I purchased a 2014 Toyota Prius V in 2013, and it currently has 120,000 miles on it. Last month, the engine light came on, so I took it to a dealership. They diagnosed the issue and provided the codes P0302 and P0304. After consulting multiple shops, all confirmed that coolant is leaking into the engine, which means I either need to repair the head gasket or replace the engine entirely. The quotes I've received for this repair range from $5,000 to $15,000, while the current value of the car is only about $5,000. I want to file a complaint regarding Toyota's responsibility for these engine issues. We buy cars because we trust the brand, and in this case, Toyota has broken that trust. Despite maintaining the car according to Toyota's recommended schedule, I have encountered this serious problem.
Toyota Prius V check engine light comes on
27 of the 480 owner complaints about the Toyota Prius V describe check engine light, most of them for the 2014 model year.
- owner complaints
- 27
- worst model year
- 2014
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,680
- typical mileage
- 147,395
By model year
Often reported together
Trouble codes mentioned
C1391 4P0304 2P0302 2P0303 1P0301 1P0300 1C1249 1
What owners say
ABS Brake pump actuator booster failed. It is available for inspection. While driving, I started hearing a hissing sound from my brakes. I tried to slow down and my several diagnostic lights (ABS, traction control, brake, check engine, etc.) flashed on while my brakes failed to work properly. I turned on my hazard lights immediately. I was in the middle of the road with my toddler in the car and I almost rammed into the car in front of me. Luckily I was able to pull into a turn lane and pushed with all my might on the brakes and it finally was able to stop. My brakes failed and I could have hit the cars in front of me and hurt my child, myself and others. It was terrifying. Problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. The warning lamps only appeared WHILE the issue was happening and my brakes failed to work properly.
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the ABS, traction control, parking brake, and the malfunction indicator warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the brake pedal vibrated while being depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and DTC: C1391 was retrieved. The dealer determined that the brake booster pump assembly and the brake booster assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under Toyota Campaign Number: 20TE07; because the program had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
The car began to jerk, made knocking noises, miss fires on cylinder 1, 2 and 4, coolant leakages, oil leakages, compression issues and the check engine light keeps turning on and off. My safety has been put into play because, the car would jerk many of times as it would want to stop as I was driving. I would then have to pull over and call for assistance. Per the Toyota service advisor he recommended that I needed a new rebuilt engine kit. The extended warranty company stated that I was negligent with my car and denied my claim and refused to pay for the 10 grand motor and I had to tow my car to another shop. However, the car at this time is still experiencing the same malfunctions. The warning lamps are still showing at this present time and prior to the failure of problem. This car meets the "Lemon law guidelines, However, I have been informed otherwise that I don't meet the criteria for lemon law due it being expired sometime last year in Oct of 2024. As stated this is a lemon car.
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.
The car's failure is with the Brake Booster Pump Assembly (Accumulator) that generates code C1391 Safety of others and myself is at risk because stopping power can be dramatically reduced and lead to accident. The problem has been reproduced by Toyota from a previous version of the vehicle - [XXX] This has been inspected by the Toyota Dealership to confirm the code and issue. Check engine light was observed to be on INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at speeds under 65 MPH, the vehicle intermittently lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and DTC codes: P0300, P0302, P0303, and P0304 were retrieved. The contact was informed that several undisclosed parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 162,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the 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.
8/2/22 My ABS light came on. Took the car to a dealer. They kept it for six weeks and returned it on 10/3/22. No charge and no explanation. 11/7/22 engine light came on. Took in to dealer, they returned it 11/17/22 indicated incorrect air/ fuel mixture. 10/9/23 Traveling 47 mph, came around a mountain and encountered stopped cars. Slammed on the brakes, car did not slow down, steering wheel locked to the right, car yawed to the right, and turned over, hit a curb and the car righted itself. 3 occupants, 2 injuries , 1 death. Researching the 2012 Toyota Prius, found many instances of a faulty ABS system, mimicking exactly my experience. I was never informed by Toyota or the local Toyota dealer.
TCS, ABS, Check Engine, and Warning lights all came on at once. Brake pressure immediately decreased. After the following diagnosis, Toyota said the brakes will continue to worsen and fail completely. Error codes C1249 and C1391 were presented. Toyota dealership diagnosed a leak within the brake pump actuator and said these parts needed replaced: 04009-79147 Brake cylinder kit 04006-22212 Brake pump assembly
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Toyota Prius V check engine light
Why does the check engine light come on in the Toyota Prius V?
Owners who report it most often also describe abs light or abs activating, engine stalls while driving and engine overheating, and the codes they mention most are C1391, P0304 and P0302.
Which Toyota Prius V years have check engine light problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2014 (9 complaints), 2012 (8 complaints) and 2013 (8 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix check engine light on the Toyota Prius V?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,680 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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