Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Toyota Prius - part 1

My 2022 Prius le hood latch does not work. It does not click and hood stays locked. They told me at walmart that the hood latch is probably corroded somewhere or defective. It takes two people to open the hood. My vehicle has 54,490mi. This has happened twice now in 2 months. I have not purchased an extended warranty and this is something that should not be happening until over 100,000 miles. I've had this happen on another vehicle that was a Honda but that was because it had a lot of mileage on it. This is just a poorly manufactured defective part that Toyota decided to go cheap on and not make sure it functions past 50,000 mi. I contacted Toyota customer experience and they said that my warranty was expired and they will not be covering it. I told them that they need to make an exception because if I need to change my oil I need access to the engine. I should not be having to deal with this at such a young age of a vehicle.

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Failure of the intelligent power module (ipm) within the inverter assembly.

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My name is [xxx] ,I am filing this report on behalf of my daughter [xxx] the driver of the vehicle that involved with the unintended acceleration on the 2009 Toyota Prius . On a good clear morning on [xxx] . My daughter drove the 2009 Toyota Prius to work- when she enter to the parking lot at the speed round 5 mile/hour . Just when she was making a left turn on to the entrance gate with her left foot on the brake pedal . On a sudden the vehicle rpm unintended rev up too high and the vehicle had an unintended accelerating to move forward aggressively causing lose control of the steering . Also she could not brake even though her left foot was on the brake pedal and pressing hard to try to stop the vehicle . . This dangerous incident causing her Prius to bumped into the electrical gate panel control box . The accident caused some damages to her Prius and to the entrance gate control box though no body was hurt . But it got us through the terrible experience because it could kill some one for sure . My daughter been driving this commute car daily in the past 5 years and she has the skill of 20 year driving with good record . This Prius of her still have all oem equipments with no add- on parts-,no modifying part on any systems what so ever- and no extra floor mat cause we been warned before about the possible of unintended acceleration causing by aftermarket floor mat to any vehicles. . We feel unsafe after the mystery accelerating problem on Toyota vehicle that could take people lives . So the mystery unintended accelerating on car is real . I am currently checked and find out her Prius has 2 incomplete recalls (un-notice to us ) but none of them related to the unintended acceleration problem . We would like the NHTSA to take this problem seriously to save people life . I will included photos of this incidents and willing to provide all information if needed to address this problem, again to save lives . Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 5.

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Pulled out of the driveway drove about a 100 ft heard large clunking sound front end dropped down as if there was a flat tire pulled off the highway drove through the grass 100 ft back to my home the car started smoking from the engine compartment and burst into flames. Tried to extinguish with fire extinguishers and water hose while calling 911. Fire department extinguished the fire. Car is a complete loss. There was an oil leak trail from where the car first drop down through the grass. The car did not have a previous oil leak. The car had 300,000 miles on it. No one was injured.

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Prius. The contact stated there was a coolant leak and the coolant level was low. There was no indication of coolant on the ground. The check engine and engine hot warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to TSB: 0135-19. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant leak in the front exhaust pipe heat exchanger. The parts to repair the vehicle were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

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Exhaust heat-exchanger coolant pipe (part of the hybrid cooling loop) on my 2019 Toyota Prius is the system that failed. Safety risk: complete loss of coolant can cause sudden engine overheating and possible power reduction or shutdown while the vehicle is moving. I transport two young children daily; an unexpected stall on a highway or during an intersection turn would put all occupants and surrounding traffic at risk. Autonation Toyota mall of georgia (dealer) inspected the car on 22-may-2025, confirmed the leak, and advised the vehicle is unsafe to drive until the pipe is replaced. Repair estimate is $2,249 parts & labor to replace the front exhaust pipe that is on back order, no eta. Toyota corporate (brand engagement, case # 250522002498) is aware; they escalated the file to their parts department because the replacement pipe is back-ordered with no estimated arrival date. No other agencies or insurers have inspected the vehicle. Two days before the dealer visit, the warning symbol began flashing briefly at breaking then for longer intervals while driving. On the morning of 22-may-2025 the lamp was flashing more often and longer prompting the service appointment. Dealer found the coolant reservoir completely empty. No prior warning messages had appeared.

