2004 Toyota Prius: won't start

Filed Mar 9, 2011 · Engine · 123,000 miles · CA

I was driving on the freeway at about 63 miles per hour, I had been driving for about 20 minutes when my engine cut out, all the lights on my dash turned on including the check engine and red triangle warning light. I drifted to the shoulder and powered the car off. I tried to start it 2 more times, both times the engine did not start and the red triangle and the check engine lights came on again. I waited longer and tried to power up the engine again, it started with the check engine light on. I took it to the dealership 3 days later (they could not see me sooner), ran the codes and it only came up with the code poaof, which means that the engine did not start. They had no explanation of what happened and did not seem to share my concern that this could happen again. The did recall work for me and sent me home.

Filed Nov 29, 2006 · Electrical · NV

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle did not start after being parked overnight. There was no response from either the engine or electrical system. The vehicle was jump-started and taken to a service dealer, where the vehicle failed again. The dealer was unable to determine the problem. The manufacturer was notified, who stated that the failure was due to driver error.

Filed Sep 20, 2005 · Engine · 12,000 miles · OR

I was driving on the highway at between 40-55 when the engine stalled. I tried to restart it, but it would not start. The car had to be towed. There is a one-week wait on its repair. This happened approx. 240 miles from home. This is the second time this has happened. Prius 2004.

Filed Aug 1, 2005 · Engine · 29,000 miles · PA

Driving downhill ~50 MPH when all warning lights came on. Car wouldn't accelerate. Gas engine would not start and battery charge was dropping fast. Limped ~1 mile home at 25 MPH. Turned off car, too late to call toyota that night. Turned car on and gas engine started right up. All warning lights still on, and main battery nearly drained. Slowly drove around on local streets, battery charged. Parked and turned off car. Later in day, turned on car, all warning lights were off. Took it to dealer when we got home. Dealer claimed computer had no record of the problem. Prior to this event, toyota had upgraded the computer software on this car as described in hv ecu software update 00204. We were told this fixed the stalling problem, but obviously does not. Jb

Filed Jul 13, 2005 · Engine · 23,176 miles · CA

For the second time my 2004 prius has stalled while driving and shut down. I have attached my previous report to you when it happed in may 2005. The first time the ecu was reprogramed. This time I was driving on the freeway going 65 miles per hour on july 2, 2005 when the emergency engine lights came on on the dash board. The vehicle quickly loss power before the engine shut down. The battery meter confirmed the loss of reserve. I had the vehicle towed approximately 50 miles to maita toyota where I have my prius service. The vehicle was keep from july 2 - 12, 2005. The service department was not able to identify the problem. I picked up the vehicle and drove it home today. Now I have to watch for the next time that it happens for toyota to research the problem more. A file was open with toyota #2005 00071145 but without any help to identify the problem. Contact 1-888-dash-2-dot (1‑888‑327‑4236) tty ' 1‑800‑424‑9153 or ' 1‑202‑484‑5238 ' ' ' consumer information name : mr. Christopher smith org. Name : address : p o box 1543 city, state, zip : carmichael, ca 95608 USA daytime phone : 9163908494 description : 5/6/05 my 2004 prius with 20,400 miles without warning loss all power and shut down while driving hazard light came on warning to take to toyota dealer. The vehicle would not start. The battery meter level was completely dead. The vehicle had to be towed to maita toyota 2500 auburn blvd, sacramento, ca 95821, 916 481-5353 for repair. The work order stated the cause was the ecu which was reprogramed which cleared stored codes. Code pulled p3191. Is this a new finding in the prius? Incident date : 5/5/05

Filed Jun 3, 2005 · Engine · 6,000 miles · PR

Dad: vehicle runs and suddenly stalls and stops working. Owner attempts to start car again, and it does not start. Car was taken to the dealer three times, and dealer fixed it. But, after some time the car did not work again. Owner stated that car was serviced on regular basis.

Filed Jun 3, 2005 · Electrical · 7,000 miles · FL

Dt: engine shuts down and will not start, also battery dies. Check engine light comes on, and then the engine dies. Caller had to push car off the road. Dealer said they could not find anything wrong the first time, and the other times they replaced a floor harness that went to battery, an amplifier, the original battery. Caller read article on his vehicle about same problem. Manufacturer said the amplifier fixed the problem.

