Toyota Prius

I have been driving my '04 since new and put 172K on it. The car has been trouble free except brake leds failed at 110K and now the digital display ( Speedo, fuel etc.) has gone out. Overall, a very low expense car. I forgot the inverter cooling pump did go out and I was reimbursed in full. Living in Hawaii has no doubt been good for the lack of issues. I do not baby the car. I am typically the first one out from the light and love passing a big SUV with the engine off.

In November, we purchased a 2011 Prius with GPS. We have used a hand held Garmin for 5 years and expected the built in to be much better. The voice control on the Prius is useless and when the car is in motion it is the only way to use it. When trying to find "dining", you must choose "nearby" or "on the route". For nearby we only get restaurants within a block or two. Anytime we are on a freeway, we get there are none on our route. Even when we have programmed a route, we have been given wrong directions. The Garmin is far superior. Of course, we can't do anything about it. I am just surprised that none of the reviews have mentioned the poor GPS system. We would not have bought a Prius with it and spent a large amount of money on it.

Hi. I have a 2000 Toyota Prius and I can not remove the key from contact unless I unplug the battery. I can't drive the car.

The car itself has been good up until recently. We have a 2004 Prius that was purchased new. We also purchased the extended 100,000 mile warranty. The air conditioner stopped working this summer. It was working, then I parked the car, and it no longer worked. We took it to the Lithia Toyota in Abilene, TX. After paying $136, they told us the compressor was out, they thought, and it would cost us a minimum of $2,500. They wouldn't know for sure until they started working on it.

While picking up the car, we overheard the assistant manager tell another person the same thing, just on a different model of car. My problem is two different issues. We were charged for diagnostics to only be told they thought it was the compressor, which was obviously their standard answer. Then we took it to another automotive A/C place. They were told by Toyota that Toyota will not release the wiring diagrams to anyone. Thus, you are held hostage by Toyota who does not know how to diagnose or work on the air system.

This car did not come at cheap price. We currently own a Tundra, Corolla and the Prius. We have also owned a 4Runner and were proud to be owners of Toyota vehicles. Now, however, it does seem that Toyota has joined the other big auto industry companies in putting the almighty dollar before the very people that keep them in business. Oh, and they told us the extended warranty that would have covered the air conditioning system had literally just expired. I believe that Toyota should be able to diagnose the problem, give a set price and not say, "This is for starters." I also believe that they should be able to diagnose without charging high fees. I do feel that the mechanics and the managers are not properly trained. I would like to have the A/C system repaired at a reasonable price, or they should release their wiring schematics to outside sources.

My 2008 Prius has been having issues with wiring. Since I first got the new car, my stereo has been working on-and-off. Sometimes, the dials will work, other times (like during long road trips), they won't. My solution (since I've taken it into the Mossy Toyota Dealership in Pacific Beach before and it hasn't worked) is to just smack the thing. Otherwise, the dealers say they can't fix it.

The most recent wiring issue has been with my headlights. When I turn the lights on when I start my car, they won't click on, or flicker on & off as I drive. Sometimes, as I start driving, the lights will turn on, but anytime I use my turn signal, it switches off again. I took my car in to an independent body shop at first, who told me that the problem with my headlights was too complex for them. The dealer at Mossy Toyota Dealership in Pacific Beach called me a few hours later, after charging me $100, that it would be another $300 to simply look into the wiring issue because it was too unique. When I told him that I would be taking my vehicle elsewhere, he said that only 3 of his 30 guys on staff could even begin to try to fix the problem, and that I would be regretting my decision.

My 2008 Prius JTDKB20U983381035 had a total electrical failure (all lights and dashboard) at night driving 65mph on a 2-lane rural highway. It was off for 30 seconds and came back on when high beam flasher was used. Again, total darkness. No reflected light available. I didn't know where the road really was so I slowed down. The lights came back on. Mark ** of Toyota said it was due to old headlamps?

We own a 2005 Toyota Prius. Recently, the steering made a grinding sound and then broke completely, leaving the car utterly uncontrollable. Luckily, no one was hurt in the failure, this time. We checked and found that Toyota had issued a recall for this exact failure, but they claim they had already repaired this car in 2006, obviously not.

The repair bill is now topping $2,300, as the air bag sensors were damaged when the steering sheared off in my wife's hands. This car has been plagued with other issues including a door lock system that randomly locks us out of the car while it's parked in the garage and headlights that cost $150 each and require the removal of the entire front bumper to replace them.

The car has less than 100k miles on it. IT has not been wrecked and is only driven around downtown Denver. I have owned 14 Toyotas in my life time, so I was a big fan, but the Prius has been the worst car I have ever owned.

I bought a 2008 Prius and after three months, it blew up. The fire marshal said that the wire in the airbag was screwed up.

I purchased a 2005 Prius. My Prius my only car and I drive it about 1000 miles a day. It currently has approximately 220k miles. The problem I'm having is that the dashboard lights do not come on and the car is difficult to turn off. I took the car to Toyota today and they witnessed the problem. I paid $120 for them to diagnose the problem but after putting the car on the computer, they told me that the problem was in the wiring. Please help me. I need to know where I can make a complaint.

I had a 2002 Toyota Prius. The day we were to start out on a road trip, I received a recall letter from Toyota. I went to my nearby dealership, Mark Jacobson Toyota, in Durham, NC. They told me that in around 10% of the cars they had serviced for this recall, they had uncovered a more serious concern that had made the cars inoperable. I decided to instead get the recall taken care of in New Jersey where I would be spending a week with my parents. On August 3,2011, I took the car to Prestige Toyota in Mahwah, NJ. I told them about the recall and that on the way to the dealership my check oil light had come on. The next day I got my car back, they said they had reset the light and that the car seemed to be in good shape. I then proceeded on our road trip through NY, up to Maine. A few times, the oil light would come on as I was making sharp turns.

On August 13,2011 as we were driving on Hwy 86 W in NY, we heard a loud noise and the car started rocking. I was able to pull over to the side of the road safely and called AAA. As it was Saturday afternoon, we were towed to a nearby garage, but could not talk to anyone until Monday morning. On Monday, we were told that the garage does not work on hybrids. We decided to have the car towed to the nearest dealership in Elmira, NY.

Toyota Key Instability Problem

Here is another problem that the Toyota company has ignored. A rather strange one.

The Corolla Verso and the Prius models both use the same kind of electronic key which has two separate functions : to start the engine and to open and close the door locks.

My Verso is four years old and almost from the beginning the keys malfunctioned in a strange and undesirable way. I reported this every time I took the car for service but although the dealer's service was impeccable in every other respect no notice was taken of the anomalous behaviour. They tell me no one else reports the same problem and, smiling, politely imply I am mistaken in my observations. (Or that they don't care).

I have exchanged lengthy correspondence with Toyota at local, national (Spain), European and headquarters' levels - up to and including the president's office. They are all unfailingly polite but finally unwilling to recognise the problem.

Which is that every so often the key spontaneously sends a signal to either unlock or lock the doors.. i.e. without the buttons having been pushed or even touched. In many cases it was certain that there could not have been any accidental button pushing while the key was in my pocket. Touching or stroking the plastic body of the key (away from the buttons) may sometimes have been associated with this effect which makes me suspect possibly an electrostatic influence on the internal circuit.

It is not possible to deliberately provoke the anomalous behaviour nor to predict when it will occur and it is very irregular : sometimes happening several times in a day, sometimes with a long interval between events. No apparent correlation with ambient temperature or other conditions.

The key I am currently using shows the effect very strongly and it is obviously very unstable. The most recent instances of unprovoked signalling have occurred when walking or standing a few metres from the vehicle which had been parked unused for several hours ; the key being loose and unencumbered in my pocket. In one case in fact, having just been removed from my pocket and being held loosely in my open hand, my fingers nowhere near the buttons, the key sent a signal all by itself to open the doors. On this occasion the event was witnessed by my wife (who had previously been a bit sceptical).

The first key that showed this problem many times eventually gave up the ghost and the door control stopped working altogether. (Engine start is not affected). It was examined at the dealer's who offered no explanation, merely confirming the key was kaput.

Another possible cause is a loose internal contact.

Hopefully a bit of public attention may lead to some light being shone on this matter.

my car stopped dead while my husband was driving it; it had to be towed to Toyota Dealer, Stockton, CA. Rick **, Service Dept. advised that drive train and transmission must be replaced. he said this was very uncommon occurrence. Cost of $5500.00

Two recalls thus far.

I have/had a 2001 Prius. I used it for commuting to work. 10 years, less that 120k miles. One fine day, the warning lights came on. Brake light was on, Check engine light. I tried to make the car go forward, but the acceleration was poor, and then there was a bad shuddering. I had the car towed to the local dealer. After resetting the codes and trying to drive it, several codes would not go away. I am told it will be more than $4000 to determine the problem (inverter or transmission), and between $12,000 and $14,000 to fix it. Hokey smoke, Bullwinkle. I don't know what I'm going to do next, but I think I just lost my car.

My 2008 Prius engine light came on and when I took to the first time it was HV Electric Water Pump costing a whopping $403. Dealership does not shuttle to work over 5 miles and I work about 10 miles.

Left the dealership drove for about 20 minutes and my engine light came on again and so I had to take back. Now find out that I need coolant temperature sensor and water valve assembly for another $476.38. I am out of warranty and the 2004 - 07 have a recall on this and they used the same part for the 08. When I called the Toyota hotline for assistance, I was turned down because it is out of warranty and that since I had purchased0 the car on 9/10. I have not had it serviced at Toyota.

So nearly $1,000. later, I am rethinking Toyota! They have been no help nor sympathetic to a continual problem they have with inferior parts. Not to mention I was laid off the same day.

My 2006 Prius was working fine. The next morning, the hybrid drive started, but the car would not move. I tried it several times to go forward or to go backward with the same result. The wheels would not turn. I called the dealer who told me to have the car towed on a dolly to the dealer. The diagnosis was that the auxiliary battery was dead so the car would not move. It cost $3.50 per mile to tow the car.

There was no way to release the wheels so they would turn. We were lucky we didn't need the car for an emergency. It was useless. There was no remedy except for the dealer to put in an expensive new battery, using an expensive installation process. Toyota should have an easy power override for such times.

There was cold weather that time. The car was not used for a few days. I attempted to start it. All lights light and some blink. I cannot shut the car down. I checked the battery voltage (12 volt battery) and found it quite low, 5 volts dc. The consequence was that because the system did not accept attempts to shut down to prevent further damage to the battery, it runs it all the way down, the worst thing for a lead acid battery in cold weather. The Prius may have a part that requires more battery in cold weather as this has happened a number of times. The dealer said it needed a new battery. I design battery chargers. I knew it was not bad and continued to use it for several more years.

My first experience driving my Prius in the snow here in CT has been very disappointing. Tires would just stop spinning entirely, leaving the car totally disabled. Not only is this a problem for the driver, but is potentially very dangerous depending upon where you get stuck. Fortunately, some people pushed me until the car was on firm ground again and I could continue. This is a design flaw as I see it. A control switch to disable this feature when wanted would solve this problem. I grew up in snow country and being able to spin the tires is necessary to get out of most "stuck" situations.

My 2002 Toyota Prius with 39,000 miles, developed power steering problems . The power steering would suddenly just go out. This is a critical safety issue. It cost $3200 to repair a part that Toyota said was not worn - it just failed. They refused to replace the defective part because the car was out of warranty, even though they admitted it was a defective part. Potential Prius buyers should be aware of the extremely high costs of repairing this car as well as the safety issues. Losing power steering at 65 miles per hour could have been fatal and Toyota will not be at all sympathetic or helpful.

The car died in a cold weather--another time in cold weather, all trouble lights came on but the car was running normally. We almost never take our 2002 Prius to cold weather but each time we have, the car has had problems. We assumed that it was the battery but our mechanic has no answers. The battery showed as full charge when the car died. Then, the car came back on eventually. We drove home, and once home, all problems have disappeared.

I own a 2008 Prius and is covered under extended warranty. The passenger headlight began working intermittently and progressively got worse and worse until finally, it would only flash on when lights would be turned on and turn off a second later. I took it to the dealer twice and they said it was the bulb and not covered under warranty. I explained to them that the bulb will still turn on each time but only for a second and they said it was still bulb failure and not covered under warranty.

I took it to auto mechanic who fixed it and now the problem is happening again after 4 months, same light. It is unbelievable the number of common complaints regarding this issue and Toyota refuses to correct the problem. This is clearly a known issue yet Toyota is sticking it the costumer and refusing to address the issue. My other half has a 2005 Prius and has never had a headlight issue. What is happening to Toyota quality and its commitment to customers? I am now thinking twice before recommending Toyota.

In 2008, I purchased a new Toyota Prius from a Toyota dealership. Up until now, I have not had anything to complain about with the car. In the past few weeks, I have been having problems with the front lights including the very expensive head lights and much cheaper, marker lights. At first, my driver's side headlight began to randomly shut off as I was driving. It would significantly impair my ability to drive on highways, which I drive on every day. Eventually the problem seemed to stop.

About a week after that, my marker light went out on the passenger side. My husband and I were able to easily change it for a very cheap cost. About 2 weeks after changing the marker light, I noticed that the driver's side passenger light again was shutting off. This time I took it to the Toyota dealership where we purchased it from. After some diagnostic testing they said that HED blue light (head light) was out and needed to be replaced.

Just for the light it cost $272.00 not counting labor costs. Because apparently, in order to get to these lights you have to remove the bumpers which in return costs more in labor time. After paying $350 for an oil change, tire rotation and new head light ,I was on my way. 2 days later, I realized that my passenger side headlight was doing the same exact thing. I immediately called the dealership to find out how that could happen. I recalled a conversation with the service manager prior to my car going in the shop in which he stated that they might have to check the driver side headlight in the passenger side, or to also check the ignitor. So when I called the dealership their response was "we have to talk to the tech people that worked on your car to find out exactly what they did." This was 24 hrs ago and I am still waiting for my response as my light continues to randomly shut off. I find it absolutely absurd that a head light can cost $272 and especially on a Toyota!

I am writing about my Toyota Prius 2007. I have put almost 2000 dollars in the car in 3 months. Both front headlights went out a two different times, cost $200 each time. The tires went bad, I have had to buy 2 sets of tires for this car. I wore out the original tires, the car has worn out 3 sets of tires. I bought Michelins this time and both back lights went out, both at the same time which cost me hundreds to fix them. I asked the dealer, where I go to all the time, and no one really gives me a straight answer if this is common or not other than routine care. I have not had a lot of problems with the car till 3 months ago. I have really good gas mileage, I drive 2 hours each work day on the LA area freeways. My fear is that this expense will continue.

I purchased a 2006 Toyota Prius. Like thousands of other owners, I have experienced the same detrimental braking and transmission issues. Although I complained about the braking system to the dealership, they claim there is nothing wrong with it. But yet I can not stop the car. The brakes fail every time I try to stop the carpeddle going completely to the floor with no response for several seconds until I start pumping them. Also, I recently have experienced the brakes not depressing at all. I mean, not at all!

One week later the same exact thing happened again. I could not get it turn off, shift, etc. This time I was at home an hour and a half from the dealership and I had to have it towed. Again dragging it up on the ramp, ruining my tires! The dealer claimed it was a bad part. They had it a week and said they drove it and that it was fine. Less than a week later, it is now back in the shop at the dealership with again the same problem. But this time my car is also arcing and it has drained the battery (12 volt), costing me $260.00 to replace.

The car had been shifting in to neutral whenever it feels like it, even while driving. I couldn't get it to shut off. And when I did finally get the light indicators to go off the motor began to chug violently, the screeching high-pitched noise that came from the motors computer became obnoxious. I, too, have had the same issues other Prius owners have had with head lights burning out, 12 volt battery draining, not being able to brake, shifting, indicator lights coming on, motor not turning on, violent jolts forward, engine laboring. Someone is going to be killed! I fear for the lives of my family and those who share the road with me.

I bought this car because I do a lot of traveling with my business. In the past year, I have lost thousands because my car was in the shop for repairs. It has become a constant; that is, every other week it's back in the shop. I can not plan travel to client's homes when I can't rely on the transportation. I have had to replace headlights to the tune of $275, the 12 volt battery at $260. Worse yet, my mother recently passed away and I could not get to the hospital to see her because I my car was in the shop. I lost a tremendous amount of time with her, and I can't get that back. Toyota stole that from me.

The headlights on the car would totally fail. Sometimes it would be just one of the lamps but often times, all light would be extinguished and leave me in a very dangerous situation. If you manually turn the light control knob a few times, the lights would turn back on.

I have a 2007 Toyota Prius that is approaching 36,000 miles soon. It's brakes stutter when I try to come to a smooth stop. It's engine also vibrates excessively as if it's misfiring when idling. The symptoms do not happen all the time, but they happen frequently. I have taken the care to the local dealership several times, but they have not been able to fix the problems permanently. After my most recent visit to the dealer, they claimed they could not replicate the brake stutter symptoms and that the car's computer had no record of it misfiring.

If you do a Google search on the internet about "2007 Prius Brake Stutter Problems", it appears to have happened to many other people. I'm wondering if this can be considered a lemon and what my options are. I want the problem fixed, or the vehicle replaced.

Head light on driver side is working intermittently. After considerable research, it appears it is not the bulb but something defective with the electrical system.

The passenger side headlight went out on my 2007 Prius (39000 miles). It costs $275 to replace and now, a day later, it is only "on" part of the time. Clearly there is an electrical problem. I should add that I had the very frightening "runaway acceleration" problem due to the floor mat. They kept the car for a week, but the dealer (in Florida) dealt with it in a businesslike manner. No consequences so far, but I cannot afford to keep replacing my headlights nor do I look forward to being stopped by the police with a resulting ticket costs and inconvenience.

I have a 2005 Toyota Prius. It is currently in the shop on a repeated occasion. This time 6+days just to try to determine what is wrong with the car. The dealership has decided to finally listen to my complaints after I negatively rated them. I have problems with the computer system feeding me a light and all dashboard lights turning on.

They car gets stuck and can't be placed in neutral for a tow and no features work. I have to hold the ignition button to "reset" just to let me remove the key and get the doors to unlock, if I'm lucky. I've had problems with the brakes, replaced them and still skid over uneven surfaces (sm potholes, mild gravel, or water) and they occasionally 'catch' at inconsistent times. I have issues with my tail lights not working- replace bulbs but its wiring and inconsistent. (I've been lucky and keep getting warnings from cops- not tickets) I've run out of gas twice, really.

Is it possible to run out of gas in a hybrid? Well, it is when the gas gauge is inconsistent about its readings. I've replaced the battery (key fab and car) after last issue I had, at dealerships recommendation, yet my issues are still present. After they ran a diagnostic and tried to correct electrical problems with my smart key system malfunction, the hybrid battery wont hold a charge. Dealership tells me to expect this. Well, it hadn't done it for 5 years until their last recommended maintenance.

I do love this car. I've taken some great road trips and gas mileage usually averages around 45 mpg. It has great storage room- I can even fit my surfboard inside. But wondering if my car will work, safely get me to where I'm going, and lack of confidence in Toyota to correct the problems; I wonder if I should cut my ties and call it a loss.

On 9/10/2010, the headlights on my 2006 Prius failed as I was driving home after dark. The danger and safety issues concerning this problem are obvious. The passenger side headlight has failed many times in the past, but I could never reproduce the failure on demand. Toyota should have a recall on this problem!

On my 2001 Prius with 165K the traction battery died. I paid for diagnostics and was told that in order to determine what else was wrong, I must purchase a 3100 dollar battery. I was defrauded. They should not have charged to diagnose a problem which they say they can not without a new battery. This industry is scamming the public under the guise of making a green product that turns out to be a burden on the consumer and the environment. There are many hybrid autos that are junked because of the high cost of these batteries and the deception of this industry.

Does this industry not know what bench checking means? By hooking a power source in place of the battery, the on board computer would not know the difference and the car could be started and diagnosed. When I bought the car I did not expect the dastardly engineers would have made it where it is unusable when the traction battery is dead. This industry should be penalized and made to fix all hybrids out there so that they may still run without the hybrid system as a regular car.

I purchased a 2005 Prius in November 2004. My Prius is my only car and I drive it about 1000 miles a day. It currently have approx 280K miles. The problem I'm having is that the dashboard lights do not come on and the car is difficult to turn off. I took the car to Rosner Toyota today (Aug 14) and they witnessed the problem. I paid $98 for them to diagnose the problem but after putting the car on the computer, they told me that the problem was in the wiring. To diagnose the electrical problem will cost approx $330. This flaw is a computer problem and Toyota should be paying for the diagnosis and fixing the problem.

I just took my car into the dealer for a scheduled service and was told I needed new tire. I have 08 Prius with 32k on it. These are the original tires. I cannot believe I am being told Toyota tells me I can only expect 28 to 35k before the tires need replacing.They explained it has to do with the hybrid system of charging and that causes the tires to wear faster. If I had known this before I bought, I would probably decide on another car. I like the Prius but if I have to replace tires every 30k then I do not save anything by driving a hybrid. I think Toyota did a poor job of advising people of this.The dealer also said the alignment goes out very fast and wears the tires out quickly.

I bought a Toyota Prius back in 2004. I was told by the salesman that sold me the extended warranty that up to 100 thousand miles the warranty would cover all the problems listed in the warranty. He mislead me that after the 100 thousand miles, we would not have to pay the extra 60.00 per month. The car now has 150 thousand miles. I would like to be reimbursed and have the policy canceled immediately. I put my trust in Toyota to tell me the truth about the warranty. I am very disappointed about the lie I was told about the warranty. If the money is not returned to me within 15 days, I will take other measures to resolve this situation.

While on vacation in Beaufort, SC, the key for my Toyota Prius would not unlock the door. We opened it manually and went directly to the Toyota dealership. They advised getting a new battery for the fob, which we did and they installed it. It still would not unlock the doors. After arriving home, we took the car to the Martinsville, VA dealership and the key began working correctly in their parking lot. A month later, every light on the dashboard came on and we could only put the car in neutral and park. It was towed in by AAA to the dealership and they could not find anything wrong.

Last week, I was driving and all dashboard lights came on and the car lost power. I pulled over, turned it off, started it back with a different key and made it home safely. However, all dashboard lights remained on for three days and I was afraid to drive it. It would start but I did not move it. I took it to the dealership on Tuesday and they kept it for three days and could not find anything wrong with it. So, I have a Prius which I love and the key won't unlock the doors, warning lights stay on, it loses power and will not go up hills, sometimes it will only go in park and neutral. But according to Toyota, there is nothing wrong. The problem has to be replicated in order for them to fix it. I called Toyota's customer service and they are no help at all. My dealership is really a good one, they just can not figure out what is wrong. I am afraid to drive the car. It's like not having a car and very frustrating that with such major problems going on, no one can fix it.

I have cancelled trips because I am afraid of being stranded. I have been without a car while Toyota is trying to figure out the problem. Luckily, there has been no physical damage, just the inconvenience of being stranded and having no car when I am making payments on one.

I also have electronics problems with my 2008 Toyota Prius. Yesterday the battery was totally dead for no reason at all. They told me I most probably didn't shut off the car properly. Even though I have still bumper to bumper warranty, I had to pay for the analytic. Next day I got stuck again with the same problem. Car is totally dead. Now I cannot use AAA to tow because it is the same problem. I just called the dealer, waiting for the tow truck again and said: "You have to reimburse me for the costs from yesterday because obviously you didn't do anything wrong driving the car and it is still under bumper to bumper warranty". The answer of Toyota, "That's something the manager has to decide". The manager has to decide? Why on the world did I even buy the bumper to bumper ungraded warranty? I am absolutely **. So far, this has caused me time and money out of my pocket. We will see how much more money out of my pocket!

I have a Toyota Prius. I was getting anywhere from 42 to 49 miles per gallon when my car hit 15,000 miles, but since I have gotten to 40,000 miles, I have been lucky to get 28 to 38 mpg. I have complained to my dealer and not missed any of the maintenance. First, I thought that it was my tires that are not staying inflated right, and the dealer found a nail in my tire, so I thought, "Okay, that will fix it. My mileage will get better now," but it didn't.

So the next time I got the oil changed, I said the mileage is still not getting the same as I was getting. They put it to be bad gas, so I started filling up in the same place where my mom fills her Prius up at (she gets at least 40 to 50 mpg) and there was no change. So, I said something to the dealer again and he said, "Well let's try changing the air filter." After they did that, I got 40 mpg for the first time in months but it didn't last, and now, I am lucky to get 35 mpg so they recommended that I do a fuel injector cleaning that costs $130 bucks. I don't think it is right that I should have to pay because my car is not getting the mileage that it is supposed to get as it is advertised. I don't know what to do.

I ran out of gas with my 2008 Prius. I bought it used with 27,000 miles.

My car ran out of gas with fuel gauge showing 3 bars. This should represent a quarter tank, the car immediately shut down, empty. We were stuck in a busy interception. The Toyota dealership response was to fill it up when there is 3 bars. The manual says there are 11 gallons in the car, but the fuel indicator does not represent the car's capacity.

I bought a Prius 2005 new from Rand Stadium and had it serviced by them according to the service plan. In April 2010 (157,000km), the triangle and engine icons warning lights came on. Having had it for two weeks, they said the main battery had to be replaced (R21,500). In June the same warning lights came on. I was informed that now it is the water pump not functioning. It will cost R2434 to replace. The fact that the warning lights problem is recurring, may indicate that the problem was misdiagnosed in the first place. According to Toyota's website, the batteries should last the lifetime of the vehicle.

Just as Karen of Arcadia, CA posted on May 19, 2010, my 2008 prius has approximately 36K miles on it. I, too, have been experiencing problems with the shifting lever going in to the neutral position at random times. After numerous attempts to put it in the drive I finally held it there with my hand on the lever for a few minutes, in order to find a safe place to move. Once I turned in to a parking lot, lifted my hand off of the lever, it returned to neutral! I even tried reverse, but it popped right back. I turned off the car, waited a few minutes, and the problem disappeared. So far, it has happened twice in as many weeks.

