general problems of the 2007 Toyota Prius - part 2

Interior lights are extremely dim. Affecting tons of Prius owners. Shift knob was working and has not gone out as well. Too expensive to replace the light bulb in shifter knob. No solution for interior dimmed lighting that lots of people are complaining about. Dealer said they know of the issue and it exists in all 2007 Toyota Prius models.

My dashboard went darking including the speedometer and it appears to also disable the odometer when this happens. This happened after stopping to fill up for gas. After restarting the car the dashboard will no longer light up. It looks like you can temporally reset the faulty part by disconnecting it from the battery and reconnecting it. This issue is regarding a problem that is known to Toyota, they have extended the warranty for this part to 9 years/unlimited miles. My Prius was effected after 9 1/2 years putting me past the warranty they extended. The problem is with the "combination meter", it appears to be caused by a bad solder during the manufacturing process. Research shows me this effects 2004-2009 Prius models and it looks like most Prius will run into the issue at some point. I'm not sure why this hasn't been a recall as no speedometer is obviously a safety issue, the problem is widespread and Toyota seems to acknowledge the problem with their warranty extension. I imagine it took me more than nine years as we only have 90,000 miles after nearly 10 years of ownership. A google search on Toyota Prius combination meter problem will bring up a lot of information on this. Thank you for your time, mike holiday counsoul23@hotmail. Com.

The headlights constantly go off by themselves sporadically. I never know when the issue occurs only if I see my headlights reflected in the car in front of me do I know whether one of the lights are out. Turning the lights off and clicking them back on temporarily resolves the problem, but it is a constant problem that is unsafe and scary at times because it causes extreme visibility issues. This has happened at any time, while I'm on the street, while I'm parked and on the highway.

I was driving down the road at 65 mph when the electronic instrument panel went blank I could no longer tell how fast I was going, how much fuel I had left or if any of the warning lights ( low tire, low oil, running high temperature, etc. ) were on. The display originally went out in 2010 but the Toyota dealership told me how to correct it. It has happened 2 more times since then the latest being the third. This time it has rendered the car unsafe and undriveable. I found out searching the internet that Toyota has been aware of this problem since 2009. Siting t-sb-0172-09 combination meter intermittent display which affected Prius from 2004 to 2009, for 3 years 36000 miles. In 2012 they issued a warranty enhancement program for the same problem combination meter intermittent display and then became 9 years from date of first use or before September of 2013 with unlimited mileage. Since it was a warranty enhancement instead of a recall they did not send notices to everyone with Prius about this defect. Since notice was not supplied I was one of I am sure quite a few who fell through the cracks. I contacted Toyota about the situation and was informed that Toyota would do nothing to correct the problem.

This 07 Toyota Prius dash instrument lights will go out whether stationary or in motion and or not come on at the start of the vehicle. The car can be driven but there is no way to reference the speed or vital functions of the vehicle when this occurs. Also the vehicle will not turn off when the power button is pushed when the dash is inoperative unless you hold the power button down for an extended amount of time. Toyota knows about this issue but the time limit on the unpublished extended warranty that I was told has expired. We bought this vehicle new in 07. This vehicle started doing this recently. This should have been a recall item on this vehicle due to the potential safety issue.

As I was coming back from livermore to san jose down the sunol grande last weekend, my dash lights suddenly went out meaning I had no speedometer or wait to tell how much gas I had and the abs and stability control went out while going 65 miles an hour down a steep hill. Luckily I was able to get home and don't ask me how I figured out to get the car to turn off. I called the one 800 Toyota number and it turns out there was a problem with something called the combo meter on these cars and it had an extended warranty for a total of nine years. My warranty expired they said April 2016. This seems like a serious safety issue that Toyota should cover if they are concerned about their customers safety.

Dashboard display (including backup display) intermittently functions. This happens when stationary, in motion, on a city street or highway, turning, driving straight, or breaking. The following unsafe conditions resulted: no speedometer, no gas gauge, no tire pressure gauge, no odometer, no cruise control, no backup display, etc.

Steering wheel control on right side only works intermittently. Unable to control defroster or control air conditioner vent.

