2006 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

MY PRIUS HAS 60, 000 MILES AND HAS HI DEFINITION HEADLIGHTS. LAST WEEK ONE OF THE LIGHTS WENT OUT SO I WENT TO A TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE IT CHANGES. WHEN THEY TURNED ON THE HEADLIGHTS TO CHECK THE PROBLEM THE LIGHT WORKED. THE TECH SAID TOYOTA HAD A PROBLEM WITH HEADLIGHTS GETTING OVERHEATED AND GOING OUT AND COMING BACK ON. THE PROBLEMS WAS NOT RESOLVED. *DT

MY HEADLIGHTS ARE INTERMITTENTLY FAILING ON MY 2006 PRIUS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT (AS A PAIR) HEADLIGHTS AT ~20,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT ~48,000 MILES. AND NOW AT 55,000 MILES, THEY ARE REPLACING ANOTHER FRONT HEADLIGHT HID BULB. THERE WERE TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES THAT I REQUESTED THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT CHECK THE LIGHTS AS I HAD BEEN TOLD BY A POLICE OFFICER THAT FRONT AND/OR BACK LIGHTS WERE OUT, BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAID ALL OF THE LIGHTS WERE FUNCTIONING. MY LIGHTS APPEAR TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. I MAY HAVE BOTH HEADLIGHTS WORKING FOR A WEEK OR A MONTH OR MORE, THEN ONE OF BOTH MAY GO OUT, AND THEN ONE OR BOTH MAY START FUNCTIONING AGAIN. IT'S COMPLETELY VARIABLE. I NEVER KNOW IF ONE OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS WILL WORK AT ANY GIVEN TIME. IT'S FRUSTRATING AND SCARY- AS I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO TO FUNDAMENTALLY RESOLVE THE ISSUE AND ENSURE THAT I HAVE FUNCTIONING HEADLIGHTS! APPROXIMATE DATES: JAN 2008 - POLICE OFFICER TOLD ME A LIGHT WAS OUT, DEALER COULD NOT REPRODUCE APRIL 2008 - BOTH HEADLIGHTS REPLACED SEPTEMBER 2009- BOTH HEADLIGHTS REPLACED FEBRUARY 2009- POLICE OFFICER TOLD ME LIGHTS WERE OUT (1 FRONT, 1 BACK) MARCH 2010- HEADLIGHT REPLACED *DT

I FLOORED MY '06 PRIUS ON THE ON-RAMP TO THE PARKWAY. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AT FULL THROTTLE. I COULD SLOW THE CAR WITH THE BRAKE, BUT FELT I COULD NOT STOP IT WITHOUT SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE OR THE DRIVE TRAIN. INSTEAD, I SLIPPED MY THE SOLE OF MY SHOE UNDER THE EDGE OF THE ACCELERATOR AND LIFTED IT UP. THE ENGINE RESPONDED NORMALLY AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED, ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN CAREFUL NOT TO FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR UNTIL I HAVE THE TOYOTA SHOP LOOK AT IT. *TR

MY HID LIGHT ON MY 2006 PRIUS BURNT OUT ON DRIVER'S LEFT SIDE. TOOK IT IN FOR A REPLACEMENT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE BOTH FOR A PRICE OF $500 AND WILL ONLY WARRANTY FOR 1 YEAR. I WAS TOLD THE AVERAGE SPAN FOR A BULB IS 2.5-4 YEARS. THIS IS A RIDICULOUS PRICE FOR A LIGHT BULB. YOU SHOULD PUT PRESSURE ON THE COMPANY TO BRING THE COST FOR THIS SAFETY REPAIR DOWN TO A REASONABLE LEVEL. *TR

