Toyota Prius Reviews

I have a 2008 Prius (purchased in November 2007). Overall, I am very pleased with the car. I did not have any accelerator problems. I do, however, have a persistent issue with the headlights. They will turn off for no apparent reason. Whenever I notice it or am pulled over for it, all I have to do is to turn the lights off and back on and the lights come on again, sometimes just for a little while, sometimes for the duration of the drive.

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 passenger side headlamp went out shortly after I bought my 2008 Prius. It was second-hand and had 26K miles on it, but seemed to be otherwise in good shape. The dealer could not replicate the light not coming on and said there was nothing wrong (after charging me for their standard diagnostic fee). A few days later the light went out again and I was stopped by the police and received a warning for equipment failure, which I took back to the Toyota dealer. This time they established that it was the ballast in the passenger side light and since the car was still under warranty, they replaced this.

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.

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.

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 car—peddle 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!

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.

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.

I have had my 2006 Toyota Prius back to the dealer at least 5 times, for headlamp related work since purchasing the car new. First, as others describe, the driver's side headlamp started flickering, and then went out. After about 2 weeks of this, I got pulled over because the light was out, and was graciously told by the officer to get the light fixed, but was not ticketed. My mechanic would not do the job, and suggested I take it to the dealer.

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!

This is about my 2007 Toyota Prius. The passenger headlight went on and off. The dealership wanted about $1000 to replace. I told them we would report them. They called back and said it was covered. Seven months later, same light went on and off. Basically, they told me that it was more than 6 months so too bad, so sad. It will cost you. I did not take it in. On Friday, 9/3/10, my 2007 Prius was in drive driving down town and it flipped into neutral. I put it back in drive and it flipped again and again to neutral. Very dangerous, so I stopped and sat for 10 minutes and called dealership and my husband.

I'm having problems with the headlights in my 2006 Prius. I have replaced the bulb on the driver's side, but it goes out intermittently and the passenger's side bulb is now doing the same thing! I have also had instances where both lights went out at night. One of those times, I was driving around a 'blind' curve at 3am. I quickly turned the headlight switch off, and then on again. The headlights came back on, then the driver's side bulb went out a few minutes later the other bulb went out a few minutes after that. I had to turn the lights off and on about three times during a 15 minute drive down the road I was pulled over twice for having 'improper equipment', and the second time I was pulled over. I got a ticket, so I payed for a new bulb (driver's side) and went to the courthouse to prove to them that I had gotten it fixed. Several months later, I started having a problem with the passenger's side bulb. Also, the driver's side bulb is now going out again.

I am writing to voice my concern about what seems to be a popular problem amongst the Toyota Prius. I bought my 2006 Prius in November 2009 along with the extended warranty. I noticed about three months ago that my passenger side headlight would only function on an intermittent basis. So I took the Prius to Toyota this past weekend for a 30,000 mile check up, and the technician told me that the intermittent headlights are a common issue with the Prius and that I could either purchase a new light for $290.00 or I could continue to drive the Prius with the intermittent working light.

2007 Toyota Prius Hybrid headlight drivers side intermittently going out will cost $150 for HID light and $200 for installation charge. Crazy! Cannot afford to fix this headlight and dangerous to drive at night.

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.

My 2007 Prius is having the ongoing headlight issue that I am reading about: losing headlights, on and off and on basis. It started in the Fall of '09, and was reported to Leith Toyota/Raleigh NC, on Dec '09. I was told that they "could not reproduce the problem", and to take the car home and "prove" it was happening.

Toyota is aware of the Toyota Prius hybrid having an issue with there HD headlights failing to work properly. They will come on and off creating a safety concern while driving. They are not correcting this known issue, but rather charging the consumer between $351 to replace faulty bulb, or more to replace ECU. This is another example of the lack of quality and customer service which they were once known for. I have the same problem as the many other complaints listed with the Toyota Prius hybrid. Mine is a 2008 model with 46000 miles on it. Financially this is a shock to be forced on the consumer for a known defect. In addition this is a huge safety problem. It is also illegal to operate a vehicle with faulty headlights. Toyota should do the right thing and recall, or take responsibility for this defect at there expense.