Filed Jun 1, 2005 · Engine · 500 miles · CA

In june 2004, the 2004 toyata prius we had purchased in mid-may malfunctioned as I was accelerating onto a freeway on-ramp in daly city, california. A loud beep sounded, and all the dashboard lights lit up at once, including the exclamation point. The gas engine did not engage as it usually did at higher speeds, leading to a rapid depletion of the battery, which forced me to pull over to the side of the freeway. I turned off the car, waited 5 minutes, and then pressed the power button. The lights on the dash lit up again but the car did not start. I called for a tow, which took about 70 minutes. In the meantime, I tried the power button at 15 minute intervals. At 45 minutes, the car started normally. However, by then the towing company was on its way and the car was towed to the service center of the city toyota dealership in daly city, which happened to be where we purchased the car. The car was left for a few days. When I retrieved it, they were unable to explain why the problem occurred. We have been driving the car since without incident.

Filed May 23, 2005 · Electrical · 20,000 miles · IL

A couple of months ago while driving my 2004 toyota prius it lost power and all sorts of warning lights came on. I took it straight to the dealer. At that time they told me it loss it's computer program and went into the "limp home" mode. They reprogamed it and it ran fine. On 5/8/05 after a short drive I stoped and when I tried to restart it, it would not start. All I could get was a lot of warning lights and a wirling sound. I called aaa to have it towed to the dealer. Just as the tow truch arrived I tried to start it again and it started like normal. I drove it to the deal and explained the problem to them. They could not find any trouble codes or problem with the car. It has ran fine sence then. But I now worry when it will act up again.

Filed May 18, 2005 · Electrical · 6,800 miles · CA

Driving my 2004 toyota prius home from work, the car suddenly lost power a few miles from my home on a busy thoroughfare. I drifted to the side of the road. All warning lights on the dash were on. I turned off the car and restarted it. It went a few seconds before dying again. This continued several times until I made it home. The incident caused other cars to have to slow down, honk and move around me. I was very scared. It was late at night. I called my husband to come help me but he was not home. The next day the car started and I took it to the dealership. They could find nothing wrong, and said they "reset the engine/battery ratio" so the car would rely more on gas than electricity , and that I would experience a slight decrease in my engine efficiency. I later complained to the service manager, that my prius has had numerous electrical problems since I purchased it in august of2005. Twice it would not start in the morning and I had to have it towed. He also told me that what the service person told me was incorrect, that there was no way they can "adjust" the engine/battery ratio. He gave no explanation for my problems and said "no one else" has had any problems with their cars. I want to return the car for a new one, but he says he feels "confident" toyota will correct any problems I am having. I am afraid to drive the car in case this happens again. Toyota has done nothing since I have complained. I feel they owe me a new car while they figure this out.

Filed May 17, 2005 · Electrical, Engine · 20,400 miles · CA

5/6/05 my 2004 prius with 20,400 miles without warning loss all power and shut down while driving hazard light came on warning to take to toyota dealer. The vehicle would not start. The battery meter level was completely dead. The vehicle had to be towed to maita toyota 2500 auburn blvd, sacramento, ca 95821, 916 481-5353 for repair. The work order stated the cause was the ecu which was reprogramed which cleared stored codes. Code pulled p3191. Is this a new finding in the prius?

Filed Mar 30, 2005 · Electrical, Engine · 9,025 miles · VA

2004 toyota prius died at 65 MPH on I-395 carpool lanes. Multiple warning lights flashed on. Was able to coast it over and restart for a mile or two when it completely died again. Was towed to springfield va toyota dealership were it was serviced. Error codes c2318 (low voltage error - power supply malfunction), battery code 8442 were reported. Also, check engine light on, found code p3791/engine won't start. Reprogrammed ecu dp0199. Cars shutting down in high speed traffic is a crash waiting to happen. We're not convinced that re-setting the engine code is enough to fix the problem. Has the original software problem been located and fixed? Dealership couldn't give us that answer.