TroubleCAR
67
Trouble

2008 Toyota Prius

Complaints: 1495Avg mileage: 65,931 miSince: Dec 2007
7 deathsCrashFire71 injured

Problem Areas

Exterior Lighting
553
Electrical System
228
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
157
Service Brakes
145
Vehicle Speed Control
142
Service Brakes, Electric
77
Unknown or Other
50
Engine
48
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
43
Power Train
41

Complaints Over Time

Recent Complaints

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
100 miMar 24, 2010WACONIA, MN
1 deathCrash2 injured

VEHICLE RAN OFF ROAD ON CURVE, DRIVER REPORTED VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. UPDATED 06/03/10*BF UPDATED IVOQ. 06/07/10 UPDATED 9/29/11*CW

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
Feb 17, 2010BOHEMIA,, NY
1 deathCrash1 injured

DRIVER IN TOYOTA PRIUS WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, ROLLED OR DROVE INTO INTERSECTION WHERE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. PRIUS DRIVER WAS KILLED. UPDATED 03/14/10 *BF *TR ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THERE WAS ONLY ONE DEATH AND NO INJURIES. UPDATED 06/15/10. *JB UPDATE 9/21/2011*CW

AIR BAGS
6,500 miJun 10, 2024Irving, TX
2 deathsCrash

The contact owned a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while his mother was driving approximately 37 MPH, a second vehicle crashed into the rear passenger side causing the vehicle to go airborne and crash. During the crash, the front driver's side and front driver's side curtain air bags did not deploy. The driver's chest impacted the steering wheel causing her heart to sustain severe pressure and her ribs to collapse. Also, the front seat passenger was ejected from the vehicle through the windshield. Both occupants sustained fatal injuries due to the crash. The front passenger was not wearing a seat belt during the crash. A police report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was then towed by Toyota who confirmed there was an air bag failure. The vehicle was resold after being salvaged. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 6,500.

STRUCTURE:BODY
60,000 miOct 27, 2017RIVER FOREST, IL
CrashFire1 injured

TOYOTA PRIUS (2008) - FIRE AFTER MINOR ACCIDENT (BATTERY FIRE) AFTER A FAIRLY STANDARD REAR END COLLISION (25-30 MPH), MY TOYOTA PRIUS CAUGHT FIRE AND BURST INTO FLAMES. I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ON A CITY STREET IN CHICAGO, IL WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, MY VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION. WITHIN MINUTES OF IMPACT (TO RIGHT REAR OF CAR), THE RESPONDING POLICE OFFICER SAW FIRE UNDER THE CAR (BEGAN IN REAR) AND THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED. THE FIRE TRAVELLED TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE CAR HAS BEEN DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE POLICE AND TOW COMPANY BELIEVE THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE PRIUS BATTERY AND THESE CARS ARE VERY UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD WITH THIS CONDITION. THERE HAS BEEN NO RELATED RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE, BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY UNSAFE AND I'M VERY HAPPY I WAS NOT TRAVELING WITH MY CHILDREN AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME TO REVIEW THIS CASE AND TAKING STEPS TO ENSURE TOYOTA ADDRESSES THE ISSUES WITH THE PRIUS VEHICLES. I'VE ATTACHED THE POLICE REPORT AND PHOTOS OF THE CAR FIRE (I ALSO HAVE VIDEO OF THE FIRE, BUT THE FILE IS TOO LARGE TO ATTACH ON THIS SUBMISSION - AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST). NO MAJOR INJURIES - I EXPERIENCED SORENESS / HEADACHES FROM IMPACT/WHIPLASH AND SAW MY DOCTOR FOLLOWING ACCIDENT (NO MAJOR INJURY). PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW IF I CAN PROVIDE ANYTHING ELSE / ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! [XXX] ('PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).')*JB

AIR BAGS
187,411 miFeb 10, 2014PEYTON, CO
1 deathCrash

MY BROTHER WAS KILLED IN A CAR WRECK ON 1/14/2014 AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE ARTICLE OF WHAT HAPPENED. NOT ONE AIRBAG WENT OFF DURING THIS WRECK. THERE IS VIDEO AND PICTURES OF THE SEVERITY OF THE WRECK. 54-YEAR-OLD [XXX] WAS KILLED IN A THREE-VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON I-75 TUESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 14, 2014. [XXX] I-75 ACCIDENT.ACCORDING TO GEORGIA STATE PATROL, TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED IN THE NORTHBOUND LANES OF I-75, NEAR EXIT 64, FOR AN EARLIER ACCIDENT. [XXX], OF ORLANDO, WAS EITHER SLOWING OR STOPPED IN HIS TOYOTA PRIUS IN THE INSIDE LANE WHEN A GMC ENVOY CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF [XXX] PRIUS, FORCING IT INTO A STOPPED SEMI-TRUCK IN THE MIDDLE LANE. TRAGICALLY, [XXX] PERISHED FROM HIS INJURIES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AIR BAGS
Feb 25, 2008MANSFIELD, TX
2 deathsCrash