I own a 2006 Toyota Prius and am having problems with my headlights going out. Last night at 60 mph, both lights went out and I put on the brake and turned my light switch off then back on to get my lights back on. I would replace them but there are many complaints online with people getting new light bulbs put in and that not solving problem, their light start doing the same thing a short time later.

The 2006 Toyota Prius headlamps go off and on intermittently, and unexpectedly. There's no physical damage, but it's very dangerous to drive at night. I have been pulled over due to light being out, but when turned off, then on again, the light comes back on.

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.

We own a 2007 Toyota Prius. And every time we asked about our car, we would proudly say that this is the best buy we ever did. We loved our car until we encounter a problem with our headlight. I thought it was just visual illusion that I noticed my path seemed dark and that my right headlight was not working. Until finally I had to take a look and what I noticed is that it goes off and if you turn it off and on again, it would come back to life but then while you're driving it would go off in its own time. I decided to bring it in and I told the service personnel what my troubles were and specifically explained which head light needs replacement.

I purchased a 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid in October 2009. On 5 separate occasions, I have taken the car into the service department, to check a ring, coming from under the left drivers side. On the 5th time, I was taken on a test drive in another 2010 Toyota Prius. I was informed by the service manager that this noise was in all 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrids. It's in the transmission, and it's in all the Prius Hybrid models. I said the 2009 Prius Hybid Camry, does not have this noise.

I started driving a 2004 Prius home and the driver's side headlight went out then both lights. I turned them off and then on again and they worked for a few minutes the both off again. Fog lights work. Thank God. I have really like this car up till now! Just happened it could be dangerous.

I have a 2006 Prius and I love it. The only problem is the low beam headlights quit working. The high beams still work but it is impossible to drive at night because you blind everyone. Sometimes they will come on and sometimes only one will come on. I called the dealer and it is not covered. The cost to fix is over $1200. The dealer acts like they do not know anything about the issue. This needs to be a recall.

Like many 2007 Toyota Prius customers, the driver's side headlight goes off and on. Toyota says it is because there is a problem with the HID and that the light is on its last leg. The complaint department said that the bulb was going out and would only last two months. I've kept this headlight for nearly 18 months. It seems to me that the problem may be elsewhere.

2007 Toyota Prius headlight failure. Toyota sent owners a letter saying that there is possible issue with the headlights and a brief, not clear summary. The letter was to inform people that they replaced a part that was unnecessary and they would be reimbursed. What really happens is that the headlight failure happens but it is intermittent so that by the time you figure out something is wrong, the car is not under warranty any more and the price is $600.00 plus to fix this. This is a safety issue that Toyota should take care of and there should be a recall.

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.

We have had our 2004 Prius for 6 years now and really loved it. Now we have run into a problem which we thought was just unique to our car. That was until I read all the letters from Prius owners who had similar troubles. When we talked to our Toyota dealer, they seemed puzzled by the way our car was acting. First, all the warning lights went on, brake light went on and a loud ringing sound began. Air conditioner did not work. We drove home from vacation like this because the service manager said it would be alright to drive. Well, half way home on a large interstate, the car began switching into Neutral and the car would not respond. I had to quickly pull over and wait about 10 minutes and then it would be alright for another 10 miles or so.

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.

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

My Toyota Prius's headlights will intermittently go out, then come back on when I turn the switch to off, then on. Or, if I turn on the brights, then turn back to regular light, the lights will not come back on until I switch them off, then on again. Nothing but a big scare on a dark, country road. It makes me very nervous to drive at night.

We bought our Toyota Prius with high intensity headlights new in 2008. Initially, we loved the brighter lights, especially since I drive home from work late at night on country roads. At about 40,000 miles the first head light went out and we were quoted $300.00 to replace it. Part of this cost involved approximately $165.00 for the light itself, and the rest for labor.

The 2005 Prius passenger headlamp went out. Its replacement cost of $350 is prohibitive. I'm waiting for both to go so I can save on labor, but the police have stopped me twice now with fix-it tickets. They told me I should be able to get cheap aftermarket replacements. Toyota insists I cannot. I may not be able to drive this car, knowing I'll be replacing $300 headlamps regularly.

