general problems of the 2007 Toyota Prius - part 1

Failing hybrid water pump at around 110,000 miles. This part was part of a recall in 2012 but my VIN is not included for the same issue.

This complaint is about the problematic brake actuator for a Toyota Prius hybrid. I started to hear frequent whirring noises from the front part of the vehicle a few month ago. Additionally, whenever my foot is on the brake, a mechanic sound appears. Recently, the whirring noise is becoming more frequent, on a approximately every 10-15 sec frequency. I took the car to the dealership last Friday, and the mechanics stated the issues being associated with the brake actuator. The dealership also stated that if repairs or replacement was recommended after diagnosis, the cost would be on the order of $2,000 to $3,000. I contacted my regular mechanic shop, and found out that they do not perform brake actuator repairs on a hybrid. This issue left me with limited choice for solution because it seems to be specialized and is expensive to fix, and most importantly, this issue could lead to a safety hazard for my future transportation.

When the 12-volt battery in this car dies, there is no warning light to indicate the battery is dead or is running low. The driver is given no warning or indication prior to the car being disabled. Once the battery dies, the vehicle immediately decelerates, there is no acceleration, the braking system becomes mostly disabled, and the power steering is not functional. The car becomes disabled, while being driven, without warning. When this event happens, there is a high pitched screaching alarm, and the majority of the dash lights turn on. None of which indicate there is an issue with the 12-volt battery. The large red triangle light with the exclamation mark comes on, as well the lights indicating that there is a problem with the brakes. Additional dash lights also turn on during this dangerous event. The rear view monitor screen states that there is an issue with the transmission. The reality that a minor 12- volt battery is responsible for disabling a vehicle is extremely dangerous, especially since it happens when the car is being driven. This is a serious issue. Toyota must include an indicator light that warns the driver the battery is low prior to the car being being disabled. Please investigate this matter, as it seems to be a common problem, based on online research. My safety was in jeopardy due to the fact that I was driving the car on a main road, with moderate traffic, and lost control of the car as it became disabled. To get my car off of the road required the assistance of several good samaritans who used their bodies to block traffic in order to get the car out of the flow of oncoming traffic. Fourteen days later, after the battery was replaced, and the car serviced/inspected, I drove the car 10 to 15 miles, wherein the car did the same thing. Per the dealership, the issue was not the 12- bolt battery. Thank you for your time and consideration. Kindly, cynthia becker 623-209-4290 cjbecker246@gmail. Com.

Unknown I had just financed the vehicle 2-3 days prior.

After pressing gas pedal almost all the way - it stuck for few seconds. I was able to stop by heavy braking. Has nothing to do with floor mats!.

My car when stopped and running lunges forward.

The hooks holding the driver's side carpet in place have popped loose, causing the carpet to slide around unpredictably. I'm fairly sure there was a recall a few years ago about this (we did take the car into the dealership at the time) but this is worse. I mentioned this to them circa 6/21, but they saw no active recalls then.

Hatch is difficult to open and gets stuck if you don't fully pull the latch free. Regardless of the difficulty opening at times, the handle is melted and leaves a sticky black "tar" on your hand every time you open the hatch. . Read more...

On an intermittent basis, the dash does not light up(speed, gear selections , gas level, etc) when this happens you can not shut the engine off or remove the ignition key which are big safety items when you have to park as you can not lock the doors and all information on the large display does not work or any of the dash display so you have no indication of speed, engine warnings etc. I purchased my 2007 Prius from my local county and now they have a 2009 Prius with the same problem. All Prius should be recalled by Toyota, regardless of age and fixed a it is a very dangerous problem. I have searched the internet about this problem and it seems be a problem with the Prius. The estimate I have to solve the problem is approximately $1,200 and this should be fixed by Toyota as a definite recall safety problem. It is a start, stop problem when you can not shut off the engine or remove the key and while driving no speed indication.

Sometimes the dash won't light up other times the car won't shut off plus on the tailgate the little electrical piece fell off where you open the trunk.

Toyota sent the extended warranty notice on the combination meter to the wrong address; therefore, I could not "connect the dots" regarding my dashboard blackout--meaning I thought it was quirky, not a documented problem with the combination meter. My 2007 Prius with only 35,000 miles on it needs a replacement combination meter but Toyota will not pay for it--claiming it provided an extended warranty. My response so what? I am driving a dangerous vehicle which does not indicate the speed I'm driving, the gas supply, the warning lights, and backup camera. I have had the requisite services over the years and the problem is clearly a defect in Toyota's manufacturing and supply chain. If Toyota really cares about the customer, why won't Toyota take responsibility for the failing part and repair my perilous vehicle? the situation is dangerous! I can't lock the car, know for sure when it is turned off, see the warning lights, know if the airbag alert is legit--non-functional all. To replace the failed part will cost near $1000, my monthly social security. Think about this pricetag, Toyota headquarters and local dealerships. My safety is severely jeopardized. Please work to recall these impacted vehicles. That my Prius has been serviced every single year according to schedule, that this mysterious dark screen has been popping up for years, and that Toyota sent the notice of extended warranty to the wrong address should demonstrate where the culpability lies. Toyota should take ownership of this dangerous situation and fix all the defective vehicles--behavior which demonstrates the company truly cares about its customers!.

