Problems with 2008 Toyota Prius ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Recurring problem, inconsistency in fuel levels at the gas pump. possible hybrid energy theft from batteries or heating element. last fill-up at the north conduit mobil with 8 dollars, resulting in a less than a half a tank level, with a quarter tank level before fill up.

The dashboard lights go out, meaning you can no longer see the mph, the fuel, and everything important to drive with gauges. this can happen at anytime, driving or parked, on any street in any weather. also note, you can no longer shut the car off, unless you hold the start button for 20 seconds. sometimes the car will still not shut off, it's also sometimes hard to tell if the car is off, because there is no more dash. the only well to tell is to see if the radio goes on. there are a few ways to reset this major malfunction, to try and get things working again by disconnecting batteries, but this is a dangerous problem, that could kill someone while driving and needs attention and recalled soon as possible!

My car has been having this issue with braking and dashboard lights with 'brakes, abs, vsc. have taken it to the dealer and have spent thousands of dollars already. replaced the brake system (pads, drums, etc..), catalytic converter, hybrid battery. every time i drive out out of the dealer 'all is good' as codes were cleared but a few months after, the lights are on again. these issues have cause are causing my car to be acting up while driving and trying to break at stop signs and crossing lights by delaying to stop on time. this is a safety issue and needs to be addressed by toyota in assisting us with repairs. unless they'll wait for a tragedy before doing something about it. have called the dealer and they always say 'it could this' or 'it could be that'. so far the repairs they have done is supposed to fix the current issue with breaks, lights on the dashboard but now abs can be related to the actuator and that will cost me around $3,000! which i cannot afford anymore. my car is paid for and i've spent almost $7,000 in 'repairs' and of course all vehicle's warrantees had expired when i took it in. in reviewing multiple complaints, this seems to be an issue with these abs and vsc problems and there should be some type of recall to fix them, otherwise as customers we're losing faith in toyota and/or their dealers. i love toyota cars but going through these experiences with costly repairs may change my mind in going with another brand.

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.

Ventilation circuit to select inside to outside air has been cyber-terrorised several times. the system is vital to operate securely, as a disabled constituent, in a great metropolis, that has sewage and garbage vapors everywhere. they access the funtion to open the damper to let outside air in suddenly, exposing my respiratory system to inhale waste. i have respiirated. garbage air pollution, here in new york so much, it has activated my childhood asthma. please find a way to seal the ecu's.

The cryptocurrency industry has spawned a frenzy of hybrid battery energy theft. my combination meter spikes and reduces down a deficit in fuel, insight of other vehicles driving close enough to extract power from the rear battery cells. every time i re-fuel the combination meter re-calibrates fhe fuel and electric level. i lose 5 to 20 percent of that level once it has calibrates, every time.

The crank case ventilates randomly into the cabin. the foul stench of motor oil disperses into the cabin intermittently. the ventilator actuator orientates the crank case gases, hazardously contaminating my respiratory system.

The speedometer does not display when turning on the car. i figured out that by unplugging the battery in the back it would sometime bring it back on. now it only comes on every once in a while, it's no longer keeping track of miles when not on, as well as the fuel gauge is not keeping track of gas and have ran out twice because it stated half full.

For the third time i have had to replace my brake light switch, this is a safety issue as it affect how the brake lights work. the break light switch, when malfunctioning prevent or inhibits the vehicle from starting properly. if the switch fails while driving, it can cause problem with the battery regeneration, this is in addition to causing a driving hazard while driving.

The dim headlight only, not the bright, only on the drivers side front goes out 4 or 5 times a year. the front brights are not affected and have never gone out nor has the dim headlight on the passenger side front ever gone out. the car is driven daily usually and on city streets only.

There is a very wildly known issue with the prius 2004-2009 break accentuator assembly. toyota created an extended warranty for the replacement of this part because they know it is extremely faulty, the warranty has been extended three times since the original in 2004. the last expiration date they set was good until july of 2018. however, since then, there are tons of cars, including mine, where the assembly has gone bad, meaning that the brakes will continue to have a slow leak and can fail at any point causing physical harm and possible death to the driver. toyota is very very aware of this issue, however refuse to do a recall on the part.. since their third time extending the warranty, i can no longer get my replaced, which is a $2,700 fix, that is a cost that is worth more than the cars themselves. a recall needs to be done on this part, it is extremely unsafe since drivers can lose the ability to brake their cars causing harm to them, those traveling in the car, as well as everyone around them. i am eight and a half months pregnant, and will be driving with a newborn and unable to get this part fixed, so i can no longer drive my vehicle because toyota will not replace the part.. it needs to be put under a recall status immediately.