I was so shaken by this second instance (I couldn't even get it in "park" as well) that I brought it straight to the dealership only to be told that it may have something to do with "fuel being low" (which was only at 1/4 tank on this second occurrence and 1/2 tank to full the first time). After I explained that I am discovering others with similar problems on the internet, I am awaiting a response from the dealership. I really don't want to have to go through the same process of recording and documenting a flaw about which Toyota is aware.

I'm a new owner of a 2007 Toyota Prius. Just a heads up to others. The 12 volt battery in this car is about $148. The best I can tell so far is that the car doesn't monitor the 12 volt battery with the purpose of starting the 1.5L engine to recharge it, which means probably that if you sit and listen to the radio or have a/c on or lights on anytime the car is not moving down the road the 12 volt battery will be drained. It seems to me like sitting in heavy traffic on a hot day with the a/c on would run the 12 volt battery down.

In my mind (bad idea) not to monitor 12 volt system with purpose of starting engine for recharge purposes. Sure you get better fuel mileage because the engine isn't running but it seems risky to run the 12 volt battery down and be stuck. Note: There is a jump start access terminal in the fuse box under the hood (see owner's manual), otherwise you need to crawl in the back, remove cargo tray and pop out rectangular plastic cover in hatch and stick finger in there to move lever to left and open hatch to allow access to 12 volt battery from outside the car.

Just shocked that you can't sit in the car with the a/c, lights, radio on without risking running down the 12 volt battery and having nothing work. The battery in this car was about four years from manufacture date. I put three windows down on a hot day, the fourth would not go down and then nothing worked, quite a helpless feeling. I am frantically reading owner's manual to try to get to 12 volt battery. I finally got to it (didn't see the info about access in the fuse box to jump terminal) battery reading on hand held voltmeter was 3 volts. I replaced that thing immediately when I got home. We will see how things go from here.

Like the Idaho woman in the article about Prius problems, I came home from a 2 week vacation to find our Prius wouldn't start. My husband jumped it, it worked, and we went to bed. Next day, wouldn't start, we jumped it, didn't jump. Called Toyota and explained they needed to come and get the car, they said they didn't do that. We said we couldn't get it towed because it's parked in a garage head first,and we can't get it into neutral. They said, "Not our problem." We called AAA, they came, couldn't jump it and said they couldn't tow it either.

Second place also jump didn't work, but they got it on go jacks and towed it to Toyota. First Toyota called and said the battery was dead. Then they changed their mind a day later and said, just like this woman, that someone had jumped it wrong and the inverter was now broken, and it was no longer a warranty repair since we broke it. We had to pay 6100 to fix a 2 year old car. AAA came out and said it wasn't jumped wrong, and we didn't understand how they came to that conclusion.

We called and asked Toyota for the broken inverter. They refused, explaining that it was a Haz Mat. My father told them it was not a Haz mat, but they said they were sending it back to Toyota. This was September 2009. I am now going into arbitration for this (May 2010) and called the mechanic to ask him to put it in writing that he wouldn't give us the inverter. After 3 phone calls and "let me talk to my boss" he calls me and said that he has the inverter, and I can have it! And he claims, he never said we couldn't have the inverter. I think Toyota tells its dealerships to tell people they jumped the car wrong to avoid having to pay for warranty repairs. There's no question, there was something wrong with the car to begin with because the car didn't start! My husband knows how to jump a car because he did it right the first time, and I highly doubt AAA jumps cars wrong! I had to pay 6100 for a new inverter. I am going into arbitration on Wednesday and I would really like to talk to the Idaho woman who this happened to as well. If you can get in contact with her, please give her my email, and thanks for having this website!

My Toyota Prius has been mostly problem free since purchased. My serious problem occurred unexpectedly on crowded CA highway 5 when all power was suddenly lost. All displays went blank and the anti-lock braking system was not working. Steering was limited. Hazard lights were not working. The engine was completely out. There was no power, limited control. Only my years of driving experience and luck prevented a serious accident from occurring. I can never trust my or any Prius again ever. Next time, a serious accident could happen.

Prius 2005 since 2005 unable to hear AM radio when car running Ok in aux mode dealer will not has not done anything to fix says it is normal. 106K now transmission going I am going to the used parts store. Bought a 100k warranty.

My mother's car air bag did not deploy when she was hit. And her car was equipped with curtain air bags and steering wheel air bags, neither of which went off. They admit that they did not work and say they will do nothing about it. My mother died upon impact when her body hit the steering wheel. The seat broke in half. The front bumper came off and the bottom floor board collapsed. My mother died from the accident because her airbags did not work and Toyota admitted that they did not work and do not know why.

I have a 2004 Toyota Prius. Beginning at around 50,000 miles, I have experienced two occasions in the past couple months whereby I found the car to be completely dead in the morning for no apparent reason or circumstance. Additionally, I have also experienced in this same time frame and mileage whereby the car unexpectedly goes into 'neutral' while backing out of the garage or out of a parking space. Recently when this occurred, it was very difficult to get it back into reverse or drive unless I forced it by holding the shifter in that position. I am also experiencing unacceptable lower gas mileage on a regular basis. I am growing more concerned day-to-day and beginning to now worry about experiencing life safety issues.

I purchased a Prius from a dealer at the top of the market price, it has not provided the type of performance that was guaranteed. I have also had acceleration problems, battery, gas mileage, and many other braking problems. I want to join the class that is asking for full purchase reimbursement. I am afraid to drive my car, I am disabled and have been stuck in my home having to pay others to shop, bank and do everything else for me since the notice of the recall. I am on a small limited income and cannot afford to pay others to do things I could do if I could drive my car without fear of injury or death. It has cost me most of my savings for others to take care of basic needs for me. I will be bankrupt soon.

Occasionally, when I press the start button or the park button of my 2007 Prius, I would hear 2 or 3 short beeps of the horn. This happens every now and then and has not affected the drivability of the car. When I complained about it, they could not find anything wrong. My concern is that there might be some kind of faulty wiring that's causing this to happen and that later it may become more serious. What should I do?

I own a 2007 Toyota Prius. Prior to all the recalls, I did experience a breaking issue when I go over bumpy or uneven pavement. I lose braking power. I have no pressure for about 1 to 2 seconds. I am a cautious driver and adjusted my driving to try and accommodate for this. Also, I am very disappointed in the carpeting and fabric used in the car. It is thin and very cheap.

I have the same problem with my car lunging forward while in park, and my cruise control will start blinking and it no longer work sometimes. I am concerned about driving with my kids in the car now that there have been so many problems.

I purchased a brand new 2007 Prius in April 2007. I serviced the car with Toyota and followed all the recommended maintenance as prescribed by Toyota. When the February recalls began, I immediately got the Kelley Blue Book value for the car, it was roughly a trade-in value of $13,300. Forty-eight hours later, it had dropped to KBB value of $12,200. The difference was from Tuesday to Thursday!

That Saturday, I traded my Prius to the local Carmax and bought a new Forester. Obviously, my trade had lost value that week from the recall fallout, and we scrambled to get out from under that Prius as soon as we could. I drove my 2-year-old around in that car and was scared about obvious acceleration problems! Toyota can suck an egg! We lost thousands on our trade-in value within days of this recall, not to mention the stress of driving a car that can go haywire! I will never buy a Toyota again! Mark my words!

I have had this 2005 Prius for less than five years. Last Monday, I get in the car, put it into reverse and it goes into neutral. I had to keep the gear shift pushed up to make it go in reverse. Then, I tried to put it into drive and same thing--I had to keep the gear shift pushed into drive to make it go forward. I then parked it and called the dealership. They had never heard of such a thing.

I made arrangements to have it towed the next day. Of course, that evening, I started the car again and it did not do it again. I took it in anyway and they could not duplicate the problem. It happens when it gets below 40. I think the dealer is telling a lie because they have a lot of Prius on their lot. They have to move when they move their cars during winter in Reno. Thank you.

Prius 2007. Car lunges forward in park position. Reported it to Toyota, they said they don't have any problems like that. Battery changed 12 volt, next day lights go on and off. Took back to dealership, they wanted to charge me $500 for headlights, refused to pay that much. It isn't the headlights. I asked to have them check the battery. Not sure if they did or not but the day after the dealership visit the lights now work.

Also our car is on the recall list for the mats, have been down twice after getting the letter, they said that they don't have the part. Larry Miller Toyota in Peoria, AZ and they said it didn't apply to us. I don't think this is the problem anyway. It is electrical and circuit and computer problems. As for the lunging forward in park. I have no clue.

We aren't getting anywhere with the dealership or customer service of Toyota. Will never buy another Toyota, this is our 5 Toyota but this Prius is a hunk of junk. Too expensive to repair and of course "everything is out of warranty". Recall Mr. Toyoda! Almost ran off the road in the middle of the dark when the lights go off. Have to turn them off and on again. As for the lunging, almost hit a friend but they jumped out of the way as the car lunged forward in the nick of time. Emotional damage, never know when the car is going to do it's wacky behavior of lunging. The lights go on and off twice a day.

The 2005 Prius was totaled as a result of mechanical failure. It's a total loss; Toyota is suing me and it's ruining my credit.

On January 13 of this year, I was involved in an accident with my 2005 Toyota Prius. While I was driving, I saw the need to stop since the cars in front of me were stopped at the stoplight. I went to step on my brakes and had absolutely no response from my brakes. Then, I quickly placed both of my feet on the brakes and practically stood on them to no avail. I smashed into the car in front of me and had severe pain to the right side of my neck.

I was able to get my car to a parking lot nearby to exchange information with the man whom I had hit. I thought it was interesting that my brakes seemed to work after the crash. My car was then towed to an auto body shop where the man told us the car had been totalled. My insurance company then proceeded to take the car and has given us money for the car.

As of now, my insurance company has claimed me to be 100% at fault. I am not fully satisfied that this is the case since I did not have any brake power. I fear that my insurance premiums will be increasing quite a bit since my insurance company has stated that I am "100%" at fault. I would like to file a complaint with Toyota since it may be a defect of my Toyota Prius that may be at fault in this case. I have never been involved in an auto crash that was my fault in my 27 years of driving. I would like to know how to file a formal complaint with Toyota.

I own a 2007 Toyota Prius. Prior to all the recalls, I did experience the breaking issue when I go over a speed bump in my apartment community. I believe this is the same issue Steve Jobs of Apple was trying to report to Toyota. Right after the front tires went over the bump, I tried to slow down for the rear tires, but the break pedal felt as if it had no pressure for about 1 second. Like most people, I made nothing of it until now. My second issue, which may be both a software and electronic issue, is that my rear driving lights are not working. They went out one by one over a period of one month. However, what is more striking is that the car does not at all indicate that my rear lights are out. It is as if I do not have a problem. So if I am driving at night, the car behind me does not have a red light warning that there is someone ahead of them unless I step on the break.

Hybrid technology failed, and despite staff denials that the batteries would go dead and only cost $800 if they did. When it did at 136,000 miles, they instead wanted up to over $4,000 to fix it now. The car was horribly misrepresented in every way. It never got the mileage, and it never did better in the city than on the highway.

My complaint is simply this. While I understand it's "buyer beware", how do you check gas mileage before you drive? I mean, of course you get to test drive, but I bought a 2005 Toyota Prius thinking I would get at least 40 miles to the gallon and I'm barely getting 29. While I understand that this is not the used car dealers fault and the Carfax report came back "clean", how do you check mileage before you buy? And what can I do about it now that I am vested. The car runs great. It's simply the gas mileage that's the problem.

Prius 2008: this has been by far the worst car I have ever owned. I want to warn everyone considering buying one to read this carefully. Within six months of ownership, I noticed that the digital speed, gas was intermittently going off. Then, the display module was also not working. A line was running through it and going off. The airbag light for passenger stays off even when someone is sitting in seat. In cold weather, the car has huge warning light that it will not recharge when in neutral, even though the car is in gear and driving down the road. The latest insult is that the gas gauge is stuck in half full. This car is a total lemon. Steer clear. Buy anything else.

I have three complaints with my Prius. First I have never been able to fill the fuel tank with 12 gallons of fuel as it was advertised. Tonight I ran my 2005 Prius until the fuel warning light came on. I immediately pulled into a station and I was only able to get 7.5 gallons of fuel into my car. If I try slowly running fuel into this car, it finally stops accepting fuel and surges fuel out all over me and the side of the car. I expected this car to hold 12 gallons of fuel as advertised. I complained about this problem to my dealer. They supposedly checked the tank and stated that everything was normal.

Second. When I purchased my Prius I was told that tires would be provided for life. My understanding was that I would never have to purchase tires for my car and they would be provided by the dealer. In less than 10K miles I had a nail in the sidewall on one tire. I had to wait several days while they ordered a tire, then I had to pay a $75.00 charge to have the tire installed. When the Goodyear tires had to be replaced at 25k miles I paid over $300 extra to upgrade to premium Michelin tires because I was told that the tires must have lasted at least 25k miles or they would not be replaced. They would not pay for but 3 tires because the tire that had been replaced still had some tread left. Now I am supposed to drive a new car with unmatched tires on it.

It is my understanding that you should never operate a car with mismatched tires on the same axle. They told me the company that was underwriting this agreement was tightening their requirements because the program was costing more than projected. I told them that wasn't my problem. I had to pressure my dealer to replace them. When the Michelin tires that had been rated for 80K miles were worn out at 25k miles (50k total on my car) I had to have a heated discussion with the service manager to get them replaced. He stated that "tires for life" didn't really mean tires for life. That this part of my purchase was a complimentary dealer convenience and, therefore, was not binding.

Third. When I hit a pot hole and blew out two tires on the same side I called the convenient roadside assistance number (EasyCare vehicle service contracts) I had been provided when I purchased and it was not in service. I just tried this number and got a message that I don't understand but it doesn't have anything to do with roadside assistance. I have the card I was issued by my dealer with an expiration date of 09/20/2011. I was left sitting beside the road on a blind curve with no idea of what to do. I finally called the highway patrol to find a wrecker service. I had to buy 2 more tires that I had been told would have been replaced buy my service agreement. These tires had sidewall damage caused by the rims pinching the tire.

Now my Prius now has 76K miles on it and it has worn out another set of tires. There is no way the fuel mileage savings will pay for a set of tires every 25k miles. So far if I have worn out approximately 190 thousand miles of tires in 75 thousand miles. I am tired of dealing with my dealer, so I am not going to try any more I will just go somewhere else to buy tires and pay for them myself. I have taken my car to this dealer within the required service interval for every service since my purchase. Once I did approach the limit because I wanted to have the car inspected at the same time as the service. This was a reason that was used to try to avoid supplying new tires. Tires For Life is a scam. Easycare is also a scam.

So far because of my persistence I have only had to purchase two tires for approximately $500.00 plus pay a tow bill of about $75.00. I am really disappointed because this was my first new car. I spared no expense when I purchased it because I didn't want to have to worry about anything going wrong at least until it was paid for. This dealer will promise anything to get your name on the line. They have no ethics.

I own a 2003 and 2006 Toyota Prius and have experienced tire problems with both cars that I never experienced with other cars. When both cars hit a pot hole the side of the tire is pierced by the rim on the side and can't be fixed, only replaced. This has happened over 10 times on each car. Road hazard warranties don't cover a cut on the side of the tire and it can't be fixed. This has happened with Goodyear and now Michelin tires. Only an insurance policy on the tires helped but it was still expensive.

I am having a steering problem with my 2002 Prius. It is intermittent and it occurs mostly when the car is cold when it is first started in the morning. If I start to turn the wheel, no matter how slightly, the steering wheel starts to vibrate back and forth rapidly. I don't even have to move the car at all, just apply slight pressure to the steering wheel as if to turn it. This makes me suspect that this is an electronic problem. I took the car to the Toyota dealer and they said it was my tires. I bought new tires and it still occurs. The dealer was unable to reproduce the problem as it is intermittent.

The only other person to witness this was my 21-year old son who was in the car when it happened. His reaction was, "Whoa!" The wheel jerks back and forth so violently that it is very dramatic. I can usually stop the jerking by just holding the steering wheel still. The jerking lasts only about 10 seconds and has not happened when I was driving yet. The 2002 Prius looks a lot like the Corolla which now is found to have steering problems. So I wonder if they aren't built similarly? My Prius started this at 140,000 miles. It has been a good car until now but I am afraid to drive it!

I bought a used 2004 Prius recently (12/2009). In researching the hybrid car, the only problem I read about was unintended acceleration, which was rare. One cold morning after driving the car for about two months, I got in and pressed the start button. The display lit up and all the warning lights came on. They did not just blink on for a second, they stayed on. I tried to turn the car off and start over but it would not turn off. It would not "shift" into reverse or drive. The drive train indicator stayed in neutral. I tried various things for about six minutes. I had read that it is not good to leave the car in neutral because the battery is not being charged in that state.

The most upsetting thing was that I was not able to turn the car off by depressing the brake and pushing the start button and I could not remove the key. I was going to call a mechanic but when I opened the door, whatever was stuck came unstuck; the warning lights went off and I could shift into reverse and drive. I have no idea if opening the door had any effect or if the car just made a change at that point in time.

This is my first hybrid and I've not had a car with lots of electronic parts so there have been other problems but I assumed it was user error. I have been slowly reading through the user manual to educate myself. The manual could be better written. You do have to read the whole thing carefully and I find myself flipping back and forth to different pages to understand the instructions.

The incident described above was not due to any error on my part. All these recalls gave me the confidence to think that and report it as a problem. I need to take the Prius in for an oil change and I plan to ask about what happened and if any of the recalls apply to my car. I have it serviced where I bought it, Mark Jacobson Toyota in Durham, NC.

I have a 2007 Prius that has the same braking issues as the 2010 recall. I'm sure the owners of all Prius want the brakes fixed on all model.

My question is if Toyota knowingly sold their Prius' with brake issues. Don't the consumers such as myself have an option to get a refund for the car? I mean if I had known about this issue I would definitely not have purchased the car.

At 60,000, I avoided wrecking my Prius whose Abs system failed completely and got to a dealership. 16000 later, I had a new abs. Is this a lemon? I would think so. Very costly and seemed too early for brakes.

I have always wanted to complain about my 2007 Prius regarding a very dangerous breaking issue. The recent news about Prius has compelled me to list this issue. Very often, when I park the car- I put the car in park and if the car is on the slightest incline it will roll a little. And moreover, when I park it on a hill and even if the emergency break is on, it rolls about a foot. This has scared, the you know what out of me because I wondered if it will roll infinitely. Now this has happened in dangerous spots light while pumping gas at a gas station where there may be not level areas around the pump. Once it rolled while I stopped at a toll booth to talk to a toll collector. I know there have been many instances where this happens! It's scary when it happens.

This car has been doing this since the day I got it and it needs the attention of Toyota. I am a very happy Prius owner but I have to tell you this is not right. Based upon what I've heard in the news, I believe there is a glitch in the software that makes the 2007 Prius do this. This model needs a recall too!

I have a 2009 Prius and have faced the same issue as many other folks. When the car hits a pot hole or a bump, the car lunges forward and the traction control light goes on, forcing me to brake. This has happened from the beginning and I assumed it was the result of the car being light.

I also got in the car to go to work about a month ago and it was completely dead. The car only has 8000 miles on it. The dealer had to jump and all the electronics had to be reset. I love the car, but there are clearly ghosts in the machine that Toyota needs to fix quickly.

I have owned a 2008 Toyota Prius for almost 2 years and have always had a problem with the brakes disengaging when go over a bump. I hope my Prius is not going to be left out of this recall.

I have owned my 2007 Prius since 2007. At first I loved it. Problems with the braking (hitting holes or ice causes traction-stopping problems), gas tank readings, (thank you AAA) and varying mileage will probably stop me from purchasing another in the future. I was at a drive-thru picking up coffee and the car lurched forward. No, my foot was not on the gas petal, and it was in park! I also had problems with the dash lights not working and the car not shutting off that took my local dealer three months to fix. I feel the braking problem, acceleration at a stop, gas tank issues all pose a high-impact damage outlook for the owners.

I bought a 2007 model in September 2008. I have always had issues with the brakes, chalking it up to the tiny little wheels and the fact that the last car I drove was a sturdy SUV. Now that I am hearing of the brake problems, I know it is not just the 2010 models. If the road is slick or if I drive over a bump or pothole while braking, the "slick surface" light appears on the dashboard and the brakes fail.

Yesterday, this meant sliding inches away from a brick wall. I also am having mileage issues the past few months. I average about 43.9 miles/gallon, or so I thought. I could get somewhere around 400 miles/tank, usually more. The last few months I have been at the gas station twice as much, getting about 320 miles/tank. All the while, the computer still reads 43.9 miles/gallon.

I was very interested in an article in the WSJ by Juro O. today on Prius brake failure. I am an American in New York State who recently (November 13th, 2009) had an accident in my 2009 Prius that totaled the car, though no one was hurt. I had always credited this crash to a problem with my brakes. I was in a situation where I had to stop very quickly and braked as hard as I could. The car slowed to a point then seemed to "plateau" until my car struck a truck.

I never heard or felt the "ABS sound" or vibration, and had always suspected something was not right with the brakes, but did not know what I could do about it. Can you give me any information as to how to pursue this or who I might contact to tell them of my experience? My car was totaled, and I incurred a $2,200 debt to Toyota in the loan to ACV discrepancy in my lease. I leased a 2010 Model, the only one available, and now pay $40 more per month.

I have read many postings on other sites, so I am not the only Prius owner experiencing these problems. First, the gas gauge and the gas tank problems. I have run out of gas three times since I have owned my 2008 Prius. It is difficult to determine how much gas is in the car, I believe it is supposed to hold 11.9 gallons. However, when I think I am filling the tank I can get only 8, no more than 9 gallons to fill it without the gas pump allowing me to put any more in. The gas gauge will show that it is full no matter how much I "fill" the tank. When this happens I figure I have 3 gallons left when the low gas indicator begins blinking.

This should allow me many miles before I need to get gas since it holds 11.9 gallons and I only had to put 8 or 9 gallons in to fill it. This is a very big safety issue since I am traveling on highways quite often. If I cannot tell how much gas is in the car I am likely to run out just a few miles after the low gas indicator comes on. The second issue is the headlights. From other postings I understand that this is a problem with 2006-2009 Priuses. I have a 2008 Prius, and with less than 40k miles and less than 2 years the headlights have gone out. Then, the dealership wants $150 (down from the original $300) per bulb, plus a huge installation charge. I cannot afford to pay such prices every two years to have my headlights replaced.

After seeing how common of a problem this is and has been for several years, the dealership said nothing to me about this known problem at the time I purchased the car. This is very deceptive of any dealership to not inform the buyer that these known problems exist. I have spent $450 for headlight installation (every two years) and this has been a big safety issue for not knowing when I might run out of gas (three times so far).

My Toyota Prius 2005 (2nd generation) battery failed twice and helped uncover dangerous design failures tied to the lead-acid battery failure that make maintenance and towing even more difficult. When the 12V SLI lead-acid battery failed, all electronic systems failed as well. It was impossible to open my trunk to get out the jumper electrical cables; or to put the car in neutral so the car parked nose in could be turned around and jump started, or towed for service from the front (not to damage the backside hybrid drive). The Prius Gen 2 (Synergy Drive) dependence on the starter battery of all electronic controls; and the lack of manual overrides to put the car in neutral or open the trunk both hazardous and inconvenient. If towed from behind, the hybrid drive and high voltage battery could be damaged with costly consequences. This poor design logic should be corrected.

I bought a 2005 Prius in July 2009. For the first few months, I was getting approximately 40-45 miles per gallons. However, within the last few weeks I noticed the gauge estimating an average of 45 MPG but the miles driven was less than 300 and the tank of gas is almost empty. I believe the tank hold about 10 gallons. I'm a math teacher and the 300 miles on 10 gallons is not 45 miles per gallon. I bought the car to save on gas. Unfortunately, as I have described above, I'm not saving any more gas than other gas-only operated vehicle.

I have a 2008 Toyota Prius which I have had for almost 2 years. When I purchased the car, I thought I was getting about 42-44mpg but I never really checked it. I recently drove from Florida to Texas and was shocked when I had to fill up with gas after about 300 miles. I contacted the Toyota dealership and inquired about the gas mileage because I thought that something terrible was going wrong with the car and was worried about making it to Texas.

I was told by the service department that the Prius would get low 30 mpg on the road. I challenged the service guy and reminded him of the specs on this car. He told me to take it to a Toyota dealership and they could put it on a monitor. For the rest of the trip to Texas, our gas mileage was mixed with 30mpg, 39mpg, and 32 mpg. When we got to Texas, we took it to the Toyota dealership where they kept it for a day and basically told us that the lowest gas mileage that they recorded was 40.7mpg.

We started back to Florida yesterday, and we got around 29mpg on the first tank of gas. We stopped for the night and will continue on today but 29mpg for a car that is supposed to get 45mpg on the road is insane. I am extremely disappointed in the gas mileage. Every time that I have questioned the gas mileage in the past and called Toyota, I have received nothing but excuses from it, the ethanol in the gas that reduces the gas mileage by 3-4 mpg to its the cold, its the heat. I paid a premium for a car that was supposed to get the highest gas mileage in the industry and I was conned.

I have gone from loving my Toyota, to absolutely hating it within 18 months. I love the hatchback design and my initial gas mileage. I am now reading other posts, and realizing that I may not be the culprit. The Prius came with horrible wipers, which did not survive the first snowstorm. On a cold day, as I was wiping my windshield, the car jumped in reverse, and hit another car in the parking lot. I assumed that I had left it in reverse accidentally, but I still doubt that I would even do something like that. I am a very conscious driver. That damage to the other car cost me $450.00.

At about 6,000 km, I began having acceleration issues at street lights, and when I hit a bump or pothole. The car accelerates, and the brakes are not working . This has happened to me at under 50 km per hour. The skid light comes on, on dry pavement in summer. It cant be the carpets, as I don't use them. I came home from a business trip, and the car would not start for no explainable reason. It was towed 160 km away, because I refused to let the local towing company to boost it. That was a wise move because of the warranty. The car came back scratched, because someone could not open the hood, and believe it or not, used a screwdriver to open it. I"ll never know if it was the towing company or the dealership.