I am writing to express a complaint regarding the issues I have experienced with the brake system of my Toyota Prius c, 2012 model. For the past several months, I have noticed that the brakes exhibit strange noises, soft pedal sensation, reduced braking efficiency, were driving and the abs, traction, brake, and that other light turned on and the brakes became slow these issues have been observed on multiple occasions and pose a safety risk to myself, other drivers, and pedestrians. I have taken the vehicle for inspection, but the problems persist or have not been definitively resolved. I believe these faults may be related to defects in the braking system, and therefore I request a thorough inspection and necessary repairs at no cost, considering that the manufacturer could be responsible for manufacturing defects.

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Water pump failed without warning and caused irreparable damage to the engine ("blown" engine requiring replacement). Vehicle began to stall and not respond to attempted acceleration while traveling on 4 lane divided highway, 55 mph speed limit. One "maintenance required" message was received the previous week, but disappeared. This is the same message that appears for routine oil changes. No other warning messages were noted at the time of the incident, no unusual noises, and no smoke or other sign of overheating. Driver was able to steer vehicle to safety, but this failure could result in stranding on a busy, dangerous interstate highway. For such a critical piece of the vehicle (I. E. , the water pump), there should be obvious warning message(s) and dedicated monitoring of the equipment.

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The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25-30 mph, the vents were blowing out cold air. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was adding coolant to the coolant reservoir every three to four days. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the coolant was leaking into the exhaust pipe. The dealer recommended that the exhaust system front pipe be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 81,700.

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Breaking system failure do to asb actuator, breaks are locking and vehicle is engine braking.

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The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed heat exchanger, catalytic converter, and exhaust system. The contact was informed that the heat exchanger, the catalytic converter, and the exhaust system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 89,682.

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Refer to TSB 0135-19 dealer denied repairing under the California emissions defect and performance warranty.

I own a 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid 4 door sedan. I am the second owner of the vehicle. I purchased it in 2018 from a used car dealer. The vehicle ran well up until 2022 where a “check hybrid warning would appear on the dashboard along with a yellow triangle and service engine light would come on and the vehicle accelerator would not respond and the car would have to glide to the side of the parkway. This problem would happen when the car speed is between 60-70mph. It is very dangerous to lose power on the highway because many times there is no where to pull over. In 2024 I changed the water pump because the fault code on the cars built in diagnostic code read error “p216b” which is the cars electrical water pump signal. I researched it on google and a lot of 2010 Prius owners are complaining of the same thing. Also the changed water pump from April 2024 died again in January 2025. It is very scary that the cars accelerator pedal goes unresponsive and all the fault lights come on. My vehicle has 155,000 miles runs great and my family loves the 40mpg it gets. However, this stalling problem is being ignored by Toyota and could lead to a fatal car accident if not recalled by the manufacturer. To conclude, I would like for your office to possibly conduct an investigation with the 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid for this ongoing problem that the company is ignoring. This is a serious issue and can possibly lead to a fatal accident. Thank you for hearing my complaint against Toyota.

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My car suddenly stopped in the middle of the road with message "hybrid system stopped steering power low". Safety concern to this happen on the middle of road during rain or cold.

The head gasket failed on my vehicle, and began to burn coolant and overheat my engine. Upon description of the issue, a dealership mechanic was able to diagnose the issue. The sudden failure of my vehicle due to overheating while driving was extremely risky, and I had no indication that the issue was a head gasket until a dealership mechanic was able to look at my vehicle after being towed. I had taken my vehicle to a third-party mechanic, and they could not tell me why my vehicle was burning coolant, but provided a temporary stop-leak fix that did not hold. The first appearance of the check engine light was about 9 months ago, was assumed to be the spark plugs, which I had replaced, but then my coolant light started coming on with the check engine light for about a week before the engine overheat incident. The vehicle has been inspected by a Toyota hybird mechanic. No other inspections have been done. My safety and other's safety was put at-risk as my steering, speed control, and speed monitoring systems immediately shut off once the system detected an overheat, making it difficult to pull over safely and slowly to address the issue/call a tow truck. I required physical assistance from another motorist to move my vehicle off the road to allow others to pass.

