2004 Toyota PRIUS: complaints, problems and recalls

ON THE TOYOTA 2004 PRIUS THE LEFT REAR AND CENTER REAR SEAT BELT BUCKELS ARE INTERCHANGED. THE LEFT REAR BUCKEL IS POSITIONED IN A VERTICAL POSITION BETWEEN THE LEFT AND CENTER SEATS. THE CENTER REAR SEAT BELT BUCKEL (MARKED CENTER) IS ON A FABRIC STRAP THAT EMERGES BETWEEN THE LEFT REAR SEAT CUSHION AND THE LEFT REAR BACK CUSHION APPROXIMATELY TWO INCHES FROM THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE LEFTREAR SEAT CUSHION (IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL YOU WILL SIT ON IT WHEN YOU USE THE LEFT REAR SEAT). AS A RESULT IT IS DIFFICULT TO FASTEN THE SEAT BELTS SINCE THEY CR…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10051359 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2004 PRIUS. (YOUR SUSTEM DOES NOT SHOW A PRIUS, SO I CHECKED THE TOYOTA MATRIX BOX, SINCE THE SYSTEM MADE ME CHECK SOME MODEL BOX.)THE TOYOTA NAVIGATION SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE--IT DIRECTS TURNS ONTO NON-EXITENT ROADS. PEOPLE WILL DIE WHEN THEY FOLLOW THE SYSTEM'S DIRECTIONS AND DRIVE OFF ROAD AND CRASH. LETTERS TO TOYOTA HAVE GONE UNANSWERED. BY TELEPHONE TOYOTA ADVISES THAT THIS IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051428 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

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 ↗

AT 8000 MILES THE GOODYEAR INTEGRITY 185/65 R 15 TIRES HAVE NO TRACTION WHEN ROADS ARE WET OR SLIPPERY RESULTING IN WHEEL SPIN. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10068535 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

2004 PRIUS- WARNING LIGHTS--INCLUDING MASTER WARNING-- APPEARED ON DASH AND COMPUTER. VEHICLE LOST POWER AND COULD NOT BE SHUT DOWN OR RESTARTED. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHICH INFORMED ME THAT NO FAULT COULD BE FOUND AND CAR APPEARED TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY. CAR NOW RUNS NORMALLY EXCEPT FOR "READY" LIGHT THAT APPEARS ON DASH. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 4,653 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082409 at NHTSA ↗

1. THE TOYOTA PRIUS HAS AN ALIGNMENT DEFECT THAT WORE OUT MY TIRES PREMATURELY. . THE CAR RODE ON THE WALL AND INNER TREAD OF THE TIRE WEARING IT DOWN TO THE NYLON AND WIRE BEFORE IT POPPED 3. NEW TIRES WERE PUT ON THE CAR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10093639 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-11-22 (November 22, 2004)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH AN IMPROPERLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. A SILICON OXIDE BUILD-UP OCCURS ON THE CONTACTS INSIDE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, WHICH CAN MAKE IT INOPERABLE.

Consequence: IF THE SWITCH IS INOPERABLE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE AND CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING DECEMBER 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2006-04-03 (April 3, 2006)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR, WHICH IS USED IN THE SIDE AIR BAG, THE CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAG, AND THE KNEE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, SOME INFLATORS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THE HEATING AGENTS NECESSARY FOR PROPER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IN THIS CONDITION, THE EXPANSION FORCE OF THE GAS MAY BE INSUFFICIENT TO PROPERLY INFLATE THE AIR BAG WHEN THE SRS SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED DURING A CRASH.

Consequence: THIS MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT IN THE INVOLVED SEATING POSITION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SPECIFIC SRS AIR BAG. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371, SCION AT 1-866-548-1851, OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2006-05-31 (May 31, 2006)

THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND SLIDING YOKE IN THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM CAN CRACK WHEN LARGE FORCES ARE APPLIED AND THE CONNECTION MAY SEPARATE OR THE SLEEVE MAY FRACTURE.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND INSPECT THE SLIDING YOKE AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2009-10-05 (October 5, 2009)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.

Consequence: A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: TOYOTA FILED AN AMENDED DEFECT REPORT ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009, STATING THAT DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ALTER THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR SURFACE UNDER THE PEDAL. THESE CHANGES ADDRESS THE RISK OF PEDAL ENTRAPMENT DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH THE FLOOR MAT. REDESIGNED ACCELERATOR PEDALS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE BEGINNING IN APRIL 2010 AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY MODIFIED PEDAL WITH THE NEW PEDAL IF DESIRED. ALSO, DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY GENUINE TOYOTA OR LEXUS ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MATS WITH REDESIGNED ALL-WEATHER MATS, OR REPURCHASE THE PREVIOUS MATS FROM OWNERS WHO DO NOT WANT THE NEW ONES. ADDITIONALLY, SOFTWARE MODIFICATIONS WILL BE INSTALLED ON CAMRY, AVALON AND LEXUS ES 350, IS 350 AND IS 250 MODELS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE BRAKE OVERRIDES THE ACCELERATOR IN THE EVENT BOTH BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE APPLIED. TOYOTA WILL BEGIN MAILING LETTERS TO OWNERS ON DECEMBER 31, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331, LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2012-11-14 (November 14, 2012)

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2003, through March 30, 2009 and FCHV-adv vehicles manufactured December 12, 2008, through September 13, 2011. During manufacturing, a scratch may have occurred inside of the electrically driven water pump at the coil wire. The coil wire may corrode at the scratched portion.

Consequence: The corroded coil wire may break and the water pump could stop. The corroded coil wire could cause a short circuit between coil wires and a possible open fuse, creating a stall-like condition of the hybrid system while the vehicle is being driven. This may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will replace the electric water pump, free of charge. The recall began on January 17, 2013. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2012-11-14 (November 14, 2012)

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 5, 2003, through March 30, 2009. The affected vehicles have a steering intermediate extension shaft assembly built with metal splines that complete the connection from the steering wheel to the steering gear. These splines may have been manufactured with an insufficient hardness.

Consequence: Over time, the splines may wear and eventually fail resulting in a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the extension shaft and replace it if it is one with insufficient hardness, free of charge. The recall began during December 2012. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.