I am now getting terrible mileage 7.9 per 100km. I average 4.9 on the first year. That is my biggest disappointment. I am a very frugal driver, and I check my mileage at every tank. My summer tires, which have less than 9 months wear, are already worn badly, and I only used them for approximately 10,000 km. I also check my tire pressure regularly, and the pressure light never came on.

I have been reading other posts and thinking, "Wow, it isn't just me!" I bought a 2005 Toyota Prius in Nov. 2004. It now has 170,000 km (106,000 miles!) on it, about 50/50 city-highway driving. From the beginning, I have noticed these problems:

1.) the brakes momentarily fail if the car hits a fair size pothole or bump while braking (the 'skid' warning light flashes when this happens, suggesting involvement of the ABS system), and like other posters it took many occurrences of this to convince me it was the car's problem, not my braking; 2.) the car will sometimes momentarily stall when beginning acceleration (as from a traffic light), then recover (the feeling is like you're stumbling when you take a step); 3.) at a certain engine temperature (the ambient temperature is often around 5 C), when stopped at a light the gas engine will cycle continuously on and off approximately every 2-3 seconds (annoying and wasteful!); 4.) traction is poor in winter conditions even with very careful driving and excellent winter tires; 5.) in cold weather, it is impossible to fill the gas tank because it will always stop at 4-6 liters (about 1-2 gallons US) short of full.

About a month after getting my Prius, it stalled while in traffic one winter morning. It appeared the gas engine was no longer recharging the battery. With about an hour's 'rest', I was able to drive it 10 minutes to a dealer, and was eventually told it was a known computer glitch that caused the problem. Since this was fixed, it has not recurred. I have fortunately not experienced the accelerator sticking problem (very scary!), but I do notice that heavy acceleration for merging and passing can be uneven and a bit unpredictable. I also felt that my most recent set of all season tires (used April-November only) did not last as long as they should have. And I do check the tire pressure at least twice a month! But lack of timely rotation may have contributed to their early demise. Gas mileage varies from a best of 4.6L/100km in late spring to early fall to a worst of 6.5L/100km in the winter.

As an environmentalist, I have put up with all these glitches to try to reduce harm to the planet! But when asked whether I would recommend this vehicle to others I have always been hesitant. I was planning to buy a new vehicle (electric) in a couple of years and let my teenaged daughters drive the Prius, but in light of these safety concerns I am seriously reconsidering.

I have a 2008 toyota prius, and live in ND. The heater does not heat the passenger compartment sufficiently to even keep the windows clear. I have had this car in to Toyota of Fergus Falls Mn 4 times requesting that the heater be fixed. All they can tell me is that it is within specs and they can't do anything. Also I get very low gas mileage in subzero weather and traction has been an issue since day one.

The engine of my 2007 Toyota Prius frequently fails to shut down when I firmly push the power button (exactly as directed in the owner's manual), often requiring that I push the button a second time. Even if I hold the button in several seconds with the brake depressed.

The car has never "run away" with me, thus I have only experienced this problem when I have come to a stop and wish to get out of the car.

I have reported this to the dealer twice and they have not been able to duplicate it, nor does their diagnostic equipment indicate that there is a problem. However, there definitely is something wrong with the car.

The frequency at which this occurs is increasing, and I hope it will not develop into a more serious loss of control at highway speeds. I complained to Toyota USA, one of their customer reps telephoned me and assured me there is no danger of that happening.

The problem I'm having will not be solved by removing the floor mat or replacing the accelerator linkage.

I am mechanical engineer and I know the problem was electrical not mechanical. It is obvious Toyota of Escondido is hiding the real problem! I was with my (3) children in the car when suddenly the car quit running. This was very scary considering there are no shoulders on the side of the highway to park the car.

I thought I was crazy and am so glad to read that others have experienced difficulty with filling up their Toyota Prius'. I drive a 2005 and for about the first year I was able to fill the tank, but since then it only will take 8 gallons even if I drive it until the low fuel light flashes. It is impossible to fill the tank up. The dealer just acts like I am a ditzy female who doesn't have a clue, however I keep a record of mileage and fillups, and it is not what it should be. Any ideas what the problem is?

I purchased a 2008 Toyota Prius new, and currently have 62,000 miles on it. Around the 58,000 mile mark both headlights went out while I was driving home at night. I pulled over and switched my headlights to the off position, and then back to the on position. The lights came back on, and I arrived at my destination without further problems. 2 days later one of my headlights went out, only to come back on hours later. I replaced both bulbs, but the headlights still go out and then back on frequently. After searching the internet I have discovered that this is not an uncommon problem with the Prius, and seems to be an extremely dangerous.

I drive a 2007 Prius, the accelerator has gotten stuck full throttle 4 times, first time I brought it in and the Toyota dealer told me to put my foot on the break, this last time it happened while my 15 year old daughter was driving and that was it for me. Toyota has the car and they were able to duplicate the problem in the shop 2 times, it has nothing to do with the floor mat. I refuse to take the car, they have given me a rental at this point.

My first set of tires completely wore out at 15,000 miles. The dealer prorated the tires and gave me a fair price on a new set. These have lasted 10,000 miles and are showing major wear. I pointed this out to the dealer and they just blamed me saying the tire pressure was low voiding my warranty. REALLY??? I've owned 15 cars over the years, never checked the tire pressure on any of them, and never had any unusual tire wear issues on any of those cars. The Prius EATS TIRES RAPIDLY because the battery weight, inherent alignment issues and the small size/width of the tires for the weight of the car. This makes tire pressure important resulting in a huge maintenance issue requiring checking and maintaining tire pressure weekly. Who in their right mind does that or has the time for it? Even when tire pressure is optimal the Prius will still eat tires much faster than the tire ratings. Not only that but the Prius does not have tire pressure monitoring, common on most other vehicles. If any vehicle in the world needs this feature, it's the Prius and it doesn't have it! Tire pressure monitoring is a cheap feature which comes standard on most cars nowadays and it's unbelievable that the car that needs it the most (the Prius), doesn't have it.

It is mind numbing finding that Toyota knows about the tire pressure problem and does not inform Prius owners of this maintenance issue, yet chooses to blame the owners. This is clearly an issue where Toyota is using the wrong tire for the car so that it will get high gas mileage and beat the competition...but at the expense of the tires. If you think you're being green by driving a Prius consider how much carbon you dump into the environment with 1 set of tires. Now consider that the Prius eats tires about 4x faster than a standard car and your Prius has just become a severely polluting clunker. I sacrificed acceleration, speed, and looks to help the environment. For 3 long years, I've been ripped off, driving like a slug, getting cut off frequently and having to take it because the Prius isn't going to outrun anyone, rationalizing it by thinking it was all for the good of the planet. Now, knowing I've got one of the worst Carbon offenders I feel totally swindled.

My Grandfather told me long ago that there is no free lunch. At Toyota they want you to believe there is, but you'll definitely be paying a huge amount for your meal and so will the planet!

I have a 2007 Prius with 46,000 miles. I got it as a used car last Jan. 2009 as a Certified Used Car. The bracks are grabbing & feels like they are not catching for 1 to 2 feet. Billy P. & the dealer he worked for Phy B. charged me 94.01 just to tell me the problem. I was told the brake assemblyh actuator was bad and needed to be replaced at 2457,90 plus tax and my warrenty did not cover it.

This is the 5th Toyota I have owned. I get a new one almost every 2 years and have yet to have a problem with any of them until I got this Prius. I put 4 new tires on it only to be told they were not like other cars and the mounting had to be to one side only. I have a new battery but twice it has gone down and I have had to call them out to start it. It takes almost 3 to 4 miles for the heater to finally kick in.

When I wanted to trade the car for a RAVE like the one I owned before and loved they were not offering me but slighly half what I payed them for it less than a year ago. The car is parked becasue I feel for my life when I drive it and right now my Dad is dying and I am his only caregiver and need to be there for him.

I was a Honda driver before I started buyting Toyota's every 2 to 3 years. I have been a good custom for Toyato but perhaps it is time I return to Honda's again if they do not stand behind me on this problem. It is not like the brake pads have worn out this is just a malfuction in the brake actuator. It was doing this when I got it but everyone kept saying it is just your antalock brakes they do that, but it has got worse and worse until now I face the treat of death when I cannot stop at the next red light or stop sign.

The report said if this does happen in the the case the brakes do not slow down the car, put the car in nutral and apply the brakes. I hope I can remember that IF the car ever "takes off". Technology...hmm I suppose that is why we bought the car. Best to you, I will more than likely trade mine in when I can afford to do so and look outside of the Toyota lot!

Hearing news about uncontrolled speed surges triggered recollection of my Prius having small surges in speed from time to time and only for a second or two slowing when the breaks are applied. I felt concern when it happened but let it go since it happened only occasionally (again only last week). Now I am very aware of the power surges and very frifghtened that my car may be one that is susceptible to uncontrolled speed surges.

Another concern from time to time the car felt as if it would go into a skid (on a flat road) and I could feel the car correct itself, again it would last only a second or two but would startle me when it happened. Other times if my tires (on one side of the car) would go over a bump (even a small one) the car would go into a speed surge where I would apply the breaks and it woud correct. This would startle me and shake me up a little but again since it happened only occasionally I would let it go.

During my last oil change I spoke to the service department about my concerns. They checked my floor mats and found them not to be a problem. They made sure they were clamped down. Since I check them I know they have never been pushed up near the gas pedal. I want to be sure my concern is duly noted since Toyota doesn't seem to have any idea what the problem is obviously they don't have a solution. I don't know what to do, I no longer feel safe driving my car and can't just go out and buy a new one.

It has now been at the toyota dealership for exactly ten days. I have now been informed on the 10th day that the malfunction of the car was caused by the water pump.

The Toyota dealership has now charged me over $2,000.00 for the malfunction of this car to be fixed, and at the toyota the do not guarrantee that the malfunction will not occur again. Now my main concern is, that the malfunction of the car that happend before can happen again most probably in different conditions and maybe even at a higher velocity, putting anyones life whos in the car in danger, resulting maybe even in death. I am also almost certain that their was another cause for the cars malfunction other than the one i was told. I was told by the toyota employees that, that this malfunction has yet to occur in any other car.

Safety issue. Leased 2008 prius and the headlights had to be replaced after 35,000 miles. Paid for the replacement headlights and the expensive labor cost because it was over 30,000 miles. I thought this was just a fluke. Decided to buy a preowned 2008 expressed my concerns about the head lights malfunction. The same dealer convinced me to add a platinum extended warranty and it will cover everything bumper to bumper even the head lights. At 50,000 miles the headlights also went out. The dealer said the headlights just fail and need to be replaced. The headlights is not covered in the extended warranty because it is considered a wear and tear item. I have owned many Toyota cars and have never had a headlight go out even after 250,000 miles.

Approximately 6 months ago the headlights on my 2007 Toyota Prius started to dim, about 3 months ago the driver side headlight went out. I can turn the headlights off then back on and it stays on for awhile. Several weeks ago they both went off. I pulled over and performed the same procedure and they both came back on. Dealership says the headlights are going out. But they cannot explain why turning them off then on seems to work. These headlights do not just burn out like other headlights so I am suspicious. The service person cannot garauntee that new headlights will not do the same. I suspect a computer component is bad...? New headlights are $150.00 ea. plus diagnostic (computer?), and labor brings grand total to over $400.00.

2007 Toyota Prius headlight on the driver side has been shorting out for ove a year. Turning it on and off fixes it temporarily. The other night both went out, and I was in the complete dark on a country road (no moon). Luckily I did not hit anything or drive off the road, but it was very scary. Turning the lights off and back on fixed the black out, but the driver side lamp kept going out about every few minutes. I am worried about driving at night, since I am out with children on small, windy, steep country roads that are not lit!

I called the Toyota Dealer in Capitola, CA. The service manager took the call, and said that he would get back to me. Not expecting great results. I am contacting a lawyer in San Francisco regarding a CLASS ACTION SUIT.

toyota prius are much overrated,have a 2006 and have had to replace front wheel bearings twice, car now has 104000 miles on it just replace rear bearings, tire life is terrible, and many small problems also have happened, dealer i bought from says it happens, my first import and the last, will go back to my old brand, i have never repaced wheel bearings in it, in fact i have a 1996 pickup with 450000 on it and i would not be afraid to drive it across the country, but not the prius, just not a dependable car

This is not a complaint. It is a statement of fact about my Toyota Prius. I commute 180 miles per day. Although TMC states higher mileage in the city than the highway, my experience is just the opposite. I live in the foothill area of the San Bernardino National Forest. This means my city driving is up and down hill with many stops. So, I am not upset when I get 40 mpg. I get 50+ mpg on the freeway and I'm very happy with that. I find the way a person drives the car defines the kind of mileage one will get. All in all, it's a great car. I'm an aerospace engineer and the car design intrigues me.

Again, I complained and talked directly to the Manager and Toyota. They agreed to replace parts no cost (HID only) for $125.

At 68,000 miles the right side became intermittent and I got a warning ticket. I went to the Dealer and said I would pay the $125 but not more.

Now at 94,000 miles the drivers side is intermittent again. I am going to go to the dealer in the morning and tell them they should provide the HID, the transformer and the labor to fix both side as they simply hid a symptom and charged me $250 to do it.

I will never by a Toyota again

After 144,000 miles driving my 2001 Prius, the transmission, inverter and the batteries had to be replaced. Until then, it was the best car I had ever owned. Since then it is still the best but I spent $10,000 to replace everything and they even forgave me over $3,000. They just found it impossible to diagnose the complete problem at first or I would have junked it. I have car pool stickers so I thought it was better for me to fix it. I don't use the sticker benefit much. They told me (later) that if the trans goes out the others go out most of the time too. They also told me it was worth getting it fixed. I doubt if I will break even on the sell. It should be good for another 100K miles now but I am selling it. I'll never again drive a hybrid car this long, even with a sticker benefit.

Many problematic things were replaced under warranty so this is my first high expense. Steering, gas tank, computers, and more. The fuel pedal sensor was bad but it fixed itself somehow. Should have gotten rid of it a long time ago.

2008 Toyota Prius, rapid tire wear, wear pattern shows underflation, both dhoulders are wearing rapidly. T about 25,000 miles they were reccommended at the dealership when servicing the vehicle, can't believe that Toyota would install such cheap tires on an almost $30.000 car.

2008 Toyota Prius: When we first purchased this car a year ago we were getting really close to the EPA estimates. Over the last 6-8 months the mileage has dropped and continues to drop more each month.

Our local dealer in Reno, NV is claiming that there is nothing wrong with this vehicle, but has no explanation for the steady drop in mileage. Very frustrating! We are now getting 35-36 mpg and that is not what we paid for. A Civic does that well without the Hybrid price tag.

If this is what we have to live with then I will sell this car and never recommend to anyone.

My 2008 Toyota Prius, with only 23,000 miles on it caught on fire and is totaled. The car did something weird when I turned a residential corner and the warning lights came on (Master Warning, Vehicle Stability control and Hybrid System). A couple minutes later smoke started coming out of the vents of the passenger side seats and before I knew it a flame was in the corner of the back passenger side seat and the car burnt in no time.

We own a 2005 Prius with only 38,000 miles and were very happy with it until several months ago. Since that time we have had to have it jumped six times when it wouldn't start after driving to and parking at a location.

Last week, after the third episode, we took it to be checked out at Toyota West, and they could find nothing wrong. But when my husband made a stop on the way home, it happened again!

When we called to complain, they said to have it towed the next time it wouldn't start so they could better assess the problem.

It happened again yesterday, so I called AAA to have it towed. When the driver arrived, he could not even put the car in neutral to get it on the truck. Consequently, we were forced to jump it again and drive it to Toyota West.

They have checked it out and again say they can find nothing wrong. They have advised us to drive it every day and for at least 45 consecutive minutes once a week to keep the battery charged.

We told them no one had told us to do that when we bought the car there, and they replied that this information is part of all salesmen's training. Is it no wonder they don't share this information? Who would buy a Prius if they knew of these requirements? I would like this information made public so no one else is deceived and disappointed.

It's interesting to note that almost every time the car wouldn't start, it was after turning it on to put down the windows and immediately turning it off to wait in the car. We have shared this information with the service department since it seems like important information that might lead to the solution to the problem, but they insist it shouldn't have anything to do with the car not starting.

We are extremely disappointed as we were hoping to drive this car for many years. I don't see how this is going to be possible when it's so unreliable.

I own a 2001 Toyota Prius. Recently a warning light came on and the dealer (after four separate attempts to diagnose the problem) ultimately recommended replacing the auxiliary battery, the Electronic Control Unit AND the primary battery.

It seemed virtually impossible that all three items would fail simultaneously and unrelated to one another so I contacted Toyota Corporation and it took them TWO WEEKS get back to me with their answer. They said that yes, all three can fail together and offered to pay for of the cost for the ECU and the primary battery.

One the one hand I appreciate the offer to offset about $1200.00 of my total expenses of almost $3,000, but at the end of the day Im spending of the resale value of the car after only 45,000 miles to keep it on the road. This is not what one should expect from a Toyota.

Toyota is youre listening: I have owned 5 Toyotas in a row and my next car will be a VW Golf TDI. You have lost a loyal customer

It's hard to believe that paying such a large premium for what seems to be a Yaris, that the manufacturer will chose to finish the interior with hard plastic trim that scratches so easily. After 3 mos and 1,700 miles, my wife's Prius has scratches on both front door interior surfaces under the arm rests, many chips from the release of drivers shoulder belt hitting door pillar, and no evidence what so ever of any professional detail that included a coat of exterior wax. We were told "Toyota will not cover these minor items". Same for exterior defects.

Misaligned hood at drivers fender is within "specifications", same for fading black covers between side windows at B pillar, and sloppy repair of defective lower bumper cladding. We were told that if we chose to have professional detail, at our cost, B pillars would probably be same shade of black all over. A suggestion was made to inquire at their body shop for estimate to correct hood misalignment. I guess for $25,000, Toyota doesn't believe a new product deserves a delivery detail. The car is a garaged 1,700 mile 92 day old vehicle! Her last car was an 05 Mini S, with cost was very similar to Prius. When sold at 34,000 miles, no interior scratches, mis aligned exterior panels or trim falling off. We wanted to try a hybrid, we already have a diesel, plus 4 and 8 cyl gas vehicles. I'm glad we only leased this car for 36 mos.

I did expect this car to approach my Mercedes C230 Kompressor in build quality; it does not! The fit and overall finish of this Prius is disappointing as are the managers, Service or Parts, I'm not sure, who offered lame answers. My conclusion is I'm not yhe only one with similar complaints. My 05 C330 Kompressor was purchased 2 years ago at about the same price, gives 25-36 MPG, and even as an entry level Mercedes, is finished with materials that will last for many years without the premature wear or misfit panels of this Prius. This Prius is built to Econobox specifications and, in my opinion, is not worth the premium paid. $5-6,000 above a Coralla should equal a higher level of materials and overall finish.

Even base Camrys have better interior materials. This will be the 2nd and last Toyota for us. Oh. I forgot, The rear fold down arm rest is defective and will be replaced. It seems it was missed when car was being "prepared" for deliver. This car will never be worth the residual value at the end of 36 months, especially if the cheap trim and thin exterior paint continues to degrade at the level shown after only 92 days since delivery. To be told that a garaged and non abused 1,760 mile car should have a professional detail only reflects Toyota's attitude about customer satisfaction. Paying for a misaligned body panel is an insult!

My 2007 Prius has 50K miles and I am experiencing problems with the driver's side headlight. Intermittently coming on and going off. And then the bright lights did not work at all. I was quoted $750 to replace the computer and the headlight. I really have no leverage to argue--I need my car at night and I need it now.

Drove 1200 miles and warning lights came on. Said I needed new inverter and water pump. Left without installing inverter. Drove 1200 miles and lights came on. Disconnected battery drove 1200 miles and Warning lights came on. Also the lights seem to come on when brakes applied. Strange, it indicates service is not understood by either dealer, or hybrid is peace of junk after 140,000 miles.

Drove another 1200 miles and light came on. Disconnected Battery, reset computer and am driving again. Why can I drive 1200 miles and everything is working well. Noticed that battery post hotter than should be when I reset computer. Is it possible to get relief on this situation?

Please advise. $4300.00

2007 Prius. having a problem with the transmission slipping out of DRIVE into NEUTRAL all by itself, and the engine completely shutting off while driving at speed. Mileage: 37,000, regular recommended maintenance done. Very strange.

I'm not criticizing the Toyota rep . He seemed as perplexed as I was when he quoted the cost to me for my okay to continue with the work. Here's the breakdown: $343 for the headlamp + about $400 labor because the bumper had to be removed. If that's an accurate expense, isn't it a bit unfair to the customer to have to pay for removing a bumper to replace a headlamp?

Driver's side headlight periodically goes out. (Dealership knows nothing about this.) Some buttons on steering wheel failed at approx. 58,000 miles, Tires wore out after 25k then again at approx. 23k. (Dealership knows nothing. Goodyear knows nothing) P.S. I just saw Bridgestones on the new Prius, at the dealership. Go figure!

The rear cup holder falls out of place frequently. The fuel economy 40-45mpg gets much worse just before oil changes.(Expected though)The traction control is very dangerous. As another person wrote; it will slip on a bug. Nothing like stepping on the gas to get out of a side street, and having the traction control kill power because sand is at the edge of the street and cars are heading at you. Windshield cracked (rock chip). No one sells them. Had to be shipped from Toyota. Over $1000.00 hence an increase in insurance due to being considered a claim. "Front of car is so heavy, possibly due to the inverter, that premature tire wear is expected". Service manager quote. No, they won't due anything about anything i've mentioned.

PS Front door locks won't lock with the buttons on the door arm rests. So, if I don't lock each front door manually, the keyfob alarm will not set. What a peice of junk. This car starts out well but slides to an electrical nightmare.

Don't let the people with low mileage Prius' fool you. They haven't been there yet.

I own a 2006 prius, I started experiencing problems with the driver's side headlight; it would go on and off intermittently. Toyota says they can't do anything about it unless they notice the problem when I bring it in.

So I took the Prius to the local auto shop and they said it was not the HID bulb but an another bulb in the headlight - cost $30 including labor. Plus they stated the HID bulb - they could get one for $125. I did call and speak with the service manager - who said I had given him a lot of information and ended the call. Not one word about getting back with me! Tonight - I have spent time online and it appears the Toyota has a problem with the HID bulbs! I would have paid for an HID bulb I did not need. I guess I have learned my lesson - do not take your car to the dealership for service and always get a second opinion.

We own two Toyota Priuses, an '06 and '08. We commute 1 1/2 - 2 hours a day and we love them. The list of complaints here is an absolutely horrible sampling of Prius experiences due to selection bias. Complaints, not praises, are actively solicited on this website.

Not saying the complaints are invalid. I'm saying that the sampling of experiences is completely invalid and, therefore, completely misleading.

Editor's Note: Thank you, professor. We get really tired of reading things like this. This is a complaint site. It does not claim to be a scientific sampling, but it does serve to alert consumers to problems that others have experienced and that they too might want to be prepared for. Not all of life is a sociology experiment. An armed robbery is an "anecdotal" experience but it is still harmful to its victim and the offender is, if caught, prosecuted. Would you rather consumers had no clue what types of problems have befallen others? Should we just rely on advertising and public relations for guidance in making purchases? Should consumers simply shut up and take what's given to them?

My 2007 Prius has been a wonderful car, with no problems whatsover. My running average fuel economy stays at 50 mpg or better year round. My best mileage so far was a trip from western NY to Maine, where I got 61 mpg. Don't let these other losers fool you, the Prius is a wonderful car.

I own a 2002 Toyota Prius. At 85,000 miles, the check engine lights came on and car was humming. Stopped at Firestone, where I had had oil changed by Prius technician a week before. They said an extra quart of oil in car. They said they removed it. Next morning, same engine lights came on. Towed it to Team Toyota in Langhorne, PA. They said Transmission was gone. 8k to fix. Not covered under 100k hybrid warranty and my extended Extra care had expired Sept 14. This was October 9th. No oil was in the intakes of the engine. I've been told excess oil can stress engine parts. Also, found after the fact that Toyota used T4 transmission fluuid in older Prius and now uses WS transmission fluid. We had it changed at 60k, as listed in owner's manual. Car Repair shop in California now recommending every 15k(probably too late for most owners).

help. Should we sue Toyota and Firestone? I loved that car. It now sits dead in my driveway.

I own a 2008 Toyota Prius. It just turned 100k on the odometer. At 58,000 miles (3-18-08), I started experiencing problems with the driver's side headlight; it would go on and off intermittently. I was told that the headlight and the ECU needed to be replaced. Even though I had purchased an extended warranty (at Toyotaland of Springfield, NJ), it still cost me $406.97, out of pocket. To add insult to injury, I had to return again within a weeks time, because the headlight went out again. I was told that it was a "bad" ECU for the headlight. They replaced it at no additional charge, "Gee, Thanks!"

At 98,057 miles, the passenger side light started to exhibit the same symptoms (the headlight would go on and off, intermittently). I figured that I would get this done before my warranty expired at 100,000 miles. Toyotaland of Springfield replaced the ECU, only. They did not suggest replacing the headlight. I paid the $50 deductible as per the terms of the extended warranty.

On 5/1/09, at 99,873 miles, a mere week and a half later, the driver's side headlight that I had already paid to have replaced the previous March, started experiencing the same on and off symptoms. I also started experiencing a problem with both tailights periodically going out. I explained to the customer service person (at Toyotaland of Springfield, NJ), that the tailights would come back on when I tapped on the lens. I asked them to investigate that problem as well.

Later in the day, a reprensentative from Toyotaland of Springfield, called me back. He said that the technician was not able to "duplicate" the problem and that furthermore that the warranty company would not replace a part that was not "proven" to be defective.