The inside to outside air vent actuators are moving in different directions, venting intake manifold gases into the cabin. synthetic oil smell in the cabin, via the two front vents.

No dashboard lights - combination meter is bad

While driving down the road the instrument panel went black. i could not see driving speed or remaining fuel. i drove to toyota dealer and could not shut down the engine upon arrival nor remove my key from the key slot. there are numerous online complaints about "prius instrument cluster not working". toyota quietly agreed to extend warranty coverage for 9 years from date of first use or until 2013. https://www.toyoheadquarters.com/threads/2004-2009-toyota-prius-combination-meter-warranty-extension-ztv.174/ i believe this should have been a safety recall as it is unsafe to operate a motor vehicle under these conditions and the operator might not be able to shut off their vehicle or remove the ignition key. there are almost 700,000 affected vehicles in the class. repair costs $925 or more for affected owners. several have posted videos of home remedies involving disconnecting the battery terminals to cause a "reset", which may encourage other owners to continue to operate the vehicle in an unsafe condition where failure is imminent.

Combination meter display not illuminating when the vehicle's ignition is turned 'on' i have a 2008 prius that i maintain regularly at authorized toyota dealers without a miss. dashboard on toyota prius stops working intermittently. when it fails, one can't know the speed of vehicle, milage, gear (d/r/p/n) etc. this happened couple of times even during middle of drive. when it happens, i can't even stop the car. i had do bit more research to figure out how to stop the car when this happens. i took it a dealer near by they diagnosed its due to defective combination meter. the quoted $800 to fix this. when i asked dealer about warranty, he said there is a warranty enhancement but it will only cover 9 years from date of purchase. upon further research on internet, this issue appears to be very common in toyota prius models and found a reference to warranty enhancement. i never received any such communication, more over this is a real safety issue that involves no consumer fault. i found no reference to this in toyota web pages in "my toyota" section, rather found references in internet (attached). i called 1-800-331-4331 number the dealer gave me, they weren't willing to honor the warranty because 9 years gone from my date of purchase. i tried to explain why its safety issue with no consumer fault. fix is very costly for consumer for problem caused by toyota.

Combination meter failure - went to start car and no response. looked like an electrical short, nothing on dashboard lit up, nothing worked. weather had recently turned cold. online research shows this is a common problem. there's an expired extended warranty: bulletin no.: pol12-05 this should be a recall.

For several years our toyota prius has exhibited the following issue: intermittently, and without warning, when you start the car the dashboard does not light. as a consequent, you cannot not see the speed you're driving at, the fuel level of the car, any warnings such as check engine, low tire pressure etc, and you're not able to use a number of other important features such as cruise control. in addition, you are not able to turn off the car when you reach your destination. because you cannot turn off the car, you cannot lock it. undisclosed to customers, there has been for several years an extended warranty being offered by toyota, to the dealerships, to fix this problem (warranty policy bulletin, pol 12-05). this information is provided only to dealerships. as i customer, i never received information about this extended warranty. i only found out about it via other customers. our local toyota dealership (toyota of olympia) has refused to apply the extended warranty and fix the problem. we contacted the dealership several years ago about the issue, which they have a record of. toyota customer service also refuses to help us get this issue fixed and apply the extended warranty. the case number with customer service is 1812072507. both toyota and the dealership state that the customer most replicate this intermittent issue to a dealership mechanic before either entity will authorize fixing the issue. several weeks or months may go by before the issue appears and it appears only for an unpredictable duration before "going away", so this is an impossible burden of proof for the customer -- the customer has to take the car to a dealership at the moment the intermittent issue occurs, and must arrive at the dealership and get the mechanic to immediately drop their other work in order to hopefully witness the issue before it "goes away".