TL*THE CONTACT'S MOTHER OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND TWO OCCUPANTS DIED. THE VIN, SPEED, PURCHASE DATE, ENGINE SIZE, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

SERVICE BRAKES
240,000 miFeb 26, 2024Newberry, SC
Crash1 injured

The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, the brakes failed when pressed causing the vehicle to crash into the rear end of a second vehicle. During the crash, the air bags did not deploy and the rear driver-side seat belt had sprung outward, although no rear seat passenger was present. The second vehicle's rear driver's side passenger was later treated for an undisclosed injury. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 240,000.

STRUCTURE:BODY
93,000 miFeb 6, 2021THEODORE, AL
Crash1 injured

I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 35-40 MPH ON A 4 LANE CITY ROAD & A TRUCK PULLED IN FRONT OF ME FROM A SHOPPING CENTER ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF ROAD FROM WHICH I WAS TRAVELING WITHOUT STOPPING IN CENTER MEDIAN CROSSOVER. I HIT BRAKES BUT I HAD NO TIME TO STOP. I'M NOT SURE THE BRAKES EVEN WORKED AS THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS FROM BRAKING. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF MY CAR HIT HARD & ALSO DAMAGED DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WELL, FENDER PANEL. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY HEAD COLLIDED WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. IT RESULTED IN MY HAVING A CONCUSSION, WHIPLASH, A FRACTURE IN MY NECK, SHOULDER PAIN & NERVE ISSUES IN MY ARMS & HANDS, BACK & HIP PAIN. I KNOW IF THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED I WOULDN'T HAVE SUFFERED ALL THE PHYSICAL ISSUES. THIS ALL HAPPENED JAN. 11 & I STILL HAVE PAIN. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS.

SERVICE BRAKES
200,000 miJul 9, 2020HONOLULU, HI
Crash1 injured

I WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY BRAKES, LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR GOING 30-35 MPH ON A CITY STREET, HIT TELEPHONE POLE, AIRBAG DEPLOYED, INJURED. MVA 06/12/20

AIR BAGS
123,000 miMar 26, 2019ST ANNE, IL
Crash1 injured

WENT OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH TO AVOID A DEER. DITCH WAS IM GUESSING ABOUT 4 FOOT DEEP . AIR BAGS DID NOT WORK. HIT MY HEAD AND HAVE A LARGE BRUISE ON MY CHEST .

SEATS
120,000 miMar 11, 2019GARDEN GROVE, CA
Crash3 injured

DURING THE ACCIDENT, THE BACK SEAT FELL DOWN. I AM ASSUMING IT HAPPENED DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT BUT IT WAS TERRIFYING BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE HAVE OUR CHILDREN REAR FACING IN THAT VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED ON THE FREEWAY AND THE GLASS WAS BROKEN IN THE BACK FROM THE IMPACT.

AIR BAGS
185,000 miMar 17, 2018EL MIRAGE, AZ
Crash2 injured

I WAS IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT IN FEB OF 2015 I HOT ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING APPROXIMATELY 15MPH NO AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED AND THE POLICE OFFICER AND BODY SHOP BOTH WERE SURPRISED NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I'M CURIOUS IF THIS WAS DUE TO A FAULT YOU AIRBAG AND LUCKLY I WASN'T SERIOUSLY INJURED. MY DASH COMPUTER SENSOR WENT OUT IN 2015, CAUSING ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO READ AN ODOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, ETC. I HAD THIS PART REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE DUE TO THE SAFETY HAZARD IT POTENTIALLY COULD CAUSE I'D LIKE TO SEE A FORMAL RECALL FOR THIS PART. TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGED THE SAFETY ERROR AND DID ISSUE A EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH I WAS NOT COVERED BY. I REPLACED MY INVERTER A THIRD TIME IN 2017 DIE TO OVER HEATING. AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED I DID NOTICED DECEASED POWER WHICH GREATLY AFFECTED THE PERFORMANCE OF MY VEHICLE MAKING IT MORE SLUGGISH. DUE TO THE PERFORMANCE LOSS I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO USE THE CAR FOR NORMAL TRIPS THAT WERE TAKEN PREVIOUSLY DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS.