I spent a few minutes in an intense conversation with this individual over the phone. I told him that the problem was intermittent and that my car was dangerously close to being out of warranty. I expressed to him that it was not reasonable that I had to replace 3 headlights within a little over 1 year. In addition, I explained that these headlights were also in the neighborhood of $300 apiece, not including the ECU. With the ECU, this would easily be a $500+ job, out of warranty. I asked to speak to a supervisor. The same representative called me back a little while later. He said that he spoke to the warranty company and that they had agreed to replace the ECU. He also said that they strongly suggested that the headlight be replaced at my expense (naturally).

I also inquired about any service alerts or recalls on this model for these issues. I said that "it was hard to believe that nobody else was experiencing these same issues". I received no response.

I was also told that they could find nothing wrong with the tailights.

They also told me that my hatch was broken. This is something that I was already aware of. A "flimsy" plastic bracket had snapped under the handle for the rear hatch. I had inquired about this on a previous visit and was told that this was something else that my extended warranty didn't cover; surprise, surprise! The cost for this part (Back door garnish-Part# 7601-47060-BO) is $193 + labor, paint, etc.

5/4/09- My car now has 100,100 miles and is now out of warranty. Today my passenger side headlight is out, again. This is like a bad joke! I think that they have to remove the front bumper to replace the headlight. So, I guess I'm going to get stuck paying for the parts and the labor for that. It also seems that the technicians are not as knowledgable as they should be on this car. This is too serious of a problem, not to be addressed.

I have read other forums on this vehicle. There are other Prius owners experiencing the same issue. This is a saftey issue as well as a monetery issue. Toyota really needs to address this issue in the form of a recall. If they continue to ignore these complaints, then maybe a "class action lawsuit" would get their attention.

I have had 3 accidents or near accidents with my new 2009 Toyota Prius due to a combination of mysterious acceleration and loss of brakes. The first incident (a near accident) occurred when the car in front of me stopped. I was driving slowly but my car suddenly seemed to accelerate on its own and my brakes failed. How I stopped my car I will never know. The second incident was when I was driving into my garage. Again the car seemed to accelerate and the brakes did not work. The garage wall was damaged on both sides. After this I took the car into the Toyota dealer. They examined it and said if I had more trouble, bring it in again. The third incident occurred in a parking lot. The self-accelerating seemed to have been fixed, but while driving slow and looking for a place to park, the brakes did not hold and the result was the car hit a parked car.

Although no one was hurt here was over $6000 damage to the Prius and some damage to the parked car. What is really scary is that by the next parked car (only a foot or so away) were a man and 2 children. If my car had hit that car there could have been some deaths - certainly serious injuries.

I have an 06 Prius and the headlights went out. The dealer says that he has never heard of the problem and that I should come back when the light is out. Great idea, hopefully not when my car is wrapped around a telephone poll. I spoke to a customer experience representative at Toyota headquarters and they said that they have heard of this problem but they are not supporting the repairs of this issue. Not sure how they can get away with this, as this is not an issue of wear and tear. This is clearly faulty parts that they have installed in the vehicle. Can anyone help with this?

I bought a 2008 tyota prius on december of 2007. I exprianced the following problems with this vehichle 1) All 4 tires was worn out around 20K miles with rutine rotation at every 5k miles 2) The navigation system is very unfriendly to the user. I have 1996 acura RL which is 12 years oldr way better than this. 3) The display on the monitor is desined so shallow that during the day time is abolutely usless. 4) the seat and armrest veneers looks so bad within the first 2 years.

I have contacted the dealership but they declined and told me inflate tire at 40 psi instead of 35 psi recomended by the manufacturer on the vehichle door. I red about the tire problem from so many other users of this car.

The Passenger side headlight went out on my 2007 Prius at 41757 miles in Jan. 2009. Of course the light is not covered under warranty,BUT, the Dealer worked out a replacement cost. I called Toyota at this time and the Rep. said someone would look into it. Now my Driver side headlight went out at 47270 miles and I Have an appt. with the Dealer. Called Toyota AGAIN! and was told someone would look into it and would call me back within 3 business days. I won't hold my breath!

Purchased a 2006 Prius in Dec 2006. Up until ~Dec 2008 milage ran consistantly at 49-50mpg during summer months and 46-47 during winter (Ethenol blend fuel mandated in OR). Starting in Dec 2008 milage dropped dramatically to ~30mpg. There was no change in driving habits/routes/etc., and fuel during the period was purchased from a variety of filling stations (these facts are noted to preempt the standard manufacture's excuse that it's the owner/operator problems.) During $20k service dealership found no problems.

NOTE: the mpg noted are calculated by elapsed odometer milage and gallons consumed. The on board computer was not relied on. I am trying to find out if other Prius owners have experienced this same dramatic drop in milage with no reasonable explanation.

Fuel cost is 10-20% higher than expected or orginally obtained.

3/10/09, while driving north out of McMinnville, Or straight, no curves, on two lane Westside Rd., sunny dry afternoon. A sudden heavy hailstorm passed over, dropping considerable hail. My 2007 Toyota Prius immediately lost all traction and I was unable to control vehicle as it swerved into on-coming lane, was hit on rear passenger broadsideby driver in on-coming lane. My Prius then flew off the road and into a ditch.

I suffered two cracked ribs and contusions. Other driver was unhurt. Both cars were a total loss. My steering wheel airbag deployed; the driver side airbag did not. I have long been aware of the problems with the Pruis' TRAX traction control system (the slippage on things as minor a wet grass/ puddles at low speed, but this was a serious event and could have easily resulted in a deadly outcome.

I am writing to say that I am HAPPY with my Toyota Prius. I purchased this car NEW in 2006. It now has over 70,000 miles on it. The only issues I have had with it are due to my own stupidity (leaving lights on) and cost me NOTHING to fix. AAA just came by to give me a jump and all is well. I live in Buffalo, NY - I am sure you reading this knows what that means: SNOW! And lots of it. Every time my friends and I go driving in the snow for whatever reason, we opt to take the Prius because it performs well in the snow. The Buffalonion motto: be prepared. I always carry sand or kitty litter in my car and a shovel. In Buffalo it doesn't matter what you drive, odds are you will have to dig your car out at some point in time. But rest assured the Prius does fine in the snow of Buffalo, NY. Of course when we get over a foot of snow I have to dig it out - but this is something any sedan would have to do.

Also I was in a major accident soon after I got my Prius. I got t-boned on the driver's side by a Ford 250. I had no whiplash and was not sore the next day. The Prius did take most of the impact and it didn't look pretty - both doors and the post had to be replaced - but I was fine and didn't have a scratch, bruise or ache. It cost me nothing to fix because it was still within warranty.

I have gone up to 30 miles past the 'blinking light' gas warning and had no issues. I've noticed that certain gas stations cause the 'safety' to go off while filling up but not all - so I go to the stations that I know this doesn't happen and I don't have any issues filling up.

I have had my Prius for 3 years now and love it just as much as the day I got it. No problems with headlights, engine, batteries (again when I do its because I left a light on and a simple jump by a friend or AAA will fix it up). Other than regular oil changes, gas, and car washes, this car has cost me nothing.

2007 Prius Problems - Headlights and tail lights unexpectedly and randomly shut off. I can get the tail lights to come back on by mildly smacking the side panel near the light. I've checked the bulb connections and they are clean and tight with no exposed or loose wires. The only way to get the headlight to come back on is to turn off the headlights and turn them back on. Toyota dealer says they can't repeat the problem. My wife and I are going to take video on the next occurance. We have subsequently been paying attention to other Prius's on the road. Quite a few are driving with one or both tail lights out!

My wife was stopped by a police officer the other night in our neighborhood...for one tail light and one headlight out. No ticket, just a warning. This could be very dangerous!

My gas pedal gets stuck and keeps accerlerating. Dealers can NOT Duplicate the issue therefore send me back on the road with it.

I've been lucky, haven't wrecked into anything yet. It's been close, brake doesn't seem to work when it starts to accerlerate on it's own.

My Prius headlights went out at night on a dark stretch of highway.

Scared me to death...fortunately, no accident but could have been bad.

1. Have a difficult time filling the gas tank. Have to fill very slowly because the gas nozzel keeps shutting off like the tank is full. Seems like it may be a venting problem. 2. 2/14/2008 was in collision. Was hit from the rear and shoved into the vihicle infront of me. There was more damage done to the front of my Prius than the rear. The air bag never deployed. $13,000 in damages. My concern is that the air bag should have deployed.

I did have whiplash from the collision. I fear the air bag doesn't work.

Let's start with, I love my Prius...Have had good service at my dealership....and perfer to be loyal to a person, product, or company that provides a honest experience. Here is the problem...Toyota knowingly is putting us prius owners at risk. How? The headlights are malfunctioning. My driver light is now on its second replacement because it just shuts off. The first time my car was under warranty....300$ for a new bulb. It is now happening again..dealership is now saying they have since found it is the computer chip that is causing the problem not the bulb.

My car is now out of warranty and I am working with my dealership service department reguarding the cost to me of the repairs. Toyota is putting my life and others in jepardy by not fixing the mechanical malfuntion. Does someone have to die before Toyota takes this seriously....Or is the almighty dollar in their pocket worth more than a human life.

The cost of the computer chip, bulbs, and labor are horribly high aprox 600-1000, per headlight. But this is proving to be a re-occuring problem. I am not out that money at this time...but is a class action law suit appropriate, or could it be helpful?

The master light goes on when I start the car. It immediately goes off. Twice the computer completely went haywire and car wouldn't function. I couldn't even get the key out. This is a 2005 Prius with 39000 miles. The Toyota Service can not find why this is happening. I contacted Toyota and can only talk to customer service. They were no help. Has any one else had this problem.

So far no problem expect $60 for a tow when car wouldn't shut off or shift and I couldn't get the fob out. I'm terrified of the car doing this when it is night and I'm alone. I'm 75 and I sure wouldn't want to be abandoned because of a computer malfunction. Thank you.

Toyota Prius Traction Controlo: Car loses traction and pow, the power to the wheels is cut off.

I'm afraid of using the car in any snow condition. Great feature for a car in New Jersey where we get quite a bit oif snow. I wouldn't have bought this car if I had been honestly answered when I asked if the car is good in the snow.

The HID headlight on my 2004 Toyota Prius has not been working right on the passenger side for a while. It was going off from time to time. But, now it appears not to be working at all.

This appears to be an ongoing issue/defect with many prius cars, which needs to be addressed ASAP since this is a huge safety issue. There should be a recall on Toyota prius headlights since there are a great deal of complaints on this issue which involves the safety of consumers.

I recently had a 90K maintenance service on my 2004 Toyota Prius at the dealer on Saturday (my car has been regularly serviced by this dealer). After the 90K service, I drove the car for about 60 miles, then a yellow "check engine" warning light came on. Since I work out of town (I work in another state during weekdays, and come home over the weekend), I drove back home and drove another car to work, and asked my wife to drive the Prius to the dealer for service.

My wife brought back the car to the dealer on the following Monday, and after check by a mechanic, was told that the catalytic converter was failing and needed a replacement. My wife hesitated to do the repair since it costs about $2K for part and labor, and the mechanic's attitude was not very friendly to my wife. Finally, we had no choice but to fix the problem, so I called my wife to contact the dealer and ordered the part (the service of this dealer had been good before this instance). I was puzzled by the timing of the instance and was wondering if the dealer could have done something wrong that caused the efficiency failure of the catalytic converter, or maybe it is just a coincidence.

I purchased a 2008 Prius with the hopes of reducing my gas cosumption as I drive difficult roads every day to get to work. I had specifically asked the dealer how the Prius would perform in the snow and was told if I put on good studded winter tires tht I would have no problems. I purchased very expensive Hokapolito tires and had them studded. In essence I thought by spending $700 that this would fix the downside of owning a two wheel drive vehicle. Well, every day to think if there is half a inch of snow on the ground it will take me an hour and 15 minutes to get to work rather then 45 minutes.

Every day I fear I will go off the road or not be able t make it up the road to my home. On top of that I seem to have had the accelator issue a few times but I did not realize that this was a defect I just thought it was because it was a hybrid model and drove differently then a regular vehicle. When you go to fill up your gas tank even if i is on a half a tank in the cold weather it tells the gas tank that it is full. It takes twenty minutes to fill a gas tank, while freezing in the cold and trying all sorts of gyrations of the gas nozzle to fill the tank. If others have not experienced the rather unpleasant event they are blessed.

I have never been so disgusted as I was after speaking to the technician at the auto dealership that told me that this wasn't a warranty issue though I have only had the vehicle for 12,225 miles and this tank issue has been going on for over a month. Whatever happened to companies standing by their product (sick to my stomach). I cannot afford to get into a new vehicle after spending so much to purchase this vehicle. now I don't know what I am going to do. I have put a formal complaint in at the dealership and if I am in an accident I intend on prosecuting.

Toyota Prius 2008 hybrid If you leave your dome light on it could cost more than $8000.00. If your car gets cold it cost you the same.If you go on vacation you need a car sitter, If you let the battery in a prius die it could cost you $$. I thought I had a great car and then one day I went to start it and the battery was dead. I had it jumped and drove it around town for a half hour and it was still dead. I took it to a dealer and they said if I let the car sit more than a week and the battery dies it is my fault and not covered under any warrenty. They also said the battery was $8000.00 to replace.

I soon found that they said the dome light was left on and the battery had to be slow charged for a day. This only cost $40.00 but I also found out many things about prius that I wish I never knew. If you need to park the car you need to unhook the battery. Seems simple enough, however there is no access to the trunk without power. You have to crawl over the seats to the very back to hook up the terminal again. Is this Safe? I weigh 245 lbs and I have to crawl to the trunk and open a compartment which if I do the wrong thing I could cause a spark and blow up? I want the world to know the battery cost almost half as what you pay for the car and there are numourous ways to void your warrenty. If your battery is exposed to temperatures around 10 degrees it can freeze causing a battery failure not covered by warrenty.

New Toyota Prius 2009 - 3 weeks old. Gas gauge down to one square, started blinking, some 20 or so miles later the car stopped completly with all sorts of warning lights on the dash screen. Apparently it was out of gas and the battery ran down so the car had to be towed to a Toyota dealer so it's system could be properly re-programed. Adding gas would not without the re-programming apparently not get the car going.

The Toyota service department told me to never let the gas gauge get below 3 squares or I could run out of gas. The Owner's manual says when the gas gauge light starts to blink you have about 3 gallons remaining. Not so for my car! Toyota should print this 3 square warning in their manual as well as have the gas gauge light start blinking at 3 squares.

Also it should be clearly stated that running out of gas will probably leave you stranded somewhere and will require towing to a dealer for the re-programming routine. If this happened in a desert or a snow storm loss of life could result. This failure to properly notify the driver of a potentially dangerous condition is a major failure on the part of Toyota. All of this was a major pain and not expected from a new car that we purchased so we could rely on its dependability.

About $90 for tow fees and taxi service.

I had lots of problems with the 12v battery in my 2006 Prius.If I didn't drive for a few days, the small battery would die and I would have to jump start it. I had to buy a portable jump starter. My dealer replace the battery and told me that I don't drive enough to keep it charged. I frequently go on trips for a week and usually come home to find it dead. Finally the second battery started dying on me. It got so bad that it wouldn't even hold a charge for 24 hours. I finally traded it in for a Corolla (my two previous cars were Corollas and I never had any trouble with them). As a final goodbye, after I got it to the dealer and they checked it out, the battery was dead when I tried to open it to get my stuff out of it.

I just read an article about tractionn constrol problems with the Prius. I just want to add that I got stuck in slushy snow spinning on a hill FOR AN HOUR!!!! This is a four lane road that I take every day to work. It's a moderate grade hill and it was just horrible. Nothing I could do would make the car go. The power just evaporated every time I tried to get out of the icy slush. The wheels would spin and then just stop working. I went back and forth, I had people push me, I tried driving very slowly. I had another car try to push me. I put down an old blanket to try to get traction.

I know it's that non-slip system that's installed in the Prius that is causing this problem, because the light for that system kept going on. But instead of helping...I was a prisoner in my car, holding up traffic with people driving around me for an hour. I couldn't believe that all kinds of other compact cars were passing me without much trouble. I got new tires , but today, once again, when I hit an icy patch, the wheels lost all power. This is a serious design flaw and needs to be remedied, because I don't just drive in perfect conditions.

I finally got out of my predicament o the hill when a friend drove up with kitty litter and I spread that all around the wheels, and turned aaround and went down hill and parked in a neighborhood at the bottoml and my friend drove me to work. The snow melted by the end of the day, so I was able to get home. This needs to be solved.
I just want the car to work. I got to work late. I was beyond upset. THey need to work on the traction control system. Bad, bad, bad.

My problem is dealing with the 2008 Prius gas tank. Not being able to fill the tank, not knowing how much gas I have. My dealer has no answer to this nor has Toyota! I was told that the problem has no cure. I have done much research into this problem and have noted that many owners of the 2008 Prius are experiencing this same problem. I feel very uncomfortable about taking a long trip with this vehicle. I also can not understand the attitude of Toyota!

I live on a hill in Iowa. My Prius cannot make it up the hill and I have medical problems. When My Prius got stuck in the middle of the hill on the snow I luckily got ahold of someone to come and help me out. The traction control could cause a breakdown in the middle of below zero weather. When stuck on a hill they just shut down.

THe car has giotten stuck in the snow several times on a hill. When the back of the car gets against a snowbank it will not move. The engineers obviously did not test these cars in snow.

I bought my 2001 Prius from my brother (who bought it new). It had 98,000 at the time of purchase. It now has 138,000 miles. We got a check engine light once, and carried it in. In 5 minutes they diagnosed it as a loose gas cap, for $41.95. Dec. 24, 2008 It was again flashing the same light. I took it in and they said it needed a new catalytic convertor, at the cost of $1500 installed. I bought one online for $161 and had it installed for $60 at a local muffler shop.

This did not fix the problem, and during the 3 weeks the car sat idle waiting on the part, the 12 volt battery died. I replaced it myself at a cost of $152 for a small lawnmower size battery. This did nothing to fix the problem, and I carried it back to [dealer], who says that the throttle body was gummed up with carbon, and the main battery needed replacing, %79.95 for spraying carb cleaner in the throttle body, and $2789 for the battery. They deny that the catalytic convertor was a bad call, despite the fact that it did not appear the least bit restricted when we took it out.

I am having to wait from Friday till Monday for the part to arrive. We will have gone about a month with this car in the shop, and I don't really trust the diagnostic codes the dealers so readily trust my money to. I can't get any reliable data on the expected life of the battery. I have read of others who experienced battery life when the car sat unused for a few weeks.

My wife, a social worker, drove my Honda, and I was forced to drive my farm truck, a 14 mpg diesel, so we spent a great deal more on fuel during the month without our car, made 3 -90 mile round trips, and spent the better part of 3 days either stuck on the road, or waiting at the dealer.

Over last five years and 70,000 miles of driving our Prius, we have only experienced 45 to 55 mpg. Also, for some reason maintenance cost are very-very low. Our Las Vegas trips with 4 large persons and luggage only average 50 mpg at 69 mph. Toyoto is not there yet?

When we purchased my Prius in December 2007, we paid extra to install the Smart Key system. Last week, while on a trip to Houston, our rental car was broken into and my purse and my husband's briefcase were stolen. My purse contained one smart key and the second was in my husband's briefcase. We had to have the car towed out of the Atlanta airport to Toyota South, the closest Toyota facility to the airport. Our dealership, Toyota of Roswell, originally told us it would cost $200 apiece to replace the smart keys. We were told bt the Toyota South representative that in the attempt to replace the keys, they needed to take the dashboard apart and install a new computer for the new keys to be programmed -- now the cost is supposed to be $1300.

Today, I was called and told that they keys function partially the way they are supposed to, but now they do not start the car the way the smart key is supposed to start the car, since the one computer needed to be replaced, there is a second computer, which tells the smart key to start the car, which now also needs to be replaced. The service rep has now upgraded his estimate to $2835. He said his District service manager told him this cannot be handled via our warranty on the car, and suggests to involve our insurance company.

Now not only were we robbed in Texas, we are being subjected to his outrageous expense to replace two keys! Please inform your customers to make very sure they never have both keys in the same location at the same time, or they will experience an extreme amount of grief! In all other respects, I have had a high level of satisfaction with my Prius. Now, I can no longer say that when people ask me how do you like your Prius? (which I am asked a lot).

I have a 2005 Prius with TRAC as standard equipment. This has been dangerous for me just in rainy road conditions as I pulled in to traffic, a tire slipped a little, and all power to the wheels was stopped. I have nearly been in accidents due to this several times.

Last weekend I was stranded on a hill in less than a half inch of snow. In order to get the car out, my rescuer had to back all the way to the end of this long dead end one lane road, and drive insanely fast to have enough momentum to just barely make it up the hill. This could have been disastrous had a car come down the road the other way.

I am in danger every time I drive my Prius in the rain or snow. I live in Seattle, Wa. so this means truly I am in danger about 80% of the time I drive it. Toyota needs to fix this problem.

We own a 2006 Toyota Prius. It has only 74,000 miles,and we have regular oil changes. All of a sudden, as of approximately three weeks ago, the head lights suddenly go off while driving. This happened only once, three weeks ago, and we thought that perhaps we didn't engage the steering wheel switch correctly. Then, the other day, we were driving at night on the highway, and at 65 MPH both headlights went out. They came on again once we turned the column switch off and on again. This happened several times, throught the way home.

It may just be a defective switch in the steering column, but Toyota shows no recalls for this. We understand that absolutely nothing will be done unless someone dies from this, so we are making you aware of the issue for documentation purposes. We will be having Toyota look at the car next week, but don't expect them to cover it under warranty. RE Recalls: I read that Lexus has had a problem with floor mats coming loose. Our Prius driver side floor mat retaining hook came apart last week, and the mat is not held securely on the floor. We have not experienced it sliding under the accelorator pedal, but will remove it for repair just in case. I will also have Toyota look at the steering recall to see if it has been done yet.

Last Thanksgiving my wife and I drove home in snow showers from Pittsburgh, PA in our 2005 Toyota Prius. We came to a snow covered bridge on the top of a hill and as we started across, the Prius stopped. We had to wait until the heat of the engine melted the snow under the tires before we could inch ahead and stop again. It took us many starts and stops before we finally got across the bridge. The Prius is not safe to drive in snowy conditions!

As a result of our experience in the snow with the Prius, we had to cancel our trip to Chicago this Christmas for fear we would be stranded on a snowy road.

The first winter we had the '07 Prius I could not make the hill to our home. I had to be towed. The next winter we decided to buy aggressive snow tires to see if that would work. On one occasion my husband drove the Prius in snow conditions and reached within 5 feet of the top of the hill when the car no longer would power up the hill. He backed the Prius down the hill .5 mile all down hill and tried it again. The second time he could only reach within 5 feet of the top of the hill when the traction control kicked in again and power was cut sufficiently as to not be able to reach the top of the hill. Needless to say the Prius sits in the garage now.

I had to get him from the hill with a 4 wheel drive truck. We bought the Prius to save on gas, but in winter conditions we are unable to use it enough. The snow tires were a $750 investment that did not seem to solve the problem. Wisconsin winters are too much for the Prius, I guess. This requires us to use the 2 trucks that we have. I am a life long Toyota owner. I have had many Toyotas, This is the first one I have had difficulty with. My previous Highlander was like a tank in any weather.

In 2-4 inches of snow, or ice with an 8% grade or so, my 2008 Prius lost power making it almost impossible to continue up hill. The Prius had on new studded snow tires and chains.

The consequence of the inability of the Prius to continue uphill when it's tires slip or slide some makes it dangerous if it was to be driven on a snowy hill in traffic! Also it makes it impossible to use to get to my own house when the road has snow &/or ice.

I have a 2008 Toyota Prius with 11,000 miles on it. Started car and noticed that the dash lights were not working. Tried to shut off car but it would not stop running. I could put it into drive, reverse, and park, but it would not shut off and I could not remove the key fob. All other functions were working - radio, inside lights, etc. This was Sunday 12/21/08 and the dealer service dept. was closed. The sales manager told me to call Toyota which I did.

They said there was nothing they could do as they never heard of this problem. After 20 minutes, the dash lights came on and I could stop the car from running. Monday, I called the service dept. and they said to bring it in and they would check it out, but I would have to leave it with them. I said what could they do - it might take several days to happen again. I decided to use the car and if it occured again, I would take it to the dealer. If they were closed, I would take it to a garage and let them try to stop it. If the dealer service dept. and all garages were closed, I guess I would have to let it run over night or try to find the main fuse to stop it. The dealer service dept. said I should not do this, but I asked him what else could I do? He had no answer.

I love my prius ! It has 163000 miles on it. I bought it from my dad with 75000 miles on it. he bought a a new prius in 05. I am a drag car racer and do all my maint on my car. the only thing I have done is change the front brakes at 140000 miles. I just changed the belt for pm before winter. The car has never had any major proublems I use 5w30 royal purpl sythintic oil, same as the race car runs. When dad is ready to get a new one I will be the first to grab the one he has now. I did put a water pump on his 05 at 70000 miles. Were race car driver's but Love our Prius !

I bought a 2006 Prius. Besides the disappointing mpg for a hybrid (high 20's to low-to-mid 30's), the car is absolutely HORRIBLE in even a very small amount of snow. I have no control over it and it skids constantly. When I try to stop at an intersection, the Prius usually continues well into the intersection, creating a very unsafe situation. I live at the bottom of a hill and none of my other cars was incapable of driving up the hill when there was only 1 of snow on the ground - but the Prius doesn't have the traction to do this.

Coming down the hill, I just have to hope that there is no other car on that road at that time, since the Prius is all over the road. I have complained to the Toyota service department several times and have been told that there really is no problem.

Even though the Prius is only 2 1/2 years old, I will have to buy a new car. I can't even get to the local supermarket for food when there is even a small amount of snow on the ground and if there is a medical emergency (my health is not that good), I certainly can't rely on my Prius to get me anywhere.

No complaints with my 2006 prius. Original tires lasted 55K and could have gone another 5-10K; Gas mileage always ranges 45-49mpg, and thats a 50/50 mix of city/hwy, and typically driving 65-75 on the highway. No mechanical problems of any kind in 60K miles.

