2004 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT PROBLEM. I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH 111,500 MILES ON IT, AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT IS INTERMITTENT WHEN VIEWING MY REFLECTION IN THE BUMPER OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. SOMETIMES IT RUNS FINE FOR OVER AN HOUR, OTHER TIMES IT DOESN'T LAST 5 MINUTES. TURNING THE HEADLIGHTS OFF, AND IMMEDIATELY BACK ON RELIGHTS THE HEADLIGHT. THIS IS NOT ONLY HAPPENING AT NIGHT, BUT ALSO DURING THE DAY WHEN THEY ARE USED AS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. I MADE A VIDEO OF IT HAPPENING: HTTP://TINYURL.COM/INTERMITTENTPRIUSHID I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR PRIUS. OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM WITH 25,000 TO 40,000 MILES. IT IS VERY HARD TO NOTICE BECAUSE THE HID HEADLIGHTS ARE SO BRIGHT IT IS HARD TO TELL WHEN ONE IS NOT WORKING, WHICH ACTUALLY MEANS THIS PROBLEM MAY HAVE EXISTED ON MY PRIUS FOR A LONG TIME WITHOUT THE PREVIOUS OWNER NOTICING. TO ILLUSTRATE MY POINT, THIS PRIUSCHAT THREAD HAS OVER 870 RESPONSES TO DATE REGARDING THIS HID HEADLIGHT PROBLEM: HTTP://PRIUSCHAT.COM/FORUMS/GEN-II-PRIUS-CARE-MAINTENANCE-TROUBLESHOOTING/34584-HEADLIGHT-PROBLEM-17.HTML THUS FAR I HAVE NOT NOTICED THIS PROBLEM IN MY DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS IS A VERY REAL SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAPPENED THREE TIMES, OVER A SIX YEAR SPAN. HE MANAGED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, ALL WORKED FINE. THE CONSUMER STATED A FEW WEEKS AGO HIS VEHICLE WAS ABOUT TO REACH 300,000 MILES, AS HE REACHED FOR HIS CAMERA, HE REALIZED THE ODOMETER NEVER WENT PAST 299,999 MILES. HOWEVER, WITHIN FIVE MILES, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER BRAKES, THE AIR CONDITION STOPPED WORKING, THE HYBRID DRIVE SHUT OFF AND THE FAN FOR THE HYBRID BATTERY CAME ON, AS WELL AS YELLOW AND RED LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH. ALSO, TWO WARNING GRAPHICS APPEARED ON THE NAVIGATION SCREEN, ONE INDICATING TROUBLE. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. HE THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO NORMAL. IT APPEARED THAT BY SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING IT, CAUSED THE MAIN COMPUTER REBOOT. THE CONSUMER STATED IT CONTINUED SEVERAL MORE TIMES, UNTIL HE ARRIVED HOME. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE WAS A LARGE COMPUTER, AND WHEN ONE COMPONENT STOPS WORKING, SUCH AS THE ODOMETER, OTHER COMPONENTS CEASE TOO. THE DEALER EXPLAINED AN ODOMETER LIMIT WAS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE BY THE FACTORY. *JB

HEADLIGHTS DONT WORK, OVERHEATING BULBS $800 TO REPLACE, YOU GO TOYOTA YOUR CAR SUCKS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE BALLAST FAILED FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

THE HID HEADLIGHT LEVELING SENSOR PART# 89408-47010 FAILED. BIG RED EXCLAMATION ON THE DASH AND CAR WON'T PASS INSPECTION. TOYOTA SAYS IT COSTS $600 TO REPLACE. *TR

WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IS COLD, SOMETIMES DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND SPEEDOMETER DO NOT COME ON WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED. CAR RUNS BUT WITH NO INSTRUMENT PANEL. SOMETIMES WHEN THE CAR IS IN THIS STATE THE CAR CANNOT BE TURNED OFF BY PRESSING THE START BUTTON. CAR CAN ONLY BE TURNED OFF BY PRESSING AND HOLDING THE START BUTTON DOWN FOR SEVERAL SECONDS, AND EVEN THIS DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE OVER TIME. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM, BUT IT IS DOCUMENTED IN THEIR WARRANTY REPAIR T-SB-0172-09 COMBINATION METER INTERMITTENT DISPLAY BULLETIN. INSTEAD, THE DEALERSHIP TRIES TO SELL US A NEW CAR! *TT

