Combination meter failure while driving. Unable to view speedometer or dash lights. Car sometimes locks up, unable to view ABS signal because dashlights become inoperable. Unable to turn car off during dashboard/combination meter failure.
2007 Toyota Prius acceleration complaints
Page 2 of 5: complaints 11 to 40 of 124, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The electronic dash (heads up instrument display) on our 2007 prius has intermittently failed to light over the last year. Yesterday, it failed and also wouldn't turn off. We always use the remote (keyless) ignition system. But, after the failures yesterday I put the electronic key fob into the hole in the dash thinking that might help. Instead, I couldn't remove it. I tried every combination of pressing buttons (the park and power buttons) and other controls, brakes pedal, shifter and it still wouldn't shut off or light up the display. After holding the power button in for an extended amount of time, it turned off and ejected the key fob. But then the car wouldn't light up the instrument display or start. This morning, again, it would not start. I was told by an experienced prius mechanic (also an owner) that these were classic symptoms of a failing power amplifier for the display and that it was a "secret warranty," a voluntary repair to avoid a government recall, but that toyota would only do it for 10 years. The dealer refused to do it under warranty even though the symptoms began before the car was 10 years old. They told me the recall was only good for nine years. They want $765 for the repair. It strikes me that this is a safety failure and should be covered, period. With no indication of speed or other functions (ABS function, traction control, etc.), or to turn the vehicle off, it is unsafe to operate the vehicle. The various failures, including loss of cruise control while in motion, took place when the car was cold and when it was warmed up. At rest and in motion.
After speeding up to pass another car on a slight upgrade (2 lane country road), my prius continued to accelerate. I could not slow the car down to the speed limit using the brake pedal. For about fifteen minutes, I kept trying to slow the car down, looking for a place to pull over where I wouldn't hit anything. The accelerator pedal was not stuck & no floor mat was touching either pedal. The only way I could stop was with the emergency brake. I thought the car might explode, but later realized the smoke was pouring out from my brakes. I maneuvered to the berm of a bridge over a lake, just before the road went down to one lane for construction. Then I turned the car off. Ten minutes after this ordeal (vehicle was stationary), I restarted the car, but the engine began racing again without any touch on the gas pedal, so I quickly turned it off. Luckily, I hadn't collided with anything.
The traction-control system in the prius is, I believe, dangerous. When the slightest degree of wheel slip is detected, it essentially shuts off power to the wheels for a moment. On a number of occasions, when accelerating to merge in with traffic on a wet road, the system's reaction has slowed me down to what I believe is a dangerous extent. On a couple of occasions, I have ended up stuck in snow because the system is so eager to keep me from spinning wheels at all. I contacted toyota, and their reply was to the effect that this system is designed to protect the drive train, and that they are not going to do anything to remedy what I see as a dangerous flaw. The only conceivable way such a system could be protecting the drive train would be by limiting engine RPM to a safe point; however, the system goes far beyond just keeping RPM down. Please note that the response to "when did this happen" is not really accurate. It has happened on a number of occasions, and the date listed is merely the most recent occurrence. Also, the speed is just from the most recent occurrence.
I got unintended high speed and I could not stop the car. It stopped because the wheel was hit by the curbe
While backing slowly into a parking spot of an inner city supermarket in a busy residential area the car suddenly accelerated. It went over a 1 ft concrete curb limiter into the street and after a 180 degree loop in reverse I finally hit the e-brake hard while at the same time I ran over a pedestrian traffic light and hit a tree with the rear passenger side to a full stop. Air bags did not deploy. During all this period of probably less than 10 seconds the foot brake was not responding any more. After impact the engine did not start anymore and the car was towed from the scene.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration which resulted in a crash in the garage. The failure occurred on two occasions. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,626. Updated 01/21/16*lj
When applying the brakes in traffic on a city road with a posted 35 MPH speed limit, the car felt as though it surged forward briefly and accelerated followed by the anti-lock brake dashboard light coming on and off and then the brakes finally started working to slow the car down. This has happened about 10 times the last few weeks and has nearly caused me to rear-end other vehicles on the road.
On tuesday, may 26, 2015 at 5:04 pm while traveling at about 57 MPH south on hi way 101 at about the mile post 255.5, my 2007 toyota prius suddenly and without any change in steering by me, veered to the right off the road and into the guardrail. There seemed to be no reaction to my frantic steering and braking in the attempt to return the car to the road. After the car hit the guardrail it traveled about 15 feet spun back out into the southbound lane and was hit on the rear right side by a car traveling in the southbound lane. This caused the car to be propelled across 2 northbound lanes of traffic and come to rest with rear of my car embedded into the far side guardrail. Miraculously no one was hurt. The police were called and my 61 year perfect driving record was ruined. My car was totaled by the insurance company...updated 08/27/15 *bf update 9/15/15*cw*dt *cn updated 4/21/20
On may 16, 2015, while driving my second-generation 2007 toyota prius on the freeway, I experienced a sudden loss of power, along with the illumination on the instrument panel of the malfunction indicator light, master warning light and hybrid warning light. I was able to maneuver the car to the side of the road and summon emergency help. A nearby toyota dealership replaced the hybrid inverter water pump, which fixed the problem. However, the dealership did not advise me of a safety recall. Toyota customer experience center today stated that the original hybrid inverter water pump was replaced on april 7, 2011, under toyota limited service notice a0n; hence, toyota refused my phone request for reimbursement of my may, 2015, repair expense. The 2011 "a0n" replacement pump appears to have failed by the same failure mechanism leading to recall campaign "c0u", which is different from the a0n failure mechanism.