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The gas engine had internal destruction cylinder broke and car became unusable at 158k miles despite being a hybrid with al Toyota maintenance at al hendrickson Toyota of coconut creek, FL. This is unacceptable and demonstrate internal combustion engine failure that fortunately occurred near my house and not in the hiway. Please notify Toyota motor company because I had to buy a new car and we are seniors with limited budget. It is a severe safety concern.

In 11/2024, I started experiencing intermittent noises coming from the engine compartment of my 2011 Toyota Prius. The initial sound resembled the buzzing noise generated when first starting the vehicle. Then the noise started to persist for extended periods after the vehicle was turned off. It would oscillate between buzzing for approximately 10 seconds & remaining dormant for about 1 minute, repeating this cycle. The duration of these cycles could extend for up to 20 minutes. Concurrently, I experienced several instances where the brake pedal would abruptly become stiff & difficult to press. Notably, no warning lights were illuminated on the dashboard. Recognizing these symptoms as unusual, I conducted online research and discovered that the issue could potentially stem from a malfunction in the “brake booster pump and assembly. ” given the potential for a loss of braking power and the risk of personal/public safety, I scheduled a diagnostic inspection at Toyota of poway, poway, CA, on 12/18/2024. It confirmed the presence of a problem with the brake booster pump and associated components. In light of this diagnosis, I made the decision to refrain from driving the vehicle until the repairs were completed. The repair costs amounted to $3,475. 47. I found I had received a notification from Toyota’s customer support program, designated as “customer support program notification-zjb. ” this notification explicitly acknowledged this defect & provided a repair coverage policy that stipulated a coverage policy of which I’m no longer entitled to. Despite not meeting the eligibility criteria for the repair coverage program, I am deeply troubled by the fact that this recognized defect persists in vehicles currently on the road, such as mine, without any corresponding recall action and subsequent repair costs covered by Toyota. Fortunately, I was spared from any accidents as a direct consequence of this issue. Many similar complaints here support this dangerous issue!.

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The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, she observed a knocking noise emanating from the engine compartment. The check engine light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving on several occasions while driving at speeds under 65 mph, vehicle lost power intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that codes p0300, p0302, p0303, p0304 appeared and unknown parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 162,000.

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The engine light went on while driving on the highway. We immediately pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the nearest dealership. The dealership informed us that both the brake actuator (Toyota part to44500-47141) and water pump (Toyota par tog9020-47031) had failed. The car was no longer save to drive.

About 3 years ago we started getting the red triangle of death with 2 amber lights on display the vsc and the round circle with the exclamation point in the center. This could happen in 500 miles or it could happen tomorrow. When this happens I loose all exceleration and air conditioning and a orange car emblem with an exclamation point in it on the display screen. Once safely off road press power button off and back on and everything is back to normal except red triangle and car on display screen car is then drivable again. Using a code reader to check codes no codes appear but still have red triangle. Leaving car set for a period of time and restarting car and red triangle is extinguished. Have to drive in right lane on freeway in case it wants to quit. The most recent time was last week had driven it about 80 miles with a stop about halfway for 1 hour and stopped for a movie came back got in car started it and within 1000 feet got the red triangle, was in left turning lane with red light, shut off and restarted and was able to drive again as in all other times, took it to a neighbor who had a code reader(about 9pm) and no codes found, he reset it and red triangle extinguished. This type of happening is very unnerving to say the least, dont know when or where it will lay down with us. Don't know if anyone else has had similar issues with their Prius ours has 213,000+ miles on it. Original hybrid battery it was checked in 2015 and some cells replaced by a shop certified to replace cells in this battery. Thank you.