On February 18, 2010, we were involved in an accident with our 2010 Toyota Prius. We were leaving out our driveway and when my husband gradually pushed on the accelerator to go up a slight incline, the accelerator stuck on high, went off on its own and ended up smashing into a tree stump along our driveway. When we contacted the dealership to try to get some kind of answer, all they did was give us the name of the corporate headquarters. We wrote them with our problem and concerns, but we have heard nothing back from them knocked the front bumper loose. Also, the car would not shut off and continually made a high-pitched noise. We got out of car and walked back to the house. I called the insurance company and they contacted a wrecker service to get the car. We were able to shut the car off the next day.

My 2006 Prius headlights go off and on while driving. It costs $500 to replace.

I own a 2007 Toyota Prius and I am having a problem with the passenger side headlight bulb going off. If I turn the lights off and on again, it will come back on. This is dangerous. I'm afraid the driver's side will start doing it also, and leave me completely in the dark at random. I received a letter from Toyota about the problem. I thought it was a recall, but when I took it to my dealer, they told me it was not a recall, just a letter stating that they know about the problem, and that it normally costs $300.00 to replace it. The letter said they would replace it for half price. Unbelievable!

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 R2,434 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.

My 2007 Prius has had a problem with the headlights failing to function since 45,000 miles. The lights have gone out on the highway at night, as well as in town. It is very dangerous not to be able to see to drive.

I found the same traction problem with my 2009 Prius. The brakes or acceleration stops working when the traction control kicks in. It's very dangerous trying to merge in fast traffic. It also doesn't stop fast on snowy or wet roads. Very dangerous. The dealer tells me this is the way it's designed to work. I will not buy a Prius again. No damage yet but I'm sure it will happen as the odds are against me.

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 have a 2004 Toyota Prius. I have replaced almost every light bulb at least once. I have replaced the headlights three times (each one), and my right one just went out again. While I have enjoyed the gas mileage, the frustration of not ever knowing if my headlights will work will probably make me get rid of the car and I will buy anything but Toyota the next time. They are expensive cars and they should reflect that in the way they work.

On my 2007 Toyota Prius which I bought new, my headlights keep going out. I am getting ready to replace my driver's bulb now for the 3rd time. I can't afford to go to the dealership. I don't have that kind of money. I have to try and not drive in the dark. This seems to be a major problem that Toyota needs to fix for free. Please get something done for all of us who drive these cars. I am telling everyone not to buy a Toyota. They used to be great. Now, they are one of the worst cars to own. I can't drive at night which is affecting my job as I have to work 2 jobs and one I don't get off until 10:00 pm which is night time then. I only have one light to drive with. I don't know what I will do when the other one goes out. We all need Toyota to stand up and fix the problem. The cars are very costly and they should be a very dependable car for what they cost. Thanks for any help that you can get to all of us.

I am fed up with my 2007 Toyota Prius headlights going out then coming back on. It is very dangerous to be driving at night and have both go out at the same time. At times, my daughter has been in the car with me. I am also tired of being pulled over by police for a headlight being out then showing them it is not out by turning the lights off and on. This does not always work and is dangerous while driving at night.

Right at around 30K miles, my 07 Prius began to experience major problems with the shifter. It wouldn't engage to any gear, except neutral at random times. I would be shifting to rear trying to park and the shifter would jump back to neutral on its own. From there, the car wouldn't shift to drive, rear, or I couldn't park. I'd be stuck in the middle of the road for about 15 minutes and the car would go back to normal by itself. So far, every time this happened to me was during the first drive of the day, usually within a pretty short distance, when I had to make a stop and park somewhere. One of the 2 most dangerous scenarios I experienced was during traffic hour while I was parallel parking, part of my car was sticking out of the road and my car just wouldn't move. Another was when I was trying to make a u-turn on a two way street, I blocked the entire road, couldn't go forward or backwards.

As Prius 2010 goes through railroad after recall fix, the problem still persists. While going breaking through a chattering road, the break released about 1 ~ 2 seconds before break reengage. The consequence has not yet been seen, basically, that Toyota said they can't reproduce the problem, so they said there is no problem. I need help to document the problem which I could easily reproduce. It’s already a fact that the recall didn't work and I can proof it.

The extremely serious safety problems are as follows: The answers and solutions to the following are necessary before anyone could be considered safe driving this 2008 Prius.

