2008 Toyota Prius: backup camera failure

Filed Feb 17, 2023 · Electrical · FL

The vehicle we own is no longer covered by an extended warranty offered to Toyota owners of 2004-2009 Prius. The warranty covered the replacement of the digital combination meter which, when failing, no longer displays anything on the dashboard. The situation is dangerous because you lose the ability to monitor fuel tank capacity, speed, warning lights, reverse lights and backup camera. To get around this malfunction requires that the back storage panels be removed and 12-volt battery be disconnected and reconnected. However, the fix is short term since the problem resets itself once the car is turned off. Even when the display is working, we have just discovered that the fuel gauge is inaccurate, causing a serious overflow of fuel due to the display showing 1 bar, when the tank was actually 50% full. Toyota, fully aware of this problem offered a "warranty enhancement" that offered replacement coverage up to September 30, 2013. It only covered customers whose care was demonstrating the problem, excluding any cars that were not showing signs of malfunction. We have a 2008 model, purchased from a Toyota dealership in 2011, that up until around 2-years ago showed no signs of malfunctioning. Therefore, the warranty did not apply. We now, however, are experiencing the malfunction on a daily basis and our vehicle is unsafe, and inconvenient to drive. I called Toyota regarding this and they will not offer any further coverage beyond the September 30, 2013 date. The repair for this malfunction is a minimum $1000, which rightfully should be covered by Toyota due to the potential safety issues surrounding this problem. We would like Toyota to acknowledge customers such as ourselves where the malfunction did not appear until later during our ownership of a 2008 Prius, and pay or reimburse for the repair.

Filed May 19, 2022 · Electrical · WA

The electric dashboard (warning lights, speedometer, fuel gauge, etc.) is sometimes off when starting the car. The backup camera and the center display also will not be working. The car will not shut off when the displays are not working. It will usually fix itself after pushing the on/off button a few times. It has happened many times now but isn’t predictable. It hasn’t been looked at by a mechanic yet.

Filed Mar 22, 2022 · Acceleration, Electrical · OH

Dashboard speedometer, fuel gauge, headlight indicators, transmission status, cruise control do not show, are not lit up. Backup camera does not work nor do the back-up lights. This occured after the auxiliary battery was replaced and the dashboard lights and backup camera will occassionally spontaneously return when the car has not been driven for a week or longer but then will go out next time the car is turned off. There are problems with the car turning off consistently and at times the start button needs to be manually depressed for 5+ seconds to shut down.

Filed Mar 18, 2021 · Acceleration, Electrical · 146,500 miles · AZ

Instrument cluster in my 2008 toyota prius completely went dark while driving from phoenix to my home in tucson. I was travelling on I-10 at a speed of approximately 70mph. Terribly frightening when all gauges fail at the same instant. This happened in jan 2021. Speedometer, fuel gauge, headlight indicators, prndl, lcruise control, lights that indicate engine emergencies do not light. Back-up camera does not work nor do the back-up lights. These all are extremely dangerous safety issues. Having researched this problem it is evident that toyota knew about this problem as they have recalled thousands of prius' for this issue. They issued an extended warranty for this issue but mine expired before I purchased this vehicle in february, 2020. I firmly am convinced that toyota should honor the warranty for this dangerously common failure which happens to many different model year of the prius. It's, in fact, irresponsible of toyota to not repair these vehicles as they have known how massively prevalent these failures are. The local toyota dealers is charging over $1000.00 to fix the problem. I, for one, cannot afford such a cost for a malfunctioning, critical for safely operating their product, that should be remedied into perpetuity, since they have unquestionably been fully aware of the problem and it's severity. I should not be excluded from repair simply because the failure happened later in this particular vehicle than others.

Filed Oct 3, 2019 · Electrical, Lights · 196,050 miles · ME

The 2008 prius has a digital display. Sometimes when the vehicle starts up there is no information displayed on the screen. Nothing shows what gear (reverse, neutral, forward) it is in. There is no speedometer display. No odometer display. No fuel level display. At the same time that the dash does not light up, I have noticed there is no backup camera or backup lights when the vehicle is in reverse. In addition to the above, the start button will not fully shut down the car. It will cycle between accessory mode and full start when the button is pressed. I have noticed that when the problem is happening the vehicle is also not keeping track of the miles driven while the dash is not displaying - so when the dash does start working again, the odometer is not showing true mileage. After getting the vehicle to finally shut down, I have sometimes had the issue not present the next day at startup. Other times it will last through several starts and stops. I have read online that this problem is consistent with a faulty combination meter. And I feel it is a safety issue.

