This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
As many previous owners described, I am also having problems with the brakes at low speed since the beginning of owning this vehicle (October 2009). Dealer couldn't replicate the problem. Although the car went through the recall for the break system is still having the same issue ever since. The other issue with the brakes happens after rain. It makes a screeching noise without performance being effected. It goes away usually within a half an hour. This has been an ongoing thing too for few years by now. The other issue I had as well as others is dimming of lights that has been occurring since last year. We needed to switch the lightbulbs more frequently than seems normal. Didn't even think it was out of the ordinary until I read the comments here about it. The other problem I started to have is with a stereo display system and the voice activation for the bluetooth. The display had some weird lines on it after a very cold or a very hot day (radio was working fine just the display was not working properly). Eventually goes back to normal but this started happening the last year or so. The same time also had a problem with the voice activation unit which turned on unexpectedly and turned back on in 10 seconds after each time I turned it off. This was happening for a good 30 min at that time. This only occurred twice but both times was after a hot day last summer. This year so far haven't happened yet.
I was driving home from havenlock, nc on us 70, us 258, us 58 and us 264. I noticed that my low beam headlights were very dim making it very hard to see road marking or signs. There is a stretch of us 58 where they are repaving and they are no road marking at all and I could not see where my lane (2 way traffic). I considered this a very serious problem that the headlight are dim and could have led to a very serious accident. I have noticed that others have complained about the same problem with the Prius 2010. Not able to see more than 30 feet ahead on a very dark night is very scary and had me shaking.
When flashing the low beams/high beams on/off I routinely blow the low beam bulbs. Not both at the same time but eventually both will blow. I understand from reading forums that this is a known problem however Toyota will not address it unless you are under the 36K warranty. This should be a mandatory recall.
I recently replaced one of the low beam headlights, only to discover a few weeks later that both of the low beams had burned out. I've never had two headlights burn out at the same time! tonight I discovered that another of the low beams has burned out. That means that this bulb burned out in less than two months and only about 1000 miles. I am afraid to use my headlights during the daytime for fear that they will burn out and not be available when I need them to see again at night. This must be a wiring/configuration defect! please do something about this!
Most Prius 2008-2009-2010-2011 they all have a big problem on the multi-information display do not show not thing when the car is cold after 10 or 15 minutes the display show. It's danger because the driver can not see how fast he is driving of if and thing wrong with the car you can not see the display. Most of my friend have this problem. I called the dealer and they say ther is no recall. I try to send a photo with my message and the photo can not add on to my message. This might be some thing that you might not know ! if you try to call my cell phone and if I do not pick up my call ! please leave a message and I will call you ! because I am driving on the road every day. Thank you for helping me with this information above ! this problem been going on for 5 months.
- Brooklyn, NY, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
The dash display mph and mileage totally went black. Looked it up on the internet and seems like it is a common problem for the 2010 Toyota Prius. Sounds like Toyota use to cover this before this year model, but not now, even though it is still happening. They may have done their dash alittle different, but it is still having the same problem.
I purchased a certified used 2010 Toyota Prius from the East coasts number one certified used Toyota dealer. I was presented with papers showing all the checks performed with a certified used Toyota and that the vehicle I was purchasing had pass all the inspections. I test drove the vehicle during the day and did not use the headlights. Once I was home (over 3 hours away) I used the headlights for the first time in the next few days. The driver's side lights were very dim. I took the low beam bulb out and notice a lot of corrosion on the bulb and moisture in the headlamp assembly. I let it dry out and replaced both the drivers and passenger side low beam light bulbs. Over the summer I noticed a few time moisture would build up but would be gone within a few days. Now during the winter the moisture has frozen inside the driver side headlamp assembly and impedes on the effectiveness of the headlamp. My visibility is reduced and has now become a safety issue. I have not owned the vehicle for a full year yet and even purchased the top of the line extended Toyota warranty. My local dealer stated it was not covered under any warranty and that would cost around $500 to be replaced. Toyota has a technical service bulletin on this issue and should repair at no cost to owners due to a safety hazard.
After returning to vehicle, low beam headlights failed to properly illuminate. I replaced both bulbs with new ones, and they still fail to cast enough light. The bulbs appear to be on, but are too dim to be effective.
One of the headlights (low beam) stopped working sometimes in 2013, then it came back. Over the course of 2013-2014, the front right light went out and I had the light bulb replaced. Then it died again. I replaced both bulbs based on the aftermarket recommendation but the lights are not bright enough. The front left parking light also died twice. Something is screwy with the electrical for the lights.
My 2010 Prius has had an ongoing problem with the main headlamps blowing, becoming inoperative and effectively leaving me with diminished visibility. This has happened approximately every 3 months since March 2014. Either one or both headlamps will blow. This is due to a known problem with this model and is covered under a Toyota/NHTSA service bulletin (tsp-0204-12). In my case, I purchased the car used, from a Toyota dealer with the Toyota certified car warranty, but this failure of the wiring harness is apparently not covered. Judging by the percentage of complaints in the safercar.gov database for this model, this is a common problem and my experience has been typical. In the most recent incident, it was raining heavily and I ended up driving 150 miles with a blown headlamp, unsafe for me and unsafe for those whom I shared the road with.
