2004 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

WHEN THE CAR IS COLD, THE GEAR SHIFTER WON'T STAY IN FORWARD OR REVERSE WITHOUT BEING HELD DOWN MANUALLY. IT GOES INTO NEUTRAL. *TR

DRIVER-SIDE HID HEADLIGHT TURNS ITSELF OFF AT BRIEF INTERVALS. TURNING HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF AND ON RESTORES IT, WITHOUT FAIL. SITUATION REMAINED STABLE FOR OVER A YEAR, NOV. 2008 TO JAN. 2010. LIGHT TURNS OUT WHETHER VEHICLE IS MOVING OR STATIONARY. REPLACING LAMP DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM -- IN FACT, NEW BULB TURNS OFF MORE THAN ONCE A MINUTE, WHILE OLD BULB TURNED OFF ABOUT EVERY 10 MINUTES. *TR

MAY 29, 2006 - I WAS PULLING INTO A SCHOOL PARKING SPACE WHEN THE PRIUS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, AND ALTHOUGH I HIT THE BRAKES, THE ENGINE STARTED TO ROAR, AND THE CAR JUMPED A CONCRETE PARKING LOT CURB, WENT INTO A DRAINAGE SWALE, AND STOPPED ONLY WHEN IT HIT AN IRON FENCE AROUND THE SCHOOL WHERE I WORKED. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA TO BE FIXED. TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THEY PUT IT DOWN AS "CAR JUMPED CURB." I WROTE TO TOYOTA ON OCTOBER 11, 2009, DESCRIBING THE INCIDENT AND ENCLOSING DOCUMENTATION FOR THE REPAIRS. THEY SAID THEY WERE SORRY ABOUT THE INCIDENT "HOWEVER, AS WE WERE NOT PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO INSPECT YOUR VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, WE HAVE NO WAY OF ADDRESSING YOUR SPECIFIC CLAIM AND ARE UNABLE TO OFFER FURTHER ASSISTANCE TO YOU IN THIS MATTER." TOYOTA WANTED ME TO HAVE THEM INSPECT MY CAR FOR A PROBLEM THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED. *TR

2004 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH COMPUTER PROBLEM. STARTED GETTING AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT AIR CONDITIONER WASN'T WORKING. THEN THE COMPUTER WOULD NOT GIVE THE GAS MILEAGE. THEN THE TEMP WOULDN'T SHOW. THEN COULDN'T USE THE RADIO (IT WOULD COME ONE BUT YOU COULDN'T SEE WHAT THE STATION WAS), NOW IT IS ALL BLANK. IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. THEN IT WORKS FOR 5 MINUTES ABOUT ONCE A QUARTER. CAN'T CONTROL AIR/HEAT, RADIO, CAN'T SEE MILEAGE, CAN'T SEE THE TEMP. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD COST HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO DIAGNOSE IT. READ ON TOYOTA BOARD ONLINE THAT THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT STAND BEHIND. I HAVE OWNED TOYOTAS SINCE 1980S AND HAVE 5 NOW (KIDS, WORK, ADULTS). I AM SATISFIED WITH ALL BUT THE 2004. I HAVE A 2005 PRIUS ALSO BUT NO PROBLEMS (SO FAR). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO A NEARBY TREE AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS AND CONTINUED TO PUSH THE TREE FURTHER INTO THE STREET. THE CONTACT'S FOOT REMAINED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE POLICE ARRIVED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE POLICE OBSERVED SKID AND BRAKE MARKS IN THE DRIVEWAY, CONFIRMING SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO DATE. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER RECALL AT THE TIME. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,000.

I COMPLAINED ABOUT A YEAR AGO TO TOYOTA ABOUT MY CAR LOSING BRAKING ON THE ICE. I DRIVE A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. I READ THEY ARE RECALLING THE 2010 MODEL AND I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM GOES MUCH FURTHER BACK AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. *TR

THE BRAKES SUDDENLY SEIZE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW AT TIMES AFTER GOING THROUGH A PUDDLE OR WHEN THE ROAD IS WET FROM RAIN. THIS POSES A RISK AS I FEAR THAT IF ANOTHER CAR WERE CLOSE BEHIND I COULD GET REAR-ENDED AS THE CAR RAPIDLY SLOWS AS IF ONE WERE SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES. THE BRAKES "LET GO" AFTER TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THIS OCCURS UNPREDICTABLY, EXCEPT THAT IT HAPPENS ON WET ROADS. *TR

WHEN GOING OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT, OR HITTING DEBRIS OR DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE, WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, WITH NO BRAKING POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVER SINCE WE GOT THE CAR, MANY TIMES. THE DEALER TOLD US IT WAS THE ANTI-SKIDDING SYSTEM AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE. *CN

MY HID HEADLAMP FOR MY 2004 PRIUS IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE ON MY OWN AND IT COSTS $600 (!?) TO CHANGE AT THE DEALER. HOW IS A $600 REPAIR FOR A MINOR THING LIKE A HEADLIGHT NOT ILLEGAL FROM AN AUTO SAFETY STANDPOINT? DO YOU KNOW IF THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ABOUT THIS ISSUE?

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT EXPERIENCES BRAKING PROBLEMS WHEN TRAVELING OVER BUMPY SURFACES, RAILROAD TRACKS, POTHOLES, ETC. I CAN FEEL THE CAR LOSE BRAKING POWER AND THE CAR SEEMS TO SKIP/ LUNGE FORWARD AND THEN SUDDENLY SEIZE TO A STOP. FOR YEARS I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES IN GENERAL BUT NOW THAT I'VE HEARD DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PROBLEM IDENTIFIED WITH THE '10 MODELS, I KNOW THAT'S WHAT MY CAR DOES. I'VE LEARNED TO ANTICIPATE AND COMPENSATE WHEN APPROACHING ROAD SURFACES WHERE THIS OCCURS AND SO I BRAKE IN ADVANCE TO AVOID DANGER.