I own a 2007 toyota prius that gets 37-40 miles a gallon. A far cry from the epa estimates. Have had it checked at local dealer. They can't find anything wrong. I don't want to hear driving styles of owner, I'm 61 and I don't hot-rod this car!

I drive a Toyota hybrid Prius. In my Prius the main computer or the ECM began malfunctioning at approximately 44,000 miles of service. As a result the gasoline engine would shut off at random times while the vehicle was in motion. Despite my numerous trips to the dealers service department and considerable out-of-pocket payments for repairs that accomplished nothing, Toyota failed to provide the dealer with properly functioning diagnostic software for an additional eighteen months. Eventually the dealers service department gave me a correct diagnosis and then announced that Toyota would not fix the problem because my vehicle was out of warranty!

In addition to the companys default on its contractual obligations, there is a safety related issue here. When I paid to replace my cars ECM this October, among the documents I took away was a copy of the Toyota Technical Service Bulletin dated June 12, 2003, which specifies Production Change Information for the ECM for model years 2001-2003. This data, along with the comment by my dealers service department manager shortly before he retired that the part was a defective design suggests that in at least some of these vehicles the ECM needs to be replaced with one of the corrected design. There is a possibility that many drivers of the Prius are still in danger.

The situation with respect to the 2001-2003 Prius vehicles, many of which are still on the road, should be investigated by qualified automotive engineers independent of the company. I filed a complaint on this matter in October both with the Ohio Attorney Generals Office and with NHTSA. Toyota Customer Service just reiterates the statement that they are not responsible because the car is out of warranty, like a broken answering machine, and follows this with a pretense they do not understand the point that the delay was their fault, not mine. Such illogic is precedent for making all warranties meaningless.

I am contacting a number of elected officials, government or consumer agencies, and law firms, in an effort to bring about a proper resolution of this situation. I am happy to be available as a party to any public action that may be undertaken in these matters. Can you help? I look forward to a reply on this matter, and I thank you in advance for your kind attention.

I was turning left from a stopped position when my new 2008 Toyota prius continued to accelerate on its own. It finally came back after I repeatedly hit my brakes.

It was a very scary situation as traffic was heavy and I was approaching a red light. I reported it to the dealer when I took it in for my First oil change. He said the car is controlled electronically and not mechanically therefore there is a delay in the car responding, to which my husband said B~~~ S~~~. I have since heard of this happening to other people.

Another problem I have had is the car stopping when slipping on a gravel road.

Toyota needs to address these problems.

No damage just very frustrating...

My daughter bought a used Toyota Prius (81,000 miles) and enjoyed it for about 9 months when she moved to Europe. She had to store it, but the main battery died in a few months. There is nothing in the owner's manual about storage. Replacement battery will be $2700.

I now know what it means to go green.

This is not a complaint but rather a comment on the numerous Toyota Prius complaints I have read.

1. Gas tank and gauge: The MPG readout is generally 3-4 MPG more then you are really getting. I have had no problems filling the tank and have put as much as 11 gallons in at a time. This is a 11.9 gallon tank. When the low tank level alarm comes on there is usually 3 gallons left in the tank.

2. I have never had a problem with unexplained acceleration. If you are in cruise control and touch the brakes the cruise control will disengage. If your knee should happen to contact the cruise control lever, as in a right hand turn, it can go back into cruise control and the car WILL accelerate unexpectedly. This is a poor design common to all Toyotas.

3.I had to wait 5 months for my 2005 Prius to arrive. This was AFTER the dealership had told me what I would get for a trade on my 2001 Prius and what the price for the new one would be. During this time I put another 15,000 miles on my car. When I took delivery no mention was made of this fact or of any price increases. The dealership stood by the agreement we made.

4. The OEM tires were a joke and only survived for 18,000 miles at which time I put on different tires. As a consequence I did pay a MPG penalty of 2-3 MPG.

5. I have never had a problem with acceleration or being able to merge onto a highway.THe 2005 model was a vast improvement over the 2001. The only thing that happens occasionally is a slight hesitation while making a right hand turn after a complete stop.

6. The car did die on me once and I was on battery alone for about 1 mile before I could get off the highway. I shut it off and was able to start right back up and get home. This turned out to be a computer problem which was covered under a TSB. The dealership fixed the car the next day.

7. I am somewhat disappointed in the actual gas mileage. I can't come close to the advertised claims even driving at 55MPH which in Rhode Island is a death sentence. The best I have gotten around town is 48 MPG. I blame this more on the way manufacturers are ALLOWED to ESTIMATE mileage then in any defect in the car.

Overall I have been extremely happy with my 2005 Prius and will more then likely buy another one in the future. If only American car companies could produce a car of equal quality??!!!

I'm hoping that something can be done since Toyota Corporation can't help me and the Dealership don't care I want to be able to share the type of service I receive.I bought a used car not from Toyota but from a small private own car lot which isn't running anymore, But I but a used 2001 Toyota Prius Hybrid and I bought it back on March 2007 I bought the extended warrenty on the car but it ran out a week before my car started having problems. I took it to Toyota Dealership and they diagnosis the car and it was the Hybrid battery going out on the car and the est. cost is $3860.00.

So Over some time I came up with the money and took the car back to get repaired I took it on July 11, 2008 and during the seven months saving the money they never told me there was a back order on the hybrid batterys and I was going to have to wait 2 weeks. So finally 3 weeks pasted and still nothing that is when I decided to call Toyota Corporation to help out and find out what is going on., On Aug. 8, 2008 toyota dealership called me and told me that the car was ready and I can go pick it up.

The car was running and after sometime the car started acting up again.

This time it broke down on the freeway and I had to have it towed into the dealership which costed me $50.00 for the tow plus what it was going to cost to repair and that was on Sept. 19th I waited til they finally called me on Sept. 24th and told me that I can go pick up the car and it was going to be $100 I went and picked up the car on Sept. 27th when I left the dealership I realized my radio wasn't working the antenna wasn't hooked up I took the car back on Sept. 29th for them to hook it back up ten minutes after leaving the dealership the warning and check engine lights turned on I called toyota and they told me they would pick up the car to fix it the car broke down on me on Sept. 30th and they picked up my car on Oct. 2nd and I just heard back today that it was my fault for the break down and the invertor waterpump broke and it's going to cost me $413.00 plus towing and diagnosis fee which is an extra $215.00 and their stating the reason why everything is happening to my Prius is because I took to long to replace the battery. Not alot of people carry around $4000.00 to pay for a battery on a car and I'm not rich it's not fair that people are being used on these repairs and let alone I still owe $11,000 on the car so I'm very fustrated but I think this is unfair the car keeps breaking down and they say it's my fault. I think something should be done and Toyota Corporation state they can't do anything about it. What is a corporation for if they can't help the customers

A few weeks ago we went away for a week and the Prius would not start we were 200 miles from home, we took it in soon as we could they gave no reason for it. Here lately the radio would not work then on its own it started working but we started having intermitent window problems then the driver side head light would not come on then both lights would go out and come back on so I took it in the dealship said both right and left head lights would not come on.

but we had a 100,000 warranty . The biggest shock for all the Prius owners the 2 lamps cost with labor and tax $894.00. in any other vehicle you might pay $26 dollars. Please tell me we're not the only ones.

I purchased a Toyota Prius on January 30, 2001 from Dublin Toyota in Dublin California. The Prius was used as a demonstrator and had 7961 miles on the odometer. I was told you are going out the door with a new car warranty. And the contract includes notation, Day Of First Use 01/30/2001.

I had received the same offer from another dealer. That is: quick delivery of Prius demonstrator with new car warranty out the door.

The Toyota Prius has been a fun car for most of the 7 and a half years we have had it. Although the past year or nearly two years we have had several episodes where it would lose power and the battery warning light would come on. But at the dealer inspection it would be fine or have some problem other than the battery?

This time it is the battery and you are over the 8 year warranty so...........$$$$? I have only had the car 7 years plus and have had problems for about two years?

Am I the only one with the discrepancy between the Day Of First Use on my contract and that on the DMV record or where ever ?

And I can not help but wonder, if their record matched my record would the dealer have found a way to keep it going another 4 months?

Without a car and no responce from Lisa. I was expecting to buy a new Prius soon and possibly a Hybrid pickup as a replacement for my wife's Tocoma but now am having doubts.

I am very pleased with my 2008 Prius and to be truthful, I do not understand all the complaints I read about. I have done the math, not paying attention to the gauge, and I have been getting between 54.5 and 60.2 mpg on the open road. There is also a comment on this website regarding the disposal of batteries. I think the disposal of old tires is much more of a problem and the countryside is littered with them. The service received has been excellent. The only problem I have had is someone in a grocery store parking lot either backed into the rear of my car, or did so with a shopping cart, which did some minor damage. Maybe people should dwell more on the high cost of repairs rather than worrying batteries which, at least in my area, can be properly disposed of with no problems. May be when God decides to build a car, it will be perfect. Until then, the next best thing is the Japanese automotive God named Toyota.

auto stopped while trying to climb a gravel hill no power to the engine it just stopped dead and would not proceed ,would not proceed at all stuck. Also same conditon in snow on flat to slight incline..Very very discuring.Plan on law suit Was not informed of this situation by the dealer

I am out my inital investment an the auto is a mechincal mess that can not be used in the above situations''' Snow and or gravel roads or bumps in the surface of hard paved roadways. Financial problems and physical headaches''

My 2008 Toyota Prius has had challenges with calculating mileage since I purchased the car. I have never expected the car's average mileage to be dead on, but close would be nice. I just got back from a lengthly road trip and the mileage, when calculated by hand, differed as much as 11 mpg ... with the car noting the fuel economy was better than acutally achieved. I was only getting in the high 30's on this trip ... ugh!!! Today I took the Prius into Toyota to have the fuel gauge recalibrated (this would have been the third time). Toyota told me that the difference can be up to 15 mpg difference and that there was nothing wrong with the car. While waiting for the car to be taken care of, I looked around the car lot ... I now have a 2009 Toyota Camry SE (my 1992 Camry has over 250K on it). No more worries about all the different issues I experienced with my Prius ... I am looking forward to seeing how my Camry runs!

We bought a Prius to save money. Didn't save much, will be spending more. The car is under warranty so you might not notice pending huge bills right away. The air filter is so small you have to replace it every 6000 miles and it cost $30 each. They way overrated the MPG which is like the only reason anyone puts up with an ugly car.

I was rearended and had a one inch deep dent on the bumper center, it cost $4000 to fix. Somehow, I think a steel bumper would be stronger and cheaper. If the front wheel drive slips on the road it totally cuts off causing a serious unsafe situation if your moving out into traffic. A regular 4 cylinder car will accelerate three times as fast and still get way better MPG just for the acceleration part. To get over 50MPG you have to be traveling at 50 mph with no stops or slowdowns for at least 50 miles.

This is an experimental car but sadly these days with any new invention, you the consumer, get to be the guinea pig.

The auxiliary battery of my 2005 Prius drained when the dome light was accidentally left on, while I was on vacation. I tried to jump start using the procedure described in the Owner's Manual, which probably would have worked if the post designated for that had been more accessible and larger. After this failed attempt I contacted the dealer and was advised not to try and jump start, because of possible serious damage to the electronics but to have the car towed.

The towing company needed to send out a second vehicle with the correct equipment to lift the front wheels, because the car could not be placed in neutral due to lack of power. Also the hatch could not be opened for the same reason making it very difficult to retrieve the towing bolt which has to be threaded into the frame through the front bumper.
The dealer advised me that the auxiliary battery was drained because of the dome light that was left on and that they recommended a new battery, including some special housing. Cost for the battery $325!! I complained that this was outrageous and that a 12-volt battery should not have to be this expensive. I insisted they try and recharge the battery, which was successful. The total cost was $90 plus the cost of towing.

It seems to me that Toyota needs to make easier provisions to:

1. Make it simpler to jump start the car with a dead battery, similar to other cars.

2. Be able to open the hatch with a key in case of power failure.

3. Make the replacement of the 12V battery the same as that for other cars, i.e. doable by the vehicle owner or any regular service center.

We placed an order for a 2008 Prius at Reinhardt Toyota in Montgomery, Alabama on May 2, 2008 with specific items requested and they required $1,000 deposit. We requested delivery for a scheduled trip one month away which came and went with no car. They did call us several times with cars coming in that did not fit our requirements. We had ordered the Prius with Touring package #6, plus XM radio, dual headrest DVD players, and 18 wheels, basically loaded. Our main request was a LIGHT color due to the heat factor. As weeks went by we received call after call with dark colors offered and passed on them. Finally we got a call from the original contact Joseph Saffold saying that it had been too long after four months and that we should have gotten a car by then (8/18/08) and that he would investigate. He also said that new models were about to come out and that they would not honor the old price since the new ones would be higher in price. On Friday, 8/29, we received a call that they had a light blue Prius with package 6 if we wanted it. We made an appointment and went in the next day. After accepting the car and filling out the paperwork the price on the car had jumped $2,400 over the contracted price. When questioned about the difference we were told that they had made a mistake in pricing the car when the order was placed and that they would not honor the contracted price because of the mistake. After expressing much displeasure about the fact that it was their mistake to begin with and for them not to honor it resorted to dishonoring the contract, they agreed to refund the non-refundable deposit of $1000.

Four months of waiting while they held our $1000 deposit, which usually is $500. I don't understand why they wanted more money from us but with all the hassle that ensued it is probably a godsend that we did not do business with them. We were just glad to get out of there with our deposit.

We rented a Toyota Prius from Alamo in Las Vegas, it was a free upgrade from the economy class cars they were out of. Never driven one so we said yes. Alamo provides a simple instruction page on how to start the car and go. The owners manual was burried under the spare which we found the day before we returned the car. Overall, good. Larger inside than I was expecting, more room than a Dodge Calibre we rented last year. The bad? This car absolutely hates mountain roads. Had a major fit trying to go up mountain passes. Constantly shifting back and forth, engine winning like mad. Turning off the AC helped a little but flat out and it would do 31 mph and sounded like it was ready to explode. Going down the passes, I put the shifter in to B, which I later found after lots of searching in the manual, means what exactly? There is one page that says to use B for down hills. Even in B the car would speed up ot over 70mph, only when going slower would B force the tranny into a lower gear to help slow the car. Other complaints & observations. A weird combo of touch screen controls and buttons on the dash and steering wheel. The rental had 34,000 miles on the odo but the rear tires were nearly worn out. At one time in Las Vegas the brakes seem to stop working. I nearly rear ended another car. For the first 6 days the brakes seemed very touchy. 44.5 mpg for the first 313 miles. 49.8 for the return trip of 255 miles. I realize hybrid owners want to 'save the earth' with these cars but really the economics aren't there. I figured it could save me $1200 per year in gas for as much as I drive but considering how much the car cost and how short its going to last without major repairs, that will never pay off.

By both the fuel gauge and the miles driven, I figured I had at least two if not three gallons of gas left in the 12 gallon tank of my Prius. The slope of the drive may have had an effect, but I was amazed that the amount pumped was 11.575 gallons. Since I was 30 miles from home I had asked the attendant to top it off. but this was ridiculous! I asked the state board of weights, etc., to check, and they found no problem with the pump. Upon reading some of the complaints here, I guess I don't have anything to complain about. I keep records on all gas purchases, and this dropped my mpg average by about 5 miles per gallon, from 50 down to 45 mpg.

Nothing big, just about 50 miles that I paid for that I don't think I was able to drive. Either that, or the position of the car on a certain slope permits a fill-up amounting to more like 14 gallons in a 12 gallon tank. Is this possible? What is the actual capacity of the Prius fuel tank, filler tube, etc?

I purchased a 2008 Toyota Prius on May 14,2008. My husband and I put down $2000.00, which she said would be 100% refundable if we change our minds. At the time she said the car would be in, in 4-6 weeks. I had a trip planned to Florida, and I had hoped to use the car for the trip. Two weeks before our planned trip(June 20,2008) I called to see if she heard anything. I called 3 times in July, and again 2 times in August. Then on August 8th, I received a phone call telling me the car I wanted will be in, in 2 weeks.BUT. The MAnufacturer has increased the price of the car $1500.00 and they have to pass at least half of this onto the consumer.So, my car will now cost me $750.00 more than the contract i signed. ( I feel this is because we were paying cash and they didn't feel they were making enough of a bonus. ) I reviewed my contract to find a line on the second page, stating the dealer can change the price before delivery if the manufacturer has increased the price.) After doing much research I found that Toyota is considering a price increase for 2009, but if they increase the price it won't take effect until the end of the year. I really feel I am being scammed because of the popularity of the car, and because we're paying cash.

My husband took out a loan on his pension so we could pay cash to the dealer. Every week now, he has to pay interest on a loan he isn't using, because I refuse to pay the increased amount. We would of been required to adhere to a contract if the tables were turned. I fully expect them to honor the price they agreed upon. And if you research, there hasn't been a price increase by the manufacturer. You can check USA Today, and other car web pages.

I am getting very poor mileage on my Prius. The city EPA is 48 and the highway EPA 40mpg. I am getting at most in the low 30's in the city. This is with a constant eye on the computer monitor, very, very slow stops (sometimes not touching the accelerator for 3 or 4 blocks). When I accelerate, I do so slowly and then try to maintain a constant speed around 30 to 37 mpg. If I'm going downhill, I often don't touch the accelerator at all. I'm actually a hazard on the road, the way I'm driving. Currently, my average for the last 100 miles is 29.8 mpg. If I drive with traffic, but non-aggressively, the average goes down to about 21 or 22 mpg.

I've had the vehicle in to be examined and was told nothing is wrong with it. One tech told me the computer resets at 3,000 miles (I currently have 2200 and drive about 100 miles/week). However, a representative from Toyota Corporate told me he was unaware of such a reset. Also, I've spoken to several Prius drivers including those who claim they drive with a lead foot who tell me they never average under 40mpg. If this is not resolved in the next month or so, I will try to find a lawyer.

I am using 25% more gasoline than I should. Furthermore, because I believed the dealership when I first purchased the car (they told me the engine needed to break in) I invested $300 in window tinting which I needed because of medication I'm taking making my skin burn very quickly with sun exposure. I also installed a $100.00 bass speaker which cost $300 to install (in addition to the cost of the speaker.

About two months ago I purchased a new 2008 Toyota Prius. 30 days after that, I noticed that the car was leaning to the left Drivers Side?. I called the dealer and they said bring the car in and we will fix it under the Warranty? I took the car to the dealer were I purchased it. After two days, they said that the car does lean to the left, but Toyota Corporate said it is expectable for the car to lean up to 1/2?. By my measurements the car leans more like 9/16?, which is very noticeable.

I called Toyota customer service that day, they said that their word was final and they were not going to do anything about the issue. The next day I followed up with an email to Toyota customer service, again I was told their word was final, nothing will be done.

Since then I put a post on several Prius chat forums, it appears that there are allot more Prius owners with the same issue. It appears that many if not all of the none touring models Prius's lean to the left. The touring models do not. It is my option that this is an obvious defect in the rear suspension, probably the struts, due to the fact that the touring model has different struts as part of it package. I think Toyota should be made to fix all of these defective cars. Please advise if anything can be done.

Rollover in hard right hand turns, broken suspension that could lead to an accident, installation of touring model suspension at owners expense to correct the problem, estimated cost $1000/Car.

It appears that Huntington Toyota has entered into a contract and taken a deposit for the purchase of a car under false pretenses and they may be doing this to others. First, 2 months after I entered into a contract to purchase a Prius and just a few days before the delivery date listed in the contract, Huntington Toyota contacted me in an attempt to collect a higher price for the car then the price specified in the contract. Now, almost 5 months after the date of the contract and despite the fact that they have held my deposit for the full 5 month period, Huntington Toyota has failed to obtain a vehicle to fulfil the contract. In late February or early March, my wife and I went into Huntington Toyota to test drive a new Prius. At that time, a price was quoted for the package II and the package 5 Prius. On March 9, 2008 I returned with my wife to Huntington Toyota to purchase a Prius. After the price of the Prius Package II was verified by the salesman, a contract was prepared. When I reviewed the contract, I saw that in addition to the expected sales tax, Dealer Fee and NYS Inspection and Tire Deisposal Fees, another $349.00 had been added to the agreed upon price as an Administrative Fee. I questioned the salesman, regarding the additional Fee, however, he indicated that this was a required charge, basically for dealership profit and there could be no discussion with respect to waiving or reducing the additional Fee. Although I did not like the answer or in fact, the attitude of the salesman, I went ahead with the purchase. The agreed upon delivery date indicated on the contract was 5/15/08. At the time I entered into the contract, I discussed the date of the anticipated delivery with the salesman as the lease on my current vehicle would be up in June and I would definitely need the new vehicle before I returned my leased car. In fact, we even discussed the transfer of the license plates to the new Prius. The salesman indicated that there was NO problem or any anticipated delivery delays for the Prius package that we had picked. I signed the contract and gave the $500.00 required deposit. On May 12, 2008, the salesman who had handled the contract called to tell me that a notice was being sent out indicating that there was going to be a factory increase in the Prius price later in the month and the dealership would be passing the increase on to the purchasers. Although I did not need the car yet, I told the salesman that I would take the car immediately. However, he indicated that they did not have a car to give me. As I already had a contract and an agreed upon purchase price, I did a quick review of the Terms Of Agreement and found that the Terms clearly indicted that, NO ADDITIONAL FEE OR CHARGE WILL BE IMPOSED OR COLLECTED DUE TO CHANGES IN THE MANUFACTURERE'S LIST PRICE. Accordingly, my wife promptly called the salesman to point this out. As she only got a run-around, she asked for Ian who originally helped us, however, Ian claimed that he did not know anything about the Terms of the Agreement even though they are standard on all of their printed forms. My wife then asked for someone in charge to call her. She later spoke with Frank who identified himself as the customer relations manager. Frank's only response was to indicate that if we did not want the car on their terms, they would cancel the contract. As a result, my wife sent a certified letter to the dealership pointing out the Terms Of Agreement. Although the price of gas had increased substantially and the demand for the Prius (and price) had greatly increased since the date of our contract, we expected Huntington Toyota to live up to their printed Terms of our Agreement. On May 14, Sam Seldin, Manager or Owner of Huntington Toyota, called to say that they would abide by the agreed upon price. However, since that time, we have been repeatedly told that no Prius - Package II has come in. I have been directed to speak with Tara, who has indicated that she is the person responsibe for distribution of the car allotment given to the dealership. Tara has advised me that the dealership receives allotments twice monthly and we have been first on the waiting list for Package II for several months. However, despite this, it is now 5 months since we ordered the car and although an allotment should have been received at the end of July, Tara and Sam do not take any of my calls to advise as to whether or not they have a car and they have failed to return any of my messages. It appears that Huntington Toyota may be taking deposits on cars that thy either can't obtain or they are fulfilling more recent contracts at higher prices.

I

The 07 Toyota Prius stated 60 MPH for in town, and from the first tank, I have averaged only 45 MPH. Why was Toyota not being honest about the MPH? Did the EPA really change the way it rates MPH?

Re: 2005 Prius purchased 4/30/05 Noise after shut-down or when brake is depressed to start __________________________________________ On 7/11/08 we took the car to the dealer to have this problem investigated because the noise continued intermittently for several hours the previous night. As we left for the dealer, the ABS warning lights came on, but, we experienced no problem with the brakes on the three mile drive. We were told that the cause was the ABS actuator and it would cost $2600 to repair. We were only 2-1/2 months out of warranty with only 32,016 miles on the odometer - not the 36,000 that would put us out of warranty if the time hadn't run out. We were stunned to have such an expensive repair on such a new car. We immediately contacted Toyota Motor Sales. On reviewing the service record, we found that we had had the car serviced for a different complaint (an unexplained beeping when the brakes were applied) in May 2007. The identical part had been replaced under warranty. The new part was warranted for 1 year. Again we were out of warranty by a couple of months and after only 13,000 miles of driving. Toyota Motor Sales negotiated with our dealer and decided that between them they would cover the $2000 cost of the part and we should pay $600 labor (estimated at 5.5Hrs.) to replace it. Checking on line indicates several cases of failure of this part. However, many people may be experiencing problems without realizing it because of the strange and unpredictable symptoms. Toyota has published Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) BR001-07 that describes the problem and instructs the service departments not to do anything unless the customers complain. In our experience this would put many of the complaints out of warranty. ________________________________________ Tires ___________ We are also very unhappy with the the tires and/or the suspension system. We have experienced excessive tire wear and after 32,000 miles we need a new set.