I couldn't find a way to contact you people at consumeraffairs.com. So I hope you read this. I have talked with a Toyota technician about the 12 volt system in the Prius and found out that I had the wrong information. So I wanted to remove or edit my complaint I made earlier. My statements about how the system works were incorrect.

I have a 2009 Prius. As I've seen in others' comments, breaking can be an issue, especially on uneven payment. The car will seem to skid across the pavement, and extreme caution needs to be used on rain slick roads. I also have an issue with the horn, which began going off when I'd go over bumpy roads. After use one day, it did not stop sounding. Of course, the dealership is saying it has been "abused" and is not covered by warranty.

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.

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.

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.

2007 Toyota Prius, bought new in May of 2007. Have replaced the driver's side headlight 3 times (out now!) and the passenger side once. Dealer charges $150 for the bulb and $95 labor. Called Toyota Headquarters today and the lady said "Toyota is reducing the cost of the bulb from $300 to $150 already and we are not able to assist you any further". Will not warranty the replacement bulbs because the vehicle is out of warranty. I told her this will be the last Toyota I own, enough is enough. Besides the economic impact of having to spend over $1,000 replacing headlights, there is an inherent danger in driving around without headlights!

First, let me state that I love my Prius. I have been driving it for three years and I really just love it. But, two days ago, I was driving in the rain. I went over two sets of railroad tracks with steel between the tracks. As I crossed the tracks, the traffic in front of me was stopping. So I applied the brakes to stop also. In the second it took to cross the tracks, the traction light came on and I had no brakes. I was going about 15 mph when I hit the car in front of me. I had time to look down at my foot to confirm that it was the brakes (just in case). I could not figure out why the car was not stopping. The car in front of me stopped the car.

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.

We have a 2007 Toyota Prius that has light problems. We have been pulled over many times by police because one of our head lights were out. While the officer is watching, we turn the car off and then on only to see the headlight come back on. We do not know when it is working or not. Last night, we got pulled over because our back lights were not working. We have been pulled over by the police at least 5 times because of this issue.

This is not exactly a complaint except that I was not told by my salesman that I would have to use a hi-test gas in my 2010 Prius. I read the owner's manual to find this out. I have read a lot about how people are not happy with the gas mileage with the Prius. I have found that it may not be Prius that is at fault, it is the quality of gas. I have to go out of my way to get good hi-test gas because most stations charge for the hi-test but I can tell by my gas mileage that I am not getting good quality hi-test gas. It is infuriating to pay the higher price for the better gas only to get the same as if I put in a lower grade of gas. I have been getting about 45-48 mpg on average and today, I got gas at a new place and I got 58-60 mpg. I will return to that station whenever I can as I like the results.

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 took my 2010 Prius in for sudden acceleration issues. My car has had numerous 'episodes' and they refused to acknowledge a problem. I drive my only child in this vehicle, and frankly, I'm afraid to drive it. We have purchased numerous vehicle from this dealership, and sadly, it will be our last. Not sure what is going to happen; not sure they even know how to fix my car. It has a mind of its own. For now, I'm carless and frustrated.

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 only want to ask why no one has posted anywhere that I've seen, in all the reports I've read, that the first thing to do if this happens is put it out of gear?

Has anyone used the braking mode if the Prius starts to accelerate? I use it all the time for snow driving.

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!

Our 2006 Prius had a suddenly acceleration incident yesterday. I was parking the car, so thankfully going at probably less than 5 miles an hour. I was doing a 3 point turn. I went halfway into the parking spot, reversed to get a better angle and then engaged drive to go forward. The accelerator pedal just went loose, as if a spring had disengaged. There was no tension at all and the accelerator pedal just fell all the way down to the floor. The car lurched forward and accelerated. I pressed the brakes as hard as I could. The worked and our car came to a stop and missed hitting the car next to my parking spot by inches.

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.

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.