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 to 10 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the failure persisted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the battery on two occasions, but the failure reoccurred. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 173,699.

2014 Toyota Prius: while driving at high speed the engine stalled unexpectedly, steering and braking were not effected. Was able to safely coast to a stop in the breakdown lane and after a few minutes, restart the engine and proceed driving. Another event occurred on the entrance ramp onto an interstate highway. I was able to pull over safely and the car restarted after a short delay. This seems to be a very dangerous condition. Toyota dealer service said they could not determine the cause and they know of no recall. I found online a reference to NHTSA recall # 20v369000 that referred to "unexpected hybrid power system shut down. " that is what happened to me.

Vehicle overheated. Many other people have had this issue. So much so that mechanics tell me that this is normal for this engine to overheat after 110-130k miles.

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius . The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle's high temperature gauge and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle then stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

Dashboard pop up came up saying that the grille shutter is inoperable to visit a dealer. Went online and noticed there were recalls for my Prius year and because emissions is affected I contacted Toyota financial customer service who said to go to a dealer and that they would fix no charge. Went three times to the dealer and they did not want to honor the recall. Charged me $200 to run diagnostics on the vehicle and confirmed that the code that was being recalled matched. They made excuses and in the end did not fix. The pop up appeared March 2024 and since then I now have another pop up appear about the hybrid system overheating due to them not fixing. I went to a local mechanic who said it was the dealers responsibility since there are service bulletins but they do not want to help. The car has stalled out on the freeway almost leaving me to get hit and my fuel has gotten worse.

Dear NHTSA, I am seeking assistance and compensation for ongoing warranty and repair issues with my Toyota Prius. Key incident timeline: •March 21, 2024: dashboard message “grille shutter inoperable” •March 25, 2024: Toyota of glendale visit •charged $220 for diagnostics •refused to honor service bulletin •vehicle mileage: 149,217 customer service interactions: •April 9, 2024: •contacted Toyota customer service •confirmed CA emissions coverage to 150,000 miles •discovered extended warranty unexpectedly canceled brand engagement claim: •April 9, 2024: filed claim with Toyota’s brand engagement line •June 26, 2024: claim denied, dealership’s decision upheld repair challenges: •July 5, 2024: wondries Toyota diagnostic visit •charged $200 for diagnostics •confirmed active service bulletins would have covered repairs repair management: •northeast mechanic has handled all subsequent repairs due to Toyota’s failures financial losses breakdown: •initial diagnostic fee (Toyota of glendale): $220. 00 •diagnostic fee (wondries Toyota): $200. 00 •car rental (July 6, 2024 - hertz): $1,356. 17 •car parts: $1,706. 55 •labor on vehicle: $754. 22 •water pump: $167. 78 •head gasket, spark plugs, engine water pump: $2,161. 00 •total financial loss: $6,565. 72 I request a comprehensive investigation into these warranty and repair issues, seeking full compensation for the financial burden caused by Toyota’s repeated failures. Sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I bought my first used car, 2012 Toyota Prius, from fowler Toyota back at the end of October 2023, but I was not able to pick it up until September 21, 2023 due to extra time for re-conditioning. I did not haggle about the price nor complained about the 3 week delay. In the last 3 weeks of owning my car, the tpms sensor light and check engine light infrequently turned on. February 28, 2024 all the fault sensor lights on my instrument panel are on, along with the loss of proper braking function. I was not worried about the other sensor faults, but brake malfunction is a matter of life and death to myself and others on the road. I have had the car for a little over 4 months and less than 10k miles. I brought the car in to diagnose all the error codes. The dealer said it will cost over $2600 to fix the brake malfunction. I chose this particular car because carfax had well documented service records and fowler Toyota advertised that every used vehicle for sale has surpassed rigorous inspection. I voiced my complaint to the used car director and he offered numerous default excuses for unforeseen problems inherent in buying a used car. I said I did my due diligence by selectively purchasing a used Toyota Prius, from a reputable Toyota dealership that uses a Toyota certified service center to inspect and recondition vehicles for sale. All the cliche nightmare stories of buying a used car from the side of the road car lots came true in my experience at fowler Toyota. The worst used car story happened to me, despite performing my due diligence: to buy a used Toyota from a Toyota dealership that uses a Toyota certified service center for re-conditioning vehicles. I even paid more to finance my Prius through Toyota financial services, which did not offer extended warranty. For god sake, I was buying a Toyota with 121k miles. I only bought a Prius because I work too hard to throw away all my hard earned money on gasoline. The only recourse the dealership offered.