We have a 2007 Toyota Prius and the airbag light on the dashboard will not shut off. It has not been in an accidentand I was told that there was a safety recall for this. It drives fine, I'm just worried that something bad will happen. This has been an ongoing problem for about 2-3 months.

2007 Toyota Prius complaint. We have a 2007 Prius and the airbag light will not shut off at all. It was not in an accident or anything. I refuse to take it to the deal where they will charge for diagnosis and then repair which could turn out to be $400. 00, I called them earlier this week to get an idea about the cost.

The rear hatch latch deteriorates and makes it increasingly difficult to open the back hatch. It is now completely broken and the back hatch is inaccessible � making impossible to access the spare tire in case of a road-side emergency.

There is a common problem with the instrument cluster combination meter which contains the speedometer display. This cluster tends to malfunction when the vehicle is turned on. The display will not turn on with the rest of the vehicle. This malfunction allows a driver to continue to operate the vehicle, but without the speedometer, odometer, and gear shift display. This is a safety issue because many Prius drivers are driving without the use of a speedometer!!! Toyota issued a 9 year extended warranty on this manufacturing defect for their 2nd generation Prius models. Clearly this is evidence that this is a very common issue. With 2nd generation Prius series (2003-2009) rapidly aging out of this 9 year extended customer support program, this poses an ever increasing consumer safety risk to the general public. Repair costs the trade in value of the vehicle is less than $3,000 while the repair quoted by my local Toyota dealership was $1028. This repair cost highly discourages owners to get this fixed. Since there is little incentive to invest in this costly repair, I am concerned that many Prius drivers are driving without a speedometer! by going though considerable effort to detach the start battery when this problem surfaces, the computer system in the display can go though a hard reset, and tends to operate properly for a short period of time. This would allow an individual to easily pass a safety inspection, but the considerable effort to go though this process would prevent consumers to go though this effort every time the display went out. The instrument cluster should be recalled in the interest of public safety! these vehicles need to be repaired or taken off the streets! vehicle safety inspections are not likely to catch this issue, as the problem can be temporary masked.

After I noticed that the SUV sufficiently ahead of me in the same lane was stopping to make a left turn, I started slowing down with plenty of space. I glanced for a second to my right side to check safety around another set of headlights. When I faced forward I could see that I was getting too close to the about-to-turn car ahead of me. I immediately slammed on the brakes, but the car kept moving forward and slammed into the SUV's rear end. Thankfully there were no physically injuries, but the collision caused low/moderate damage to the SUV and major damage to my Prius -- enough that the radiator was clobbered, and that my car had to be towed. At the time of this post, the repair shop has not yet finished evaluating it and reporting on all the damaged parts and the estimate costs. Prior to purchasing this vehicle about 9 months ago, I had checked for active recalls but found none, and I confirmed the same shortly after the purchase. Apparently, though, Toyota has not yet issued a recall on the brake system even after many similar complaints about such a failure during an emergency need for a total stop. I am really interested in pursuing further action, possibly through legal avenues.

Clock spring wiring harness in steering wheel going out. Started with non-safety items: a/c, defrost. Now the horn does not work. Others report that air bags are also connected to this wiring harness which is failing. Other Toyota models had recall because clock spring harness caused air bags to fail.

Good year weatherhandler fuel maxx tires with only 9000 miles dry rotten and loss of air and coming apart. Dot pj19ky1r sold to me by national tire and battery Feb 9, 2016 manufactured July 16,3013 goodyear would not warranty defects and national tire and battery would not replace. Due to defects in the tire. National tire and battery prorated tires with 10/32 tread depth on one and 9/32 on the rest. New tires the cost to me with replacement was the same as new. I was having loss of air in the tires daily. I kept the old tires to show the defective sidewalls.

One headlight repeatedly goes off while driving. Turning lights all the way off and then back on temporarily relieves the problem. The issue often occurs when braking, but can occur randomly while in motion. This has been going on with my vehicle for years.

The back latch to the trunk/hatch is defective. The rubber exterior part has melted and is all gooey and sticky. In the winter time it freezes. We are unable to open or use the trunk. This is a safety issue and also can not access spare or compartment. This is a faulty part and there have been thousands of similar reports. I would like this fixed as is a manufacturing flaw and defect.