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to immediately stop the vehicle. the contact stated that the braking distance was extended. an audible chime was heard while the abs, vsc, brakes, and battery warning lights were illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the brake actuator and the abs brake sensors needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the local dealer (unknown) was notified of the failure. the manufacture was not yet contacted. the failure mileage was 70,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. while driving 20 mph, the brake, anti-lock braking system, vehicle stability control, and traction control warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. additionally, there was a triangle symbol flashing. the vehicle was taken to autonation toyota leesburg (1 cardinal park dr se, leesburg, va 20175, 571-357-3965) where it was diagnosed that the anti-lock brake system actuator needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and provided case number: 1809122780. the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not covered under a warranty. the failure mileage was 206,970.

This is a ridiculously dangerous car. the push button system for starting is extremely dangerous for kids. my wife loads my three year old in the prius with her keys in her bag. the older son who is five likes cars and jumps in the drivers seat at the base of our driveway on the hill where he can start the car since she is within 10-15 feet of the car.

Combination meter is defective, light panel, including speedometer & fuel levels go dark, unable to tell speed of vehicle or remaining fuel, multiple incidents, all began (thus far) while vehicle was stationary.

Brake acu

Toyota has acknowledge an issue with its combination meter in the 2004-2009 toyota prius but has not recalled the issue and instead wants payment to fix the problem. toyota has documented this under the toyota service bulletin t-sb-0172-09: "some 2004-2009 model year prius vehicles may experience an intermittent condition where the combination meter display will not illuminate in cold weather conditions. an updated combination meter ecu is now available to correct this condition" toyota offered a 3 year warrenty window for this but being outside this they want almost $1000 to fix this. this issue stops the speedometer for illuminating which creates a safety hazard when gauging the correct speed for the road and conditions.

Combination meter is failing. u was told by a dealer that toyota had issued a warranty enhancement, instead of a safety recall. since i am not the original owner i was not notified of the problem and by the time i discovered it, the warranty extension has expired. toyota refuses to pay for repairs. instrument panel not working is a safety issue and toyota has to be forced to issue a recall.

Car stalled completely under high speed acceleration about 70-75mph mph on freeway. lost all power .

Lighting on speedometer only works when it is warm outside. i can't tell how fast i'm driving or if i have any gas.happens when vehicle is moving and when stationary.

My mother has a 2008 prius that has two serious issues that toyota has acknowledged and even offered to fix under what they call a support program. sounds great right? here's the problem. 1. she never received a letter notifying her of the problem and that it needed to be fixed (and only now that the issues have become her issues is she aware there was a recall and 2. toyota set a time frame to fix these issues which she is now past. again, sounds like they tried to do the right thing? the first issue is an internal leak causing her brake booster to malfunction (which is a toyota issue, not an age or wear and tear issue) and the second issue is that there are no lights on her dash board(combination meter) which means that for a prius, there is no way to tell your speed or gas levels. so take that in. she has a car, that has two major issues, one of which toyota fixed up until dec of 2017 and the other dec of 2016 and are caused by faulty parts and labor by toyota, and they will no longer fix these. the break issue cost $2400 and the dash $800. for an issue that is caused by toyota not the driver or wear and tear and is a serious safety issue. this is the kind of company toyota really is. several years ago my mom received about 14 letters stating she needed to come in and replace her floor matts because they were part of a recall. floor mats! she's received recall issues on her door lock among other things that she promptly had fixed. she took her car to the toyota dealership many times and no one ever mentioned these issues or "support programs". but breaks and dashboards aren't as important as floor mats or door locks. i would love for toyota to explain to me and everyone else, how something they acknowledge is a toyota issue, has an expiration date to get fixed by them.

2008 toyota prius. consumer writes in regards to illuminated warning light and dash not working. *ld the consumer stated that vehicle was not covered under the recall due to the age of the vehicle. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. while driving approximately 30 mph, the instrument cluster failed. also, the vehicle became sluggish and stalled. the vehicle was taken to riley toyota (2105 christy drive, jefferson city, mo 65101) where it was diagnosed that the combination meter failed. the vehicle was currently at the dealer to be repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000. the vin was not available.

