Toyota Prius harsh shifting problems

Filed Oct 2, 2026 · Transmission · VA

I purchased my 2023 Prius new which comes with a 5 year 60k mile powertrain warranty. My car, at 42.2k miles, has developed a clicking sound when the steering wheel is fully turned to the left and the vehicle is moving slowly. I brought it to the dealer today Oct 2, 2026 and their technician was able to reproduce my concern. However I came across two problems: 1) Their technician claims it is a "suspension" issue and 2) I was told even if it were CV related it would not be covered under warranty. Toyota is aware of this clicking sound and even has multiple bulletins about this exact same issue on their other vehicle models, all of which are covered under the 5 year 60k mile warranty. For example: T-SB-0106-20: "Some 2015 – 2021 model year Corolla vehicles may exhibit a clicking noise when making turns greater than 90 degrees and accelerating with the steering wheel on full lock, such as when performing a U-turn" Other bulletins include: T-SB-0053-25 and T-SB-0028-26. My research shows that suspension related issues are diagnosed with symptoms such as a single clunk sound when hitting bumps or driving over uneven pavement whereas CV issues are diagnosed with symptoms such as rhythmic clicking as the car accelerated through a turn. And upon reading my manual, I confirmed that CV issues are covered by the 5 year 60k mile warranty.

Filed Sep 6, 2025 · Brakes · AL

when test driving the vehicle I asked about this buzzing/ whirring noise while sitting in the running but parked car. I was told these cars are hybrids, the electrical components make all sorts of whirring and humming noises and not to be concerned. Over the years I heard this noise, increasingly more and more, but I never knew it was something to pay attention to. Fast forward to July 2025. I noticed the car is inching forward while I’ve been stopped for a while at a red light almost like the brakes don’t want to hold. This has been happening so often that I have began to put the car in park while waiting for lights to turn green because it gets painful having to push the brake so far down. I take my car to a mechanic, explain all of the noises and the sensations and two mechanics Drive it but say it feels fine and there are no recalls. They say my front brake pads are low and that must be what I’m feeling. After replacing the brake pads nothing had changed. Now there is also a squeak while moving at a slow speed in stop and go traffic. 1 week later i bring it up while getting an oil change and ask if they know what it could be. They said brakes seemed fine. A couple weeks go by and yesterday while I was driving down the highway in heavy school traffic out of nowhere my car makes a clunk noise and all of these lights pop up on the dash. I roll the windows down and scream for my children to hold on because something was wrong. Luckily we were able to get to safety but I definitely had reduced breaking capabilities. I immediately take the car in and and find out my brake booster and accumulator has failed. service tech brings up the consumer program but my car is a 2013 and it is not eligible to be repaired bc it’s 10+ yrs. Even though Toyota admits to internal malfunctions of the Brake Booster Assembly, and my car is only at 76,000 mi it’s not being fixed. This is negligence on Toyotas part. Not fixing these faulty parts is endangering lives.

Filed Jun 28, 2025 · Engine · TN · fire

Pulled out of the driveway drove about a 100 ft heard large clunking sound front end dropped down as if there was a flat tire pulled off the highway drove through the grass 100 ft back to my home the car started smoking from the engine compartment and burst into flames. Tried to extinguish with fire extinguishers and water hose while calling 911. Fire Department extinguished the fire. Car is a complete loss. There was an oil leak trail from where the car first drop down through the grass. The car did not have a previous oil leak. The car had 300,000 miles on it. No one was injured.

Filed Jun 20, 2020 · Steering · CA

The steering wheel make a clunking noise and feel like it'll fall off when driven.

Filed Jun 19, 2018 · Electrical, Steering · MO

My car has a clunking/rattle sound when going over bumps or uneven roads even without brakes slightly engaged. It also does this when driving over 60 MPH on smooth roads but if I turn wheels slightly left or right the sound stops and when I turn them back straight it begins again. It is so bad that you can feel it on your feet and strongly thru the steering column. Also the front tires wear heavily on the inside edge. It feels like steering column may be loose at times. Also the horn keeps blowing fuses and when you put a new fuse in the drivers side door will shock you e every time you try to exit the vehicle. And the outside air temp will not read temp. I had new tires put on to replace old front tires and rotated all and balanced and just had new brakes put on from dealship. Radio reception is horrible even though other vehicles in same area get great reception. I love this car but I did buy it used so I am not sure if all recalls have been fixed or if they need fixed again. It seems like a lot of mechanics have no idea what they are doing.*dt consumer stated vehicle has been repaired.

Filed Jun 4, 2018 · Steering · 120,000 miles · CA

For the last couple of years there is a clunking sound from the steering column when turning the steering wheel from side to side, either stationary or when moving.*dt

Filed Apr 11, 2018 · Brakes · 150,000 miles · FL

Brake actuator failing (warning lights on, clunking sound when depressing brake, increased force to apply brakes) two months after extended "service campaign" ended. Had a recall been issued I would have been notified there was a technical problem that needs to be fixed. A known technical issue that affects a vehicle's brakes and anti- locking braking system should result in a recall.

Filed May 26, 2016 · Steering · 50,000 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 toyota prius. While driving various speeds, a loud clunking noise emitted when making a turn. The failure occurred only when making a turn. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

Filed Mar 29, 2016 · Steering · 86,000 miles · CA

There is a clunking noise in my steering column, feels loose when I turn it right and left. The steering clunking sound when turning the wheel is not normal.*dt

Filed Jun 3, 2015 · Steering · 110,000 miles · WY

I left my house off noble road, cora, wy and pulled on to wyoming highway 352 headed west at about 11 am; my husband [xxx] was in the car with me as were my dogs. The slippery road icon on the dash came on and there was a beeping noise from the dashboard. I was driving at about 10 MPH, though the road is a 65 MPH highway. The day was sunny and I slowed down as the road was dry and the light should not have been on and the beeping noise was a new sound for this car. After 2 miles I made a left turn and pulled into the first available driveway at mile 2, cora road. As I made the left turn at a slow speed, there was noise from the front of the car, then I heard a series of clunking noises from the steering column. I stopped the car in the ranch driveway and read the prius manual regarding the icon and beeping symbols. Then I tried to turn the car around and noticed that the steering wheel just kept turning and did not turn the wheels of the car. [xxx], a rancher whose road my car was blocking, stopped to help me and noted that the steering wheel was not working. He gave my husband a ride back to our house to get our other vehicle. I called the local towing company, t and l towing, and they came to the site. The car would go forward and backward but the wheels would not turn. Tom nixon, tow guy, and I worked the car around to a position where I could drive the car forward on to his tow truck. The nearest toyota dealer with prius service is in rock springs, wyoming, about 107 miles away and tom towed the car to their service lot. I called the dealer in rock springs to notify them of my car en route to them and explained the situation. I also called the toyota help line at 1‑800‑331‑4331 and talked to sheryl meyers. I explained the incident to her and she assigned a case number of [xxx] to my claim. On monday june 1, I talked to my insurance agent at state farm...updated 06-16-15 *bf ...updated 12/29/15 *bf updated 10/18/2018*cn*dt consumer stated steering has been repaired in 2015. ('parts of this document have b