2004 Toyota Prius complaints

CAR: 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS PROBLEM: INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS WHILE DRIVING. LAST NIGHT WHILE DRIVING ALONG AN UNLIT COUNTRY ROAD, BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON BY TURNING ON AND OFF THE HEADLAMPS USING THE STALK MOUNTED SWITCH. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SEE THE TOYOTA RECALL WEBSITE AND TRY THIS SEARCH, "TROUBLE SHOOTING PRIUS HID BULB AND HID ECU", AND YOU WILL GET THIS RESULT,"FOUND: 62255 RESULTS FOR "TROUBLE SHOOTING PRIUS HID BULB AND HID ECU". BUT THE SITE ONLY ALLOWS YOU TO SEE AND ACCESS 45 OTHER "OTHER RESULTS", THAT ARE VERY GENERIC AND TALK ABOUT OTHER TOYOTA MODELS. WHY CAN'T THE PUBLIC SEE THE 62,255 SEARCH RESULTS. ALSO CHECK THE FORUM AT "HTTP://PRIUSCHAT.COM/FORUMS/GEN-II-PRIUS-CARE-MAINTENANCE-TROUBLESHOOTING/47938-MY-HID-BULB-REPLACEMENT-MY-06-PRIUS.HTML". THERE ARE 175 POSTS DATING BACK TO 2008. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO HAVE ALL THE LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAIL IN ANY VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AND DESERVES THE ATTENTION OF THE NHTSA RIGHT NOW. *TR

UNSAFE NIGHTTIME HEADLAMP LIGHTING DUE TO FAILURE OF HEIGHT SENSOR, P/N 8940847010, 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. FAILURE OF HEIGHT SENSOR CAUSED HEADLAMPS TO POINT DOWN. *TR

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED SOMEONE ELSE DROVE HER VEHICLE AND HE EXPERIENCED SLUGGISH ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. A MESSAGE FLASHED QUICKLY, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO READ IT. *JB

WHILE HEADING UP MY DRIVEWAY IN MY 2004 PRIUS, THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, I THREW IT INTO REVERSE AND TURNED BACK TOWARD MY GARAGE WHERE IT CRASHED THRU THE WALL. *TR

2004 PRIUS AT 146K MILES WITH ORIGINAL HEADLIGHTS. DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT TURNS ORANGE AND GOES OUT AFTER 2 MINUTES. PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT GOES OUT RANDOMLY AND TAKES OUT FOG LIGHTS AT THE SAME TIME. A COMPLETE FAILURE OF FORWARD FACING LIGHTING INCLUDING FOG LAMPS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IF A HEADLIGHT GOES OUT. TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF-AND-ON BRINGS THEM BACK FOR AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF TIME UNTIL COMPLETE FAILURE ONCE AGAIN. *TR

1) EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE: POST-"90L CAMPAIGN" RECALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS, VEHICLE DRIVING AT ~15 MPH ON A FLAT CLEAR ROAD. 2) THE FAILURE: UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OBSERVED. ACCELERATED, WITHOUT ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED, TO ~27 MPH. BRAKES SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED. RELEASE OF BRAKE RESUMED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. "RODE THE BRAKE TO DELIVER VEHICLE TO SAFE PARKING LOCATION. CONSEQUENCE: UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CONTROLLABLE BY BRAKING. 3) NOTHING HAS YET BEEN DONE TO CORRECT FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN OR MOVED SINCE FAILURE, SINCE DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY OWNER PENDING ANY USEFUL RESPONSE TO NOTIFICATION OF THIS INCIDENT BY TOYOTA INC. (NO USEFUL RESPONSE AS OF YET.) THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONSUMERS CONCERN. UPDATED 08/30/10 UPDATE IVOQ 09/01/10*JB *TR

I GOT MY 2004 PRIUS IN NOV 2003. MY DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED LAST YEAR AND I WAS CHARGED AT LEAST $200 TO REPLACE LAST YEAR. THE SAME HEADLIGHT FAILED ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO, AND I DO NOT HAVE $200+ TO GET THE BULB REPLACED. I'VE BEEN UNABLE TO DO THIS MYSELF AS HAVE MANY OTHER PRIUS OWNERS. *TR

THE AUTOMOBILE WAS STOPPED AT A INTERSECTION AND THE PAVEMENT WAS WET FROM A LIGHT RAIN. I APPLIED NORMAL PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR AND FELT THE CAR MOVE FORWARD AS EXPECTED. THEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS, I FELT THE TIRES SLIP DUE TO A LOST OF TRACTION WITH THE WET PAVEMENT. AT THAT POINT THE ANTI-SKID/TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGED AND STOPPED ALL POWER TO THE WHEELS. THIS LEFT ME PART WAY INTO THE INTERSECTION AND NO POWER TO THE WHEELS. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR EVEN TO THE FLOOR RESULTED IN NO CHANGE, NO MOTOR OR ENGINE POWER. THIS HAS OCCURRED THREE TIME IN SIMILAR CONDITIONS, WITH MIXED RESULTS. TWICE THE PROBLEM COULD OF LEAD TO AN MAJOR ACCIDENT. IN SUMMARY THIS PROBLEM DISABLE THE DRIVE TRAIN IN A UNPREDICTABLE MANNER THAT TAKES THE DRIVER OUT OF THE PROCESS. *TR