Defective engine required replacement prior to 139k miles (due to cylinder malfunction and excessive oil consumption), at a cost of $3700 for a used one. this has also damaged the catalytic converter, quoted at $900. at 149k miles, the hybrid battery has failed as well, which has a quoted replacement cost of $2400. while slightly outside of warranty, the engine and hybrid battery are both core components that are expected to last significantly longer. in carb states, toyota even warrants the hybrid battery for 150k miles. the cost of replacing them exceeds the kbb value of the car, which is unacceptable for a 10 year old vehicle with average mileage that was properly maintained. i contacted both the dealership and manufacturer, and neither will accept any ownership in the matter, or provide assistance on repair costs.

Headlight will unexpectedly turn off, despite working bulb. this happens without warning when driving. both headlights will work fine for a while and then one will turn off, even though the headlight bulbs are ok. we bought the car used around 2014 and has happened about 4 times a year since then. no other problems with car.

The headlights go dim and /or shut off as i am driving. this problem usually starts with the right headlight shutting off and sometimes both will go dim or shut off completely. both lights work initially on startup and shine bright at first but immediately dim to a lower level and then as i drive they will dim or the right light will turn off or sometimes both turn off all together. they will come back on if i turn off and back on the headlight switch.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota prius. while driving various speeds, the instrument panel failed to illuminate. the contact also stated that the rear hatch button melted. the vehicle was taken to south dade toyota (29330 s dixie hwy, homestead, fl 33033, (786) 465-7908) where it was diagnosed that the wire connections were disconnected. the contact was also informed that the rear hatch button was a manufacturer defect and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failures and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. the approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

The electronic dashboard combination meter (speedometer, fuel gauge, and odometer) is defective and intermittently fails to turn on. the dashboard is blank. we have no ability to discern vehicle speed, fuel level, or number of miles driven. typically, the display will not turn on when the ignition is started. after several miles of driving, the combination meter eventually turns on. the problem seems to have become worse now that the weather is cold, with the combination meter taking far longer to turn on -- after 10-12 miles of driving. toyota has issued a tsb on the defect and has extended the warranty for this defective part, but our vehicle falls a few months outside the extended warranty period. don wood toyota of athens, oh and toyota motor sales usa refuse to replace the defective part under warranty. a little internet research indicates that this is a common defect in certain model year prius.

Toyota prius (2008) - fire after minor accident (battery fire) after a fairly standard rear end collision (25-30 mph), my toyota prius caught fire and burst into flames. i was stopped at a red light on a city street in chicago, il when the accident occurred, my vehicle was not in motion. within minutes of impact (to right rear of car), the responding police officer saw fire under the car (began in rear) and the fire dept was called. the fire travelled to the front of the car and the car has been deemed a total loss. the police and tow company believe this was caused by the prius battery and these cars are very unsafe to be on the road with this condition. there has been no related recall on this vehicle, but it's incredibly unsafe and i'm very happy i was not traveling with my children at time of accident. i appreciate you taking time to review this case and taking steps to ensure toyota addresses the issues with the prius vehicles. i've attached the police report and photos of the car fire (i also have video of the fire, but the file is too large to attach on this submission - available upon request). no major injuries - i experienced soreness / headaches from impact/whiplash and saw my doctor following accident (no major injury). please review and let me know if i can provide anything else / answer any questions. thank you in advance! [xxx] ('parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).')*jb

2008 toyota prius como meter failure. combo meter fails in cold weather, creating a dangerous driving condition. cannot read speed, fuel, climate controls unresponsive. very unhappy with my toyota prius when they told me it was out of date for the warranty repair. they want $1300 to fix one of their safety violations. there should be a safety recall for this part. my car has had this problem stationary and moving.

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.

I am writing to you about my 2008 toyota prius. ..the dashboard will go completely out while driving on the hwy when this happens you have no complete dashboard and the ignition will not operate. i have reached out to toyota and was told my 9 year warranty is out of date and this my problem. ..very unsafe component to have fail while driving.

The hid headlights go out while driving every couple of months and need to be replaced. this is a known issue to toyota who has made no attempt to fix it. consumers are being told by dealers that they need a new hid computer at their expense ($1800). it is dangerous to be driving at night and have your headlights go out! the only "fix" besides spending a ton of money on the new computer is to replace the bulbs every 3 months, which is crazy.

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.