Toyota has issued a warranty enhancement program for certain vehicles to extend the warranty for certain internal malfunctions of the intelligent power module {\9ipm). This warranty is extended for 15 years. In the event this described condition in the enhancement program occur, and, if verified, an appropriate remedy will be performed. However Toyota further states, "the warning lights and stored hybrid system diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) can be triggered due to conditions detected not specific to the inverter assembly and its internal components. These additional conditions may require diagnosis or repairs not specifically covered by this warranty enhancement. Please be aware that if the condition is not covered by this warranty enhancement, you may be responsible for the initial diagnostic fees and any other repairs you may "decide" to have performed. Any authorized Toyota dealership can determine if a condition is covered by this warranty enhancement. My local Toyota dealership, larry miller Toyota, has already recommended costly inspections to be performed for the hybrid battery coolant system, which have not been recommended by a Toyota technical service bulletin or any other qualified engineering person at Toyota. Now Toyota is asking the owners to trust their dealer's if what the dealer's are deciding needs to be performed. The Toyota dealers do not engineer, test nor manufacture the vehicle. Toyota corporation is responsible for the condition of the vehicle not the dealer. What specifically may cause the dtcs to be triggered to simulate a problem with the ipm? what are these conditions, are they a serious safety risk and, how can I as a consumer, be 100% confident that if a dtc condition occurs in my vehicle what exactly is the cause. II the dealer is left to decide, will I be treated fairly. Toyota is the car manufacturer not their dealers.
This has happened several times over the past two years. As I brake at low speeds, the car surges ahead as though your foot is on the accelerator. Sometimes it was so subtle, you wondered if it really happened. Today (11/23/14) there was absolutely no mistaking it. The car surged forward a couple of feet as I was slowing to turn left. If someone had been stopped in front of me, I would have hit them from behind.
Vehicle was being driven when a smell of smoke was detected. Upon stopping, smoke came from the engine compartment. Within 3 minutes the vehicle started on fire, extending to the roll up garage door. The fire burned the engine compartment, passenger area, garage door and siding before the fire department extinguished.
Driving home at night going approximately 40 mph both low beam head lights went out at the same time. Turned on the high beam and they worked ok. Bought new bulbs the next day and installed but did not resolve the problem.
2010 Toyota iv Prius: Returning home at night in a dark, rural country area of Pennsylvania. Windy, two-lane road with frequent opposing traffic. Left front headlight goes out making it very difficult to see with remaining headlight. Switched to high beams which worked ok until opposing traffic appeared and had to switch back to low beam (singular). A dangerous situation with opposing headlights in your eyes and not enough light from my own car to illuminate the road in front of me. Later, it turned out that the headlamp bulb was ok and "something" was making it either intermittent or go out completely. Sometimes striking the headlight lens assembly with the heel of your hand would get the light to come back on. My wife recently was cited for driving with a headlight out in our local area. This is not a safe situation and the local dealer says he can't help us.
We have owned this vehicle since it has been new and have replaced the driver's side front headlight annually. This time it went out just 4 weeks after a local mechanic replaced the bulb. When I took it to Toyota and complained of the problem and asked about a warranty fix I was told that the prior bulb had been installed incorrectly and now the entire headlight should be replaced for $500. This is the same problem we have always had.
The hybrid inverter assembly failed when I tried to accelerate from a stop onto a rural highway. This occurred approximately two months after receiving the motor generator ECU and power management ECU software update that was intended to prevent this type of failure.I was notified of this update/recall in late March 2014 and had the update completed at a authorized Toyota service center.
Was traveling about 65 mph on route 11 in ct when red lights come on and car slows to 20 mph.pulle to side of road and called aaa/towed to hartford Toyota in hartford ct. First told it was a hybrid battery then told it was the inverter which they said is on back order. Now I, M getting the run around from the main office in California.. brought car in for a recall on software update in Feb 2014 and from what I read this may cause the invert to fail thanks for your attention in this matter.
I was leaving a parking space and exiting the parking area when both headlights went off leaving me in the dark. I pulled over and turned them on and off several times but nothing happened. I had the running lights, the turn signals, the high beams but no low beams. I drove home with my high beams on. I went today and replaced both bulbs then tried the lights again. Nothing. I took the bulbs back and exchanged them and still no headlights.
(40) fleet 2010 Toyota Prius. Consumer writes in regards to vehicles headlights malfunction. The consumer stated he had to routinely replace 7-8 headlamps per week on the fleet of 40 vehicles. The dealer informed the consumer the frequent burnout of the bulbs was likely due to wither security officers not properly caring for the vehicle or the vehicles being used more frequently for personal use. Also, the wiring harness failed on the vehicles. The consumer stated there is currently 1 vehicle in the shop now, and the dealer quoted a price of $8,000 to replace the wiring harness.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Brooklyn, NY, USA