2005 Toyota Prius: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Dec 7, 2018 · Brakes · 155,000 miles · FL

Driving at approximately 35 MPH noticed a burning smell. After driving for another 5 minutes an alarm went off and ABS warning light came on. The brake actuator on this car has begun to fail. This is common on the 2004 - 2009 prius. Very expensive to fix. Over $3000 at the dealer. The alarm can be reset and the car driven again leading to a dangerous brake failure while driving

Filed May 25, 2017 · Electrical · 178,000 miles · NJ · fire

During charging the vehicle caught fire during the process distroying vehicle vehicle was stationary

Filed Sep 29, 2012 · Electrical · 139,000 miles · CA

I am sure that you won't believe this is true. On oct 25th 2012, I got home and turned off the car after work. I took the bag contained the key and left in the family room which is about 40 feet away from garage. After the dinner, I went to garage to throw trash. I smelled gas and heard music and car engine was on. Suddenly, it reminds me, in the morning when I turn off the car and left, the car started by itself and all electronic system was re-set. I specifically paid attention to turning off the car and locking the door in the evening because of what happened in the morning. The car was turned on by itself again and had been running in the garage for more than 2.5 hrs based on the clock re-set information. I could not turn it off and the car showed error message that the key was not in the car. Of course, since the key was in the family room at that time. I brought the key in the car and still could not turn it off. I tried to insert the key and still no luck. I called aaa and they sent a technician and a toll truck to my house. He could not turn off either initially and eventually turned it off after move the wheel, step on breaks really hard and shook the car. I sent the car to toyota dealer right away. The service center could not identify any issue and toyota refuse to acknowledge there is anything wrong with the car. I was scared and also glad that I went garage to throw garbage today. Otherwise, I don't know what is going to happen! We have furnace with igniter light on in the garage. The house can be on fire with a reason no one will expect and believe! The carbon monoxide could filled the garage and emerge in the house! I called in the customer care center (case # [xxx]) and they told me there is anything they can do about it. What is really upset me is that toyota does not even acknowledge there is anything wrong with the car! Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Nov 10, 2011 · Electrical, Engine · 42,500 miles · CA

I was driving on the highway when my vehicle's check engine light came on. Shortly after I saw a large amount of smoke coming from the engine. I pulled over and shut off the car. Car smelled like burned plastic and smoke. I was worried that the car could catch on fire or blow up! I had the car towed to my nearest toyota dealership.toyota claimed that the three way coolant control valve had failed and the steam came from a ruptured line in the coolant system. The job cost me $422.32. I didn't mind paying the service but after careful research into the problem with the 3-way control valve on the prius I had learned that this is a wide spread problem.apparently the valve tends to stick causing no flow of the coolant fluid. I feel toyota should fix this problem before someone gets hurt either by getting burned from a ruptured line or the car catches on fire.

Filed Jun 7, 2010 · Acceleration, Brakes · 142,962 miles · CA

I drove a 2005 toyota prius VIN#[xxx] until 5/13/2010. At around 10am I was driving on the hwy in the lft lane. With cruise control on going 75mph. I had a GPS on and navigating. And I had my blue tooth earpiece on. Then all at the same time my blue tooth shut down. My GPS shut down. And every warning lite came up in the car. Even the display that usually shows how the hybrid systems works was blinking problem!! Problem!! So I let off the gas and started to move to the rt side of the road. Thats when I realized that I had no power steering. There was an exit coming up so I let the car slow down to about 50mph. As I started to exit I put my ft on the brakes. Thats when I noticed that the pedal was very stiff and vibrating. I was coming to a blind intersection and I had the red lite. So I pushed on my brakes. Instantly I could hear screaching tires. So I looked in my side mirror. And to my suprise im looking at a large amount of smoke coming from me! My rear tires had locked up and my front tires werent doing anything. So I started fishtail back and forth like I had my ebrake on. I put all my wt on the pedal cause the intersection was really getting close. And without power steering it was very hard to keep the car from crashing. I came to a stop just before the light. Then drove my car to the nearest dealer at in berkeley ca at 10mph. I told them everything. Even about my blue tooth and garmin. They got me a rental car then 4day later they said if I give them $2000 for a part and $1000 in labor it might fix it but there not sure cause they never saw this problem before. And they werent going to pay for my rental cause the part was out of warrenty after 36000miles. I have had every svc done at toyota. And if theres a computer pt that toyota knows can brake easily. Which they do. Thats why its only warrenty to 36000miles. It shouldnt result in the loss of your brakes and power steering. Very dangerous!! I could of died. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Filed Feb 6, 2010 · Fuel system · 112,000 miles · NY

About 2 years ago, on route 840 in utica, I floored the gas pedal on my 2005 toyota prius to pass a car. The prius does not have a lot of power, so flooring it was sometimes necessary to pass uphill. When I took my foot off the gas pedal, the car was still accelerating. I touched the brakes. Nothing. Finally, I pushed down hard on the brakes and got the car to the side of the road and turned it off. I have rubber mats. I thought one of them had gone under the pedal. "case solved" so I thought. Last december, again passing a truck uphill on route 840, I floored the pruis gas pedal. The same thing happened! This time I knew it was not the mat because I had drilled holes in it and attached it to the mat posts. It was inches away from the gas pedal when this happened. I pushed the brakes down hard and struggled the car to the side of the road right before the lanes merged and the truck would have cut me off (into a swamp). The brakes, with a burning smell, fought the racing car. I finally got it turned off. When I turned it back on, the gas was still racing! I turned it off again. After waiting,it started normally. It has done it every time the pedal was floored(seldom). I went to the internet and found this had been a problem and toyota was planning a prius recall, with parts to repair available in april. I was very scared to drive the car, but can't afford to sell it (wrong) or buy another. So I decided to wait for the recall. I have been driving on pins and needles since. And now there is no recall for the prius gas pedal! I'm glad for the brake recall because my prius has done that once too, but freaked out about no sticking gas pedal recall for the prius. I went to the dealer today for 115,000k service and told them about this. "technician can not replicate problem". Just like so many stories from other toyota owners on the web. This will be many a prius driver's epitaph without government action. Please make toyota fix these sticking prius accelerators

Filed May 22, 2009 · Electrical, Engine · 19,300 miles · DC · fire

Fire and total loss of 2005 toyota prius, 19,300 miles after returning from work, the vehicle was parked as usual with engine power cut in the owner's driveway. A few minutes later, smoke was noticed inside the car with flames showing from underneath the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire about 10 minutes after it was first noticed. The main damage is in the rear left (driver's side) of the vehicle, with the cargo compartment completely destroyed, tire completely melted, all plastic in the area melted, door blackened, the rear bench destroyed, the ceiling carpet destroyed and big heat marks on the roof of the car. The vehicle was not modified as a "plug-in hybrid" which have been reported in at least one incident of fire. The external temperature was moderate, around 70-75 degrees. *tr updated 06/05/09