Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Toyota Prius submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
DURING THE ACCIDENT, THE BACK SEAT FELL DOWN. I AM ASSUMING IT HAPPENED DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT BUT IT WAS TERRIFYING BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE HAVE OUR CHILDREN REAR FACING IN THAT VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED ON THE FREEWAY AND THE GLASS WAS BROKEN IN THE BACK FROM THE IMPACT.
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ILLUMINATED WARNING LIGHT AND DASH NOT WORKING. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. *JS
TRUNK HATCH RELEASE RUBBER PIECE STARTED GOING SOFT; IT IS NOW MELTED AND COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED INTO THE LATCH LOCKING MECHANISM. *TR
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. *TR
SOME MONTHS AGO THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK STOPPED WORKING. I ENDED UP USING THE KEY TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, SINCE TOYOTA DEALER QUOTED ME $500 TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS, I DECIDED TO PAY AND THE ISSUE WAS FIXED. TO MY SURPRISE, THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK IS GOING BAD NOW. WHEN I TRY TO UNLOCK IT FROM WITHIN THE CAR, USING THE "UNLOCK DOORS" BUTTON, IT WILL WORK EVERY 3RD TIME OR SO. CLEARLY A BIGGER ISSUE, NOT ISOLATED TO MY INDIVIDUAL VEHICLE. I ONLY HAVE 70000 MILES AND ALWAYS SERVICED MY VEHICLE AT THE TOYOTA DEALERS. I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO PAY TO FIX MY LOCK AND REIMBURSE ME FOR THE ACTUATOR I ALREADY PAID TO REPLACE. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITH THE VEHICLE PARKED, THE INTERIOR DOORS LOCKED INDEPENDENTLY AND WOULD NOT UNLOCK WHEN USING THE ELECTRONIC KEY FOB. THE KEY-LESS IGNITION WAS OFF HOWEVER, THE AIR CONDITIONER AND RADIO WERE ACTIVATED DURING THE MALFUNCTION. THERE WAS AN OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE WHO WAS UNABLE TO ENGAGE THE POWER LOCK SWITCH. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE REAR DRIVER'S DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INTERIOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK ON THE DOOR WAS ENGAGED. THE DEALER DISENGAGED THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
IN EARLY 2010 (ESTIMATE), THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK OF OUR 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH KEY FAUB OR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON. I TOOK VEHICLE INTO POWAY TOYOTA (POWAY, CA) AND THEY STATED DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED, WHICH THEY REPLACED AT MY COST. BY THE SUMMER OF 2010 (ESTIMATE), THE OTHER THREE DOOR LOCKS HAVE FAILED. I MUST USE THE KEY TO OPEN THE FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR AND REACH OVER TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOORS WHILE PASSENGERS WAIT OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT IS NOT SAFE FOR PASSENGERS TO WAIT TO ENTER VEHICLE. TO HAVE ALL FOUR DOOR LOCKS FAIL WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THE CAR CONSTRUCTION, INDICATES TO ME THERE COULD BE A DEFECT WITH THIS PART OF THE TOYOTA PRIUS. I REQUEST YOU INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER. *TR
REAR HATCHBACK LOCKING/UNLOCKING BUTTON GUMMY AND INABILITY TO UNLOCK TRUCK MANUALLY AND ELECTRICALLY. UNABLE TO ACCESS TRUNK WHERE EMERGENCY/SAFETY EQUIPMENT LOCATED. *TR
MY 2008 PRIUS TRUNK HANDLE HAS MELTED. IT IS NOW DIFFICULT TO OPEN, AND IS EXTREMELY MESSY. THIS STARTED IN MAY 2011, JUST OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD OF THE CAR. *TR
RUBBER ON THE 2008 PRIUS IS MELTING AND DRIPPING. I'VE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON LINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR
PRIUS TRUNK HANDLE MELTED. *TR
