME IT BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND THE HATCH BECAME HARDER TO OPEN. I CANNOT OPEN IT AT ALL NOW (SEPT. 2015), LEAVING ME WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE SPARE TIRE, THE BATTERY, SNOW SHOVEL, OR MY ACCIDENT KIT (FLARES, BLANKET, ETC). MY BACK LIGHT ALSO KEEPS GOING OFF THEN COMING BACK (I GOT A TICKET FOR IT) BUT I CANNOT GET TO THE LIGHT FIXTURE BECAUSE I CANNOT OPEN THE TRUNK. THIS IS THEREFORE A SAFETY HAZARD AND TOYOTA SHOULD FIX IT. I AM TOLD THAT THEY HAVE ADMITTED LIABILITY AND FIXED THIS PROBLEM FOR FREE IN JAPAN. IF THAT IS TRUE, IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE US! LACK OF ACCESS TO BATTERY AND SPARE TIRE AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE REAR LIGHT POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10779526

Incident

Sep 15, 2015

THE LATCH HANDLE ON THE HATCHBACK HAS DISINTEGRATED. THE HANDLE HAS BECOME GOOEY AND LEAVES A BLACK RESIDUE ON MY FINGERS EVERY TIME I OPEN THE HATCHBACK. BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, THE HANDLE IS HARDER TO USE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE TRUNK. REPLACEMENT PART NUMBER IS 84905-47010.

NHTSA ID

10763506

Incident

Jul 31, 2015

Mileage

70,000 mi

WE PURCHASED OUR PRIUS IN 2008. APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE, WE NOTICED THAT THE HANDLE ON THE BACK HATCH STARTED TO MELT. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST A NUISANCE AS IT LEFT A BLACK GOO ON YOUR HANDS. AS TIME PASSED IT BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND THE HATCH BECAME HARDER TO OPEN DUE TO THE MELTED HANDLE. LAST WEEK (AUG. 2015) OUR 12 VOLT BATTERY DIED OVER NIGHT AND WE COULDN'T START THE CAR OR GET ANYTHING TO WORK. OF COURSE, WE COULD NOT OPEN THE BACK HATCH AT ALL TO ACCESS THE BATTERY. WE CALLED A TOW SERVICE TO TOW OUR CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER. WE WERE ABLE TO JUMP THE CAR AND DRIVE TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER HERD OF THIS HAPPENING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MELTED HANDLE SHORTED OUT THE WIRING FOR THE REAR LIGHT AND DRAINED THE BATTERY OVERNIGHT. AFTER A LITTLE RESEARCH< WE FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT A LOCALIZED PROBLEM BUT IS PRETTY COMMON ON 2007 AND 2008 PRIUS'. TOYOTA IS NOT WILLING TO FIX TS OWN DESIGN FLAW AND WE ARE OUT $250. THIS POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IF THERE IS A FLAT TIRE OR DEAD BATTERY AND WE ARE UNABLE TO OPEN THE BACK HATCH.

NHTSA ID

10758736

Incident

Jul 10, 2012

I WAS HIT IN THE REAR END WHICH SHOVED ME INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME 7/31/2015. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA ID

10748297

Incident

Jul 31, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE BLACK RUBBER IS DISINTEGRATING AND FALLING OFF THE OUTSIDE TRUNK LATCH, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK TO GET TO THE SPARE TIRE OR BATTERY. THIS IS ALSO HAPPENING TO MY NEIGHBOR, WHO PARKS RIGHT NEXT TO ME AND ALSO HAS A 2008 PRIUS.

NHTSA ID

10744430

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

Mileage

85,213 mi

REAR HATCHBACK LOCKING/UNLOCKING RUBBER HANDLE DISOLVED/MELTED AND BECAME A TAR-LIKE MASS THAT STUCK TO FINGERS. UNABLE TO UNLOCK TRUCK MANUALLY AND ELECTRICALLY. UNABLE TO ACCESS TRUNK WHERE EMERGENCY/SAFETY EQUIPMENT LOCATED.

NHTSA ID

10732837

Incident

Nov 1, 2014

Mileage

79,100 mi

THE RUBBER COVER ON THE REAR HATCH DOOR LATCH / SWITCH HAS DEGRADED AND MELTED. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH AND TO ACCESS MY SPARE TIRE, MAKING THIS A SAFETY HAZARD. THERE IS NO MANUAL WAY TO RELEASE THE HATCH. THERE HAVE BEEN DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA SITE ABOUT THIS ISSUE, SEE HTTP://WWW.MEYERSONSTRATEGY.COM/2013/09/TOYOTAS-STICKY-2007-PRIUS-HATCH-PROBLEM.HTML FOR MORE. THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY TOYOTA--IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE ($200-400) REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10701491

Incident

Oct 1, 2014

Mileage

65,000 mi

THIS ISN'T A "SAFETY" ISSUE SO I HOPE THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO FILE THIS. THE TRUNK LATCH ON THE TOYOTA PRIUS DISINTEGRATES. I BELIEVE THE MATERIAL, DESIGN IS POOR. IT WILL COST $487 TO REPLACE THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10693576

Incident

Mar 4, 2014

Mileage

95,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 PRIUS IN RAINY WEATHER (NORMAL FOR SEATTLE) NORTHBOUND ON INTERSTATE 5 IN RELATIVELY HEAVY TRAFFIC. TRAFFIC WAS SLOWING DOWN, SO I BRAKE AND DECREASED MY SPEED FURTHER. AS I GOT CLOSER TO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME, I PUSHED MORE FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE ABS DID NOT ENGAGE. THE CAR JUST KEPT MOVING ALONG AND I RAN INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. LUCKILY MY SPEED WAS ONLY 5-7 MPH. THE OTHER CAR, AN SUV, WAS NOT DAMAGED. MY FRONT HOOD WAS QUITE CRUNCHED. NO ONE WAS HURT. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE BRAKES SIMPLY DID NOT ENGAGE AT THE LAST MOMENT. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE RECALLS OF 2010 PRIUS' BECAUSE OF ABS FAILURES, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE AWARE OF AT LEAST ONE 2008 PRIUS THAT SEEMS TO HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR FAILURE. THANKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10678150

Incident

Jan 17, 2015

Mileage

72,000 mi

THE LATCH COVER ON THE HATCHBACK HAS DETERIORATED AND IS ALMOST COMPLETELY MELTED AWAY. IN WARM WEATHER IT IS INCREDIBLY STICKY AND ANYTHING THAT TOUCHES IT GETS BLACK GOO ON IT, AND THE GOO IS HARD TO REMOVE FORM HANDS OR ANYTHING ELSE. IT HAS BEEN HARD TO OPEN FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, AND HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE IT TODAY AT A COST OF $285. I EMAILED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE MONTHS AGO ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD THIS IS AN ISSUE ON THEIR VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10672441

Incident

Oct 1, 2013

Mileage

117,000 mi