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS ACCELERATES DUE TO GAS PEDAL GETTING STUCK IN THE FLOOR MAT. THIS MORNING I WAS DRIVING MY TOYOTA PRIUS 2004 THAT I BOUGHT FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER WHO MENTIONED ALL RECALL ISSUES WERE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. HE MENTIONED THE DEALER SHAVED OFF THE GAS PEDAL TO MAKE IT SHORTER. BUT TODAY, WHILE ON I 495 GOING EASTWARDS JUST BEFORE ENTERING THE HOV LANE, I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO OVER TAKE ANOTHER SLOW VEHICLE. THE CAR ENGINE KEPT RAISING NOISE, AND CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. I BRAKED, THE CAR SLOWED A BIT BUT ENGINE KEPT RUNNING FAST... I REALIZED THIS IS POTENTIALLY SAME ISSUE THAT PEOPLE REPORTED ON PRESS AND WITH LOT OF STRUGGLE TRYING TO BRAKE AND SLOW DOWN, REALIZED AND PUT THE CAR INTO N, NEUTRAL POSITION. I AM LUCKY TO KNOW THIS FROM MEDIA REPORTS, OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER DEAD GUY ON A PRIUS! WHILE I WAS STILL ON HIGHWAY, NEEDING TO MAINTAIN SPEED I PUT THE CAR BACK ON DRIVE MODE, D AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I REALIZED, I CAN LIFT THE GAS PEDAL WITH MY LEFT FOOT, AND SUCCEEDED IN UNTANGLING THE PEDAL FROM THE FLOOR MAT. AFTER I DID THAT IT WAS FINE. I ARRIVED AT WORK, BUT WITH EXTREME SHOCK AND DISAPPOINTMENT. I AM WONDERING HOW THIS PROBLEM CAN STILL REMAIN AFTER A RECALL REPAIR IS DONE ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND MY LIFE WAS IN TOTAL RISK AND I SURVIVED TODAY PURELY BECAUSE OF MY TECHNICAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THIS CAR ISSUE. I AM AN ENGINEER IN PROFESSION, A MECHANICAL E

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES ACCELERATION PROBLEMS *TGW WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMER SWERVED INTO THE NEXT LANE TO AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE MOTOR REVVED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FISHTAIL. THEN THE MOTOR RETURNED TO NORMAL AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, BUT WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL AND THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY TOYOTA. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *JB

MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS. THEY INTERMITTENTLY TURN THEMSELVES OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. TRIED REPLACING THEM PER THE MANUAL INSTRUCTIONS BUT THE INSTALLED LAMPS ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE MANUAL, SO REPLACING THEM IS NOT AN OPTION. I CONSIDER THIS A MAJOR SAFETY DEFECT. THESE LAMPS ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. ANY HEADLAMP THAT STOPS WORKING WITHOUT WARNING IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE WITH ANY CAR. YOU CAN MAKE THE LIGHT COME BACK ON BY TURNING ALL THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. THIS DEFECT IS GOING TO CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND FOLKS ARE GOING TO GET HURT OR WORSE. *TR

MY COMPLAINT HAS TO DO WITH THE HIGH ENERGY DISCHARGE (XENON) HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. BEGINNING SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY 2010 MY WIFE AND I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WOULD SHUT DOWN AFTER THE LIGHTS HAD BEEN ON FOR A FEW MINUTES. IF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE QUICKLY TURNED OFF AND THEN BACK ON (SAY, WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT), BOTH HEADLIGHTS WOULD WORK JUST FINE FOR A WHILE. I TRIED TO REPLACE THE BULBS (D2R TYPE XENON BULBS) WHICH I PURCHASED AT A LOCAL CAR PARTS STORE FOR APPROXIMATELY $90 EACH. AFTER TRYING TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPLACING THE BULBS (FOUND IN THE OWNERS MANUAL), I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE BULB HOLDERS. WHEN I HAD THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP (CAPITOL TOYOTA) FOR SERVICE IN LATE APRIL 2010, I ASKED IF THEY COULD FIX THE HEADLIGHTS. THE SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT MERE DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM WOULD COST $600, WITH ANY BALLAST OR BULB REPLACEMENT ADDED TO THAT COST. I HAVE NEVER PAID MORE THAN ABOUT $40 TO REPLACE BOTH OF MY VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS PRIOR TO THIS. I APPRECIATE THAT THESE BULBS SHOULD COST MORE THAN HALOGEN OR OTHER TYPES, BUT THE COSTS I'M ENCOUNTERING ARE OUTLANDISH. IN THE MEAN TIME, WE ARE STILL DRIVING THE CAR WITH THE PROBLEM. HEADLIGHTS WORK FOR FIVE TO 10 MINUTES, AND THEN ONE, AND NOW, SOMETIMES THE OTHER HEADLIGHT WILL SHUT DOWN. RECENTLY, OUR DAUGHTER ARRIVED BACK FROM A BRIEF TRIP COMPLAINING THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM. I FOUND OUT THAT NEITHER HEADLIGHT WAS WORKING - THE ONLY LIGHTS ON THE FRONT O

INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE ON MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. IT FIRST HAPPENED AROUND 67,000 MILES WHEN BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AT ONCE (AT NIGHT!). FLICKING THE SWITCH DID MAKE THEM COME BACK ON. AFTER THAT, THE FAILURE HAS BEEN INCREASING, MAINLY WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT. TURNING THE SWITCH NO LONGER ALWAYS WORKS TO TURN THE LIGHT BACK ON. I CAN;T ALWAYS TELL THAT IT IS OFF IF THEY ARE ON FOR ME TO ME SEEN (SUCH AS IN RAIN) RATHER THAN TO ALLOW ME TO SEE. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. I CAN;T DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHT RELIABLY NOW AND WHAT ABOUT IN RAIN (WHICH IS NOT AS EASILY PREDICTABLE AS "DAY/NIGHT")? THIS IS CLEARLY NOT A RARE OCCURRENCE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO STEP UP HERE. BY THE WAY, I'VE ALREADY HAD TO SPEND $800 TO FIX MY MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAY WHICH FAILURE IS ALSO WELL DOCUMENTED. *TR

WE OWN A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS AND HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH IT UNTIL IT RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE. AFTER STOPPING AT A REST STOP AND PREPARING TO RETURN TO THE INTERSTATE, MY WIFE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE AS SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE FROM THE PARKING AREA. SHE THEN DROVE THE VEHICLE FORWARD TO GET IT OUT OF THE TRAFFIC LANE AND CONTINUED TO NOT HAVE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AMARILLO, TX WHERE THE TOYOTA DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BY REPLACING THE STROKE SENSOR (SCANNED SYSTEM CODE C1247). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE AHEAD OF HER. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE BUT SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HER RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND SHE HAD NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER FOR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 32,000.

THE HEADLIGHTS ON OUR 2004 PRIUS (80,000 MILES) HAVE GONE ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT UNTIL SATURDAY NIGHT WHILE WE WERE ON THE FREEWAY WHEN BOTH LIGHTS WENT OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY. WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN AND THE A NEW BULB WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. AT $800.00 TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE PART, I THINK THIS IS EXCESSIVE AND UNNECESSARY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE FLOOR MAT BECAME STUCK INSIDE THE ACCELERATOR PAD. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND THE CONTACT PRESSED A BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWO TIMES AFTER RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED FOR RECALL 09V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: ACCELERATOR PEDAL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,767. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,734.

MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS LEFT ME STRANDED FOR 15 MINUTE PERIODS OF TIME WHILE PARKED ON MY STREET. ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS COME ON AS WELL AS THE FOLLOWING RED WARNING "CAUTION - TRANSMISSION "P" LOCK MECHANISM IS ABNORMAL. PARK IN A FLAT PLACE AND APPLY BRAKE." I WAS PARKED ON A MILD INCLINE AND I ALWAYS USE MY PARKING BRAKE. THIS HOWEVER MAKES ME SUSPICIOUS OF WHETHER THE PARKING BRAKE IS HARDY ENOUGH TO WORK WHEN PARKED ON THE CROWN OF A STREET PARKING SPACE. I APPLIED AND RE-APPLIED MY PARKING BRAKE WITHOUT SUCCESS. I OPEN AND CLOSED THE HOOD WITHOUT SUCCESS. I OPEN AND CLOSED MY DOOR WITHOUT SUCCESS. I PLACED ALL MY PASSENGER SEAT ITEMS ON THE FLOOR WITHOUT SUCCESS. I HELD THE IGNITION BUTTON WITHOUT SUCCESS. I PLACED MY KEY FOB INTO THE IGNITION WITHOUT SUCCESS. AND WHEN TRYING TO REMOVE MY KEY FOB SO I COULD GO CALL A TOW TRUCK, THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD HOUSING FOR THE IGNITION KEY CAME LOOSE AND DIS-ARTICULATED IN MY HAND. I JUST CAREFULLY PUSHED THE PLASTIC HOUSING BACK INTO THE DASHBOARD.... HOWEVER, THAT WAS DEPRESSING TO SEE. FINALLY, AFTER ALL THE TINKERING FOR 15 MINUTES, MY CAR FINALLY TURNED OFF. I WAS THEN ABLE TO TURN IT BACK ON AND DRIVE AWAY WITHOUT A PROBLEM. IN RETROSPECT, THIS HAS HAPPENED ON AT LEAST 4 OCCASIONS SINCE DECEMBER 24, 2009 AND I JUST ASSUMED THAT DURING THE BOUT WITH MY INJURED LEG THAT I WAS NOT ADEQUATELY PLACING ENOUGH FORCE ON THE PARKING BRAKE..... BUT SHOULD THIS HAPPEN SO EASILY?? I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. I WOU