THERE WERE NO DISTINGUISHING EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THE TOTAL FAILURE OF MY 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT AND DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY (FRONT). THEY BOTH NO LONGER WORKED WITHIN A 1 DAY PERIOD AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. NOTICING 2 OR MORE OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL THERE FOR LIGHT REPLACEMENT CAUSED ME TO INQUIRE WHAT CAUSED THEIR LIGHT MALFUNCTIONS. IN THE MATTER OF MINUTES OF MY CALLING IN, ROUGHLY AN HOUR INTO THE DEALERSHIPS OPENING, I WAS TOLD THE LIGHTS WERE AVAILABLE, BY THE TIME ARRIVED, WITHIN 5 MINUTES, ENOUGH AUTOS HAD ARRIVED ALSO WITH THE "HID" HEADLAMPS OUT THAT THE DEALERSHIPS ENTIRE STOCK OF LIGHTS HAD BEEN USED UP, AND REQUIRED MY HAVING TO RETURN AFTER ANOTHER SHIPMENT OF LIGHTS WERE RECEIVED, AS WELL. I DID NOT REQUEST THE OLD PART. *TR
2008 TOYOTA PRIUS, OPTION PACKAGE 6 MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE LEATHER BUCKET FRONT SEATS, 27,000. MILES. DRIVERS SEAT MANUAL RECLINE MECHANISM FAILS TO CONSISTENTLY POSITIVELY LOCK INTO POSITION AND REQUIRES DRIVER TO REACH AROUND AND PULL ON SEAT BACK TO POSITIVELY LOCK (CLICK) THE RECLINE MECHANISM IN POSITION. ST CHARLES TOYOTA (ILLINIOS) REFUSES TO REPAIR THE SEAT UNDER WARRANTY. THEY STATE, "THEY ALL DO THAT". IF A REAR END COLLISION WHERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE DRIVER SEAT IS NOT POSITIVELY LOCKED, INJURY TO REAR SEAT PASSENGERS (CHILDREN) WOULD LIKELY OCCUR DUE TO THE DRIVER SEAT BACK BEING THRUST INTO THEM BY THE ACCELERATION OF THE IMPACT. DRIVER WOULD LIKELY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SEAT BACK FAILING INTO THE REARWARD RECLINE POSITION.*TR
INTERIOR INSTRUMENT FAILURE. TEMPERATURE APP. 23 DEG. F. CAR STARTED NORMALLY MFD CAME UP FINE. MAIN DASH INSTRUMENTS FAILED TO COME ON. NO SPEEDOMETER, GEARSHIFT INDICATOR, FUEL GAUGE, OR ODOMETER. ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTING WORKED FINE. VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND DROVE NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 15-20 MIN. WHEN I PARKED AND TRIED TO TURN OFF THE CAR BY PRESSING THE POWER BUTTON THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHUT DOWN. CONTACTED TOYOTA USA AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY RELY ON THEIR DEALERSHIPS FOR TECH SUPPORT. WENT THROUGH MANUAL DRIVETRAIN SHUTDOWN BY PRESSING AND HOLDING THE POWER BUTTON. SHUTTING DOWN ALL ACCESSORIES TO LIMIT ACCESSORY BATTERY. COULD NOT LOCK VEHICLE. APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES LATER WENT OUT TO THE CAR AND VEHICLE POWERED UP AS THOUGH NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. I BELIEVE THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS THE ISSUE AND THERE IS SOME SOFTWARE ISSUE THAT IS NOT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. ANYTIME YOU CANNOT TURN OFF A VEHICLE THERE IS A RISK FOR AN ACCIDENT AND OR INJURY FROM AN UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT. THEORIZED THAT THE ACCESSORY BATTERY MAY BE LOW. BUT THIS WOULD RESULT IN THE CAR NOT BRINGING THE MAIN BATTERY ONLINE. TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS THIS ISSUE . *TR
TODAY, I WENT TO WORK DRIVING MY PRIUS (2008 WITH 11000 MILES) WITHOUT ANY DASH BOARD LIGHTS. THE DASHBOARD UNDER THE WINDSHIELD IS A REFLECTIVE TYPE WITH A WHOLE ARRAY OF OPERATING INDICATING LIGHTS ACROSS TO THE PASSENGERS SIDE. ONLY THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT WORKED FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT WORK. I TRIED VARIOUS POWER ON/OFF BRAKE ON/OFF COMBINATIONS TO GET THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WORKING. I PRESSED THE POWER BUTTON WITH OR WITHOUT THE BRAKES ENGAGED DURING STARTUP. THE ENGINE STILL RAN AND THE HEADLIGHTS, TURN INDICATORS, BRAKE LIGHTS, RADIO AND FUEL CONSUMPTION GAUGE WORKED. I HAD NO IDEA OF MY DRIVING SPEED OTHER THAN WHAT OTHER CAR SPEED AROUND ME WERE DOING. I HAD TO DRIVE UNDER THE RISK OF BRAKING THE LAW AS WELL AS THE DISTRACTING NO LIGHTING. THEN A WORSE PROBLEM DEVELOPED. I COULD NOT TURN THE SHUT CAR OFF AND I COULD NOT LOCK IT AFTER I GOT OUT. IT GAVE ME THE USUAL BEEP THAT IT WAS STILL RUNNING. I TRIED PRESSING THE POWER BUTTON NUMEROUS TIMES. I TRIED LOCKING THE CAR WITH THE MECHANICAL KEY AND IT ELECTRONICALLY KEPT OPENING. I TRIED VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF BRAKING WHILE SITTING, WALKING A GREATER DISTANCE FROM THE CAR, USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SLAMMING ON THE DASHBOARD HOPING IT WAS A LOOSE WIRE. NOTHING WORKED. THE CAR IS SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT RIGHT NOW STILL RUNNING WITHOUT A KEY. I COULD NOT LOCK IT. AS I WALKED AWAY, I PRESSED THE ELECTRONIC KEY NUMEROUS TIMES. THE LITTLE RED LIGHT INDICATED IT WAS WORKING. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO. L WAS LATE FOR WORK AND I START AT 6 AM. THE DEALER, (TOYOTA HEARTLAND OF BREMERTON), DOESN'T OPEN UNTIL 7:00 AM AND ITS 6:25 AM. I MANUALLY TURNED OFF THE DISPLAY AND RADIO SO THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF LIGHTING WAS SHOWING. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE CAR IS STILL IN THE PARKING LOT RUNNING AND EASY TO STEAL. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT POWER DOWN NOR WOULD THE CAR LOCK. THE DASHBOARD (BELOW THE WINDSHIELD) NOT LIGHTING WAS SAME PROBLEM I HAD A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. *TR
DEAR NHTSA, I BOUGHT MY CAR JULY, 2008 AND I NOTICED RIGHT A WAY AT NIGHT MY CAR HAVE THIS VERY BRIGHT LIGHT FRONT OF MY WINDSHIELD. I FOUND OUT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM AND IT WAS COMING FROM REFLECTION FROM THE ODOMETER. THIS LIGHT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE A '!@#$% THING NOTHING BUT BRIGHT GREEN LINE LIGHT. THIS LIGHT IS DESIGN FLAW & NEED TO BE CORRECTED A.S.A.P. TOYOTA IS DOING NOTHING BUT TELLING ME TO RESELL MY CAR BACK TO THEM FOR CHEAP. I LIKE MY CAR BUT THIS ISSUE. I LIKE MY CAR TO BE FIXED. PLEASE HELP ME... *TR
DEAR NHTSA, I OWN A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT I PURCHASED FROM CAPISTRANO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. THE DESIGN FLAW WITH THE VEHICLE THAT I AM ABOUT TO REPORT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE DEATH OR BODILY INJURY IF IT'S NOT CORRECTED RIGHT THE WAY. THE ISSUE IS THAT IF YOU DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHT AND THE INTERIOR DIMMER IS TURNED WAY UP, YOU COULD SEE A LINE OF BLUE LIGHT ABOUT 6 INCHES LONG RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD, ON THE DRIVER SIDE. I BELIEVE THAT THE LIGHT THAT YOU SEE ON THE WINDSHIELD IS THE RESULT OF THE LIGHT REFLECTION FROM THE ODOMETER. THE LIGHT ON THE WINDSHIELD IS A DISTRACTION FOR DRIVERS. I GOT DISTRACTED BY LOOKING AT THIS LIGHT WHILE DRIVING, AND ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT ON 03/15/08. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO FIND OUT THAT THE LIGHT REFLECTION ON THE WINDSHIELD GOES AWAY IF THE DIMMER IS TURNED WAY DOWN. HOWEVER, THE GPS SCREEN TURNS DARK AND ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS GO DIM IF THE DIMMER IS TURNED WAY DOWN. I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGNFLAW WITH THE VEHICLE BECAUSE I LIKE MY GPS SCREEN AND ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS TO BE BRIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. I'VE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO TOYOTA, BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW IT IS DESIGNED. I HOPE THAT NHTSA COULD PERSUADE TOYOTA TO RECALL ALL PRIUSES AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR HURT. YOUR HELP WITH THIS ISSUE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR
I HAVE REPORTED TO TOYOTA MY CONCERN ABOUT THE 2008 MODEL YEAR PRIUS, THE MIDDLE BACK PASSENGER SEAT. THE SEAT HAS BEEN RAISED UP ABOUT 2 INCHES (PADDING) BUT IS NARROW, CAUSING IT TO NOT BE STABLE/COMPATIBLE WITH AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT CHILD RESTRAINT/BOOSTER SEATS THAT WE HAVE TRIED. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE WITH THE 2005 MODEL YEAR PRIUS. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO MANUFACTURER, COMPLAINT#REF#200712061340. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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