SERVICE BRAKES
160,000 miFeb 28, 2017NORTH CANTON, OH
Crash3 injured

I WAS IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT WHERE I REAR ENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I TRIED TO STOP BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP OR EVEN MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO SLOW DOWN. MY ANKLE SUFFERED A SEVERE TWIST FROM TRYING TO APPLY BRAKES. THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT REACT TO SLOW DOWN VEHICLE. THERE WAS A CAR COMING IN THE ONCOMING LANE SO I COULD NOT GO AROUND VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION IN THE CITY AND I WAS GOING STRAIGHT. THE PAVEMENT WAS A LITTLE ROUGH AND MY ABS LIGHT WAS GOING OFF AND ALL I COULD DO WAS HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME DUE TO BRAKES FAILING AND NOT SLOWING ME DOWN.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
75,000 miJan 20, 2017LAS VEGAS, NV
Crash2 injured

CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITH NO POWER AT STOP LIGHT. REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICAL TRAVELING AT APPRX. 45 MPH. NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY BATTERY ISSUES OR ANY OTHER TROUBLE LIGHTS. INJURIES SUSTAINED. CAR ONLY HAD 75,000 MILES ON ODOMETER AND HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. CAR WAS STOPPED AT RED LIGHT ON CRAIG RD. AND DURANGO IN LAS VEGAS NEVADA WHEN FAILURE OCCURED. TWO FEMALE OCCUPANTS BOTH WITH MINOR INJURIES, ONE TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL

AIR BAGS
101,000 miSep 3, 2016MEYERSDALE, PA
Crash1 injured

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT, ON A TOWN STREET AND A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF HER. THE IMPACT WAS ON HER FRONT BUMPER AND HOOD PUSHING THE SIDE QUARTER PANELS BACK. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS AN OLDER PONTIAC GRAND PRIS, THEIR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON THE TOYOTA PRIUS.WHY DID THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOY?

AIR BAGS
56,000 miNov 23, 2015COLOMA, CA
Crash1 injured

HIT - T-BONED. DRIVERS SIDE - FRONT QUARTER PANEL -KNOCKED OUT- CAR TOTALED- FOUR AIR BAGS IN FRONT- NOT ONE WENT OFF- WANT TO KNOW WHY ???? CAR WAS IN MOTION. .....UPDATED12/07/15*BF; UPDATED 04/27/18*JB *TR

AIR BAGS
63,000 miJan 23, 2015LAKELAND, FL
Crash1 injured

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS PULLED INTO THE PATH OF A PICK UP TRUCK AND WAS STRUCK IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR. SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR UPDATED 9/19/2017*CN

AIR BAGS
80,000 miJun 11, 2014OAK HARBOR, WA
Crash1 injured

MY HUSBAND WAS T-BONED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF OUR 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS BY A SUV GOING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND NOT ONE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THANKFULLY THE IMPACT WAS NEAR THE FRONT DRIVER TIRE INSTEAD OF DIRECTLY ON THE DOOR. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS IMPACTED AND MY HUSBAND HAD TO WAIT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PRY OPEN THE DOOR SO HE COULD GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN ACCIDENT BEFORE. *TR..UPDATED 12/09/15 *BF UPDATED 8/31/2017*CN