Filed Jan 8, 2018 · Electrical · 84,394 miles · VA

Car runs but dashboard lights fail to illuminate when it is cold outside. This is a widespread problem with 2004-2009 2nd gen prius as evidenced by pervasive internet comments by owners experiencing this problem. The problem is toyota used an overly weak capacitor for a combination meter circuit so when it is cold insufficient electricity is available to illuminate critical-safety-related dashboard lights, including the speedometer. Toyota recognized the issue and issued a warranty extension for this exact problem but limited it to vehicles within 9 years of date of first use. The problem apparently tends to emerge only after 8 or 9 years so many vehicle owners discover the problem is not covered. Owners face the choice of a costly repair at their own expense or driving without a speedometer or backup camera or critical, safety-related warning lights. Toyota should be required to fix this hazardous condition for all vehicle that develop this problem, especially since it is due to a recognized, widespread deficiency in the car's electronic circuitry.

Filed Nov 25, 2017 · Electrical, Lights · 163,000 miles · IL

Two problems 1. In cold or cooler weather, my dash does not display. After sometimes 1 hour, it will suddenly turn on. Also, when the dash does not display the car does not turn off, unless I hold the start button for a long time. Also the rear view camera does not work. Also my smart key does not start the car, unless inserted. 2. Sometimes my headlights and running lights do not work. It always happens in an alternating manner. If my front right head light is not working, then my rear left running light is not working or vice a versa. This problem also appears and goes away at random intervals. I have checked and there was a recall for the combination meter, but when I called toyota customer experience center, they told me that the recall expired. I was not informed of the recall and even when I searched on line, no recalls show up. What do I do? Can I still have toyota fix this problem? The lighting issue seems to be related to a faulty hid computer. Again, no recall shows up, can I get this fixed? I have been pulled over one time by police, and am afraid of driving at night because of this problem. This has been ongoing, intermittently, since last winter.

Filed Sep 27, 2017 · Electrical · 200,000 miles · MI

My display has gone black multiple times. Start the car and there is no display, no rear camera.... A major safety concern I have found out through the toyota forum. So I have to go to the back unplug something from my battery - or my wife or daughter. Not safe by any means!! No recall for this fmvss issue. Unacceptable.

Filed Jul 21, 2017 · Electrical · 71,000 miles · TX

The main display/touch-screen in my toyota prius stopped working while it was parked and the engine was off. The device worked in the morning when, but it would not work that afternoon when I re-started my car. The device also stopped working at that same time. As a result, I am unable to: monitor the hybrid system; access the climate controls (there are some controls on the steering wheel, but, since I cannot see the effect, I am very reluctant to touch them fearing that I will lose what little A/C I have now); the back-up camera; the blue-tooth (for my hands-free cell phone); the navigation system; vehicle maintenance info; etc. I have driven my vehicle since, and now my vehicle flashes the symbol indicating the absence of my key-fob (even though I have it with me in my pocket) unless/until I push the key-fob into its slot in my prius. As a result, in addition to all of the other things I am no longer able to access, I am now very concerned that my prius is going to malfunction while I am driving down the road due to its failure now to recognize the presence of my key-fob. In researching this issue, it is apparent that many other prius owners (several year models) have had similar issues with this device. When I took my vehicle to toyota to have them repair/replace my device, the asst. Service manager informed me that toyota did not make the device, that they do not have any replacements, that the manufacturer also does not have any more replacements, and that my only hope was for them to disconnect/remove the device, send it off to a 3rd party to "hopefully repair" my device, and that this process will take up to 2 weeks (while I drive without it). It is inconceivable to me that toyota is unaware of this problem (since all of their supply and the manufacturer's supply of replacement units has been exhausted). Please help.

Filed Jan 7, 2013 · Electrical · CA

When starting the vehicle the dashboard lights that regulate speed, gas level, oil, odometer, etc do not light up. During this time, the odometer reading is also disabled and not calculated. The dashboard area is completely dark. The back up camera is also disabled and the information for mpg, electrical engine also do not work. Took it to the dealer to have the issue checked but the problem could not be recreated. The current work around that I discovered is to turn on the light switch before turning on the vehicle. This situation is very dangerous since you are unable to determine your speed, gas, and oil level as well as any other potential problems. After some online research I determined that many other consumers have been affected by the same issue.