Would love your opinion about this: After providing me a written price quote for a Toyoa Prius (via phone and fax)and taking a $500 deposit (via credit card over the phone about 11 days ago) - Plaza Toyota actually tried to extort more money out of me today when I came to pick up my car. I am well aware of the high demand for this automabile and was quite content to wait the 8 to 12 weeks the sales person quoted me, initially, as my wife's lease isn't due back until October 1st, 2008. So, I happily placed an order with them, assuming I would have the car sometime in September. No problem, right? Then, Stephan, the sales guy, called me three days ago to tell me they had a car for me if I wanted it now, which was exactly how I ordered it (okay, it had one additional feature I hadn't asked for - Lo Jack - but they'd let me have that for only $1,195 more...) BUT, the caveat was, I had to act very fast in order to secure it. After reviewing my tight finances, I decided it was in my best interest to get the car now, because Stephan began to intimate that it may NOT actually be available in September if I waited. So, I said yes. He gave me specific instructions on what to do to make the deal happen: He would send me the vehicle VIN number, which he did; then, I had to put the car immediately on my Allstate insurance policy LAST NIGHT (they have a 24 hour toll free number you can call and get that taken car of..., Stephan informed me)and have them send a copy of the INSURANCE CARD directly to the dealership (which they did... I got a copy too). He then instructed me to bring a CERTIFIED BANK CHECK for my deposit (I emptied out a 9 mos. Certificate of Deposit in order to make this deposit early Tuesday morning). They also had their credit manager - a nasty and abrupt fellow named Vince - get on the phone to provide me with a ridiculously HIGH interest rate for a loan (7.99%?!) which he allegedly got for me from Chase due to my fine credit rating. I told him I would finance it myself through my own bank and contacted Bank of America and got approved for a loan rate of 6.22% Monday afternoon and they sent me the appropriate paperwork and said all I had to do was give this to Plaza Toyota. Monday evening, after banking hours, of course, Stephan informed me that Bank of America was wrong, they would not accept THEIR paperwork and I would have to bring an additional check in the full amount of the LOAN (sounds fishy, huh?) or I could finance the car with them. Once again, they got this fellow Vince involved and he pressured me into telling him the rate I got from my bank. Through some miracle of modern mathematics, he was able to reduce my rate through Toyota to 5.88% - so how could I refuse, right? In addition, since I had no way to get to Brooklyn, a one and a half hour trip from where I live - they even offered to take my LEASED Nissan Pathfinder back (to help me out - since they are such nice people, so then, I could simply drive myself to the dealership, drop off the car, and drive off in my beautiful new Prius. I called Tuesday morning when I was on my way to inform Stephan when I would arrive (I was running a bit later than expected.) Upon arriving at Plaza Toyota, Stephan met me outside and parked my Pathfinder for me. He then took me inside to show me my new car (beautiful! Exactly what I wanted!) It was sitting right there on the showroom floor. Of course, he pointed out that the hand-written in market price was $33,000 - not the agreed to price I was getting of $28,564. He led me to his desk and immediately started to back peddle on the deal and told me I was going to have to pay more for the car if I wanted it as his managers could sell it all day long to anyone for up to $5,000 over sticker! I told him we had a contract and I would not pay a penny over what they quoted me. Of course, they then ganged up on me with the big, brute of a sales manager who came over to intimidate me and tell me I could WAIT for a car but that this car was NOT mine and there were other people waiting for it - ahead of me. Naturally, I told him that was NOT my problem, as they had brought me in to purchase this car, provided me with the VIN # and everything and had to honor the deal. They claim there was no deal. They had my deposit. They had my copy of my license and insurance card. I had their price quote, a checklist of items I had to bring in to pick up my vehicle... I had a contract with the quoted price which they sent to me via fax, which had phone order written on the signature line but - so the sales manager said to me there is NO CONTRACT. Well... I say different.

We bought a 2008 Prius in early May and have about 2000 miles on it. The car runs perfectly and we are getting just slightly under 60 miles per gallon. I'll file another report in a year, but judging by my experience and the relatively few complaints you have listed, I'd say the Prius is a good buy.

In December 2008 I bought a new Toyota Prius from another dealership out of town (Thousand Oaks). I just took it into (Ventura Toyota)for the 5000 service. At that time was getting an average of 45mph and up. I'm the only driver and very caught up in max mpg thing. The Prius makes it real easy with it's computer assisted dash display. After my service my mpg dropped to 38/39. I ran a comlete tank of gas through it before I went back to let them know something isn't right.

My upset has fallen on deff ears and they refuse to assist in looking for the problem. They keep claiming opperator use and mpg's very, but there is something still wrong with my car. I feel like I am doing damage to my engine and will not get the life expectency I deserve. Not to mention the stress & hastle to find out what's wrong on my own. The factory said I was upset because the dealer didn't agree with me.....they were correct.

While accellerating into traffic on US-2 WB from Country Club Road in Gogebic County, Michigan, the throttle on my new Prius (4,000 miles) stuck wide open. I was able to maintain 55 mph by sporadic breaking and finally managed to brake to a stop. While the engine was in the accellerating mode, I was unable to shift to neutral, shut the engine off, or otherwise stop the vehicle. After I was finally able to brake to a stop (with both electric and gas engines still drawing full power), the engine did shut down for a few seconds and I was able to hit the power button and shut the engine off. I thought, at this time, that whatever was wrong would have rectified itself, so I restarted the car with the power button, while in park. The engine returned to it's normal idle cylcle, but as soon as I put the shift lever into drive, the engine again began racing and as I was now in heavy traffic in a 40 mph zone, I had to maintain steady pressure on the brake pedal to keep the car within a safe speed and lane usage. The engine (both gas and electric) now applied more power as I was breaking and before I was able to pull off the street, the brakes were smoking so badly my brother thought thew car was on fire. Once into the parking lot of a local bank, and stopped, the engine again paused briefly and I shut it down with the power button. While this engine racing was taking place, I tried to shift to neutral, hit the park switch, the power putton, stepped on and off the throttle pedal repeatedly, and switched the cruise control button on and off several times. The only succesfull remedy was to brake down through full applied power to a stop, with smoking brakes and wait for a pause in engine rpm. If I waited for more than a second or two, the high revs would resume and run high for several more seconds. My Toyota dealer advised me that they could find nothing wrong, test drove the car for 10 miles and had no recurrence. They also suggested that my floor mat had become stuck on the throttle pedal causing the incident. The service manager (Eric Bolen) stated that Toyota maintained that this rampant throttle run was IMPOSSIBLE I am a retired Michigan State Trooper especially trained in accident investigation and reconstruction, a former Cummins Diesel mecahnic and have installed several after market cruise controlls on at least three different makes of vehicles, so I am very familiar with mechanical and electronic systems. I am also quite experience in dealing with emergency driving situations after spending 25 years on the road as an enforcement officer. After being told about the floor mat excuse, and knowing that I had tried to step on and release the accellerator pedal over and over while the incident was happening, I did take the time to place the floor mat both over and jam it under the pedal.......neither tactics were able to jam the pedal's movement. In spite of Toyota's claim that this condition is impossible, I have enough experience with vehicles and emergency driving situations to know that this actually did happen, was not a matter of a floor mat getting jammed either on or under the accellerator pedal, and in fact was the result of some internal operating system glitch. At this juncture, I have no complaint with our Toyota dealer or their employees, and the vehicle seems to be functioning normally now. I am concerned that Toyota has not addressed this as a safety issue, however. Had this happened with my wife driving, I am sure this would not have come to a safe conclusion. We are still driving this vehicle but I have instructed her in how to handle a simililar condition should it recure. Thank you for providing a forum for getting this information out. If necessary I can provide vehicle VIN etc for more thorough evaluation.

Joe Benton at consumer affairs published an article Unexpected Problems Confront Prius Owners which contains many inaccuracies, lies, and misleading statements about the Prius. Clearly, he has no clue about how a hybrid works, and he is possibly also intentionally misleading potential customers. For example, Battery failure More than one Prius owner has returned from a business trip or vacation to find their hybrid dead in the garage with no power and unable to start. Jump-starting the Prius can be tricky. The enormous and expensive main battery is easily damaged and convincing Toyota to replace the battery is difficult, This clearly shows that Joe has no clue about the batteries in the Prius. It is the small 12V battery that causes the car not to start up (not the big one). This battery can be easily jump started by any other car. He also talks about tire wear of the 2002 Prius. This is irrelevant for the vast majority of Prius owners who bought one since 2004. Joe also states: But so few Prius owners have obtained the 60 mpg that the Japanese automaker eventually backed off the claim, blaming the error on Environmental protection Agency fuel mileage testing. This is FALSE. Toyota never back off those numbers. The laws dictate that the carmakers can only publish numbers from the EPA. The EPA recently revised their MPG tests for all cars.

Joe's lies and misleading statements have caused a few potential Prius owners to reconsider their purchase. This has slightly lessened the long waiting lists for the Prius and may lower overcharging by Toyota dealers, causing them a loss in income. ConsumerAffairs.com is also hurt by this slanderous article.

Thank you for your interest in ConsumerAffaris.Com Jarko.

Joe Benton

Subject: 2008/2009 Toyota Prius With the lease on my soon-to-be discontinued Jaguar X-Type up in September 2008, I've made several contacts with Dallas-Fort Worth dealerships concerning purchasing a 2008/2009 Prius. I learned there is only one DFW story. With waiting lists now exceeding six-plus months, I have been told every 2008 Prius is now delivered at at least $3,000 above sticker. With two customers bidding driving the final out-the-door price to $5,000 above sticker on the only Prius arrival at a certain DFW Toyota dealership this past week. One very seasoned sales professional we've used for years to lease business vehicled from noted it's now impossible to reach break-even on fuel cost savings in less than 5-8 years on any Prius being sold. The Camry Hybrid availability is better, yet, the most modestly appointed is now fetching a few cents under $30,000, with a 3-4 miles per gallon gain on the highway over the $17,000 4-cylinder gas version, that $13,000 difference can buy a lot of $4, $6, $8, and even $10 gas! One very important point to add...the professional we've been leasing Toyotas from for business over many years, literally refused to place us on the Prius list saying the gouging made him sick.

I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS WIH MY TWO PRIUS AUTOS I HAVE OWNED IN 2002. We have traveled well over 70,000 miles without a mishap. The few times I have had starting the car was when my smart key and cell phone were in the same pocket. We recently drove from Dallas to Estes Park (change in elevation of about 8500 feet, total of 870 miles) and a fully packed car and got 52.2 mpg. Furthermore, I know of a lot people who own a Prius and I have never heard a complaint from them. IMHO, I have owned a lot of cars in my life and none has given me more satisfaction as Prius.

My Prius had the brakes go out (luckily for me it was under warranty and I had a Toyota staff person advocate for my warranty so it was honored) however, after reaching 100,000 miles, my display is now starting to show the same signs as some of the other people are complaining about the monitor turning off the radio, or a/c while I'm driving.

When I asked for the diagnoistic to be done on my monitor, I was simply told that the monitor needed to be replaced and the dealer wouldn't do the diagonistic for the screen period.

I have just read the comments of a person who reported problems with their Toyota Prius gas capacity. I have had a related issue. I noticed that the range the car could drive on a single tank varied significantly over the course of 12 months. Summer I could go 520 Miles with a single fill while winter it drops to around 400 or less. Related to this was the amount of gas I could put into the car. In summer and empty tank would take up to 9.7 gallons while in winter it would take around 8. When I asked the Toyota service department about this they explained that the tank is actually a bladder and that capacity varies with the temperature.

While I have never run out of gas with this car (like the other individual reporting this problem), it is something that should be stressed to drivers and included in the manual. Looking at miles driven as an indicator of how far you can go on a tank can easily get you into serious trouble. Toyota has produced a spectacular vehicle in the Prius, but they would be well served to apply some of that advanced engineering to the cars fuel guage...

I have an '08 Prius...and it's a great automobile....because I use it for for what it's specifically engineered for! I'm sorry the people on this website are having problems or have experienced injury and loss. But honestly, most of what I have read shows me a total lack of intelligence and common sense. I am astounded that people are actually trying to use this car in conditions I'd hesitate driving my Tundra truck with a V-8 in. The Prius is engineered for urban, in-town, moderate road conditions...Not the Alaskan bush country! If you need to drive up a steep gravel incline or blizzard to get home every day, BUY A VEHICLE DESIGNED TO USE THAT WAY for God's sake! And I'm sorry...but getting an attorney involved in a situation he or she knows absolutely nothing about is ludicrous. The novel-length diatribe accusing Toyota of ignoring a supposed defect with brake failure is comical. If brakes are worn down to metal-on-metal, it's a case of long-term brake usage and ignorance of the owner-operator...not Toyota. I really like the guy who expected to get 60 MPG on a USED '05 Prius. Yeah, 60 MPG...on a used car no less. Idiot. Try a motorcycle dude. You also might try reading the specs on the car before you buy it. That will help take away some of the disappointment. Hey people...they're cars...they break. Name me one car that doesn't have problems. The problem I see in most of these complaints is unrealistic expectations by owners, poor knowledge of basic automotive engineering principles, and lack of common sense. Ignorant people + automobiles. Bad combination.

After a wait list of 3 months I finally got my new 2008 Prius, witch by the way here in Israel costs 47000 $ and not 23K$ as in the states. I began to drive the car and I liked it, but when I calculated the fuel consumption, I found out that it drinks fuel like Russian drinks vodka. Actually 15.5 liters per 100Km , but this is not the only problem. I have an EV button that should let the car run with the electrical engine until 50Km/h, unfortunately there are times when the EV just refuses to work and on the screen it writes some invalid work add and beeps 3 times. I know all the rules about how it should work: the battery must show 4 bars or more and the car must be under 45Km/h without accelerating the car. I showed the problem 3 times to the technician at Toyota Nethanya , we drove the car together 3 times, also once I took with me their big boss (CEO) and he told me after he saw the problem that this is not a car problem , this it how it should go because all the heat sensors the battery has , about the high fuel consumption he told me that my driving is to be blamed, even that I showed him that I drive very moderate . They run some diagnostics and told me everything passed . They want me to meet some Toyota specialist that can meet me only Wednesdays once two weeks in the morning until 12. I explained them that this problem happened only after 12 when it is hotter and the car must be driven more the 2 hours in the heat, they told me this is the best they can do. I am so sorry I bought Toyota Prius , I consider to sell it after only less the 2000 Km I drove with it, hope no one from Israel is reading this.

we bought a new 2002 toyota prius and with 20,000 miles on our original set and 50000 on our 2nd set we now have to buy a 3rd set of tires because the outer tread has worn down to the radial. these tires are supposed to last 65000 miles and neither toyota nor bridgestone will do anything about this potentially life threatening problem. We had the tires rotated, balanced and aligned as needed. In my opinion, if you want a eco freindly car buy a honda.

i made a righthand turn into trafic there was a small amount of rainwater on the road the tirer started to spin the car came to a stop on its own this was on a very bussy road i pushed the gas again and again . after a very long 12 or 15 sec. the tirer stopped spining and down the road i went. i,m glad the cares coming at me saw what was going on and gave me room. the car is dangerous. someone must make toyoya fix this.Don't get me started about trying to get up a gravel road; time to get out and push.

The Traction Control system on my 2008 Toyota Prius is worthless. I have a steep gravel driveway that is extremely hard to climb due to the unnecessary engine cut outs, especially if there is any extra weight in the rear of the car. The engines quit when the computer senses any type of slippage; worse in the summer when gravel is dry. Also there are very noticeable engine cut outs when just going over bumps on level pavement. My previous Prius, a 2002, would slip a bit on the same driveway but I had much more control over the car and the speed compared to the new 2008, very acceptable. Heavier tires with more rubber on the road made little difference with the 2002; I expect the same when I get better tires on the 2008. Had I known about the problem with this earlier, as I have just found reported on the internet, I would not have purchased this car. I think Toyota should recall and correct these cars' problem. Perhaps a trade in on a 2009 model with optional on/off Traction Control as found in many other vehicles would work for me and others. The trade in could be prorated like the warranty on tires. But I should not have to take a big loss on selling the car after disclosing this problem to a potential buyer; Toyota should eat that loss. The argument that shutting down the power to the front wheels in all cases of slippage is ridiculous. If the issue of over spining the electric motor is the reason for this system, as pointed out in some of the chat rooms, how did the earlier years of Prius, such as the 2002 I had, get by without any such issues coming forward? I am now considering selling my 2008 Prius for something that works safely for me. Toyota should have informed the buying public of this limitation once it became an issue back in 2004 instead of denying the problem. I would join a class action suit against Toyota to get them to make this right. I appreciate Toyota for being on the cutting edge of technology and making sensible cars for our times but Toyota also has to take responsibility for their mistakes along the way. This Traction Control system is the worst thing to come along in a long time. Thank you for this forum.

Well, it is official from Toyota Corporate ... if you do happen to have challenges filling your gas tank ... there is NO fix ... Toyota notes that 6 - 7 gallons at a fill up is normal! As having owned MANY cars, what is not normal is being able to acutally fill your gas tank.- ... :-( I am perosnally astounded and saddened that this design flaw has not yet been corrected, after years of complaints by Prius owners. Here is the response from Toyota Corporate ... you will note that they do encourage comments from owners. (You may also wish to contact and file complaints with the BBB, NHTSA, your state's Attroney General, Consumer Reports, and the NCDS - National Center for Dispute Settlement over the issues you are having with your Prius!) Subject Re: Prius gas tank safety issues Dear Ms. : We apologize with your dissatisfaction with the fuel tank bladder in your 2008 Prius. As your Case Manager explained to you, this is the design of the fuel tank and there is no repair available to change the design. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know of your dissatisfaction with the fuel tank bladder because the only way we know what our customers are looking for is when they tell us, as you have. We try to scope our customers out in advance, by researching the market, conducting interviews, surveys, focus groups and doing our homework, but there's no better source than a Toyota owner who takes the time to tell us like it is. We can't guarantee that a change would be made, but if it were, it would be driven by just this sort of honest communication. We have documented your email at our National Headquarters under file #. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us. Sincerely, Toyota Customer Experience

We just bought a used 05 Prius and thought it would be great to get 60 miles/ gallon. Like others who hoped for 60 miles/gallon we have been disappointed. The on board computer reads about 41 to 43 around town. I have not figured the mileage by the old fashoined way but my guess is it is less than the computer. We have been huge Toyota fans for many years but this is really a huge letdown for our Toyota loyalty. We have had the vehicle for about a week and are thinking of selling it. Subaru or Honda are very appealing.

I have just read several stories of concern on: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/toyota_prius.html. There are MANY other websites that speak to Prius problems: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/01/prius_winter.html - http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f1205be - http://www.hybridcars.com/forums/2008-prius-fuel-tank-capacity.html - http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-main-forum/10650-prius-fuel-tank.html - http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/f10/problem-putting-gas-prius-1611/ - these are just the ones I have stumbled across.

I am SICK to my stomach. I have TRUSTED Toyota for YEARS to provide a SAFE and RELIABLE vehicle. I traded in my 2007 Toyota Touring Avalon on my 2008 Toyota Prius ... NEVER even giving ONE thought that I was buying an UNSAFE and HAZARDOUS car. (Boy do I ever wish I still had the Avalon ...)

I have personally experienced the FAULTY gas tank design, fuel gauge that is ONLY at best a GUESS gauge, gas and air bubbling out when you TRY to fill the tank and the sheer fright of WONDERING if you are going to run out of gas when your tank shows a few bars left on the gauge.

Now, I am TOTALLY DISGUSTED to have discovered that my car very well may QUIT functioning in snow or slick conditions!!! I live where snow happens rarely, but rain happens ALL the time! I do drive in snow conditions often ... luckly is seems, not yet in this HAZARDOUS car.

I was SOOOO very EXCITED to take my new Prius on our recent road trip!!! Now I am nearly in tears realizing that I am driving, literally ... AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN ...

Luckily, as of today, there has not been any physical damage. Unfortunately, emotional damage and loss of faith in Toyota has happened.

I bought a 2004 Toyota Prius a year ago, I have covered 30,000 kilometres in it over that year and I'm as happy as a pig in muck with my Prius. This is a fantastic car which uses about half the fuel of my last car, a 2 litre Camry. I have recently completed 2 long journeys of about 7,000 kilometres each, the first with wife and son, the last on my own. I have nothing but praise for this car. On the last trip I covered nearly 3000km over 2 days sleeping in the back when tired and I arrived fresh at my destination. The Toyota Prius is a great interstate car. It returned 5.1 litres per 100km on the open road speed limit while it achieves 4.2L/100km around town, totally awsome!

This kind of performance is going to cost me another $25,000 because my wife wants a Prius too!

Your article is misleading. I have owned my Prius for 4.5 years. I have checked my mpg against the computer on every fillup. The error is never more than a couple 10ths of a gallon. I average 48 mpg summer and 42 mpg winter. Whatever the Bloomington lady's problem is, it is not due to false advertising or an intentional computer bias caused by Toyota. Both my brother and a few friends get similar mileage.

There are a lot of complaints about the Prius I see. I just wanted to give my two cents by saying that my Prius is a GREAT car. I bought it used for $18K in Jan 08 with 80K miles on the odometer. It now has over 100K and I am getting 57mpg city/highway combined. I easly go just under 600 miles on one tank before I have to refill. I would recommend a Prius to anyone (if you can find one) and I cannot wait until the price of the plug-in battery packs comes down. The battery packs are just too expensive right now, but as the price of gas goes up, the battery pack price will come down.

No damage just a great car.

My new 2007 Prius Toyota with 5000 miles on it quit running. Would not start. Called dealer and had maintenance dept. walk me through a jump start as with these cars you do it under the front hood not in the back where the battery is. Car still would not start. They said have it towed in. I did have it towed in the 85 miles to the dealer. After several mis communication calls and two different reports on my car I found out they will not fix under warranty. Say I jumped it wrong. They say I caused the damage and that warranty is only for defective parts. How come the car wouldn't start in the first place? How could I do that much damage anyway? I was very carefull anyway and know red from back and positive from negative. Why did the mechanic walk me through the jump if it had potential to damage the hybrid system. Why didn't he just say to have the car towed in. They want me to pay a minimum of $4800 and maybe the towing which could be thousands more. I bought this car because of the high maintenance rating and know look what a mess I am in.

They want me to pay for the repair and estimate a minimum of $4800. Could be much more. I can not afford a lawyer, and feel they should fix the car under warranty. How do I know it is not a lemon. Have read several articles about these cars just stoping (after I had already purchasedone...all the reviews were flowing on the purchase sites)

My wife and I just purchased a 2008 Prius Touring edition from Northcutt Toyota in Enid, Oklahoma. The salesman Jeff Wagner was absolutely the best salesman I have ever had the pleasure to deal with. As for prices of insurance we insured our new Prius through State Farm with 100/300/100 coverage with a $500.00 deductible paying $52.00 a month/$624.00 a year. Both of us have a great driving record but I have very poor credit. It is possible that those receiving high insurance rates, such as $1500.00 a year, are receiving that rate because of poor credit, even if they have a great dirving record. Most all insurance companies run credit reports and AllState insurance is one that will charge you more for auto insurance due to poor credit and/or cancel you if its really bad (I know this from experience). I suggest checking with all insurance companies as it is possible to get a decent rate for the Prius, it just takes time to find the right insurance provider.

We just got back from an over 2000 mile road trip. There was an area where we needed a full tank of gas. We stopped to fill up in Ashland Oregon (the gas is pumped for you here) and thought the tank was full. After switching drivers ... not quite 83 miles later ... we were down to four clicks on the fuel gauge!!! Luckily, there was ONE last station before we headed into an area of no gas stations. I filled up and managed to nearly fill the tank. We called our local Toyotal dealer on Tuesday May 26th to report the issue and never received a call back even though I talked to a live person! (This tech noted that this was becoming an issue, even though Toyota was not acknowlodging it!) I did not get a call back ... I called again on Friday after we managed to get home. Mine you, each fill up took extroadnory measures (pulling the pump nosile nearly entirely out of the tank ...) which seems a HUGE safety risk JUST to fill a gas tank! and then filling the tank REALLY REALLY slowly and the letting the AIR bubble out a couple of times ... JUST to get a FULL tank of gas!!!!!!!!! Also on our road trip we ran into another Prius owner at a reststop. He owned a 2005 Prius. We asked if he has any challenges with filling his tank. He did and was told that it had to do with the ambient temprature! I passed on that I was told that there was a bladder and that there were many issues with trying to fill up a Prius. In addition to the fuel gauge NOT working and the average fuel guage NOT working ... long stroy not so short ... the Prius does get reasonable fuel ecomomy (my 1989 Honday civic got 39MPG) this fuel tank, gas guage, average mileage, is a HUGE saftey issue!!! I cannot count on the gas guage to tell me when I am low on gas ... since it takes nearly 200 miles for one tick to tick off ... I cannot count on the average mileage to tell me when to fill up ... I have to look at the miles driven and guess about 40MPG at when to fill up! I tell you ... I have had several Toyotas, but not one where I had NO IDEA as to what or when I needed to fill up!!!!!! !

I am writing concerning some issues with the Toyota sales staff that at some dealerships in western Pennsylvania who have displayed very unprofessional behavior and poorly represented Toyota. My wife and I are contemplating purchasing a Toyota Prius. We have been very excited about this prospect and have been motivated buyers to say the least. On Wednesday May 21, 2008, I made several calls to local Toyota dealerships in Western, PA (Baierl Dealership in Mars, PA, North Hills Dealership, McKnight, PA, and Diehl Toyota in Butler, PA. I asked the sales representatives at Baierl and North Hills about Prius availability and was treated very rudely and told that I would not have any luck at any other dealership. It was obvious that they did not want to sell me a Prius or any other type of car. I then called the Diehl Toyota dealer in Butler, PA. I was thrilled when I spoke to a sales representative named Todd who told me that the dealership had six Prius available and that we could test drive one. On Saturday May 24, 2008, my wife and I went to Diehl Toyota and an employee approached us and asked us if he could help. We told him that we wished to test drive a Prius and he told us that the dealership did not have any available. I was confused and told him that I spoke to Todd and that he said there were six available. The man frowned and told me that he would look for Todd. After 10 minutes of waiting, we went in search of this man and while we were wandering the dealership a different Diehl employee approached us and asked if he could help. We told him what we were there for and once again we got told that they did not have a Prius to test drive. He also told us that Todd had gone home for the day. I believe this man was the sales manager, Brandon Znosko. I once again relayed what Todd had told me, and miraculously, Todd appeared a few minutes later. Todd introduced himself to us and then immediately followed this up by telling us, You have me for fifteen minutes because Im going to the hockey game in Detroit tonight.? Apparently this was more important than providing any type of customer service. He then hurriedly took us to the suddenly existent Prius collection on the side lot and we took one for a rushed test drive. During the entire experience it was obvious that he had no interest in selling us the car. I then asked Todd if there was another sales person available who could take the time to assist us with our questions and describe the cars features. The answer was No?. He did not apologize and suggest setting up an appointment at a later day, nor did he attempt to set us up with another representative upon our return. Todd also explained that this fleet of Prius cars was technically not part of the inventory and were being used as rentals. But for a $1000 deposit we could hold one until July. So it appears the cars are for sale, but also not for sale. This appears to be a way around some corporate directive asking the dealership to not sell the Prius. At the conclusion, I informed Todd that we were impressed with the car and would probably buy one. But not from Diehl. Additionally, I generally get my Jeep serviced at Diehl Jeep. Not anymore. I was appalled at the level of customer service at Diehl and I cannot believe that any franchise owner or manager would allow this type of behavior from his employees.