AIR BAGS
55,960 miMay 1, 2014LAKE VIEW TERRACE, CA
Crash1 injured

ON 09/01/10, WE TOOK OUR 2008 PRIUS IN BECAUSE THERE WERE TWO TIMES THE CAR DIDN'T STOP WHEN WE USED THE BRAKES. I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER, THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. IT WAS SCARY AND I FEARED AN ACCIDENT. AFTER THEY WORKED ON THE CAR, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE FLOOR MATS THAT INTERFERED WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE I HAD TO PUT MY FOOT UNDER THE PEDAL TO RAISE IT UP SINCE IT WAS STUCK. I WAS ANGRY THEY COMPLETELY IGNORED THE FACT THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND ACTED AS THOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS HANDLED. ON 03/31/12, W. MANCHESTER/HINDRY, BEFORE 2:00 P.M., IT HAD DRIZZLED, I STOPPED AT A LIGHT, DROVE AHEAD AND AT A FORK IN THE ROAD I TAPPED MY BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN ON A CURVE. INSTEAD, THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES BUT THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND. THE CAR KEPT GAINING SPEED! I WAS AT LEAST 3 CAR LENGTHS BEHIND OTHER CAR, PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP BUT THE CAR ACCELERATED NO MATTER HOW HARD I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES. IT WAS TERRIFYING! I REALIZED I WAS GOING TO CRASH AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO PREVENT IT. I REAR ENDED THE MERCEDES, THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. I HAD 2 BOXES OF BOOKS IN THE TRUNK THAT HIT THE BACK OF MY SEAT AND KNOCKED DOWN THE REAR SEATS FROM THE IMPACT. THE CAR WAS TOWED. DAMAGES: $5,988.79. MEDICAL: $25,000. NEXT MONTH, A CRACKED PUMP WAS DISCOVERED AT FIREWALL, DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. THE BLACK BOX SHOWED IMPACT WAS AT 35 MPH, (35-27) MPH, 0.02 SEC. INJURIES: CONCUSSION, WHIPLASH, BACK SPASMS, DOUBLE-CRUSH INJURY, PTSD, DEPRESSION, MIGRAINES. I COULDN'T DRIVE OR START PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR 4 MOS., UNTIL 07/27/12. MY THERAPIST WORKED ALOT TO RELAX MY MUSCLES, I HAD TRACTION, BOUGHT A TRACTION DEVICE $400. AND 6 MOS. OF CHIROPRACTIC FOR MUSCLE SPASMS. 12/08/12, I HAD A NERVE-TEST, IT WAS ABNORMAL FOR A DOUBLE-CRUSH INJURY. PRESCRIBED XANAX FOR PTSD, ANXIETY. *TR

AIR BAGS
55,960 miMay 1, 2014LAKE VIEW TERRACE, CA
Crash1 injured

ON 09/01/10, WE TOOK OUR 2008 PRIUS IN BECAUSE THERE WERE TWO TIMES THE CAR DIDN'T STOP WHEN WE USED THE BRAKES. I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER, THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. IT WAS SCARY AND I FEARED AN ACCIDENT. AFTER THEY WORKED ON THE CAR, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE FLOOR MATS THAT INTERFERED WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE I HAD TO PUT MY FOOT UNDER THE PEDAL TO RAISE IT UP SINCE IT WAS STUCK. I WAS ANGRY THEY COMPLETELY IGNORED THE FACT THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND ACTED AS THOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS HANDLED. ON 03/31/12, W. MANCHESTER/HINDRY, BEFORE 2:00 P.M., IT HAD DRIZZLED, I STOPPED AT A LIGHT, DROVE AHEAD AND AT A FORK IN THE ROAD I TAPPED MY BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN ON A CURVE. INSTEAD, THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES BUT THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND. THE CAR KEPT GAINING SPEED! I WAS AT LEAST 3 CAR LENGTHS BEHIND OTHER CAR, PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP BUT THE CAR ACCELERATED NO MATTER HOW HARD I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES. IT WAS TERRIFYING! I REALIZED I WAS GOING TO CRASH AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO PREVENT IT. I REAR ENDED THE MERCEDES, THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. I HAD 2 BOXES OF BOOKS IN THE TRUNK THAT HIT THE BACK OF MY SEAT AND KNOCKED DOWN THE REAR SEATS FROM THE IMPACT. THE CAR WAS TOWED. DAMAGES: $5,988.79. MEDICAL: $25,000. NEXT MONTH, A CRACKED PUMP WAS DISCOVERED AT FIREWALL, DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. THE BLACK BOX SHOWED IMPACT WAS AT 35 MPH, (35-27) MPH, 0.02 SEC. INJURIES: CONCUSSION, WHIPLASH, BACK SPASMS, DOUBLE-CRUSH INJURY, PTSD, DEPRESSION, MIGRAINES. I COULDN'T DRIVE OR START PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR 4 MOS., UNTIL 07/27/12. MY THERAPIST WORKED ALOT TO RELAX MY MUSCLES, I HAD TRACTION, BOUGHT A TRACTION DEVICE $400. AND 6 MOS. OF CHIROPRACTIC FOR MUSCLE SPASMS. 12/08/12, I HAD A NERVE-TEST, IT WAS ABNORMAL FOR A DOUBLE-CRUSH INJURY. PRESCRIBED XANAX FOR PTSD, ANXIETY. *TR

Other Prius Years

Other Toyota Models