It's a 2008 Toyota Prius; on February 10, 2010, I hit the road in the Prius started out for Silverthorne CO to do some skiing. On Feb 14, 2010, I was in line, following a bunch of cars entering Keystones Skier parking lot, doing about 10 mph. As I turned into the parking lot, my Prius started to skid a little (the roads were covered in packed snow and very slippery). Cars just ahead and behind were having similar problems, but nothing they could not handle. In my Prius, the traction light came on and I touched the brakes with absolutely no response. The car continued to skid in a straight line, ran over a red traffic cone, and slammed into a 2 foot cube boulder, causing $3200 worth of damage.

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.

I experienced unintended acceleration while driving on the highway in my 2005 Toyota Prius whilst under cruise control on May 3, 2009. Braking failed to slow down the vehicle as did initial cancellation of cruise control. I tried to decrease speed with cruise control stick by holding down. Switching off cruise control button and on again followed by repeated cancellation eventually worked.

My wife and I bought a 2010 Toyota Prius last summer. I know that Toyota is under lot of pressure lately, but we have had some issues with the car. I want to draw your attention to:

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.

On February 7, 2010, I was driving our Toyota Prius at approximately 8:30 am. It was Sunday morning so there was very little traffic. The road was flat. The sky and the roads were clear and dry, and it was 50 degrees outside. I was going maybe 25 to 30 mph. Up ahead, the traffic light had turned red and the car in front of me stopped. Luckily, there was quite a distance between me and the stopped car. I removed my foot from the gas pedal and began to slowly press the break pedal. As I was pressing the break pedal, the motor revved and the Prius rapidly accelerated. I stomped harder on the brake and swerved into the left lane to avoid hitting the car that was stopped at the light. The motor was still revved up and I fish tailed. Then the motor returned to normal and the car stopped. I was very lucky the car stopped before running the red light and into oncoming traffic.

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.

On both of my daughter's 2006 and 2007 Toyota Prius, the headlights go off intermittently. Mostly the right one but sometimes both. If you turn the headlight switch off then back on, the headlights come back on only to go off a little while later. I have noticed when I see a car with only one headlight on, it is often a Toyota Prius. There should be a recall on the Prius!

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.

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.

I have a 2008 Prius, and can easily recreate the braking problem on the street where I live. It's very consistent, where the car begins to skate. The Prius also has steering issues, where the hyper-sensitive steering constitutes an extreme hazard in a mild wind gust, in a rutted road situation, or any time "over-correcting" might come into play. Further, there is a very dangerous reflection on the inside of the windshield, when driving on a dark road at night. It is a green line that goes straight across my line of vision.

Traction control on the 2008 Toyota Prius does not work well. The Toyota car dealer sold me new tires, but it did not solve the problem. The car has been stuck and required pulling out of the snow. I am afraid to drive the car in the snow. I cannot get the car to move, if the road is slippery, and there is a slight incline.

Any time I go over some sort of uneven ground, which in LA is often, my car lunges forward and even though my foot is on the brake, nothing happens. I feel really scared to not have control of my vehicle in those moments. Toyota better recall all Prius cars and I think they should be compensating us for the years that this problem hasn't been fixed with their dealerships/company knowing full well that it is a common problem. They kept it a secret from their customers.

So, I'm not inquiring about the current recall, but instead concerned about my headlight malfunctioning. Since spring of 2009, I noticed that my headlights have been dimming or "blinking", or switching back and forth at random intervals. Sometimes, one head light would go out, then the other. More recently, both sometimes go out. I can only correct this by turning off my headlights and then turning them back on. The first time this happened, I purchased new bulbs but the "blinking" continued.

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.

I have found the information on the Prius traction control system (TCS) very enlightening. I live in the Blue Ridge mountains with an approximate 1,300 foot change in elevation in about 2.5 miles. I have experienced all of the problems described while on very steep slopes. Does anyone know if the continuously variable transmission play a role? No low gear is a problem when descending on icy roads.

I drive a 2004 Toyota Prius and the traction control has been driving me mad for 5 years now. It completely cuts the power if a wheel slips in the slightest, leaving me stalled. Once I went to make a left turn on a busy street, the traction control kicked in from some very minor slipping and I was left stranded in the middle of the intersection with traffic coming at me. Since I can't spin the tires in that situation, the drivers in the other cars can't tell that I'm stuck. It just looks like I'm not trying to move, which provokes a lot of hostility from them. If I could spin the tires a little, it would be obvious to them what was wrong and I bet they'd be more patient and sympathetic (give people the benefit of the doubt while driving, please!).