This problem has appeared 3 times on this site and involves the 2004 Prius. The monitor shows that there is a bad connection of the air conditioner. Sometimes the radio will cut out and especially going over a bump in the road the display shows no power coming from gas or battery. The rest works but when we took it in the dealer did not know what was wrong but said that it was not a conection to the air conditioner. We had bought the extended warrenty but the milage was over by 1000 km. or 600 miles. They replaced the monitor at $3500. but a week later the same thing is happening. It goes back tommorrow but after praising the Prius for 5 years have little good to say about the PR work and honisty of the dealers. Will log on to tell you the rest of the story as it unfolds.

Severe troubles with the traction Control System on toyota Prius. In snow or Ice conditions the wheel lock up due to the traction control system and leaving me stranded in snowy conditions.

Almost resulted in my car sliding from a stand still off the side of the road down an embackment. People had to hold the car from sliding. Was not able to accelerate while they guided me and pushed me.This is dangerous and modifications need to be done to the computer software to allow more control for snowy or icey conditions.

I have 40,000+ miles on my Prius, I have owned the 2007 model for 1 year. I tis rock solid, and with what little common sense I have; I have not had any of the problems reported by the people above::: Makes me wonder, why am I not having any proplems, doesn't seem fair, because I don't have anyone to blame for my lack of common sense. Why didn;t I get a car that has problems, then I could complain too.

Awesome CAR! I wish I had two of them.

The Toyota Prius nearly killed a mechanic and me today, literally. I had the car stored for months in my flat level driveway for a relative who is traveling abroad. Naturally, the battery went dead after not being driven during this time. So, I had a mechanic come and he started the engine today. While the Prius engine was running, both the mechanic and myself were half in and half outside the car; the mechanic by the driver side and me by the passenger side. The car suddenly lunged in reverse and the driver side opened door of the Prius totally destroyed my car driver side door parked along side it, and somehow the mechanic brought the car to a stop. The mechanic claims the Prius was in neutral but the brake had been applied when it suddenly, with no warning, accelerated in reverse. Im thankful we escaped without injury but now I have a hefty expense to replace my car door. Just imagine if someone had been behind the Prius today, they likely would have died.

June 2004 Toyota Prius....28,800 miles. Computer Display unit on the dash-board has gone faulty. Toyota say its not covered on the 8yr Hybrid system warranty? They are looking for almost 3500 euro to replace it.....after ONLY 28,000 miles!!! Have been offered a Reconditioned unit for half the price? There must be a manufacturing problem with this unit??

Air-conditioning unit not working and radio also faulty, plus no read-out on display unit. A right pain to say the least!

I have a 2004 Prius. I need to update the GPS. It costs $350 and I find that usurius. It is totally unfair for it to cost so much to use a part of my totally paid for equipment. I am willing to pay for an update, but somewhere in the vicinity of $75 would be far fairer.

I bought a Toyota Prius in the Summer of 06 and over the last two years have had to replace 6-7 tires on the car. In the last 15,000 miles I have replaced 3 tires and at my most recent service I was told that the rear passenger tire (a tire I had replaced in the last year) was threadbare and need to be replaced. I have replaced the tires for a variety of reasons including sidewall problems, flats, and worn tires. After suggesting that there might be a problem with the tires they have been putting on this car, I was told that the problem must be with my driving, not the car or it's tires. The dealer did replace one tire for free after I returned within one month of replacing that tire, but there has been no compensation or discount offered for any of the other tires. My main issue is that Toyota must be aware of these problems (an internet search revealed many people complaining of tire problems on their Priuses, but they do not give this information to the consumer. Furthermore, when I tried to suggest that there was a problem with the kind of tires they are placing on this car, they simply said they had not heard of any other complaints and the problem was probably due to my driving.

Each tire costs $125. I have replaced 6 (was told I need to replace an additional tire within the next couple weeks b/c it's threadbare).

I recently bought a Toyota Prius 2008. After one week I had a dead battery. I have since learned that the car is started with a small 12v battery and due to the size and number of items it runs on the car (radio, CD, air conditioning fan, alarm, smart key entry etc) the battery can go dead very quickly. if the car is not driven, the battery dies in 7 days. Even if you drive the car, it takes approx 10 hours of driving to fully charge the 12v. I have never read this in any of the research I did on this car. Obviously the Prius is a great car, BUT it has to fit the way you drive.

If you travel and don't use the car for days here and there or don't have at least a 30 minute commute daily, this car could be very problematic. In addition the normal tow truck drivers don't know how to properly jump start the car. For example the 12v battery is in the rear, but when the battery is dead the hatchback (electric latch) does not work.

Thus you must jump start it from a covered panel under the hood that connects to the actual battery in the rear--no one knows this. I was fortunate enough to buy the car from an exceptional dealer who has helped me with everything and is going to give me a battery tender, but people should know that this is not a trouble-free car. If you don't live near a dealer, don't want to hassle with charging the 12v battery or using a battery tender, if you travel a lot or if you get stuck in serious traffic (which could drain the battery if you use the air conditioning or heater), this car is probably not for you. (this is only referring to the 12 starter/auxiliary battery, not the hybrid/electric battery.)

I feel I bought this car without knowing the full ramifications about what it takes to maintain the battery and the lack of people/companies available to help with a problem should I not be near a Toyota dealer.

The full trouble and cost will be unknown until over time I have to deal with the problems. So far i have spent about 14 hours of my time on the first dead battery issue with taking back to the dealer, renting a car (dealer paid) and researching the issues. I am now afraid to drive the car on a long trip or away from a Toyota dealer. The car also has limited use as compared with a standard car which does not have to be babied.

All of this was unclear when I purchased the car.

While test driving a Toyota Prius today the car accelerated on its own even though my foot was off the gas and on the break. The sales women was in the car with me and was as frightened. I drove the car about a half a mile before I could find a driveway to pull off on. By then the car was engulfed in smoke from the breaks over heating. I was finally able to pull off the road and stopped the acceleration when I tapped the accelerator. We drove the car back to the dealership to the service department. Upon telling the service person our story he commented that this happens all the time with this car and blamed the problem on the accelerator being caught in the floor mat. I immediately walked ou to the car opened the driver door, got on my hands and knees and examined the floor mat and then pushed the accelerator down to the floor and determined there was a inch distance between the mat and accelerator. Toyota has a problem they need to solve!

I have a 2006 Prius fully loaded. I was checking the tire pressure one day and had my hand in front of the tire. The engine kicked in, I guess to charge the battery and the car jerked forward an inch or two. Good thing I moved my hand quick enough. This is an accident waiting to happen. So becareful if you have it on park and the engine is on. In addition, when I'm waiting for someone in the streets and put it on park. When the engine kicks in, the car jerks forward. And you know, in NYC midtown area, there are alot of jay walkers. I hope they take this safety concern into consideraton in future models.

Toyota Prius balked (shut Down) when entering highway from a incline and we were not able to get out of the way of oncoming traffic. Repair costs to prius almost $10,000. Cannot get up drive way when it rains, snow makes the car start and stop often.

I have an '06 Prius, and I love it! I also sell Toyota's and talk to Prius owners all the time - in fact - it was my customers that actually sold me on the car. As for the MPG results a lot of people are complaining about...... there is some 'technique' involved in getting the most out of the car. A good sales person will properly explain this... if you drive it like a 'normal' car - you are not maximizing it's potential. Hence, the reason the Energy Monitor screen is there - to help you be aware of your driving habits. In the city, for example, I can be driving at 35 MPH, and might be using the gas engine - getting maybe 45-70 MPG.... if you let off the gas pedal so the gas engine shuts off - then eggshell the gas pedal you can maintain the 35-40 MPH (on flat roads) and be using electric power only - getting 99 MPG. Awareness makes a HUGE difference in your MPG results. I typically average 44-52 MPG - depending on where I'm driving (freeway at 75 MPH I get 40 MPG; mountains I get 50+ MPG, in town I get about 45 MPG). If you want to better understand how to maximize the potential of this car - go to your local dealership and ask for a Hybrid Expert sales person, and have them go over the techniques that will make you a better hybrid driver. They are minor adjustments to typical driving habits that make a huge difference!

I put money down on a 2008 Prius with option package 2. The car was to be there in 3 or 4 days. I was called that my car was there and to come finish up the paperwork. It was raining and cold and the sales person took us out to the red Prius, explained a few things and gave me the key and left. I drove home and discovered that it did not have all of options 2. Only the AM/FM CD player. There is no Smart Key system, Backup camera. I don't know yet if it has the Vehicle Stability Contro. It is not listed on the window sticker I was given. This was yesterday 4/11/08. I live 60 miles away from the dealer.

Bought an '07 prius in August, 07. no trouble until winter hit. then all kinds of trouble with fuel tank. bladder? first time we were told about it. they ought to be right up front about this! found out all winter that the bladder, the fuel pump nozzles, the outside temperature, the gas temperature, etc etc etc ad nauseum,,, dictates how much fuel you can put into the tank when the gauge says it's near empty! This is ridiculous in and of itself. but when the temp got to 45 degrees outside, finally... and I was able (with much joy) to actually FILL the blasted tank, it burped - with fuel spilling out... I am outraged by this design flaw, and further outraged by other design flaws affecting winter driving and have to wonder when are we going to STOP admiring the emporer's NEW CLOTHES and DEMAND that TOYOTA FIX this? other car manufacturers deal with recalls ALL the TIME and don't blink and eye: we have to expect toyota to step up to the plate, admit they made a mistake, and FIX IT !!!

06 prius since Oct 06. I drive normal- top speed 120, at 55-60 mph i get 60-55 mpg. At 75 mph i get 46 at 80 i get 35. It has to deal with a 4 cylinder pushing a heavy car. I had no problems yet other than losing a key fob and paying $273 to get it replaced and reprogrammed. BC

I purchased a 2008 toyota prius tourng edition completly loaded. I was excpecting to get about 43 miles a gallon combined city and highway. I drive very normally no jack rabbit starts or high speeds just moderate driving most of it city driving. In the winter months in Montana the Prius routinely averaged 26 miles to the gallon(very dissapointing),We drove the car 3,500 hundred miles from Montana to San Diego and back. On this road trip the car averaged slightly above 36 mpg. The car has been checked by the dealer 3 times and to no avail they have not been able to correct the mpg. I have 3 other vehicles a BMW x-5 a mercedes 430 s and a jaguar xjs all of these vehicles get the mpg listed for each vehicle. I am stumped that Toyota can not find the challenge with my prius touring vehicle. I shall soon be approaching the lemon law clause if this is not resolved.

Purchased a Prius in April 2007. I read in the manufacturer's manual that the gas tank is 11.5 gallons. By October, when I filled up, the tank would take only 8.5 gallons. When I called the Service department, I was told that the cold weather prevented the gas tank bladder from expanding fully, but that as long as I was still getting 47.2 miles per gallon, that I should be happy. I wasn't. By the time the weather warmed up in February, the gas tank was still only taking 8.5 - 9 gallons, therefore, the story about the cold weather was a lie. When I called Toyota once again, I was told that there is a defect in the bladder, and that as long as the gas mileage does not decrease, there is no reason to replace the tank. I stated to them, that as long as this does not meet manufacturer specifications, it is a manufacturer defect, and must be replaced. They laughed at me! When my Husband, who also owns a Prius, and has experienced that exact same drop in gas tank volume, went in to has his oil changed, the service manager explained to him that when the gas tank is run down to a low volume, the tank gets air in it, and this prevents the bladder from expanding fully. The bladder never does recover its full original volume. I want the problem corrected, Toyota has so far blown off my concerns, and has not responded to my complaints.

My wife purchased a new Toyota Prius on January 10, 2008. We live in the hilly terrain of Eastern Pennsylvania. We have been driving on snow covered roads for 50 years. Driving down a slippery hill, we engage a lower gear and the engine compression brakes and the brakes are pumped or held down if ABS equipped. There is no safe way to drive a Prius down a snow covered hill. A prospective buyer in our area should be warned before purchasing.

I have just read the complaints of the Prius in snow. I live in Maine and have a steep driveway and commute 80 miles per day to work. Good snow tires solved the problem

I brounght my 2006 Toyota Prius in to have the drivers side headlight looked at, it was intermittent. The dealer said the headlight computer was bad, that was $600, luckily my extended warranty covered that, but they then said when the computer went bad it also took out the headlight, so I said fine what that going to cost $60-$70, no said the dealer it going to be $315, because its a Hi Intensity light, so I said go ahead and replace it. They order the light install it, drive it on bumpy roads to make sure they have the problem solved. I get a call now the passenger side headlight is intermittent, thats another $315, so I call the Toyota customer Experience Center to find out if there is another choice that would be less expensive, Jack, put me on hold looked it up and said no. I got back on the phone with the dealer and told him to go ahead and order the headlight for the passenger side. After I get of the phone I figured I would google 2006 Prius Headlight, a website called www2.partstrain.com, had it for $111.15. I called the dealer and cancelled the order for the passenger headlight, I asked if he could take out the drivers headlight too, he said he could but he would still charge me the $315 for the part. I am totally fine with being charge ALL LABOR associated with this job, but I think it's bull that A HEADLIGHT for a compact car cost $315 when the whole car was $23,500, I would totally understand that price on a Lexus or Infinity, but on a Prius? I feel the Customer experience center was not forth coming on my options. I have nothing negative to say about the dealership, I understand they have to buy the parts that are Toyota authorized.

In Dec 04 Dale of Msp reports his Prius runs out of gas after using only 10 gallons - published tank capacity is 11.9. I just bought a 2008 Prius and have had the same problem twice - I deliberately ran out of gas to test the range of the tank. So, apparently Toyota still hasn't fixed the problem.

I am the owner of 2006 Prius. On February 25, 2008 at 8am heading to work, suddenly, the hazardous red light and the battery light went off on my dashboard screen and realized that my car was loosing power on busy 110 Harbor freeway north bound. I panicked not knowing what happened. The car became heavy and it started to slow down no matter how I pushed the accelerator.

I could not control the speed anymore. All I could think was to pull my car to the right shoulder and I barely made it to the nearest shoulder which was very narrow. I feared of the speeding cars approaching from behind thinking maybe one of the cars will eventually crash into me. I called above dealer right away but I was told that they would not know the problem until they see my car and suggested my car be towed. When my car got to the dealer, Sean first told me that things like this is most likely covered under warranty so he suggested leaving the car and rent a car.

The technician replaced the air filter with the new one because the air filter had accumulated oil but I was also told that this type of service was not covered under warranty and that I was responsible for the service/labor as well as the rentacar cost.

My car was at their shop few months ago for 20,000 oil change but he told me that this has nothing to do with what they did, it was not my fault either and there was nothing for me to do in the future to avoid the same problem. I was not thrilled with his response - I just didn't get it my most important thing was nothing but safety. After I told him that I plan to report this to the manufacturer, he went to talk to his supervisor and decided not to charge me.

Even though I didnt have to pay, I still was not happy not knowing why the oil got into the air filter. Sean didnt know the answer. As the mechanic, Steve who fixed my car left for training, I waited few days for his return. He said he learned that putting in too much oil in the oil filter can cause the oil to overflow to air filter and thus the oil can accumulate quicker and can cause the car to breakdown.

The normal service of replacing the air filter is usually after 60,000 miles. I then called Sean and repeated what the mechanic informed me and told him to educate the mechanic who did the oil change on my car few months ago and also inform his supervisor. He was sincere and apologized for the inconvenience I went through. I still cant get over the traumatic experience I went through that morning on 110 freeway and I am still paranoid off and on thinking, I hope this car doesnt stop again.

I really like my Toyota Prius except when it is snowing. I was stopped on a slight incline and the traction control system would not let me get going. This was really distressing as a large truck was coming at me and I am sure he was wondering why I wasn't moving. The slush would cause the tires to slip and the control system would not let the tires spin enough to get a grip on the pavement. This could have caused a bad situation. Would suggest a switch so that the driver could turn off the system.

Impossible to drive off in 2 inches of snow due to the wheel shut off of the 2007 Toyota Prius' traction control. This was on my driveway and on a parking lot. Thanks god it was not in real driving condition! Toyota, please give us the ability to shut down the traction control in such situations!

On warm days when I use the air conditioning in my 2007 Toyota Prius, there is a smell of mold. I brought the car in for service and was told by Bob that the problem was my fault because I was circulating the air within the cab. He advised me to switch it to outside air. That was a lie. I've since learned that the car defaults to outside air. I brought the car in again to get service and this time they put some kind of awful smelling air freshener through the system. They insisted that the problem was not covered by the warranty, and I've paid for each service visit. I purchased the car last April and the warranty is expiring soon. Toyota has been playing cat and mouse with me. They assigned a case worker who leaves messages for me at home when I'm obviously at work. She then takes two days to get back to me. They are conciously running out the clock so that future repairs won't be covered under the warranty. In the meanwhile, the front passenger seat doesn't slide forward and the CD player won't fast forward or back. I'm afraid the very first new car I've ever had in my life is a disaster. Please help!

This is the first winter I've driving my 2006 Toyota Prius. I am very concerned with how the car drives in ice and snow. It is extremely dangerous and I will not drive it if the is any chance of snow or ice on the roads. Just one of several times I was caught in a potentially dangerous driving condition. One dark snowy night, I was attempting to pull out onto a roadway and the wheels began to slip. Then the engine power cut back until the wheels stopped slipping. Every time I tried, the same think happened. I was in the middle of the intersection and the car would not advance forward. My car was sitting broadside in the road to oncoming traffic. There was another car behind my car before I pulled out. He is now at the stop sign. So now I cant go forward because the car stops when the wheels slip. And I cant backup out of the intersection because there is a car behind me. And now there is a car coming towards me broadside. Well with the help of a couple of very alert drivers (on that dark road) we were able to avoid a very serious accident. I live in Pennsylvania and Ive been driving in winter for over 40 years. And Ive driven all types of vehicles. It is my believe that this is not a safe car to drive in ice or snow. It is just a matter of time (if it hasnt happened already) before someone is seriously injured or is killed.

I purchased a new Toyota Prius in 2004. Backing up is very dangerous. There is a bar across the rear window obscuring rear vision, the car is absolutely silent outside (electric motor)to a person behind me. There is a backing up beeper but it can only be heard inside the car! Toyota should minimize this danger by recalling for a rear camera, and an outside loud beeping backup noise.

I have a 2004 Toyota Prius that has had only one fault in 70000 miles. From the day we brought it home the brakes have grabbed severely when first starting out in the morning and after the car sets for some hours. The agency keeps saying that it is moisture in the brakes and has to burn off. I have checked with several neighbors who own the vehicle and they do not experience that problem. I get no satisfaction from the dealer and am concerned that my warranty will expire before the problem is remedied.

2006 prius will not go in 1 of snow or more the anti slip traction control kicks in and shuts down power to the wheels. I was entering a intersection on Rt 202 with a slight incline and the wheels slipped and I stopped in the middle of the incline. This almost caused an accident with on coming cars. Toyota dealer said the car was good in new england. He did not say only on sunny days

My 06 Prius has an intermittent problem with the HID lamp shutting off. After some research on the WEB, I see that this is a wide-spread problem with many 06 Prius owners with HID headlamp systems, and that replacement of the bulb does not solve the problem. This is a potentially dangerous situation, especially when BOTH lights can go out at night;(reports on line). While there have been no serious accidents or deaths because of this problem, I think it is just a matter of time until that occurs. Toyota USA should acknowledge the problem and do the right thing and stand behind the product that made it No. 1 in USA sales and recall and replace the defective part or parts before their success story becomes tarnished, or worse someone dies as a result of an accident where the headlamps failed at night.

I am one of the first to buy a Prius in 2001. Now, after 130,000 miles of driving the main battery is dead. Toyota dealer is telling me the battery for the main battery was for 100,000 for my car, although the new Prius' come with 150,000 mile warranty. I have been told by the dealer (which I don't trust), that I am the 3rd Prius which required main battery replacement. Labor and part, plus tax: $4,500. Only a week before that I had to have a sensor, that helps air/fuel mix, replaced for nearly $400. Unfortunately, there is no third-party service provides who know how to fix Prius. The independent repair shops don't know about or scared to touch electronic/electrical stuff. Soooo, this means you are stuck with your Toyota dealer and Toyota's prices for parts... to the end.

Here is the big picture for future Prius owners: - Be prepared to pay a $4,500 for the main battery before 150,000 miles. Of course, you can buy a decent used car for the same price. Tough choice... - The car is loaded with electronics and solid state controllers. Be prepared to pay outrageous prices for diagnostics and repair (very rarely you will walk out with a bill costing under $300) - Do you know you will pay nearly $150 for having a duplicate key made to your Prius? That is because the key apparently has an anti-theft chip which has to be programmed by Toyota. Quite frankly, I am done being a maverick. I am not buying another hybrid car. When is hydrogen powered cars coming???

I bought a preowned 03 Toyota Prius. The tires said 50# pressure which I thought was odd. I emailed Toyota with 2 questions and they answered one but ignored my question about the tire pressure. My dealership acted ignorant about it also. So I emailed Toyota again and said What tires came standard equipment on the 03 Prius? This time they responded and said We have no way of knowing that and told me what tires I should use. So I see all these problems people had on your website that people had with their Prius tires and realize now that Toyota was probably lying to me i.e. that they know there was a problem with those tires. And that the tires I have on with the unusual 50 psi are probably replacement tires that the original owner had to put on.

This is a comment on the reports of traction control failure in the Toyota Prius during snowy conditions on hills. I live in Dayton, OH and have driven a Prius here since Feb 04 (35,000 miles). We get perhaps 20 snowy, slippery days a year.There are some steep hills where I live and the driveway to my house is fairly steep. I have never had any problem with power shut down as described. The ABS part of the system works perfectly.

Our Toyota Factory Navigation System in our 2008 Prius Touring Does Not Function As Advertised By Toyota. My Dealership Anderson Toyota in Kingman AZ. has done everything possible to assist in this matter. This Mavigation System Does Not Recognize and will not allow input of our listed home street address. Consequently, we are Unable to use the turn by turn navigation to any addresses or back to our home address? Toyota Customer Care blames this on the Navigation System Manufacturer, and the fact that this is considered a 'rural area' and is NOT mapped in detail by Navteq=System Manufacturer. Toyota stated to me just yesterday; Although you are experiencing continuous difficulties with your Navigation System, Toyota does not have a solution to the problem. You will need to PURCHASE Update Discs as they become available from the manufacturer? Toyota WILL NOT Supply you with these update discs as they are considered 'customer pay items'? The Factory Installed Navigation System Does Not Work As Is Advertised. My Dealership AND a Toyota Senior Field Tech BOTH Tried to Input my home address BUT Neither could get it to accept the address. The subdivison I live in has been in existance 15 years. All streets were mapped and platted out at the time of inception. County Maps, as well as the Local Phone Book Maps BOTH show this street! I asked for system update discs to be provided for me due to system failures. Toyota REFUSES to send them to me. WHY? That is the ONLY Solution making sense! UNLESS Toyota Wants To Refund Me The Price Of The Navigation System? As a sidenote; My wife was at Office Depot and input our home address in both the Tom Tom and Megellon aftermarket Navigation Systems. She HAD NO Problem with both accepting the address as well as providing Turn by Turn Directions Right To Our Home! It's a SAD Commentary when a cheap aftermarket system works much better than the VERY EXPENSIVE Factory System!

I bought my 2007 Prius just over a year ago. It has been in the shop MANY times for various problems that seem like quality control issues, (ie: bolt missing on chassis, defective seat lock, rattle in dashboard, etc.) The biggest problem is that it is sitting in my garage and won't budge whenever there is the slightest bit of ice or gravel. Either the VSC or the Traction Control cause the brakes to lock. What good is a car that is unusable for many months of the year!?! Isn't that what buying a Toyota is supposed to prevent? My friends with Prius's are able to drive their cars, so I'm guessing that mine is a lemon. Also, my husband has the same problem, so it is not driver error.

I was driving to Strasburg, PA. It started snowing and there was about an inch of snow on the roads. Everytime I used my brakes to slow down, my car became a sled. I had to resort to driving around 8 - 10 miles per hour, not brake and do a lot of praying. I thought I was going to wind up spinning out of control and getting into an accident. At one point, I thought of parking the car in an available lot and calling my family to come and get me. Thank God that the vehicles behind me were patient with my inching along at such a slow speed.

I just want to respond with info re. the problem Dale and others had with fuel and fuel economy on the Prius. Here's my experience and what I found out today: I am getting great mileage, but about 4 months ago (at about 10K miles on my 2007 Prius), I noticed that I was getting fewer miles per tank than before. I had been getting 410-425 miles without breaking a sweat. My mpg was even improving at 42 mpg. I was completely dissed at the dealership when I went in to get this explained/fixed the first time.

The service specialist wrote down my complaint accurately (driving range but not mpg reduced), and after waiting 4 hours, he told me to replace the air filter. As I expected, this did nothing to affect the issue. However, today I called to find out about the fuel capacity of the tank and the fuel reserve that is left once the light starts flashing. I got a very helpful woman from the service department who told me that the gas tank is actually a bladder! This means that it collapses as it empties!

Furthermore, IF YOU ALLOW THE TANK TO COMPLETELY EMPTY, IT FILLS WITH AIR AND WILL NOT COMPLETELY FILL WITH GAS AFTER THAT. This is undoubtedly what happened in my case. This is something that is still under warranty and can be fixed, and I have high hopes of this being done. I have a service appointment tomorrow, and I will let you know what happens. I thought you might be interested to know what no one else, to my knowledge, has noted: That indeed the gas tank should be filled before it reaches empty to maintain maximum fuel capacity.

We might question the wisdom of putting a bladder tank in the car, but that's what's there, and there you have it.

Yeah...the Japanese didn't bomb Pearl Harbor and the Toyota Prius gets 60 mph in the city...yeah. Try 35 if you're lucky...

I purchased my Prius in Oct of 04 and approximately 6 mos later the gas mileage fell dramatically and I started having problems with electric system. They then replaced gas tank to no avail. I took it in multiple times, even between the hurricanes and never did they remedy the problem. I went from ~60 mpg to ~ 40 mpg. Lots of times they would say that I was wrong and so I took the gas mileage by keeping data gas tank to gas tank and indeed the mileage had fallen. I kept taking it in and had my mileage documented. One service man told me that Toyota falsely sets the initial gas mileage. Katrina hit our community and there was much delay in getting my car serviced, over and over again. For this reason the warranty and all should be extended. I recently had to replace the battery and despite having the big 100K warranty I had to pay for it.

