2005 Toyota Prius transmission problems

Filed Feb 16, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · CA

Eingen faliur acording to dealership Toyota of Anthioc the veicle is on there lot for now but there diagnostic was engine faliure

Filed Mar 1, 2021 · Transmission · NV

During cold weather trying to drive the car it will not stay in the gear I have to hold it down even when I back out of the driveway or when I go anywhere it starts to warm up then the car may sometimes stay in gear.

Filed Jan 15, 2019 · Transmission · 130,000 miles · MN

When I attempted to shift into drive or reverse, the car would revert back to neutral unless I held down the gear shift in position. This happened when I had the car in motion on city streets. Parking (using the button on the prius) was also difficult, and I had to try multiple times to put the car in park as it continually wanted to go back to neutral.

Filed Oct 6, 2017 · Transmission · 115,000 miles · CO

Prius will not stay in gear, keeps popping back into neutral. First happened when stationary --- press power button, "ready" on the dash, go to shift into drive or reverse and it pops back into neutral. This occurred when the vehicle was in motion on a city street. Finally got it to work (no idea why?) then when driving, again, it popped into neutral from drive. Very dangerous!!!

Filed Jun 14, 2017 · Transmission · 97,000 miles · IN

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. While driving various speeds, the gear shifter failed to change from drive into neutral. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. In addition, the vehicle was previously serviced per an unknown recall in which the inverter water pump was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the repair was a one time remedy. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000.

Filed Aug 24, 2015 · Electrical, Transmission · 174,000 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota prius. After the vehicle was shifted into the park position, the contact exited the vehicle as it began to roll away. The vehicle struck the contact. The instrument panel failed to illuminate. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was not diagnosed or repaired. In addition, the contact attempted to turn the ignition to the off position, but the key failed to eject from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.

Filed Aug 24, 2015 · Electrical, Transmission · 174,000 miles · CA · 1 injury

The car jumps out of gear, or it won't go into park. But it started to drives away after I got out of the car, or as I was getting out. This happen twice, once at the dealer. The display for transmission position was broken. The same display that shows speed, fuel level and other items was not working. Also, I could not shut off the car or remove the key. The first time it happen was 8/19/2015 at a car wash. The display went dead during the wash. Wile trying to fix the problem, the car drove away in reverse and knocked me over. I had minor injuries. I might have some other problems as a result of that accident. The next day I want to the dealer. Without looking at the car (no computer analysis), the service man told me the display and computer was bad. He said it happens a lot. He also quoted me a price of around $700. I went back to my daughter house to look for another dealer and to research the issue. (I was visiting from ca). At her house, I noticed the car would not shut off and I could not get the key out (the dealer rep told me to put the key in the slot). So I just went back to the dealer to have them fix it and pay the price. (it should be noted that the dealer and its employees never gave me the same information and they wanted me to get so frustrated, that I would leave with the car not repaired. They suggested that I take it somewhere else. At one point, they claimed that I told them I was going to take the car away without the repair. I never said that! They did everything they could to make me mad and so would not fix the car). When I went back to the dealers, the car drive away, again in reverse. I had to hop on one leg to keep up and get back in to stop it. In ether case, I could have been killed. No display, can't shut it off and it jumps into gear!! That is a safety issue! Life and death issue it is!

Filed Apr 21, 2015 · Electrical, Fuel system · 141,000 miles · OH

Bought one-owner 2005 prius 11-26-2014 after paying for a pre-purchase inspection at a toyota dealer showing complete service record including all recall campaigns. 4-19-2015 without warning on the expressway, the entire 'combination meter display' simply turned off, leaving the car running in the blind, no gauges/meters/guidance of any kind. The car continued to operate and I drove directly home and parked it. Internet search revealed that this as a known safety issue by toyota affecting 2004-2009 prius models. Toyota issued a 'warranty enhancement-ztv' and warranty policy bulletin (bulletin no. Pol12-05) to effect the necessary safety repairs, but only applies if one discovers (meaning suffer the panic of having the entire panel go blank) the issue before either '9 years with no mileage limitation or before september 30, 2013', whichever is longer. In our case, it expired just before our pre-purchase inspection/purchase of the prius and the dealer indicated/toyota confirmed that this is not something that a toyota dealer service department could have discovered through toyota records. Instead, the owner has to wait for the failure to occur. In our case, toyota corporate, with full knowledge of this safety defect, said our joint 'plan of action' was (a) if the display does not illuminate, under no circumstances drive the car, and have it towed to the toyota dealership for necessary repairs, or (b) if the display illuminates, immediately drive it to the toyota dealership for necessary repairs, but that (c) toyota would 'decline to further participate or contribute' to the repair. This should be a mandated, required safety recall; by its own measure, up to 669,000 prius models may be at risk to this known defect, yet toyota refuses both the recall and the repair. How many out there are ticking time bombs?

Filed Apr 5, 2015 · Transmission · 177,000 miles · MN

I purchased my prius used in june 2014 this was my first winter with it obviously. Any time it about 10 below zero in mn this winter I had to hold my car in drive or reverse, sometimes as long as 5 miles+.

Filed Feb 24, 2015 · Transmission · 86,600 miles · MA

Car would not stay in drive. When I put the car into drive, it would immediately revert to neutral. The car might only advance a couple of feet and then it would pop back into neutral. Sometimes it would immediately pop back, never really staying in drive. Holding the sifter in drive would allow the car to drive. After the car would pop back into the neutral position, the car could not put it into park as well. I could reverse. Only after putting it in reverse, would the car go into park. The car seemed to have resolved itself when next checked, near an hour later. Weather was very cold, in the single digits, now it is 15.6 f and the car seems ok.