1996 TOYOTA PRIUS - (3) THINGS I HAVE NOTICED WHEN OPERATING CAR. (1) WHEN BRAKING AND GOING OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT, CAR WILL BEHAVE AS THOUGH IT IS HYDROPLANEING - THE BRAKES NOT SLOWING THE CAR FOR A BRIEF PERIOD UNTIL CAR SETTLES DOWN. THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN GOING AS SLOW AS 5 MPH. THE FASTER ONE IS GOING WHEN HITTING THE ROUGH PAVEMENT, THE FARTHER THE CAR WILL TRAVEL BEFORE BRAKING SENSATION RE-APPEARS. I BELIEVE THIS OCCURS EVERYTIME I TRAVEL ROUGH PAVEMENT (LA CITY STREETS, NOT BACK COUNTRY OR 4 WHEELING). NOTE THAT WARNING LIGHT ON DASHBOARD DOES LIGHT SUGGESTING LOSS OF CONTROL. I CALLED DEALER SERVICE CENTER AND DESCRIBED PROBLEM, THEY ASSURED ME THAT NO SAFETY WARNINGS OR RECALLS HAD BEEN MADE. 2) WHEN TURNING OFF CRUISE CONTROL, CAR WILL ACCELERATE SLIGHTLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 1-2 SECONDS. THIS IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN TRYING TO EXIT CARPOOL LANE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND SPACING IS LIMITED. AGAIN CALLED DEALERSHIP AND ASSURED NO SAFETY NOTICES OR RECALLS. I NOW COVER BRAKE WHEN TURNING OFF SPEED CONTROL. 3) CAR JUST EATS UP HID HEADLIGHT (9 IN 80K MILES + 2 ORIGINAL INSTALLED) AND TAILLIGHT BULBS (11 + 2 ORIGINALLY INSTALLED). AGAIN NO SAFETY NOTICES OR RECALLS. I REPLACE THEM AS I NOTICE THEM. I HAVE NEVER HAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AT ONCE AS DESCRIBED ON YOUR WEBSITE. NOTE THAT OTHER THAN THE ABOVE ISSUES/CONCERNS, THIS CAR HAS BEEN A GREAT CAR WITH NO SERVICE EXCEPT FOR GAS, OIL CHANGES, AND REPLACE THE BULBS WHEN THEY GO OUT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT OR WET ROADS THERE WAS A DELAY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY FAILURES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILES WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE POWER STEERING FAILED CAUSING INHIBITED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO MAKE A 180 DEGREE TURN, AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE PROCESS WOULD TAKE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THEY COULD PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VIN, CURRENT, AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE NOT AVAILABLE WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED.

MY 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS HEADLIGHTS ARE MALFUNCTIONING. MY HEADLIGHTS GO OFF INTERMITTENTLY. MAINLY THE RIGHT HEADLIGHTS BUT BOTH LIGHTS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IF I TURN OFF AND THEN TURN ON THE LIGHTS THEN THEY WILL WORK OK FOR A LITTLE WHILE. I AM WORRIED THAT BOTH LIGHTS MAY GO OFF AND WILL PUT MY FAMILY AT RISK AT NIGHT.*TR

IN 2009 I PURCHASED A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE THE HEAD LIGHTS RANDOMLY SHUT OFF. SOMETIMES ONE AT TIME AND SOMETIMES BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING OVER A DARK MOUNTAIN PASS IN THE SNOW AND THE HEADLIGHTS BOTH WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. IT TOOK ME THREE TIMES, TURNING THEM OFF AND ON FOR THEM TO COME BACK ON. WE COULD HAVE BEEN HURT OR KILLED. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN, AT LEAST FIVE TO SIX TIMES WHEN WE ARE DRIVING OUR CAR AT NIGHT AND MY SON HAS BEEN PULLED OVER AND TICKETED TWICE. WE CALLED THE DEALER AND EVEN THOUGH WE BOUGHT THE FULL EXTENDED USED CAR WARRANTY, TOYOTA DOES NOT COVER THE HEADLIGHT ISSUES AND ARE TELLING US IT'S GOING TO COST BETWEEN $500 - $1500 TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED. IT'S OBVIOUSLY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, BUT TOYOTA SAID THEY ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING IT WAS NOT. THE LIGHTS EVEN GO OUT WHEN YOU TURN ON YOUR BLINKERS, OFF COURSE RANDOMLY. I EVEN WENT FOR A NIGHT TIME DRIVE WITH MY SALESPERSON RIGHT AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND HE SAW THE LIGHTS GO OFF. HE SAID I WOULD JUST HAVE TO REPLACE THEM AT MY COST EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUS THEY WERE GOING ON AND OFF WHEN WE HIT EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BUMP IN ROAD AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY A CERTIFIED USED CAR. TOYOTA KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S ISSUED A STATEMENT AND THERE ARE BLOGS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT IT, YET THEY REFUSE TO HELP THEIR CUSTOMERS MAINTAIN A SAFE OPERATING VEHICLE. I'VE AGAIN CALLED THE DEALER AND HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. WE ARE HOPING THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE PURCHASES THREE TOYOTAS FROM THEM IN THE LAST THREE YEARS AND THAT THEY WILL FIX THE HEADLIGHTS FOR US BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. ALL THREE CARS WE PURCHASED FROM TOYOTA ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN THEIR CURRENT RECALLS. WE ARE VERY UNHAPPY WITH OUR TOYOTAS AND FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THEM WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND CHILDREN IN OUR VEHICLES. *TR