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.

After 150,000 miles, my 2004 Toyota's headlight went out in 2008. I replaced it myself with high intensity bulb, purchased at Auto Parts shop. It only lasted a few weeks. It continued happening on alternating sides. The dealer told me, high intensity was my problem, and to return to regular intensity. So, I bought the least expensive regular intensity bulbs at Auto Parts shop, installed them myself, and they're great! They haven't failed for months so far.

I own a 2007 Toyota Prius and have experienced momentary loss of braking over a rough surface. This is a highly repeatable experience and I have adjusted my driving habits accordingly. I drive over the same railroad tracks just prior to a traffic light every day. While braking, with my foot firmly on the brake pedal, the car seems to lunge forward apparently as the brakes release for a split second. At the same time, my traction control light will flash on and off until the road smooths out. That split second is enough to cause an accident with the car in front of me if I don't give myself extra room or slow down prior to the tracks.

I noticed from the first time I drove the car that when I turn on the headlights, they would be bright and then dim. I thought this was because of the High Intensity lamps (HID). Now, on my 2008 Prius, the headlights take turns shutting off, occasionally doing this simultaneously. When I asked the dealer about it, I was told it was known but nothing would be done and it would cost around $700. Now, I'm told that they cut the price of the bulbs to $150 and the repair is now only $500. Headlights failing in two years just doesn't sound like a quality car.

Driving my 2008 Prius April 2009 in imperial valley. Coming off at rd. onto hwy 86 driving south to el Centro. After bringing up to hwy speed, my car continued to speed up. I thought maybe cruise control not working, however, should shut off when brakes tapped. I applied steady pressure to brakes as the car kept accelerating. Was able to slow somewhat, took foot off brake and speeding up again. This happened several times for the distance to Costco gas station where I was able to exit off hwy to. The brakes had distinct burning smell. I had been braking hard, very hard for quite a while.

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 own a 2008 Toyota Prius and have experienced loose of traction while brake over rough surfaces with the skid warning light flashing.

I have a 2008 Prius. I saw there was another complaint with the same issue for a 2008 Prius that I'm also having which seems to be the same issue with the 2010 Prius. I have been having this problem since I bought my car and mentioned it to my Toyota dealership twice, and they stated that it was due to the anti-lock breaks and that is the way it was designed. I stated that it was dangerous if it was going to propel you forward when you are breaking, but they didn't really have much of a comment. Now I am hearing that other folks are having the same issue.

We purchased a 2010 Prius and have several incidents of the car accelerating when we start to engage the brakes. It feels exceptionally bad if you are on any type of rough road (terrain). We are very concerned about our safety in this car!

We purchased a 2010 Prius and have several incidents of the car accelerating when we start to engage the brakes. It feels exceptionally bad if you are on any type of rough road (terrain). We are very concerned about our safety in this car!

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.

I have a 2008 Prius. I was watching the news and I heard them describing the brake issue with the 2010 Prius and I said to myself that is the same problem I have been having since I bought my car, but I didn't think much about it. I assumed it had something to do with it being a hybrid and the weight of the car. But now I am hearing that other folks are having the same issue. The issue is 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.

I have a 2007 Toyota Prius that when I run over a bump in the pavement, the anti-skid light come on and the car will not accelerate well. It’s like putting the brakes on while I am moving. This could result in a rear end collision or loss of control.

We bought a 2010 Toyota Prius in October of last year. My wife, Suzanne, was driving home from the gym last week when the brakes failed completely. She was turning right from First Street onto North Mines Road in Livermore, Ca. It had been raining and the roads were wet. When she pushed the brake pedal to slow down during the turn, nothing happened. It really scared her. Luckily, it was early morning and the traffic was light. There were no other cars in the intersection and she completed the higher-than-normal-speed, awkward turn without accident.

Headlights on Toyota Prius are faulty. My car is a 2007 Toyota Prius and the headlights started to go off while I was driving. I have to turn them to the off position and back to on to get them to come back on. In 2008, I hit a deer and the headlights were replaced due to damage. The headlights once again began to go off. I have been told that there is nothing they can do about it. Since this time there have been over 2000 complaints on the 2007 Prius with a headlights problem.