I have three major problems with my 2008 prius. #1 the engine intermittently, will not turn off when parking the car. #2 the dash lights also intermittently will not come on, affecting my ability to see how fast i am going on the highway or streets, it also prevents me from seeing how much gas is left in the tank. #3 the outside air and air conditioner, also will not work, intermittently.

The main display randomly goes out after starting the car. my prius was at 82,000 miles when the problem began. i contacted the dealer, central florida toyota, who informed me it's a bad euc module that controls the display for speed, fuel, what gear you are in and if your head lights are on. all of those items are extremely important when operating a vehicle and if not working could cause an accident. i contacted toyota corporate on the issue and was provided a case number. they informed me the 9 year out warranty had expired since my car left the lot in sep. 2007. toyota corporate nor central florida toyota would offer any assistance on the part, labor or even proving a loaner car while service was preformed to correct the issue. i was informed from central florida toyota it could take up to 6 weeks for the part / labor to be completed. please open an investigation of this part, as research has shown this to be a known bug with the system. due to the tools this module controls (speed, gears, lights) this could cause a catastrophic accident. please hold toyota accountable to keeping their customers safe. as a long time toyota owner, i am extremely disappointment in their handling of the situation. i will be happy to provide any information needed to help correct this issue for all prius owners that have or have had this issue with no assistance from toyota.

Faulty combination meter, which displays car speed, odometer, fuel level, and turning off the car. toyota extended their warranty for 9 years but won't fix the known issue anytime past 9 years. mine failed 9 years 2.5 months. toyota customer service said that they have replaced a whooping 669,000 combination meters.

Pasdanger headlight goes on and off without cause and at will

When vehicle is turned on, instrument cluster also known as the combination meter, fail to turn on. this issue is very concerning due to the overall computer controlled functions of this vehicle. the speedometer, trip meter, odometer and other functions are not functioning due to the failure of the combination meter. functions that are considered safety items such as the power brakes, power steering, anti lock brake system, speedometer, lights, etc. there is an issued warranty covering the issue up to a certain amount of time however since it is not a wear and tear item it should be covered by the manufacturer regardless. after vehicle is eventually ignited, combination meter does not illuminate and when attempting to turn off the vehicle, it fails to do so which also includes not being able to remove the key. i was advised by a toyota mechanic to access the safety override by holding the power button however that procedure does not work all of the time. i am very concerned about this issue due to my safety and drivers around me and their safety and hopefully this issue can be avoided before a possible a catastrophic accident happens.

Smog check failed because of obd bulb check failure and obdii failure. service fault codes are u0100 lost communication with ecm/pcm "a" and u0111 lost communication with battery energy control module "a." car only has 60,000 miles.

Inverter water pump replaced at 75000 miles under recall and failure. same pump failed again at 146600 miles. replacement pump lasted less miles than original. pump design or manufacture is not adequate for service. diagnosis was pump seized during expressway driving (65 mph). did not cause an immediate stoppage but vsc warning caused reduced controllability.

Dash lights showing speed, fuel level and odometer stop functioning intermittently. so far it happened once on start up after a cold night. dash lights came back on later in the day. vehicle was not driven, though everything else seemed to work ok.

The vehicle combination meter sporadically will not turn on which prevents the display of the speed of the car. during this condition, the fuel economy will not display, the car may not be powered off by normal procedure, and the fuel gauge, drive train mode indicator, and odometer are not visible. this has occurred for the past 2 years, primarily during cold weather, but also during warm weather, and i have a video recording of this problem while operating this specific vehicle dated february 20 2017. toyota will not honor their own warranty extension described in their document pol12-05, related to tsb t-sb-0172-09, stating that the dealer must be able to reproduce the issue in order to cover the replacement. toyota's document pol12-05 specifically states "this condition is primarily found in cold weather climate conditions. when the vehicle is brought to your dealership it may no longer be in a climate which allows duplication of the condition. if this occurs, please verify with the customer that the experienced condition is in accordance with this warranty extension and proceed with replacement of the combination meter." on 5/12/2017, andrea n. (would not provide last name) with toyota customer experience center, assigned me toyota case # 1705121649 and stated that "the dealer must reproduce the issue in order to cover replacement under warranty" despite the toyota letter explicitly allowing for warranty replacement when the condition cannot be reproduced by the dealer.

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.