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL REPEATED PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THE ISSUE WAS NOT A BIG DEAL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 102,595.

DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT ON THE 405 FREEWAY AT APPROX. 65MPH, SUDDENLY ALL THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, INCLUDING THE MIL SYMBOL, ALONG WITH A WARNING SYMBOL ON THE NAVIGATION SCREEN. I PULLED OFF THE FREEWAY AND PARKED AT THE CURB. AFTER CHECKING THE OWNERS MANUAL, I SLOWLY DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY HOME ON SURFACE STREETS. THE NEXT MORNING (MONDAY) I DROVE MY CAR TO MILLER TOYOTA IN CULVER CITY. THE PRIMARY DIAGNOSIS WAS FAILURE OF THE INVERTER COOLANT PUMP, WHICH WAS REPLACED UNDER THE TERMS OF MY TOYOTA PLATINUM EXTENDED WARRANTY. HOWEVER, UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) COVERING THIS VERY PART, ON JANUARY 26, 2007, INDICATING THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS FAILURE-PRONE PART, AND THAT AN "IMPROVED" REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLY WAS NOW AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. IN ADDITION, REPLACEMENT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THEIR 5-YEAR/60,000 MILE TOYOTA POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER, ON MAY 15, 2010, WHILE DRIVING MY FATHER'S 2004 PRIUS TO HAVE NEW TIRES INSTALLED, THE SAME SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OCCURRED. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST DEALER, SANTA MONICA TOYOTA, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE SAME FAILURE CODE, P0A93 (INVERTER COOLING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE). ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 34,242 MILES ON IT, IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, AS THE TIME LIMIT OF 60 MONTHS HAD EXPIRED. NO AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION WITH THE DEALER OR TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER COULD CONVINC

WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS (LOW SPEED, UNDER 30 MPH), I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE. AT FIRST THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM MY BRAKES, THEN THE ABS KICKED IN AND STOPPED MY VEHICLE. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON THAT THE ABS SYSTEM SHOULD'VE KICKED IN. AT THAT TIME BOTH THE ABS WARNING LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND REMAINED ON. WHILE SITTING AT THE STOP LIGHT I ATTEMPTED TO SHUT OFF MY VEHICLE AND RESTART IT. AFTER DOING THIS BOTH WARNING LIGHTS WERE STILL ON. I DROVE VERY SLOWLY TO A SAFE PLACE TO PULL MY CAR OFF THE ROAD. EACH TIME I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED RESULTING IN A JERKING BRAKING MOTION. AT THAT POINT I LOOKED AT MY CAR'S MANUAL AND FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HOOKED MY CAR UP TO THE DIAGNOSIS MACHINE WHICH REBOOTED MY CAR'S COMPUTER. ONCE OFF THE DIAGNOSIS MACHINE, THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECREATE THE ERROR AND SENT ME HOME IN MY CAR. NO FURTHER SERVICE WAS DONE AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO BRING IT BACK TO THE DEALER IF THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN GOING OVER A BUMPY PATCH OF ROAD, IF I BRAKE, SOMETIMES THE BRAKE APPEARS TO NOT CATCH FOR A BRIEF TIME (1 SECOND OR SO). AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS MY IMAGINATION, BUT OVER THE YEARS IT HAS HAPPENED OFTEN ENOUGH THAT I AM CONVINCED THE SENSATION IS REAL. I HAVE RECENTLY READ ABOUT OTHERS DESCRIBING THE SAME EXPERIENCE. I CANNOT GIVE AN APPROXIMATE DATE OR MILEAGE; THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY OVER THE 6 YEARS I'VE OWNED THE CAR. CONSEQUENTLY, THE DATE AND MILEAGE I AM ENTERING IS THE MOST RECENT TIME WHEN I NOTICED IT. *TR

WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING MY 2004 PRIUS I EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. IN THE OLD DAYS (I'M 71) IF YOU EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION YOU WOULD RIGHT OFF CHECK YOUR GAS PEDAL AND FLOOR MATS. THAT KIND OF PROBLEM WASN'T ALL THAT UNCOMMON WHEN YOU OWNED OLD CARS. IF YOU DIDN'T FIND A PROBLEM IN THE AREA OF THE GAS PEDAL YOU WOULD PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND USUALLY FIND THE THROTTLE SPRING ON THE CARBURETOR MESSED UP IN SOME WAY OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. WELL, WHEN IT HAPPENED ON MY PRIUS GOING ABOUT 40 MPH ON A STRETCH OF ROAD NOT SO FAR FROM MY HOME I INSTINCTIVELY CHECKED MY FLOOR MATS AND THROTTLE SHAFT FOR INTERFERENCE OR STICKING. NO PROBLEMS FOUND. I GOT THE CAR STOPPED - DON'T REMEMBER HOW (WITH YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE YOU INSTINCTIVELY TRY THINGS UNTIL YOU FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKS). ANYHOW, AFTER THAT I WENT DIRECTLY TO MYTOYOTA DEALER WHERE THEY CHECKED IT OUT BUT FOUND NOTHING. THE PROBLEM NEVER OCCURRED AGAIN. NOW I SEE THIS CLAIM THAT IT'S NOT AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM ON THIS DRIVE-BY-WIRE CAR. I DON'T BELIEVE IT. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IF IT HAPPENS JUST ONE TIME ON MY ONE PRIUS IN THOUSANDS OF MILES OF DRIVING, THAT MAKES AN INCIDENT OF THIS SORT PRETTY RARE, RARE ENOUGH TO WHERE IT'S UNLIKELY TO OCCUR UNDER CONTROLLED TESTS (IT WOULD BE INFINITELY EASIER TO FIND THE PROVERBIAL NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK). VIRTUALLY EVERY MICROPROCESSOR CONTROLLED PRODUCT I'VE EVER USED HAS REQUIRED A RESET NOW AND THEN. USUALLY THERE'S NO INDICATION OF

MY 2004 PRIUS FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES LOSE CONTROL WHEN I'M GOING OVER A BUMP. I APPLY THE BRAKE, IT CATCHES, THEN RELEASES MOMENTARILY, THEN GRABS. THE TIME OF THE RELEASE FEELS TOO LONG TO BE SAFE, AND I AM NEVER REALLY SURE THAT IT WILL GRAB EVENTUALLY. THIS PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED SINCE I BOUGHT IT, AND TOYOTA ASSURES ME IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. *TR

MY MULTI FUNCTION DISPLAY HAS FAILED ON ME FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR TOYOTA PRIUS OWNERS. THIS MEANS I HAVE HAD NO NAVIGATION, AIR CONDITION/HEATING, RADIO/CD AND MORE DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE DEVICE. THERE IS NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE SCREEN, AND THESE SCREENS SEEM TO FAIL ONLY A FEW YEARS AFTER MANUFACTURED. IT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME EXACT SOLDER JOINT BREAKING IN EVERY SINGLE CASE TOO FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ONLINE. I CAN'T JUSTIFY BUYING A BRAND NEW SCREEN, ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE SPENT SO MUCH ON THIS ONE TO BEGIN WITH. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH MY WIFE AND INFANT DURING THE EVENING LAST SUMMER, AND OUT OF THE BLUE THREE RED INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON AS WELL AS A BUZZER, AND MY BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. THE PEDAL WAS ABLE TO BE PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING DID NOTHING. SINCE IT WAS LATE THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND, SO WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND CHECKED FOR ANY DAMAGE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND NOTHING. OVER THE NEXT HOUR WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK, WE TRIED RESTARTING THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE BRAKES WERE JUST GONE. WE FINALLY GOT TOWED AND GOT A LOANER CAR. THE NEXT MORNING AFTER THE TOYOTA DEALER HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE CAR, THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THEY DID A COUPLE HOURS OF DIAGNOSTICS ON MY DIME AND RESET THE FAULT CODES. THERE WAS NO AIR IN THE BRAKES, FLUID LEVELS WERE JUST FINE, AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH ANYTHING. APPARENTLY THE BRAKES FIXED THEMSELVES IN THE PARKING LOT OVER NIGHT. THIS HAS MADE ME FEARFUL SINCE THAT DAY THAT IT COULD HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN AT ANYTIME, PERHAPS DURING RUSH HOUR NEXT TIME. I'VE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THE DEALERSHIP SINCE THEN, AND THE ONLY SOLUTION THEY HAVE TO GIVE ME IS TO HAVE MY BRAKE SYSTEM CHECKED REGULARLY. THIS DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A NORMAL THING TO HAPPEN AT ALL, AND I WOULD FEEL GUILTY EVEN SELLING THIS CAR TO SOMEONE ELSE AT THIS POINT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT MORE I CAN DO SO I AM NOW REPO

FAILURE OF INVERTER COOLANT PUMP OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM OCCURRING AT MANY DIFFERENT MILEAGE INTERVALS FOR OTHER OWNERS. IMMEDIATE SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER AND SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. CRUISE CONTROL AND A/C WENT OFFLINE. REQUIRES REPLACEMENT WHICH IN THIS INSTANCE WAS $605.00. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 74,000.

HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID) HEADLIGHTS "WINK" OFF & ON RANDOMLY, WHICH CAUSES A SERIOUS SAFETY/VISIBILITY PROBLEM IN THE DARK. I UNDERSTAND YOU OPENED AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS ISSUE A WHILE AGO BUT THEN CLOSED IT WITHOUT A FINDING OF A SAFETY DEFECT. PLEASE REOPEN IT AGAIN. THERE IS A CONTINUOUSLY GROWING BODY OF REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE WITH THE TOYOTA PRIUS. GO TO WWW.PRIUSCHAT.COM AND SEARCH FOR THE HID HEADLIGHT THREAD TO SEE WHAT I MEAN. MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD TO PAY $500 TO $1000 OUT OF POCKET TO TOYOTA DEALERS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. IN SOME CASES, THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED A FEW MONTHS LATER. PLEASE ASK TOYOTA TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL OF PRIUS MODELS AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE. I HOPE YOU CAN GET TOYOTA TO DO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE DIES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. OTHERWISE, YOU WILL HAVE A SITUATION SIMILAR TO THE "UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" PROBLEM WHICH HAS KILLED A NUMBER OF PEOPLE. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

RECENTLY, I PERFORMED A ROUTINE FLUSH OF THE BRAKE FLUID ON MY TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN I STARTED THE PRIUS AFTER COMPLETING THE BRAKE FLUID FLUSH, THERE WERE WARNING LIGHTS SHOWING ON THE DASHBOARD FOR THE BRAKES, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS DIDN'T SURPRISE ME THAT THE CAR DETECTED AN ABNORMALITY DURING THE BRAKE BLEEDING OPERATION. WHAT DID SURPRISE ME IS THAT THE PRIUS COMPUTER INSTRUCTED THE FRONT BRAKES TO BECOME NON-OPERATIONAL THE TROUBLE CODE IN THE PRIUS COMPUTER AUTOMATICALLY DISABLED THE FRONT BRAKES BECAUSE THE COMPUTER WAS CONFUSED BY THE VARYING PRESSURES PRESENT IN THE BRAKE LINES DURING A ROUTINE BRAKE FLUID FLUSH. I DROVE TO A REPAIR SHOP WITH ONLY THE REAR BRAKES OPERATIONAL. AT THE REPAIR SHOP, A TECHNICIAN CLEARED THE TROUBLE CODES FOR THE BRAKE SYSTEM STORED IN THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE OF THE PRIUS. THE BRAKES WERE THEN COMPLETELY OPERATIONAL. I FIND IT UNCONSCIONABLE THAT THE CAR COULD DECIDE ON IT'S OWN TO DISABLE THE BRAKES, EVEN WHEN THE BRAKES WERE OTHERWISE FULLY FUNCTIONAL. PLEASE REQUIRE TOYOTA TO PROGRAM THEIR CONTROL MODULES TO ALLOW THE BRAKES TO FUNCTION WHEN TROUBLE CODES ARE ACTIVATED.