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.

On the afternoon of January 26th, 2010, my wife was driving our 2006 Toyota Prius at approximately 30mph. As she approached an intersection, the vehicle surged forward despite firmly applying the brakes. She employed all the strategies recommended by Toyota but was not able to stop before striking another vehicle that was stopped ahead in her lane.

This is about 2010 Prius' brake problem. My 2010 Pruis has had a brake issue since I picked it up in July 2009. I've taken it to the dealer 3 different times and was made to feel like I was crazy. The first time I put it in the shop to get the oil changed and have the brake checked, I told the dealer that when I had my foot on the brake pedal and hit a pothole the car would accelerate. When I got the car back, I was told no problem was found. The problem kept happening so I complained again.

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.

My daughter was driving her 2007 Toyota Prius (900 miles) and had accelerated after a stop sign to 15 mph when the tie rod broke and the car veered at a 45 degree angle into a parked car. I arrived at the accident scene within a few minutes and along with the police officer took pictures of the vehicle as well as the skid marks from the center of the road to the parked car.

I have a 2007 Toyota Prius hybrid car with currently 24,000 km. Since new, vehicle has serious braking issues. When trying to brake over train tracks, potholes, drain covers, gravel, puddles, or ice, the vehicle slows slightly then lurches forward (feels like a brief acceleration). And the brakes slip before grabbing hold. Many times this has caused vehicle to enter intersections on red lights if the roads are wet. Also, the vehicle has slid off the road on gravel, and it slips regularly over train tracks.

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 wanted to let you know about yet another issue I have been having besides the braking issue over rough pavement with my 2010 Prius purchased in November of 2009.

I own a 2008 Toyota Prius, which I love. Unfortunately, I believe it has potential problems in that upon occasion, it will lurch forward when put into gear without ever touching the foot pedal. It has done this in reverse also. Best description is as if it has a sudden power surge.

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.

The brakes failed going into exit ramp on slightly slippery road conditions (drizzle slightly dampened highway), causing loss of control of vehicle and about $5K in damages to vehicle (insurance covered it but then raised my rates by $1,500 per year for next three years saying I was the cause of the accident). Please include me in any class action law suits against Toyota Prius 2006 for "faulty brakes". Thanks!

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.

The brake slips on my 2010 Prius if the pedal is pressed when the car is crossing a manhole or slightly wet surface, speed of vehicle is quite slow, or may be approaching stoplight, for example. I’m concerned over potential crash.

I am responding to the story given about the Toyota Prius that could not go in snow. I just read the post about the Toyota Prius that if it began to spin at all, power completely shuts down to the drive system. This is true, and I do believe the Toyota Prius is acting as designed. Mr. ** points out that if a tire begins to spin, the brakes are applied, or power is shut down so that the tire will not spin, only grip. Therefore, if it does not grip, it will not move. I am here to say with authority that whenever you remove the ability of a car to spin under "any" condition whatsoever, that car limits the driver’s ability to control and maneuver the vehicle.

I have a 2007 Toyota Prius. The 1st headlight went out in one year, the other the year after. This is something they know about, but like the gas sticking they try to ignore. I have had a Toyota since 1989, but I am losing faith in them because the company does not want to take the blame for things until enough problems arise and people are hurt. The are no consequences really, I got a warning ticket the day after they pulled me over for the same thing so I had to get the light replaced.

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.

I bought a used 2008 Prius in 2009. I drove for half a year and the driver’s side headlight went out. I went to the mechanic and replaced the headlight. Then the passenger's headlight went out. I thought I need to replace the passenger's headlight. But when I turn the headlight on and off, the passenger's headlight went back on and the light is very bright. It soon starts to dim in 5 seconds and then completely went out. I feel very unsafe when driving my car now.

Today's news about the suspension of Toyota sales had me wondering why the Prius was conspicuously absent from the list. We have a 2010 Prius with 3500 miles on it. Twice lately, I have noticed the surge of acceleration on bumps and it has been alarming. When I found other testimonials about this on this site, I don't feel paranoid any more, just worried. Perhaps there is something in the jarring that causes the fault?

