2011 Toyota PRIUS: complaints, problems and recalls

REAR VISIBILITY SERIOUSLY HAMPERED BECAUSE NO CAMERA INSTALLED IN VEHICLE. TOYOTA MOTOR CAR COMPANY KNOWS FROM EXPERIENCE THE SERIOUS SAFETY & FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ADDRESSING A SAFETY ISSUE & A CAMERA PROVIDING THE DRIVER REAR VISIBILITY COULD DRAMATICALLY SAVE THE LIFE OF PERSON(CHILD) AT REAR OF VEHICLE. IT IS TO BE NOTED TOYOTA INSTALLED CAMERA IN THE PRIUS ONLY WHEN NAVIGATION SYS. IS PURCHASED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10393328 at NHTSA ↗

NEW 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS SHOOK VIOLENTLY UPON STARTUP. SEVERE ENGINE NOISE FOR 10 SECONDS UNTIL SMOOTHING OUT AFTER 40 SECONDS. DASHBOARD AND BODY PANELS VISIBLY RATTLING. ONLY 970 MILES ON ODOMETER. CHECKED INTERNET, AND FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. WORRIED ABOUT DRIVETRAIN DAMAGE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 970 miles reported. Look up ODI 10393790 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE FORWARD WHILE PRESSURE WAS BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKES. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A COMPLAINT ON THE CONTACTS BEHALF BUT PROVIDED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900.

Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10396689 at NHTSA ↗

NEW 2011 PRIUS II DELIVERED BY JAFFARIAN TOYOTA WITHOUT FLOOR MAT SECURING DEVICE INSTALLED. FLOOR MAT NOT BEING SECURED COULD CAUSE INTERFERENCE WITH PEDALS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 58 miles reported. Look up ODI 10408896 at NHTSA ↗

PURCHASED A NEW 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS FROM RAHAL TOYOTA, [XXX] ON 07/02/2011. CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN 03/2011. ON 07/17/2011 A CAR MADE AN ILLEGAL LEFT TURN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US AND THE FRONT OF THE PRIUS STRUCK THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE OTHER CAR AT APPROX. 45 MPH. THE PRIUS AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE ENGINE/ HYBRID SYSTEM CONTINUED TO RUN. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT THEY HAD JUST TAKEN A CLASS ON HYBRID CARS AND SAID THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AND THE COMPUTER SHOULD HAVE SHUT THE CAR DOWN AS SOON AS THE IMPACT OCCURR…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10413491 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2011 PRIUS AND IF WHILE I AM BRAKING, I DRIVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES RELEASE. I MUST RE-APPLY THE BRAKES TO RE-ENGAGE THEM. I FEEL THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS WEBSITE REFERENCES TO THIS PROBLEM. WHEN WILL A RECALL HAPPEN BEFORE SOMEONE HAS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT? *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 6,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10415273 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADREST WOULD SLIDE UP AND OUT OF THE SEAT WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEADREST WOULD OBSTRUCT HIS VISION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SEE WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE FROM THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT ALL DRIVERS SIDE HEADRESTS ON THE 2011 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES FUNCTION IN THE SAME FASHION. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A SAFETY FEATURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10 AND THE C…

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10417663 at NHTSA ↗

MY 2011 PRIUS II INTERMITTENTLY GOES INTO REVERSE WHEN I SHIFT INTO DRIVE. APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES NOW SINCE BEGINNING. TWICE IT HAS GONE INTO DRIVE WHEN I HAVE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE.

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10423463 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2013-01-16 (January 16, 2013)

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Reported: 2014-02-12 (February 12, 2014)

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures. If this occurs, various warning lamps will be illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle will have reduced power allowing it to only drive a short distance.

Consequence: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will update the software for both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. If an owner experiences a failure of the inverter before the vehicle receives updated software, the dealer will repair or replace the inverter assembly with a new one at no charge. The recall began on March 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2014-11-19 (November 19, 2014)

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

Consequence: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

Reported: 2016-06-02 (June 2, 2016)

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

Consequence: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

Reported: 2016-06-30 (June 30, 2016)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Toyota Prius, 2010 and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and 2011-2012 Lexus CT200h vehicles. A weld in the curtain shield air bag inflator may crack causing one or both portions of the inflator to eject into the passenger cabin.

Consequence: If either portion of the curtain shield air bag inflator ejects into the passenger cabin, there is an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install retention brackets to the curtain shield air bags, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Service Department at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is Toyota G0U, and Lexus GLJ.

Reported: 2018-10-04 (October 4, 2018)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.

Consequence: If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0V. Note: The software updates in this recall are needed even if the vehicle had the software previously updated under recalls 14V-053 or 15V-449.