The trunk opener switch on my 2007 Prius no longer works reliably because it is made of a defective rubber which has at this point melted into a goopy mess. This means that the opener switch can become stuck in the closed position, rendering it impossible to open the trunk until the release mechanism of the switch overcomes the tensile strength of the goop. As a cursory google search shows, this is a common problem which Toyota routinely refuses to repair. It is a potential safety issue because a pet or child could be difficult to retrieve from the trunk area if the trunk cannot be opened. An unexpected hazard such as a leaking propane tank or a battery fire in the trunk area could similarly be difficult to mitigate.

Takata recall. My car won't shut off. They say the instrument panel cluster needs replaced. It has been on back order for 13 days so my car is useless. I can't drive it. I paid either 23,000 or 28,000 for it and have kept it maintained. The Toyota place says they have another lady that's been waiting 3 days less than mine. I called California Toyota. They can't tell me anything - but today told me it might be on back order. This is a safety issue. A car that won't shut off is a danger. It could kick into gear. It could damage the motor. A car that you can't tell how much gas is in it can be a problem as well. I can't drive it. The speedometer won't work. This is a problem with safety as if you can't tell what speed you are going you risk tickets. The Toyota place in birmingham has replaced 30 of these instrument clusters. If that is representative nationwide there is a big problem and these cars should be recalled. I only have 150,000 miles approx. On my car. The salesman told me it would last at least 300,000 miles. I had to replace the 4800. 00 battery at 103000 miles. My other gripe is they didn't tell me until 13 days later it was "probably" on back order. I wouldn't have rented a car for 13 days had I known it was "probably" on back order.

While I was driving, the car suddenly made a very loud sound, that did not go away. Along with that, the lights on the dash lit up, the brake light, the red hazard exclamation triangle light, the abs and vsc light. It felt the brakes were not working and I would need to press it down hard for it to slow down. This has happened three times! and each time I took it in to Toyota, their diagnostic tests showed nothing. They think it could be the battery but they did not suggest changing it. The three episodes that happened, luckily no injuries or crashes. But it is very concerning as I feel this will happen again and they have not figured out what the problem is.

Combination meter failure while driving. Unable to view speedometer or dash lights. Car sometimes locks up, unable to view abs signal because dashlights become inoperable. Unable to turn car off during dashboard/combination meter failure.

The electronic dash (heads up instrument display) on our 2007 Prius has intermittently failed to light over the last year. Yesterday, it failed and also wouldn't turn off. We always use the remote (keyless) ignition system. But, after the failures yesterday I put the electronic key fob into the hole in the dash thinking that might help. Instead, I couldn't remove it. I tried every combination of pressing buttons (the park and power buttons) and other controls, brakes pedal, shifter and it still wouldn't shut off or light up the display. After holding the power button in for an extended amount of time, it turned off and ejected the key fob. But then the car wouldn't light up the instrument display or start. This morning, again, it would not start. I was told by an experienced Prius mechanic (also an owner) that these were classic symptoms of a failing power amplifier for the display and that it was a "secret warranty," a voluntary repair to avoid a government recall, but that Toyota would only do it for 10 years. The dealer refused to do it under warranty even though the symptoms began before the car was 10 years old. They told me the recall was only good for nine years. They want $765 for the repair. It strikes me that this is a safety failure and should be covered, period. With no indication of speed or other functions (abs function, traction control, etc. ), or to turn the vehicle off, it is unsafe to operate the vehicle. The various failures, including loss of cruise control while in motion, took place when the car was cold and when it was warmed up. At rest and in motion.

In September 2014 I turned on the ignition and the dash did not come on. The car would drive but it did not indicate speed, gear selector etc. Upon parking the vehicle would not turn off. By moving forward and backward and trying to turn it off repeatedly it eventually turned off. This did not reoccur until the following year when the weather got wet in southern California. It would happen occasionally on cold damp mornings and then everything would be functional the next time I drove it. It started happening often and for multiple days in 2016. It became so difficult to turn the car off (and if the car does turn off there is little indication so I had a close call when I exited the vehicle and it began to roll away) that I went online to see if anyone else had had this problem. Apparently it is very common and Toyota is aware of the design flaw, so they will repair it under warranty for 9 years from the new vehicle purchase date. I called Toyota and they said that the car was 9 years and 4 months old and they would not cover it and it would be ~$1500 to fix. I explained that it had been going on for 2+ years and they said there was nothing they could do. I asked why they had not notified owners and they said that it was not a "recall" so they didn't have to. This is a safety issue and an acknowledged design flaw that poses a safety hazard to the public. When the Prius "combination meter" is not functioning the vehicle can not be turned off quickly and the vehicle may drive off if the the emergency brake is not strong enough to overcome the engine. Please compel Toyota to at least notify owners of vehicles affected by this design flaw. Even better, compel them to fix defective vehicles or issue a recall for all vehicles to head of this potential public safety threat.