THE MULTI FUNCTION DISPLAY REGISTERED THE ERROR CODE: CHECK CONNECTION OF AIR CONDITIONER. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AT PAPPAS TOYOTA ON 12/2/11 SHOWED A DEFECTIVE MFD. A NEW REPLACEMENT WOULD COST $4300. A REFURBISHED ONE WAS TO BE LOCATED BUT A CALL WAS NOT RECEIVED AS TO THIS HAVING HAPPENED. TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THIS POSSIBILITY AT LEAST BY 1/10/2005 WHEN A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED. SINCE THE DEFECT IN THE PART WAS KNOWN TO TOYOTA AND INVOLVES A SAFETY ISSUE A REQUEST FOR WARRANTY REPLACEMENT WAS MADE. THIS REQUEST WAS DENIED. ON 12/23/11, AFTER HAVING BEEN TOLD A WEEK WOULD BE NEEDED TO FIND THE PART, I E-MAILED PAPPAS AND ASKED THAT ONE BE LOCATED. I MADE AN APPT. AT THAT TIME TO HAVE IT INSTALLED ON 1/3/12. I HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION BY 1/2/12 SO I CALLED AGAIN AND LEARNED THE PART WAS TO BE ORDERED ON 1/2/12 AS TOYOTA WAS CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY PERIOD. THE MFD ACTIVATES THE FRONT AND REAR DEFROSTERS. THIS IS CRITICAL AS THE INABILITY TO DO SO IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN MISSOURI WITH SNOW AND ICE BEING A POSSIBILITY. ON 1/4/12 A MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THE ESSENCE OF WHICH WAS: THOSE DISPLAYS ARE ON BACK ORDER STATUS AT THIS TIME; THE MFD HOLDS THE MEMORY FOR THE MILEAGE ODOMETER SO WHEN IT IS ORDERED THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN SO THAT THE ACTUAL ODOMETER MILEAGE REMAINS THE SAME; AND UNTIL I HEAR FROM YOU I HAVE PLACED YOUR ORDER ON HOLD; THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO ORDERS AHEAD OF YOURS AND THEY WILL BE FILLED FIRST; THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO GIVE US A TIMETABLE WHEN THEY WILL BE RELEASED; AND ONCE THEY ARE AVAILABLE IT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 7-10 BUSINESS DAYS TO RECEIVE. TOYOTA IS NOT MAKING THE NECESSARY PART AVAILABLE; EXPECTING THE CONSUMER TO BE DEPRIVED OF USE OF THE PRIUS FOR AN UNDETERMINED PERIOD OF TIME; AND OF BEARING THE COST OF THE DEFECTIVE PART. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED. UPDATED IVOQ 03/09/12 *TR

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS FRONTAL IMPACT CRASH INTO REAR OF VEHICLE 2, 2002 HONDA CRV, ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2011, 4:33PM EST. BUMPER IMPACT AT APPROX SPEED 25MPH IN CLEAR CONDITIONS TOTALED SUBJECT VEHICLE INCLUDING COMPLETE FOLDING OF HOOD, DISPLACEMENT OF STRUCTURAL BUMPER, FAN ASSEMBLIES, RADIATOR & CONDENSER ASSEMBLIES INTO ENGINE WITH STRUCTURAL BUMPER PUSHED BACK 24" AT CENTER AND 18" TO LEFT & RIGHT SIDES. INSURANCE ADJUSTER STATED THAT BENDING OCCURRED AT FRONT OF VEHICLE FRAME. FRONT FENDERS CRUMPLED AND OBSTRUCTED FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS, ENTRAPPING OCCUPANTS, BOTH SEAT-BELTED INTO FRONT SEATS. DESPITE DISPLACEMENT FRONT STRUCTURAL BUMPER ASSEMBLY, BODY AND FRONT MECHANICALS, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SUBJECT AUTOMOBILE WAS HIGHER-MILEAGE VEHICLE WITH 193,000 MILES BUT IMMACULATELY MAINTAINED, RELIABLE, MECHANICALLY EXCELLENT, DISPLAYING NO SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS AND HAVING NEWER MICHELIN RADIAL TIRES WITH 25% WEAR. OWNER HAS FULL SET OF PHOTOGRAPHS. EXTERIOR & INTERIOR, ATTESTING CLEAN CONDITION OF CAR AND FULL SET OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE RECORDS. CRASH RESULTED IN MODERATE INJURY TO OCCUPANTS, MAINLY BRUISING, CONTUSIONS, BACK & NECK PAIN. BOTH WERE ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL ER AND DISCHARGED SAME DAY. FOLLOW UP MEDICAL CARE ONGOING. CONCERNED ABOUT AIRBAG-NON-DEPLOYMENT. BELIEVING THIS TO BE A FAILURE OF THE CAR'S SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM. MY DAUGHTER AND WIFE'S INJURIES ARE NOT CRIPPLING OR DISFIGURING BUT IN SIMILAR CRASHES, WOULD OTHERS FAIR AS WELL? INCIDENT AND CONCERNS REGISTERED WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE, WHICH ASSERTED THAT AIRBAGS FUNCTIONED (?) AS DESIGNED. NOT SURPRISED THAT THEIR FIRST PRIORITY WOULD BE PROTECTING THEIR CORPORATED HIND QUARTERS BUT BELIEVE THAT NHTSA MIGHT PERFORM A MORE OBJECTIVE INVESTIGATION INTO THE HISTORY AND PERFORMANCE EFFICACY OF PRIUS AIRBAGS. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTED FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL SEVERAL TIMES INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO HOLD THE GEAR FOR IT TO REMAIN IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE GEAR SHIFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,691.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHEN ACCELERATING. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.