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING RE TOYOTA VEHICLES RECALL, OWNER OF A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS DRIVING, HE APPROACHED A SLOWER MOVING VEHICLE, BUT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE INSTEAD ACCELERATED. AS HE HIT THE BRAKE HARDER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED EVEN MORE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT BY CROSSING OVER THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT AND QUICKLY MOVED BACK OVER TO THE CORRECT SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS PEDAL WAS NOT STUCK AS TOYOTA IS CLAIMING THERE IS A QUICK FIX AND PLACING THE BLAME ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS WAITING IN A LINE, WITH HIS FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO SUDDENLY REV UP AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD BUT DID NOT MOVE DUE TO HIS FOOT BEING FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN HE HIT THE BRAKE THE RADIO AND AIR CONDITION WOULD COME ON. THE DEALER CLAIMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND THAT THE CONSUMER MUST HAVE HIT THE RADIO AND CLIMATE CONTROL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM INFLUENCES THE ELECTRONICS OR COMPUTER AND CAUSES THE ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS I WAS MERGING TO MY LEFT. AS I WAS MERGING I FELT THE CAR ACCELERATE AND THE DECREASE IN PRESSURE AGAINST MY FOOT AS THE PEDAL DEPRESSED ON IT'S OWN. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR AFTER FORCEFULLY STEPPING ON THE BRAKES TWICE, AT WHICH TIME THE GAS PEDAL CAME BACK UP.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION TWICE ON JANUARY 16, 2008 AND MARCH 6, 2008. WHILE HE WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 100 MPH. HE CONTINUOUSLY APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL HE WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, BECAUSE THE FLOOR MAT WAS TRAPPED UNDER THE GAS PEDAL. THE DEALER REPLACED AND SECURED THE FLOOR MAT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. HE HAS NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,154 MILES AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS HID HEADLIGHTS AND THEY HAVE BECOME ALMOST COMPLETELY FOGGED OVER IN SPITE OF MY BEST EFFORTS TO CLEAN THEM. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE INSIDE OF THE LAMP, WHICH CAN'T BE CLEANED. TOYOTA WANTS $355 PER HEADLIGHT TO REPLACE THE PART + LABOR. THIS HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE AND NONE OF MY OTHER CARS HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS TURNING MY 2004 PRIUS INTO A PARKING GARAGE AT BETWEEN 2-5 MILES AN HOUR, APPLIED THE BRAKES AS I WAS GOING IN OVER A SMALL LIP/BUMP IN THE PAVEMENT, AND THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO SWERVE AND REAPPLY THE BRAKES IN TIME TO AVOID HITTING AN ONCOMING EXITING CAR. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND I ALMOST HIT THE OTHER DRIVER. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. THERE HAS BEEN A COUPLE SIMILAR INCIDENCES WHERE I WAS BRAKING WHILE COMING UP TO A STOP, HIT A BUMP OR POTHOLE IN THE ROAD AND THE BRAKES FELT LIKE THEY STOPPED WORKING FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND THEN SEEMED TO HAVE RESUMED. IT IS A STRANGE SENSATION WHEN YOU ARE EXPECTING A STOP. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP EVERY 5,000 MILES SINCE IT WAS NEW AND WILL BE DUE AGAIN IN ABOUT 2 WEEKS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 80 MPH BEFORE THE PEDAL RELEASED.THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. NO REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71000.

I WAS ENTERING A MAJOR HIGHWAY FROM A PARKING LOT WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT FULL SPEED. VISIBILITY WAS GOOD. THERE WAS A SMALL POTHOLE SO I DID TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR. NEXT I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY & HIT BY A CAR GOING 65MPH. I DO NOT THINK I HIT THE ACCELERATOR RATHER THAN THE BRAKE ALTHOUGH THAT WAS THE ONLY EXPLANATION AT THE TIME. *TR

LAST FALL THE LEFT HEADLIGHT WAS NOTICED TO BE OUT ON MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS BY A NEIGHBOR WHEN I CAME HOME ONE NIGHT IN NOVEMBER, 2009. MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET IT FIXED AT MY TOYOTA DEALER, BUT THEN IT CAME ON THE NEXT DAY. WHEN I CANCELED THE APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER THEY MENTIONED TO WATCH IT, SINCE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE KNOWN TO GO ON AND OFF. WE LEFT WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS FOR A VACATION DRIVE FROM MD TO NC. HEADLIGHT STAYED ON UNTIL WE WERE IN NC. WENT TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE $900 TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT SINCE THE COMPUTER BEHIND THE LIGHT HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. AT THAT OUTRAGEOUS PRICE - FOR JUST ONE HEADLIGHT - WE DID NOT GET IT FIXED. THE HEADLIGHT THEN STAYED ON MOST OF THE REST OF THE TRIP, BUT PERIODICALLY GOES OFF. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT SHOULD CERTAINLY NOT COST ALMOST A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FIX A HEADLIGHT. *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). MY 2004 PRIUS ALMOST KILLED US IN 2004. IT ACCELERATED SO FAST, THAT I HAD TO GO IN THE MEDIAN. WE COULD NOT SOW IT DOWN OR STOP IT, THERE WAS A BRIDGE AHEAD, SO I MANAGED TO GET BACK ON THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER AND TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR AND SLOW IT DOWN. SINCE THEN HAS BLAMED EVEYRTHING ON ME, I FELL ASLEEP,ETC. I DID NOT KNOW UNTIL KNOW THAT IT WAS THE CAR THAT CAUSED IT. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! SHE INSISTED WE GET RID OF THE CAR, I SOLD IT TO CARMAX IN LAS VEGAS,WHERE WE LIVED. [XXX] *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 12 MPH SHE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE DAMAGING THE BRAKE LINE WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACTS VEHICLE TO CONTUNIALLY MOVE AFTER THE CRASH. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT HAD TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP DUE TO THE DAMAGED BRAKE LINE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT, AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE; UNLESS THE TEMPERATURE, BRAKE OR OIL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURES WERE RELATED TO THE INVERTER WATER PUMP AND THE SKID CONTROL ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU). THE INVERTER WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 61,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON A GRAVEL ROAD. PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THERE WAS NO POWER RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE OPPOSING VEHICLES DRIVER, AND PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES. THE POLICE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR AN ESTIMATE OF THE BODY DAMAGES. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED AT AN AUTO BODY SHOP. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.