On Saturday February 17, while shifting to reverse in a back alley to back up slowly, the car engine suddenly and loudly revved and shot backwards at accelerating speed. I slammed on brakes which did not respond at all, thus forcing me to attempt to shift gears which also failed to stop the acceleration. Car only stopped because it went up a curb and hit the corner of a parked vehicle in a neighbors driveway. If I had been on busier street and not a back alley this could have resulted in numerous vehicle collisions and unimagined fatalities. Car is being towed on 2-19-2024 to advanced collision repair on 4511 central Ave, columbia heights, for diagnostic assessment. There were no warning lamps, messages or other indicators prior to this terrifying lack of vehicle control . This was first episode since purchasing car approx one year ago. Incident was captured on neighbor’s home camera. Other neighbor heard the revving and ran out due to spontaneously loud revving of an engine.

I pushed on the gas, the car started mildly shaking under the hood( the engine) then I released my foot off the gas and the shaking ceased. I the. Attempted to accelerate again and the car started violently shaking so I released my foot from the accelerator and turned the car while coasting onto a side road where I traveled back home. Had the car towed to mechanic. He said the engine needs to be replaced as the pistons are damaged. My car has 196,000. I will have the engine replaced as my other 2012 engine just did the same similar thing and I am out two Priuses with blown engines. There were no warning lights and no previous issues or signs prior to the catastrophic events.

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 60-65 mph, the vehicle lost motive power and went into limp mode. The coolant temperature and several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the message "check hybrid system" was displayed. The contact pulled to the side of the road, where he disconnected and reconnected the battery in order to reset the hybrid system. The contact was able to drive to the residence; however, the failure recurred. The contact used an obd reader to retrieve diagnostic test code: p261b. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v684000 (hybrid propulsion system); however, the VIN was not included in the recall.  the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,469.

I was driving on the internet doing 60mph and there was a very loud bang and then a shaking of the parts under the hood. I was right next to an exit and coasted off the exit to a hotel parking lot. I had car towed to my mechanic. He said that the piston went thru the engine and the engine is done and needs replaced. I am having a hard time trusting Toyota again to purchase another Prius. I have had Prius for over 10 years and never had anything like this occur. I had no warning signs and no dashboard lights lit up until after all of this occurred and scared the life out of me then the engine light came on.

Coolant leaking into exhaust and engine also vehicle suddenly stops for no reason now engine is completely broken due to the coolant going into the motor oil.

Hello. My 2008 Toyota Prius had a malfunction with the "combination meter" which caused the vehicle dashboard to turn off completely, and we could not turn off the engine at times when stopped and parked. The dealer fixed the problem at a cost of $1580, and both the dealer and Toyota corporate through their brand engagement advocate acknowledged a long term problem with the combination meter. They had extended the warranty coverage for owners for this specific problem for about 10 years but not for owners like me with a vehicle 15 years old. I believe Toyota should cover and reimburse owners for this problem, which is potentially dangerous, no matter the age of the vehicle, especially for long term, loyal owners. There are many of these vehicles still on the road. Thank you. Mike norcio mpnorcio@gmail. Com 301 873 7069.

I keep replacing p1116 and it keeps coming back also I was driving up a hill when I lost power and the car wouldn't accelerate. It would turn on and go into gear but not go anywhere. I know it says my VIN doesn't have recalls but why am I experiencing them.

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The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle started shaking abnormally with the rattling sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket and that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.