2004 Toyota PRIUS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
610 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
72,436 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 503 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 164 of 610 complaints (26.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 129 | 21.1% |
| Engine operation | 96 | 15.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 88 | 14.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 20 | 3.3% |
| Steering behavior | 18 | 3.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 0.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 164 |
| Electrical System | 153 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 48 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 45 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 29 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 24 |
| Service Brakes | 21 |
| Power Train | 18 |
Exterior Lighting: 164; Electrical System: 153; Vehicle Speed Control: 48; Engine And Engine Cooling: 45; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 29; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 24; Service Brakes: 21; Power Train: 18
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 148 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 56 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 53 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 75 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 106 |
| 150,000 and above | 65 |
Under 25,000: 148; 25,000 to 49,999: 56; 50,000 to 74,999: 53; 75,000 to 99,999: 75; 100,000 to 149,999: 106; 150,000 and above: 65
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (148). 107 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 172 |
| 2006 | 20 |
| 2007 | 18 |
| 2008 | 26 |
| 2009 | 67 |
| 2010 | 106 |
| 2011 | 28 |
| 2012 | 37 |
| 2013 | 21 |
| 2014 | 14 |
| 2015 | 22 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 18 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2025 | 2 |
2003: 2; 2004: 13; 2005: 172; 2006: 20; 2007: 18; 2008: 26; 2009: 67; 2010: 106; 2011: 28; 2012: 37; 2013: 21; 2014: 14; 2015: 22; 2016: 9; 2017: 12; 2018: 18; 2019: 10; 2020: 6; 2021: 2; 2022: 5; 2025: 2
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 129 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 96 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 88 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10064064 · 2004-03-29 (March 29, 2004)
REPORTED TO TOYOTA ON 2/7/04 FILE #200402110133. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, 70MPH, CRUISE CONTROL ON, BOTH MY WIFE AND MYSELF HAVE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED THE GEAR SHIFT KNOB WITH OUR HAND AND PUT THE PRIUS INTO DYNAMIC BRAKING MODE (DBM). THE SEMI-TRUCK BEHIND ME ALMOST RAN ME OVER BEFORE I COULD GET THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE. VERY DANGEROUS!!! THE BRAKE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON DURING DBM. TOYOTA SHOULD CHANGE THE SOFTWARE TO MAKE A DELAY IN THE GEAR-SHIFT FOR DBM SIMILAR TO SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL?*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 2,389 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064064 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10068301 · 2004-05-04 (May 4, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, I EXPERIENCED A MAJOR BRAKE MALFUNCTION (BRAKES BARELY RESPONDED AT ALL--ONLY BY PUSHING BRAKE PEDAL TO FLOOR DID I MANAGE TO SLOW DOWN/STOP VEHICLE). A CONTINUOUS WARNING BUZZER SOUNDED, AND THE ABS WARNING LIGHT AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED ON DASH. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO NEAREST DEALER. THIS COULD HAVE LED TO A CRASH AND INJURIES IF TRAFFIC HAD BEEN HEAVY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A "BRAKE ACTUATOR" FAILURE, AND THE PART(S) ARE CURRENTL…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10068301 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10079385 · 2004-06-16 (June 16, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER NOTICED ALL WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT INSISTED THAT WARNING LIGHT SHOULD BE TURNED OFF. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10079385 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10103649 · 2004-12-13 (December 13, 2004)
THE ACCLERATOR STUCK CONTINUOUSLY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND SHUTDOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM ,AND THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO SOLUTION. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10103649 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10099078 · 2004-11-22 (November 22, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THE CONSUMER PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FOR SPEED, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP. *JB THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A COMPUTER GLITCH PER TSB. THE BATTERY HAD GONE DEAD. *SC
Owner-reported narrative. 4,008 miles reported. Look up ODI 10099078 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10116069 · 2005-03-30 (March 30, 2005)
2004 TOYOTA PRIUS DIED AT 65 MPH ON I-395 CARPOOL LANES. MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS FLASHED ON. WAS ABLE TO COAST IT OVER AND RESTART FOR A MILE OR TWO WHEN IT COMPLETELY DIED AGAIN. WAS TOWED TO SPRINGFIELD VA TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WERE IT WAS SERVICED. ERROR CODES C2318 (LOW VOLTAGE ERROR - POWER SUPPLY MALFUNCTION), BATTERY CODE 8442 WERE REPORTED. ALSO, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, FOUND CODE P3791/ENGINE WON'T START. REPROGRAMMED ECU DP0199. CARS SHUTTING DOWN IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC IS A CRASH WAITING TO HAPPEN. WE'RE NOT CONVINCED THAT RE-SET…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,025 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116069 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10123887 · 2005-06-02 (June 2, 2005)
OUR 2004 PRIUS STALLED REPEATEDLY ON A DRIVE FROM HOLLAND, MICH., TO ST. LOUIS, MO, ON DEC. 26/27, 2004. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT WAS AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, WHEN ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT ON AND THE ENGINE DIED. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (IT WAS HE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS AND A SUNDAY, SO HELP WAS NOT READILY AVAILABLE), WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND RETURN TO HOLLAND. THE NEXT DAY, WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. WE RESUMED …
Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10123887 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10121920 · 2005-06-20 (June 20, 2005)
THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT. AFTER DRIVING FOR TWO BLOCKS, THE DASH LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THE STEERING HAD BECOME EASIER. THE GENERAL WARNING SYMBOL HAD COME ON, WHICH MEANT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE BRAKE LIGHT HAD BEEN CONTINUOUSLY ON. WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT BEHAVE AS IF IT WERE ACTIVATED. THE IGNITION RELAY WAS REPLACED PER WARNING LIGHT. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 8,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121920 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10125241 · 2005-07-15 (July 15, 2005)
DT: WHILE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT AT 35 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER PULLED OFF TO THE MEDIAN. THERE WERE LIGHTS FLASHING IN DASHBOARD, THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE WARNING CODES INCLUDED DO NOT DRIVE, AND NO BRAKES, ETC. JUST BEFORE STALLING, THE WARNING CODES CAME ON, INCLUDING NO BRAKES, DO NOT DRIVE, ALL HAZARDS, THE EXPLANATION POINTED TO A TRIANGLE AND ALL PRECAUTIONARY SAFETY WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A MEDIAN THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE CAR, IT WAS TOTALLY DEAD. AFTER THE LIGHTS CAME ON…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,941 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125241 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10110090 · 2005-02-08 (February 8, 2005)
THE FUEL INDICATOR MALFUNCTIONS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. IT STARTS TO SHOW EMPTY GAS TANK WHEN IT IS 1/2 FULL. THIS PROBLEM GOES AWAY WHEN TEMPORATURE RISES. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND TELLS US THAT THIS IS PROBABLY DUE TO BAD GAS TANK DESIGN. THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER ONE YEAR AND TOYOTA IS NOT WILLING TO FIX THIS ISSUE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10110090 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10129051 · 2005-07-18 (July 18, 2005)
1) MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS AND THE CAR HAD A WARNING LIGHT TURN ON ON DISPLAY, WENT TO "LIMP" MODE (SLOW) AND SUDDENLY STOPPED AFTER 1/2 MILE. 2) CAR COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED, NO POWER. 3) TOYOTA TOWED CAR TO SHOP AND REPLACED ECU CONTROLLER IN AREA OF FUEL TANK, ECU RELAY AND ENTIRE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY. PROBLEM HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN.
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10129051 at NHTSA ↗