I own a 2008 Toyota Prius, purchased from the dealer right off the lot. From day one, I have noticed the brakes do not work properly. At first, I thought it was just a terrible car for rain or snow but it was having problems in the slightest rain shower. If I hit a pot hole or bump while slowing down, the brakes release. If the traction control activates, the brakes release. The smallest bump or slight slip from one tire and the brakes stop working.

I purchased a 2010 Prius on 1-16-2009 at the San Diego dealer, Mossy Toyota. I drove the car from San Diego to Chico, CA. While I was going over the Grapevine between Los Angeles and Bakersfield, I was traveling about 70 mph when I lost acceleration to the vehicle. I had to dodge cars and trucks and finally was able to come to a stop on the side of the road. I turned off the Prius and then sat there wondering what had just happened. I only had 100 miles on the car and it lost acceleration! I turned the Prius back on and put it in drive and drove the rest of the way 500 plus miles to Chico, Ca. with no further problems. I called the San Diego salesman, Mark, and discussed the loss of acceleration with him. He had never heard of such a thing. I spoke with the Chico service person, Gary, and he said the same thing, never heard of such a problem.

Finally, I got up the hill and into my garage, with the help of three kind neighbors who came out in the 19 degree, windy, snowy evening to help push my Prius for more than half a block! The TRAC (traction control system) seems to work counter-intuitively in snow by cutting power to the drive wheels of my supposedly front wheel drive car on a snowy incline. I have been able to deal with this sudden loss of traction on flat to gentle inclines, thus far, but the snow defeated me and my car tonight. Is there a way to override this "safety" feature? Thank goodness this happened on a lightly traveled residential street, and that I have caring, friendly neighbors.

My 2006 Prius headlight just started flickering on the driver’s side. I am told it will cost $150 for the light and $95 for the labor. This is high but actually much lower than other reports I have seen. I read about problems, fueling tanks. I find that my tank starts reading empty when it actually still has 3 or even 4 gallons in it. I know this because I drive it for days after it reads empty and then when I fill it, it will take closer to the 12 gallons it holds. I am not sure why it reads empty so early, but I will probably never run out of gas. I get 43 miles to the gallon in Utah, but I go up and down a lot of hills near or in the mountains. I have a relative in Texas that claims 50 mpg.

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.

My 2004 Prius had an intermittent headlight problem; it would go off, and once the car was turned off, it would come back on. I took it in to have it looked at. The dealership told me it needed a new headlight. I asked if they could guarantee that this would fix the problem. I was told yes. They fixed it and charged $450 for the bulb plus labor and disposal of the old bulb.

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.

Even with a small amount of snow I am unable to "burn" my way through even the smallest amount of snow the way I should be able to in my 2008 Toyota Prius. As soon as the wheels start to spin, engine power automatically cuts off. This is very frustrating. I recently had to completely clear the snow from my driveway just to make it up.

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.

2005 Prius.Uncontrolled acceleration on NV highway to approx. 90 mph (wife = driver, myself as passenger). After about 30 seconds, car returned to normal. No carpet bunched up under pedal (by close inspection)!

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:

The 2006 Toyota Prius has experienced intermittent loss of headlights. In other instances, the head light would go out spontaneously. I turn the off car and it may come on for 3-10 minutes and then go off again. The Toyota Prius was in the garage and 2005 at the airport. I let car sit for one week and battery was dead. All systems were turned off. There is no reason for battery to die when car was just sitting. The 2006 Toyota Prius nav. computer just stopped after the dealer fixed the headlight. I got an error message. Dealer claims it's a computer failure with $5,000 fix. Is there a simple reboot procedure?

The headlights on my 2007 Toyota Prius go out. Sometimes they come back on, sometimes they don't. I took it to the dealer, which could not duplicate the problem. I live on a windy rural road and last night, I finished my drive home at 25mph and the flashing of my turn indicators. Very dangerous!

My 2007 Prius High Intensity Display (HID) headlights fail frequently while I am driving. The driver's side headlight began failing in Spring 2009, and by winter, the passenger side light was also failing. There is an ambiguously described Toyota Service Bulletin on the problem, but I am having trouble getting the problem fixed. My mechanic said that the fix described in the TSB would likely not work and that I should investigate whether this is a frequent problem for this model. It is.

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 four 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.