I HAVE A 2004 PRIUS. THE SHIFT LEVER BEGAN TO STICK IN THE SELECT GEAR POSITION INSTEAD OF GOING BACK TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE PARK BUTTON WOULD NOT WORK, CAUSING THE CAR TO MOVE FORWARD IF THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED. I CALLED TOYOTA AND COMPLAINED TWICE. THE GEAR SELECT LEVER NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED SO IT DOESN'T STICK AND THE SOFTWARE CHANGED TO ALLOW THE PARK FUNCTION TO WORK WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED REGARDLESS OF THE POSITION OF THE GEAR SELECT LEVER. *TR

2004 PRIUS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE BRAKING, THERE WAS NO INITIAL RESPONSE TO THE APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE. I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE I HAD NOT PRESSED THE PEDAL FIRMLY ENOUGH, BUT GIVEN THE PUBLICITY ABOUT BRAKING HESITATION, I WONDER IF THESE WERE VEHICLE PROBLEMS. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2004 PRIUS INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF. IT IS CORRECTED BY TURNING THE SWITCH OFF, THEN BACK ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING IN CLEAR, NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE INTO THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. SHE THEN APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE DID NOT DECREASE IN SPEED. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL OR FISH TAILED. THE CONTACT COULD NOT MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL AND A NEARBY TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000. UPDATED EVOQ. 05/27/10

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH BRAKE PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE SKIDS OUT OF CONTROL. *KB

MULTIFUNCTION TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAY (MFD) MALFUNCTION DISABLES THE WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER. ONE MUST WIPE THE WINDSHIELD BY HAND. IF THE WINDSHIELD FOGS WHILE DRIVING ON A NARROW AND WINDING ROAD OR BUSY HIGHWAY, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS ARE AT HIGH RISK. THERE IS A WEBSITE THAT SHOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW TO FIX IT (HTTP://TECHNO-FANDOM.ORG/~HOBBIT/CARS/MFD/). A MULTI-PIN CONNECTOR HAS A FAULTY PIN. THE SOLDERING CRACKS OVER TIME RESULTING IN A LOOSE CONNECTION. TOYOTA DOES NOT PROVIDE AN AFFORDABLE SOLUTION. THEY OFFER TO REMOVE THE TWO COMPUTER UNITS FROM BEHIND THE MFD AND REPLACE THEM FOR APPROXIMATELY $3,000, RATHER THAN SIMPLY RE-SOLDERING THE CONNECTOR PIN. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPAIR THIS, AND TOYOTA HAS NOT OFFERED ANY VIABLE SOLUTIONS. THIS AFFECTS ALL EARLY TYPE 2 PRIUSES. *TR

WE OWN A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. ON 02/18/2010 IT LOST POWER ON THE ROAD, MAJOR MALFUNCTION LIGHTS CAME ON, AMONG OTHERS, AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER IN CARLSBAD, CA. AFTER DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM, THEY SAID THE COMPUTER HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED IT STARTED TRANSMITTING NEW PROBLEM CODES, NAMELY, POA94, POA78, PO279, AND PO555, WHICH MEANT THAT THE TRANSAXLE HAD FAILED, AND COMPUTER CODES SHOW THAT THE INVERTER COULD FAIL ALSO. TOTAL REPAIR COST: $5,594.00 SO FAR. IF THE INVERTER FAILS, IT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF $9,843.00 TO REPAIR. I DON'T SEE WHO WOULD PAY THIS EXORBITANT AMOUNT, LET ALONE BEING ABLE TO AFFORD IT. THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 09/15/2008. THE PRIUS HAD LOST POWER AND WE TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER. THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTICS TEST, TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY FOR 9 MILES, IT RAN O.K. AND NO COMPUTER TROUBLE CODES WERE FOUND AT THE TIME. THIS SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS A PRELUDE TO THE VEHICLE FAILURE WERE ARE EXPERIENCING TODAY, AND WE ARE SUSPECTING IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM. AS IT STANDS NOW, THE PRIUS IS SITTING AT THE TOYOTA DEALER. THEY HAD REMOVED THE NEW COMPUTER IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE IS TOTALED. IN SHORT, THE PRIUS WAS FINE ONE DAY AND TOTALED THE NEXT. THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MY HID HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING AND HAS CAUSED ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT EITHER THE RIGHT OR LEFT HEADLIGHT WILL STOP WORKING. IF YOU STOP AND TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF & ON THE LIGHTS WILL FUNCTION AGAIN. I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN AND HAVE BEEN STOPPED BY THE POLICE 3 TIMES. TOYOTA WANTS OVER $2000 TO CHANGE THE HID COMPUTER AND BULBS WHICH I SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD. I SEARCHED THE WEB AND SEE HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. I BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL THE PRIUS FOR THE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM. *TR