Bought 2007 Prius used and everything worked. Now the driver side headlight wont work after several new lightbulbs and a ballast have been changed. It has never been in an accident to my knowledge, I would like to know if Toyota will fix their problematic vehicle.

Front driver side headlight keeps turning off intermittently and at random while driving. The car has been in to the Toyota service department several times but the problem can not be isolated. Several on-line forums suggest this is a manufacturer defect with the hid or electrical connection and have been charged thousands of dollars replacing bulbs, light housings, and connectors without fixing the issue. This is a major safety concern and traffic violation to be driving at night when your headlight can turn of at any moment. Please have Toyota address this issue immediately. Https://priuschat. Com/threads/headlight-problem. 34584/ https://www. Carcomplaints. Com/Toyota/prius/2007/lights/headlight_randomly_turns_off_while_driving. . Read more...

The rubber cover of the rear lift gate switch has deteriorated to the point where the switch won't work any more. I am unable to access the spare tire and other important things in the back of the car.

The headlights on my Prius randomly go dark. Sometimes 1 headlight and other times both. Turning off the light switch and then back on is a temporary fix. The problem comes back minutes later. This is very unsafe for myself and other drivers on the road. This happened while I was on the interstate going 70 mph last night!.

One hid headlamp will occasionally turn itself off. Turning headlamp switch off for 3-5 minutes and then back on will correct the issue. As one could imagine, very problematic when driving on the freeway at night. Multiple bulb replacements (over $150 each) have had no effect. Dealer recommended full headlamp replacement is over $1000. Research found that many others have had a similar issue, and eventually trace the problem back to the ballast of the hid lamp, which is easily damaged by water from poor design (the ballast is weather-sealed against the engine compartment, but not against the headlamp itself; any water that makes its way into the lamp will run down and pool on the ballast electronics).

Tl-the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 70 mph, the brake pedal depressed on it's own and failed to accelerate. The brake hazard warning indicator illuminated several times. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacture was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 52,800. Jw.

Yet another 2007 Prius with the rear hatch door latch cover that has decomposed rendering the ability to open the door from the outside impossible. This is a defect that is widely documented on various websites. Toyota should be held accountable and correct this defect at their cost. Safety issues: inability to access equipment necessary to repair a tire failure, potential to be stranded on interstate highways, in remote areas etc. I am 69 years old, have had a hip replacement, a comminuted fracture of the patella on the same leg resulting in wire and screws holding the patella together. The other leg has sustained a traumatic injury that resulted in a rod from top to bottom of the tibia, and muscle, vascular, and skin grafts. Crawling inside the vehicle to access the manual release is not the easy task it may have once been; inability to access first aid or other safey equipment in the event of an incident; inability of rescuers to access the cabin via the rear hatch in the event of an accident.

Headlamps go out suddenly and back on if switched turned off then on. Bulbs werereplaced as part of recall and it continues to happen. Over $500 quote to replace bulbs but no guarantee it doesn't continue to happen.

The rear hatch release on my 2007 Toyota Prius has begun to deteriorate and turn into a rubbery and sticky black mess. This issue interferes with the use of the hatch as the rubber not only gets on your fingers but appears to be blocking the release mechanism. The deterioration started during the summer. . The issue has worsened and today I was unable to open the rear hatch whatsoever.

The back latch of my 2007 Toyota Prius has degraded ("melted" almost). It no longer functions properly, and I am unable to open the back hatch door easily. Sometimes it requires considerable effort and perseverance to get it open. I am concerned that in the case of an emergency, I will not be able to get the door open. This is a major cause for concern and it is a serious safety hazard.

Tl- the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that driving the vehicle into their garage the vehicle experienced a brief period of unintended acceleration which resulted in a crash in the garage. There were no warning indicators illuminated. Prior to this failure the vehicle experiened a simular failure in 2012. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it could not be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79626. Kh.