While driving uphill on a curved, shoulder-less road, my car spontaneously shifted into neutral, causing it to lose all power as well as power brake. I attempted to physically hold the gear shift in "drive", but this did not bring power back, nor did it change the light on the dash from "neutral". At first the car would shift into reverse, and I was able to back into a wider part of the road. It then stopped shifting into any gear. I ended up having the car towed home in neutral, with poor (non-power) braking. I've since done a google search and see that this is a recurrent problem with 200-something priuses, based on consumer affairs, toyota nation, prius online, and car problem zoo.
2007 prius dashboard lights malfunction - completely dark. See the federal safety agency # 10544698 and many other complaints regarding dashboard lights/cluster going completely dark and engine will not shut off. This is an extremely serious safety issue and dealerships will not repair for free. The part needed is a combination meter/cluster that costs around $1000 to repair from the dealer. Please everyone - push for national recall as this is an extremely dangerous safety issue.
While driving the car, the dash symbols vsc, ABS and the (!) turned on and the car started to beep inside. Alarmed at what was happening, I hit the brakes to find that they were not working and there was no resistance when pushing down on the brake pedal. I was in a parking lot when this happened and had to swerve to avoid hitting people walking around. After a minute or 2 of coasting I was approaching a dead end and chose to literally stand on my brakes which didn't immediately stop the car. After standing on the brakes with my full weight, the car slowly came to a rolling stop where I proceeded to put the car in park and turn it off.
I was traveling at 50mph when an alarm sounded in the car and 4 lights lit up on the dashboard ? The brake system warning light, master warning light, vsc and malfunction indicator lamp. The vehicle was taken to a toyota dealership where they advised the hybrid water pump needed replacing. I then discovered there is a recall on the hybrid water pumps but was advised my vehicle was not on the list for the recall. The details of my mishap correlate to the toyota recall notice that toyota put out regarding the hybrid water pumps. I believe my vehicle should have been on the recall list to have this safety issue addressed and that the recall notice does not adequately cover all toyota vehicles with this possible issue.
While driving on the freeway, suddenly noticed slight jolt and illumination of various warning lights in the instrument panel (check engine, large warning sign, emergency car danger sign, vsc sign). Hybrid system ceased functioning, leading the car to drive using gasoline engine only. Dealership determined hybrid electric water pump was no longer functioning, needed replacement at cost of $570.
I had my car in for 110,000 mile service on april 25. They changed the oil, rotated the tires, installed a new air filter and said that I needed new front brakes and they cleaned and adjusted the back brakes. Yesterday after backing out of the garage the brake light warning light along with the ABS and vsc light came on briefly. On interstate 90 nearing downtown cleveland all of these lights came on again along with a noise. I called the toyota dealer and talked to the service advisor and asked if it was safe to go to cleveland and back and he said if the brakes work, it probably just a switch and it would be ok to bring it in tomorrow. While I still had him on the phone, we lost all power to the vehicle and it decelerated down to 30 before we were able to reach an exit ramp and stop the car in the grass. I was informed today that the problem is a low volt battery that needs to be replaced for $299. At no time did a low battery light come on and I have not had trouble starting the car nor do I have dim lights. We were fortunate that we were not killed on interstate 90 without power, steering or brakes. I think this is definitely a safety issue that needs to be addressed.
While driving on highway about 60mph, vehicle suddenly lost brakes. Brake, ABS and vsc idiot light went on. Inside vehicle buzzer sounded. Very little hydraulic braking. Was only able to stop vehicle because I was going up hill.
Parking my prius, my foot on the brake pedal, I hit a very small patch of black ice with the right front wheel. The car slanted briefly to the left--then there was a sudden surge of engine power. The car rushed over a mound of ice and snow, jumped the curb, rushed forward between a wall and a tree, narrowly missing it, and crashed into a parked toyota truck facing outward from the curb. My prius hit the heavy truck with enough force to knock it six feet for their north and three feet to the west. After impact, the engine continued to make a lot of noise, a sound I've never heard before in seven years of driving the car. It was attempting to surge past the truck, which I believe caused the most damage to the front left bumper of the car. I was stunned and didn't think to turn off the ignition before it quit on its own after perhaps ten seconds. The body was sheared back, strips of blue paint hanging in shreds. I crawled out the passenger side unhurt. (the air bags did not deploy.)