I have a 2007 Toyota Prius I bought it as I believed the 60 MPG ads...which are a lie. I moved to Wisconsin and am lucky to get 42 MPG. I live 8 miles from work and then only get 38 MPH as the car doesn't warm up. The interior of the Silver Mica color shows EVERY tiny dirt spot and is impossible to keep clean. Aren't there agencies that watch dog these outrageous claims???

My 2004 Prius w 49000 miles on it runs like a top! No problems whatsoever. I bought an extended bumper to bumper warranty just before the 36 K warranty ran out in case something does goes wrong but so far so good. I'm good til June 2010 or 75 K miles.

I own a 2006 Toyota Prius. It has a very serious design flaw which Toyota denies and refuses to fix. In slippery conditions, if there is any wheel slippage, the car shuts down all power to the wheels leaving you without any control. When pulling out into traffic power to the wheels just dies if it's slippery (especially in snow) and leaves you helplessly exposed to oncoming traffic. I'm afraid to drive it in anything less than perfect conditions. Additionally, the car can't even climb a hill in snow. Other cars drive past me on both sides while my car refuses to apply any power to the wheels. People are going to get killed.

I bought 2007 Prius in Jan. 2007. Since I took it home, I noticed (1) it has rattling noise (when starting engine and stopping on traffic, (2) engine shakes, and (3) 44 miles on Hwy instead of 60 as promised. False representation and fraud. I took it back to Toyota dealership 4 times for the same complaints, but I was harassed and refused services under warranty. The manufacturer rep showed up at dealership and told me the 2007 Prius was as designed and refused to service my 2007 prius. He also refused to give me Toyota's corporate address or to file arbitration for resolution. The dealership managers and GMs are very hostile to threaten me out the door. I got a Toyota lemon. I do not recommend Toyota to anyone.

Dec. 1 snow, Prius stopped engine/battery power totally on medium uphill approach to driveway/garage resulting in car falling off driveway into ravine of trees.

My 2008 Prius is getting a very disappointing 35mpg around town. My dealer says it checks out fine on their computer. What am supposed to do now???

My Prius gas gauge is stuck at 5 out of 10 bars. Filling it up makes not change, driving it makes no change. I see others are complaining about the accuracy of the gas gauge and the difficulty of completely filling the tank (both of which I experience), but not too many mention it getting stuck. Any Help?

Summary: After a series of problems with the Prius engine Roseville Toyota informed me that I needed to have the cars transmission replaced. The estimate for repairs is around $7,000, almost the value of the entire vehicle. I am disappointed that the quality of the Prius has been so poor, and naturally the vehicle is no longer covered by its warranty. Back Ground: 2003 Prius, Odometer reading 116,289. On 12/22/2008, I started the car and the Check Engine light appeared. I tried driving to the dealership, but the engines power failed after several miles, and I was towed to the dealership. The dealership informed me that the gasoline engine shut down and the battery ran out of juice. The dealership checked the sparkplugs and coils, detected slight misfire until warm but could not reproduce the problem. The cost of the service was $123.77.

On 12/27/2008, I started the car and the Check Engine light appeared again. The codes on the display looked as they had on 12/22, so I had the car towed to Roseville Toyota. The dealership discovered oil in the intake manifold as per a TSB. The dealership did not charge me for part of the repairs. The cost for the remainder of the repairs performed at this time was $126.44. On 01/04/2008, I was driving when an intermittent grinding noise began on both braking and acceleration. I found that the noise disappeared if I braked and accelerated extremely gently. I immediately drove to the dealership. When I went to the dealership, I was told that the problem could be as simple as a shim in the braking system that may have slipped out of position.

I authorized an estimate of $52.52. The following day, Michelle of the dealership called and told me that the brakes were fine but that the problem could be resolved by changing the sparkplugs. I orally authorized an estimate of about $150.00 (I dont remember the exact amount.). Michelle called me later that day (1/5) and explained that my problem wasnt really the sparkplugs but that the cars transmission needed to be replaced. The estimate for the parts and labor for this repair would be approximately $2,000. Michelle informed me on 1/6 that a mistake was made and cost of the new transmission alone would be $5,000, with other parts, labor, and the cost of a rental car, the final estimate for repair was around $7,000.

I work for a Toyota dealership (but, I am not neccesarily a fan)however, I think your writer, Joe Benton is way off base in his Prius mpg article and I believe that the tone of his comments are slanted against Toyota. He says that Toyota was the one stating the 60 mpg city figure. Not true. The EPA mandated those figures be on the window sticker, not the manufacturer. Toyota knew that the EPA's test was antiquidated and not at all accurate on Hybrid vehicles. Anybody that looks at those EPA numbers must understand that they have nothing to do with real-world driving conditions and were only to be used to compare one vehicle to another under their same unrealistic test conditions. In fact, during the 60 mpg label days we always told customers to expect about 45 mpg. Toyota never said that these cars get 60 mpg so it shouldn't be put on them. Blame the EPA - your tax dollars at work.

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On September 14, 2007 I pulled up in our driveway in our 2006 Prius and stopped at the mail box to get the mail. At that time the gas engine switched off and over to electric. We are at a dead end so I pulled forward, (approximately 4 miles per hour) to make a y-turn to back into our driveway. When I pushed down on the brake the car jolted forward (I didn't even get a chance to try and pump down on the brake again) and went through a six foot wooden fence with such force that it broke not only the wooden fence panel but also the sturdy cemented in wooden post.

The car sustained $3,000. worth of damage plus I also had a whiplash injury and went through two months of physical therapy at a cost of around $2,000. We reported this promptly to Toyota's National Customer Experience Center who sent a representative to inspect the car and told us that their was no diagnostic trouble codes in the ECM and that the incident was not caused by a manufacturing or design defect. And they left it at that!? We have also had a few incidences where the car is running and in Park and noticed that when the car shifts off gas and onto electric that the car slightly moves from the motor shifting on and off gas to electric. Doesn't happen all the time but we have noticed it a few times. I am now extra careful stopping for pedestrians at stop lights, ect. to make sure I have plenty of room in case the car jolts me forward that I don't accidentally hit someone. They couldn't blame the car mats as my husband checked them and there is no way it interfered with the brake or the gas pedal.

They also tried to suggest that I was wearing high heels, ( I don't even own or wear high heels!) It was also suggested that maybe I accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal. When I went through the fence and the car got caught through the fence and land scapping with my foot was firmly still pushing down on the brake when I looked down. After going through this incident we will probably never buy another car from Toyota. I am thankful that I didn't hurt someone or crash into another car that day because I had no control over the car when I pushed down on the brake! When they inspected the car they cleared the computer and rebooted it up in the car. We know this as a fact because we lost all our personal settings we had on the car. We thought this was the perfect little car to save gas mileage but no longer feel safe driving it!

I have a Toyota Prius hybrid car bought 3.5 yrs (2004)ago with 69000 km on the clock. [the warranty is 3 yrs bumper to bumper, and 60000km for the electrics]. The consumption display screen developed an intermittent fault. The fault develops about 3 minutes after the engine is turned on, and disappears after about 20 minutes of driving. During the fault period, the following happens; - The radio suddenly cuts out but can be turned on again. - The touch-screen display computer is extremely slow. - Cannot change the aircondition settings, but the A/C is working. It also indicates the A/C is not connected. - The gas consumption indication stops, yet the odometer works perfectly. The garages I have been to cannot/would not repair but would change the display unit for $3200 + taxes !!! Any suggestions ???

I bought a 2008 Prius and today, after only 2,000 miles it stopped while I was driving on the interstate... Two warning lights went on (brakes, engine) and power was lost...I had it towed to the dealer and am waiting to hear what is wrong...but my confidence in the reliability of Toyota and Prius have been seriously undermined. Waiting to see what happened.

2007 Prius- gas mileage is now at 33 mpg as winter temps are in the 20s. Very disappointing since the 50/61 mpg is a falacy.

Gas pump stops fueling at 1/2 tank at every pump we visit. After that we have to top off the other half of the tank. This is frustrating to say the least! This does not happen to other cars, just the Prius!

I, too, purchased a 2007 Toyota Prius at the advertised rate of 60 MPG. I brought my car back to the dealer at 3000 miles because I was only getting 40 - 43 MPG. I had brought the car in at 2000 miles but the technician told me that the car needed a break-in period before it would achieve better mileage. Needless to say, the mileage did not improve. The dealership checked the car out and stated that it was getting what it should at 35 - 43 MPG and that Toyota was only following government regulations by posting the 60 MPG rate that was provide by the EPA. I asked for and received the corporate number and called and spoke with a case worker, only to hear the same retoric. Obviously Toyota took advantage of the EPA results to hype their sales and I feel that I, along with many other consumers, was taken advantage of by Toyota.

I recently purchased a 2007 Toyota Prius and I cannot even make it up my driveway after a light snow. The engine completely shuts down and you have no control over anything. I simply slide back down my driveway very quickly and pray no one is behind me. Very dangerous!

It is rarely, if ever, the cost of ownership for hybrid vehicles is discussed. Recent Internet research efforts found little published on the support issue for these hybrid vehicles incorporating advanced electronic technology.

I recently discovered the hidden costs associated with the ownership of my 2006 Toyota Prius when I inquired about software upgrades to correct erroneous directions I was getting from the vehicles integrated GPS system. The dealership parts manager informed me that yes, the newest Version Seven of the Toyota GPS software is a whopping $350.00.

Being quite shocked I confirmed the price with the dealership service manager. Upon hearing the price is indeed $350.00 (plus tax) I informed him, and any who would listen at the dealership, that I considered such a fee usurious. Leaving the dealership stunned at the price, I was seriously considered ways I could duct-tape a hand held GPS over the front to the cars map screen.

The Garmen or Magellan GPS systems are suitably sized, and with some wrangling, one might be able to retrofit this white elephant. This letter of complaint is to inform Toyota, that as a consumer I do not like being taken advantage of. Beyond my feeble efforts as a single consumer to get this unfair pricing done away with; it is my hope that some enterprising software company may read this and be able to find a way to produce an independent product at a more competitive price.

I just finished reading an article on your site about the on-board computer on the Toyota Prius. I just bought a 2008 Toyota Prius and noticed that I too am not getting the mpg that the computer claims. For instance, the other day it claimed I got 51.4 mpg but when I took the miles I drove and divided it by the gallons I put in the tank, it was more like 46. This has been pretty consistent. Something seems wrong with the on-board computer; it isn't presenting the correct results. I called the dealership and the manager there couldn't help me out other than telling me to go to the service department.

I own a 2001 Prius. About 2 years ago, the dashboard warning lights began coming on randomly. The lights indicated either to contact a Toyota dealer immediately or to find a safe place to pull off the road and stop depending on where in the owner's manual you looked for the meaning of these warnings. After the first dealer on-board diagnostic check, I was told that the only thing they could find was that maybe I had some bad fuel. The warnings continued, although the car seemed to run normally. The warnings disappeared after the car was turned off and cooled off. The warnings became more frequent, and after leaving the vehicle for a couple of days with the dealer, I was told that the diagnostics indicated the fuel tank was Imploding. Because it's a bladder, I had understood that was normal as the fuel was used. The dealer said that the fuel tank needed to be replaced, and I had it done. I filled the tank and when the gas gauge read about 3/8 full, the warnings showed up again. This time the diagnostics showed that the Engine Control Unit and a relay needed replacing. These items are under warranty, so there was no charge. The gas tank replacement cost me $621.61. After about 1000 miles, no warning lights have appeared. The problem first showed up at about 50,000 miles, and the warranty work was done 391 miles after the tank replacement. I am convinced that the original problem was the faulty relay and Engine Control Unit and not the gas tank. I found on 3 web sites that other Prius owner's have had a similar experience. I am trying to get an resolution with the dealer and Toyota to find out just how the tank failed and what Toyota has done to prevent future occurances in their hybrid models.

Toyota Prius is a great vehicle with one major flaw....the fuel supply system. The tank is a bladder tank that will 'burp' fuel back out if you fill it to its capacity - negating some of the fuel savings realized by the hybrid system. The gas gauge (read 'guess gauge') is also a major concern. When the warning light and indicator come on telling you to refuel, you are running on fumes. I was able to go for 3.7 miles before running out once the warning came on. Ridiculous. The dealer always says that they have made the adjustments to correct the problems and things stay the same. I suspect that the problem is with the bladder system, and that it makes it difficult to determine the amount of fuel remaining in the tank. Lets put a conventional tank in with a proven gauge system and put this problem to rest.

Called to arrange an test drive on a 2008 Prius Touring auto. We arrived the next morning for the appointment and he got caught in traffic on 99 and was a little late but no big deal But when he showed up he told me he did not have an 2008 Prius Touring that I could test drive. Nor did he have the color he told me the day before that I could look at Then he tried to get me to look at a different car. We walked away without the test drive.My wife was upset as the car was going to be purchased from her father's estate money.She left crying. we went to another dealership and they had a Prius Touring we could test drive and treated us really great

After 1 1/2 years of driving my used 2001 Toyota Prius without any problems I experienced an error on the display screen and the car became extremely sluggish. Thinking that there could be a problem with the hybrid system and not wanting to do any damage to the workings of the car - and knowing very little about what that may be - I had my Prius towed to the nearest Toyota garage in Burnsville, MN, which is, by the way, where I purchased the vehicle.

The representative confirmed that they would find the issue, and by later in the day, they called to tell me what the issue was and gave me a price quote. Now, while I wasn't happy with the price I asked them to do the work and change the oil while it was in. The problem turned out to be what amounts to a potentiometer on the accelerator pedal.

This part was not available seperately, but only as an assembly and the cost of the total bill, tax and oil change included was approximately $750. I wasn't happy about the cost, but I was even less happy when I had to almost threaten the dealer to get the worn part from him.

After seeing the part I was even less happy. The accelerator assembly on a Prius is removed from inside the car by removing two bolts and an electrical plug. Looking at it, I'm sure I could have done the replacement within 20 minutes and probably have time to spare.

So the tow was over $200 and the repair was $750 and the dealership also pointed out that my front tires had the cords showing and needed immediate replacement, which I immediately had done. Anybody wanna buy a Prius!

We purchased our 2004 Prius in November 2003 as a clean fuel vehicle for my husband to use as he traveled from our home to work at the Pentagon each day. The vehicle currently has 105,000 miles on it, and has received regular maintenance/service ,at the dealership, every 3,000 miles. About three weeks ago, a warning light (synergy failure)came on, so my husband took it in, and was told that there may have just been a short in it which made the light come on. He paid $126 for this information. A week later, he got home from running errands, and the car completely DIED before making it into our garage. He had to have it towed to Toyota. It has now sat there for eight days, and it looks like there is no hope that is can be fixed. How can this be on a vehicle that is touted as one of the best?

My husband has had to call the service department each day and leave messages. The service manager whom he was assigned is not who he has regularly had in the past, and has not been a good communicator as to what is wrong with our vehicle. My husband finally got a loaner, and is headed back to Toyota Monday. There is a chance we'll just have to have Toyota accept the car and the year of payments which are left on it, as a trade in, and we'll need to purchase another vehicle. We purchased all of the warranty options when we first bought this car, but the amount of time which has passed since original date of purchase, and high mileage has voided most of those.

My 2007 Toyota Prius needs new tires after about 21,000 miles. I previously had a 2003 Toyota Prius and wore out several sets of tires on it. The Prius wears out tires rapidly. I am pleased with the Prius in all other respects.

My husband was driving my 2006 Toyota Prius when he fell asleep at the wheel and rear-ended a car. The aribags did not deploy. The Prius considered a total loss. We are very concerned that in a total loss accident the airbags did not deploy!

My husband suffered from severe whiplash and we are very concerned about long term health related issues.

I bought a Prius in 2005. August of 2007 I noticed the car did not want to accelerate and felt like it was driving heavy on the highway. I brought it in to the dealer and they said there was no problem. Today Oct. 6, 2007 I was driving on the highway and all my power started to shut down. First the hazzard light went on then the car began to slow down to a crawl. I was able to exit the highway and pull over. When I push the power button, all the lights go on but the car will not go into the drive position. I called customer service and they are assigning me a national consultant to work one on one with me and the dealership. I must now wait until Monday for them to call me arrange for a tow truck and schedule an appointment.

i own a 2005 toyota prius and i went through a power steering replacement, and two small batteries and the big battery. I was lucky to have them replaced because i was insured. i'm wondering how many time i have to pay 500 dollars after i run off the insurance. the only time i didn't have any problem i drove it at least 3 times a week. but i have to take the van from elk grove to stockton and im paying right now in two places. i wish i can return it back.

I own a 2001 Toyota Prius and have been experiencing the same sudden loss of power while highway driving as described by Thiettranh of Concord. The incident has happened to me at least twice per year for the past few years. I can temporarily resolve the problem by pulling off the highway, turning off the car and waiting about 10 minutes before restarting. The car will restart and run with hesitation and chugging for several miles and then seem to be ok. The warning light remains on until I bring the car in for diagnostic service. I would coordinate the periodic recalls with these service calls and results or the diagnostics directly related to the loss of power problem were inconclusive until this last incident and service call on Sept. 13, 2007. It was determined the accelerator sensor switch is at fault and should be replaced. The part will cost $486.00 + installation and, of course, it is out of warranty. I cannot understand why this wasn't determined to be the problem sooner, while it was still under warranty.

I declined replacement at this time. I will live with the periodic problem for the time being and hope this does not cause a compromise in my safety while driving the car. In the meantime, I am disillusioned with the value of owning a Toyota Prius.

My Toyota Prius lost power and shut down on a Southern Calif freeway. It acted like I ran out of gas but I had a full tank. Pressed accelerator- no power. The red water temperature light came on. It was towed to the dealer. Diagnoses; trans axle malfunction; replaced HV transaxle also replaced drive belt and tensioner. 74,000 miles on the car. No more warranty (60,000 mi). After much nagging Toyota said they will help me with half the costs of the part. This ordeal costs ME $3,490.74. I am disappointed and it could have been a very dangerous situation. Please include me in your investigation.

I have had the Prius come to a stop in deep snow and then attempt to start up by spinning one wheel at a time for one turn and stopping. I would have been able to keep a less sophisticated car moving in snow such at that.

This is inconvenient and when I get wheel spin over wet paint on a highway while attempting to accelerate fast ahead of oncoming traffic it is very dangerous.

I have a 2006 Toyota Prius since December 2006, 28,000 miles. 3 weeks ago I went to pick up my daughter from school, I decided to back up my car and wait for her to come out; suddenly my car accelerated while I had my foot pressing the brakes, it was going too fast I had no time to do anything, I crashed onto a wall about 10 ft. on front of me.

The wall was not damaged, and I did not suffer any injuries. The damages on my car are estimated to be $14,000. I have been driving a rental car for the last 3 weeks which my insurance does not cover and my car will take at least 3 more weeks to be ready. I am also terrified to drive it again, especially now that I know that other people went through similar experiences.

I purchased a 2003 Prius in Dec 2002, it has less than 55.000 miles on it. Six times the warning lights, engine ck lites, etc have come on. The car has gone from ~25 mph to 19 to 12 -- all the way to 3mph,-> 2->DEAD. Three times I have waited anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours and the car has restarted with no problem. Three times my car required towing to the dealership. The dealership has NOT found a problem yet. The last time this happened, my car was at the dealership for 1 week to be driven and checked out. One mechanic did not feel comfortable driving it home because it may 'die'.

Anyone here have a 2001 Prius that has been diagnosed with a failed transmission (transaxle)? Mine is at 91K and started humming a few days ago. I brought it in to a dealer for a diagnosis. They told me it was the transaxle. To replace it with a rebuilt transaxle would cost me almost $5K.

I have a 2005 Toyota Prius hybrid car it is the worst investment I've ever made this vehicle has cost me an arm and a leg to maintain. I've already bought three sets of tires and as many alignments costing me 13 hundred dollars and forget how much the oil changes cost. I've taken this vehicle to the dealership three time to have the rack and pinion checked out and they say theres nothing wrong with it this is bumkis because a vehicle should not go through three sets of tires in two years. I own a dodge Dakota pickup for about ten years and only replaced the tires four times and it costs less per tire than the Prius tires.

Purchased 2007 Toyota Prius, was told about 45-60 MPG, only averaging around 39-41 MPG. Not really close to what was promised.

Fact is nothing has happened with either of my two Prius cars. I owned a 2005 and traded it for the more advanded 2007 model. I have not experienced any thing that has been mentioned in you article.This is an excellent trustworthy vehicle. No slipping or stalling nonsense. Taction is excellent. Performance expecially on the 2007 model is good. Sorry, but I just don't understand why these people are having problems. I will buy another in 2009.

I was pulling into my garage , half way into the garage, at a residence that was rented to me as I was far from home. Suddenly my Toyota Prius (2007) accelerated out of control and drove into the wall of the garage damaging my nerves , the car and the wall. My husband, thinking it was user error put the car in reverse and it accelerated again without the driver control. It was towed away to Amigo Chevrolet where we were told that they could find nothing wrong with it. The car was under warranty. We were left 900 miles away from home, no car while Amigo had to get technicians from Denver to look at the car. We bought the Car as our retirement car. My husband and I are 70+ and have found ourselves without a car until someone can find what is happening. They say it can't even be traded in ? To date we reported the issue to Toyota and have waited 3 days without a response from Customer service at Toyota.

We are out a car, had to rent a car until some decisions are made. I have a wall to pay for that the Toyota went through and considerable damage to the Toyota. Physical damage was minimal because I was simply rolling into the garage when it occurred, however I am very frightened of the car what if I had been appoaching a group of pedestrians?

I have a 2005 Prius. It has hestitated several time on me. This last time I almost got in an accident. It chugged along serveral times in a row. No lights went on. It has 99,000 miles and has a warrenty to 100,000. It has been at the Toyota dealership 5 days. They cannot find any problems.

I have never gotten above 40 miles per gallon on my new 2007 Toyota Prius. The only reason I purchased it was for the 60 MPG. The dealership keeps telling me I need to wait until the engine is broke in. It now has over 2,000 miles and the gas mileage is averaging 35 mpg.. The computer states i get 44 mpg on average.

I took my 2005 Toyota Prius in for routine maitenance this morning -- and now, with only 2 years wear (about 26000 miles) the dealership says I need to replace all four tires and get an allignment job (at more than $400 total). My mother's 2001 Prius had its tires replaced by the dealer at 25000 and the replacement tires only lasted 25000 miles. The dealer would not replace my Goodyear tires, even though warranty should be good for 50000 miles (claims the allignment is the issue...)

I have problem with my 2002 Toyota Prius! The car stall on the freeway with 3 warning lights but luckily I am already close to my destination and took the exit ramp. I believe there is problem with the hybrid component. The warning lights are PS which stands for power steering, warning light and hybrid component warning light. Before this incident happen, I have several incident where I feel the car is losing power but no warning lights and the car recovered.

Twice, on Julyb 29, 2007, our 2006 Toyota Prius took off like a rocket in circumstances just like Herbert's wild ride in Michigan last October. According to Angel: (1) No one has ever had this problem before and (2) They can not recreate it. My instructions to him are to tell me what caused this.

We had no damage YET. But this is a $30,000 car and right now it is unsafe to drive. Fortunately, CA has a lemon law. We might just need to pick it up and bring it back twice more. Of couse they will claim there is no problem.

I have read your article on Toyota's false advertising for mileage on the Prius vehicle and want to share my experience. I bought a 2006 Prius last March based on Toyota's advertisement of 50 miles to the gallon on the highways and 60 miles to the gallon in the city. I have driven the car nearly 10,000 miles and what I have found is that highway mileage is about 48 which is very close to their claim. HOWEVER, mileage in the city is a horrendous 38-42 compared to the advertisement of 60 miles per gallon. I took the car to Claremont Toyota who is the dealer I bought it from, but I was told that everything in the car is working the way it is supposed to work. They said that the low mileage was probably related to driving habits. I responded that I have tried very slow starts and smooth stops without any noticeable improvement. They said that they could not help me and that I should write to Toyota.

We purchased a 07 Toyota Prius. After purchasing and reading all the caustion in the owners manual we started wondering how much EMF is being given off by the high voltage cable. We used a ELM meter that showed where our newborn sits was over 24 mG (our meter only goes to 24 mG so we don't know how high it really is). What is considered safe for kids is 2 -3 mG. I asked Toyota if they could shield to reduce it and the answer was NO. They stated the car has been tested and was consider safe by the numbers they got. I asked to see the test results or what the EMF numbers that Toyota considers safe for kids and they would not tell me.

It has been advised to me by my pediatrician and a cancer research doctor that if it was thier car they would NOT put there kids in it. Since this is a contraversial issue they can't tell me anything other then if it was there car they wouldn't put kids in it. I have read and the higher the mG the higher the chance for kids getting leukemia or other cancers. What I'm really upset about is if a car (hybrid in general) gives off high EMF then it should be disclosed to the buyer. That way the buyer can make the decision to buy the vehicle or not.

I bought a 2007 Toyota Prius. In the first tank of gas the average MPG was 31. I took it back to the dealership & was told by the service manager that couldn't be right & to run another tank. The second tank MPG was 34.4. The ONLY reason I bought a Prius was because of the advertised gas mileage. I would NOT have bought this car if I'd known about its pitiful performance. I understand there is a class action law suit against Toyota over the advertised Prius mileage. I would like to become a part of this process. Please advise me on how I can become involved. Thank you.

2001 Toyota Prius has been stalling intermittently for 3 years. The dealer has replaced the hybrid battery which was on warranty (thank goodness!) and now says they need to replace the accelerator pedal position sensor which is not on warranty and the part will cost $435 plus tax and 3 hours of labor.

My Prius 2005 ran for 20000 miles and all 4 tires lost all traction and thread.Inspection has failed due to that.I have to change all 4 tires.This is riduculous for only this much mileage..