My wifes 2007 Prius headlights continue to flicker while driving at night. Then one side or the other will go out. The headlights have been inspected by 2 certified mechanics neither can find any faults in the headlights or bulbs even applying contact grease to assure electrical continuity. Attention NHTSA administrators ( this certainly could become a deadly problem. ) we have had both lights go out simultaneously. The driver must immediately turn the light switch off then on to restore lighting. I hope they never fail to re-light!! of all the problems- attention surely must be given to these lights. Almost a thousand complaints here. . How many people keep taking this problem to the dealers, only to have it repeat itself? immediate action is required by the NHTSA.

Tl-the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the lighting on the instrument panel became deem without warning. The contact pulled over and powered the vehicle off and back on and the lighting was normal. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 93,000. Pam.

I started my car and as I was driving noticed no instrument lights on dash. I tried turning engine off (2 step procedure) and was unable to stop engine, unable to remove keys. I was stuck with a car that was running, an inability to lock the car because it did not recognize the commands. I tried calling the closest dealership and was passed from one person to another without answers as to what to do. I then called the dealership where I had purchased the car and they were able to tell me how to get the engine off - and they said there had been a recall on the instrument cluster. I had not been notified. I regularly have my car serviced at the dealership - as recently as 3 weeks ago.

Vehicle does not properly start-up and ends up in a state where it cannot be turned off. I pushed the ignition button, which normally quickly turns green and normally the car would start. Instead, the car goes into a state where the dashboard illuminates, an error icon is displayed, and the power cannot be turned off. I hold down the power button for over 5 minutes before the car finally turns off. During this time, the power button is amber, the dashboard does not show the car is in any gear, and the green light on the park button is on. The power button absolutely does not function, nor does the gear selector. My understanding is that holding down the power button for 5 seconds should absolutely turn it off, this is not the case. This has happened on three occasions in the past week.

Headlight hid lights goes off without any reason. Problem has been found in various vehicles as per the online forums.

Tl- the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the authorized dealer installed four tires and after the repair the tpms sensor intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the authorized dealer who indicated that they damaged the vehicle during the installation of the tpms sensor. The authorized dealer replaced the tpms and the failure did not recurr. The contact also indicated that the vehicle was parked in the driveway and upon further inspection of the vehicle the fire department was contacted due to the presence of fire burning from the console to the back seat of the vehicle. The vehicle was inspected by the fire department who determined that there may be an electrical malfunction. The vehicle was to be inspected by the insurance adjustor and the authorized dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was waiting for a response from the manufacturer to further diagnose the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000. Dyd.

I was driving home last night and various warning lights came on. Within a short time the vehicle lost all power (entered a failsafe mode) and the hybrid system shut down while I was driving. The result was a complete loss of power and the vehicle came to a stop in traffic. I was close to the curb and turned on my emergency flashers. Called a tow truck and will take this to the dealer. I called Toyota customer service to see if others had experienced anything similar and they had no access to any information about other customer's experiences. They did say that there are no active recalls for this make and model year. A recall for the 2010 - 2014 Toyota Prius was issued in February 2014 for what sounds like a similar problem. While this wasn't a life threatening issue for me last night, in a press release drivers who've experienced similar issues were warned to get out of their vehicles because they could be in danger from being rear ended.

At approximately 65mph a red triangle warning light appeared on the dash panel accompanied by a yellow circle. The parking button was flashing and a pink cartoon car appeared on the display. The car was running fine so I continued till I reached my freeway exit. At the bottom of the exit I had to stop for a red light. The exit is dark and has a sharp curve. Upon stopping the car the transmission locked and the engine shut down. I was unable to start the engine and and the car could not be pushed out of the way due to the transmission lock. Frantically I had to get a flashlight and wave off oncoming traffic. It was very dangerous. After a few minutes I retried the engine and it started allowing me to get off the ramp and get home. The warning lights stayed on. I took the car to the dealer the next day and after they tested everything they said that there was nothing wrong. Next time I might not be so lucky.

The back latch of my 2007 Toyota Prius has degraded ("melted" almost). It no longer functions properly, and I am unable to open the back hatch door easily. Sometimes it requires considerable effort and perseverance to get it open. I am concerned that in the case of an emergency, I will not be able to get the door open. This is a major cause for concern and it is a serious safety hazard.

2007 Prius dashboard lights malfunction - completely dark. See nhsta # 10544698 and many other complaints regarding dsashboard lights/cluster going completely dark and engine will not shut off. This is an extremely serious safety issue and dealerships will not repair for free. The part needed is a combination meter/cluster that costs around $1000 to repair from the dealer. Please everyone - push for national recall as this is an extremely dangerous safety issue.