My vehicle was hit by a fault driver and my vehicle air bags never exploded. I have sustained injuries to my neck, wrist and back after this accident. My vehicle has gas pedal acceleration after the accident and when I put the brakes to stop or slow down the vehicle my vehicle jumps up and increases the speed. I fear that this faulty parts of brake or gas paddle could result in another serious accident. This is my very valued asset because it takes me to work and brings me back. I hope that toyota will investigate my problem very seriously and very carefully. My injuries are very serious and long lasting and I am seeing doctors for the last 13 months. I need help very very soon. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
For a long time my prius has had pauses in acceleration occasionally when leaving a stopped position. You press on the gas and there is a couple of second pause before it accelerates. You have to be careful when pulling out into traffic because when it looks like you have time to go, with the pause it is no longer safe to pull out. I call it stalling out. There is a recall for prius that began on january 17,2013. It states: the corroded wire may break and the water pump could stop. It could cause a short circuit between coil wires and a possible open fuse, creating a stall like condition. The remedy is that toyota will replace the electric water pump at no charge. I have the stall like condition and during my last service at a toyota dealership he told me I needed a new water pump. I contacted toyota about my problem and the recall. They responded that my vehicle was not involved in the recall and they would offer me no assistance in the $500 payment for the water pump. I believe my vehicle has the problems listed in the recall and should be included.
My cruise control lever broke off right at the base. There's nothing but the wires keeping it on. I had to tape it to the steering wheel so it wouldn't make noises from flopping around when I made turns.I have never used excessive force, and my hands aren't all that strong. The cruise control lever is supposed to be used regularly and therefore should be constructed in a way to withstand regular use. However, it's obvious toyota used faulty cheap parts here that don't withstand the intended use. There are numerous complaints here and on other websites regarding this issue affecting numerous cars so it's not a ramdon but rather commen issue. Toyota should offer a customer support program to replace this part free of charge.
While traveling on the highway at 55 MPH, the power was lost and the accelerator did not respond to being depressed. The car was steered from the middle lane on a three lane highway to gradually coast into the safety lane off the highway where the brake was used to stop the vehicle. The power button was then depressed and the engine restarted and we reentered the highway. This was the only such incident in seven years of ownership of this vehicle. This incident has not recurred.
At approximately 11:20 am, I was waiting to have my car washed at a drive through car wash. A chevrolet pickup truck had completed being washed and was stopped at the exit. The green light came on at the start of the car wash for me to proceed. I moved forward when suddenly the car lurched forward at what seemed to be top speed. I jammed my foot of the brake pedal and held it down but the car continued speeding. I eased the car into the left side wall of the car wash to slow down the momentum, but to no avail. I crashed into the back of the truck. The hood of the prius went under the truck rear bumper. The air bags did not deploy. The prius has been declared at total loss. *tr the consumer stated neither the letter from toyota nor the bosch report indicated an examination of an electronic acceleration system. Updated 04/28/14
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. The contact stated that while driving 7 MPH and pulling into a parking space, he attempted to engage the brakes and it failed to stop the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the vehicle kept moving forward, went over a divider, and crashed into two vehicles. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicles front bumper was repaired. The failure and current mileage was 112,000. *tr updated 06/25/13
2007 toyota prius. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle throttle malfunction. *smd the consumer stated the vehicle accelerated out of control and crashed into another vehicle. The consumer stated she had problems with the throttle being stuck open, prior to the accident. Also, the air bag light illuminated. The dealer found an open circuit in the spiral cable.
Sudden acceleration while entering one of the state of wisconsin emission testing centers for annual required test. I had 10 to 15 seconds to respond after the car took off. I placed both feet on the brake and the car would not stop, as there was no time to try anything else. I had to choose to hit the testing center or a post; I made a conscious decision to hit the post. The air bag deployed. Insurer declared prius a total loss. Car had 2009 recall for floor mats and accelerator at toyota dealer. Picture after crash, showed the floor mats in place. Car had 50,000 mile maintenance at dealer 11 days prior to crash. Updated 02/28/12
I use my cruise control as often as possible, so I believe that if the lever is flexed even a little bit 20-30 times a day the stress will eventually break it. Mine didn't just snap, it refused to function for a day or two when the amount of flex in the nearly broken lever didn't make the cancel switch engage. It broke completely while engaging it. I found out that others are having the same issue by doing a simple search on the web.
Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 to 15 MPH she applied the brakes and the vehicle continued to surge forward causing her to crash into a gate. The contact was not injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who advised her that they could not diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle continued to have the same failures for two years on an intermittent basis. Each time the vehicle was taken to the dealer they constantly informed her that they could not diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was contacted by mail and replied by saying they have inspected the vehicle and found no known failures. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000. Updated 3/11/11 *cn updated 1/3/11
Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. While parking, the vehicle suddenly accelerated over a concrete curb and onto the sidewalk. There were no injuries. There was no police report filed. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer who could find nothing wrong. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 41,100.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. The contact stated that while driving 2 MPH, the vehicle abnormally accelerated. The contact was unable to stop the unintended acceleration as the vehicle proceeded over a slab of concrete barriers and crashed into the brick wall of a building. The air bags did not deploy and the contact sustained moderate injuries. A police report was available. The vehicle was previously repaired under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 09v388000 (vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal) prior to the crash. The contact called the manufacturer and was awaiting a response. The current and failure mileage was approximately 17,000.
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