The rubber exterior of the back latch handle has melted completely making the back hatch completely inoperable. I can no longer press the button that is supposed to open the hatch as the rubber that coated it has melted into a gooey mass and then hardened. This has occured over the summer while the car was parked and the tempuratures were in the 100's.

The handle on the hatchback has become sticky and will not let me open the hatch. This is a safety problem because if I needed to get at my spare tire, I would not be able to do so. Toyota wants $250. 00 to repair it. I think Toyota should repair it at no charge.

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.

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.

The trunk release latch on my 2007 Prius has deteriorated almost to the point of not being able to open the trunk. The same part was replaced about 4 years after I purchased the vehicle. And now, it's happening again. It's like the plastic stuff is melting and falling apart. We are having to purchase this same part, for the second time now. Love my Prius, but hate having to make repairs on the same issue 2 times. Also, I had the headlights repaired (from a recall) about 2 years after I purchased the car. The front headlights are still doing the same thing. The problem was never really fixed. While driving at night and in day time, the headlights go out. Usually they go out one at a time. Like the right side will go out. Then you can flip the switch to turn them on and off, and it'll work again for about 5 minutes. Then the left side will go out. This usually happens every night while driving and I have to flip the switch on and off about 9 times while driving short and long distances. I just usually flip the switch and they come back on again. Sometimes while driving at night, they both go out at the same time. Really a safety hazard when driving around with my 2 small kids!! brought it back to Toyota dealership in lake charles to be repaired. But they said they couldn't re-create the problem, so they couldn't fix it. How long do you think I can keep driving around in the dark with malfunctioning lights and kids in the car????????????????? this happens daily!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

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.

The rear hatch latch has become impossible to open. The exterior handle rubber has been softening, almost melting, for several years. When it has released in the past, sometimes it was only a partial release, leaving the hatch latched down. The hatch problems have been consistently affecting the operation of the latch to the point that I can no longer open it at all. I asked the dealer if there was a bulletin or recall after seeing all of the internet complaints and he said, no. He did say they get a lot of complaints/repairs on the 2007 hatch latch and the parts to repair it will take time to get in as they are in demand. Internet searches show this is a widespread problem that can involve safety. My spare tire is back there and I cannot access my trunk. Had to crawl though the back seat to change a taillight. Toyota needs to resolve this known problem and reimburse those who have fixed the problem themselves.

The rear hatch latch is controlled by an external rubber button that over time has melted into a sticky goo that has prevented the latch from operating with normal finger operation. My wife is unable to open the hatch even though her hands are stronger than the average woman. Not only is this a problem accessing items in the trunk of the car, but it could be a safety hazard under some emergency situations. Toyota has recalled similar latches on some scion models but told me that there is not a recall on this Prius model.

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). I have to press repeatedly to open the trunk. Each time I touch it to open the car my hands get covered in melted rubber. 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. Given how many people are experiencing this problem with a 2007 Toyota Prius (even my car dealer knows about the issue), why hasn't a recall been issued?.

The trunk hatch cover/switch on my 2007 Prius has completely melted and locked up. Myself, and many other Prius owners of this year, are victims of a faulty component and can no longer access our spare tires in case of an emergency. This is a terrible safety issue and these components should be recalled.

The vehicle mileage given is approximate. The passenger estimates the speed at about city street speeds at time of accident since the car was slowed to get on the shoulder. The accident is complicated because the driver can't remember much of what happened beyond she was pulling over to the right shoulder to change drivers or rest, but the front seat passenger was abruptly woken up from a scheduled nap by what seemed to him like a pothole or perhaps an abrupt edge to the road followed quickly by a rough ride. When he opened his eyes he saw the car on the wild clumps of grass like vegetation on the outside of the reflector stake line and an odd shoulder that was only partially cement or pavement with a substantial gap between the side reflectors and hard surface. This was semi-confirmed when reentering wyoming with his oldest son driving and seeing similar partial shoulders, but the son was unwilling to drive farther to the accident scene. The passenger's believes the traction control engaged and caused the car to go off the shoulder, in part because of a similar problem with a Geo Prius lsi abs brake system on ice that caused what would have not otherwise have been significant vehicle damage. The alternative explanation is a defect or debris on the shoulder itself. The driver tried to get back on the highway instead of following the slight contour down of the shoulder outside right of way and that or traction control may have caused the car to leave the partial shoulder. The vehicle was last seen at hp towing in evanston, wyoming. It was totaled and title will be transferred to allstate insurance. The seat belts in this car are too thin and tend to twist up preventing consistent support. The passenger protective cage in the Toyota Prius did an impressive job of protecting the occupants but a plastic layer would have prevented injuries and contents loss.

Back hatch handle melts in hot weather and gets tar on fingers and drips on car body. The only way Toyota has to fix this is to make consumer pay for a new rear handle assembly.