TOYOTA PRIUS 2006. RT. FRONT (PASSENGER SIDE) HEADLIGHT GOES OUT FOR NO REASON. AFTER THIS IS WILL NOT COME BACK ON, EVEN IF I SWITCH FROM LOW TO HIGH BEAM. I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND ON THAT CORRECTS THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 3 TO 15 MINUTES, THEN IT GOES OFF AGAIN. TOYOTA SAID IT WAS THE BULB AND REPLACED IT AT ABOUT 34,000 MILES UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT DID NOT CHANGE ANYTHING. THEN THE NEXT CHANCE I HAD TO BRING IT IN IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO THEY WILL NOT COVER. I THOUGHT IT MAY BE THE IGNITER OR TRANSFORMER SO I REPLACED THAT, BUT IT STILL DOES THE SAME THING. I SEE MANY PRIUS' AROUND TOWN WITH THEIR RIGHT FRONT LIGHT OUT, SO IT SEEMS TO BE QUITE COMMON. I READ ON THE INTERNET THAT LOTS OF PRIUS PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM, BUT OF COURSE TOYOTA DENIES THAT THERE IS ONE. TOYOTA SIMPLY CHARGES $300. TO REPLACE THE BULB, OR $600 TO REPLACE THE IGNITER, OR $1,100 TO REPLACE THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLE. REPLACING THE BULB DOES NOT FIX IT, NEITHER DOES THE IGNITER, NOT SURE ABOUT THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY. THE LIGHT GOES OFF WHETHER THE CAR IS PARKED OR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, SO VIBRATION IS NOT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. TOYOTA IS PRODUCING LEMONS, THEN SIMPLY REPLACING THE BULBS AND HOPING YOUR WARRANTY RUNS OUT. TOYOTA IS MAKING A TON OF MONEY OFF OF THIS DEFECT AT $1,100 PER LIGHT ASSEMBLY, AND EVEN THEN I AM NOT SURE THE PROBLEM IS BEING REPAIRED. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE MORE COMMON ON 2006 AND 2007 MODELS. I JUST DROVE TO THE AIRPORT AND BACK (45 MIN EACH WAY) AND MY LIGHT WENT OUT PROBABLY 30 TIMES. MANY OWNERS DON'T SEEM TO KNOW THAT THEIR LIGHT IS OUT. I NOTICE, BUT I STILL FEEL LIKE I AM A HUGE ROAD HAZARD. I WOULD REPAIR IT IF I KNEW WHAT THE ACTUAL PROBLEM WAS. THE TOYOTA FACTORY SURELY KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW TO CORRECT IT, BUT IF THEY BRING THE PROBLEM TO THE SURFACE THEY KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE FORCED TO PAY FOR ANOTHER RECALL, MEANWHILE THEY MAKE A TON OF PROFIT OFF PARTS AND REPAIRS. *TR