2005 Toyota Prius Electrical System

The red triangle keeps coming on with engine repair light when ever I'm driving from Los Angeles. My mechanic said that there's a recall from 2004 for the water pump. Please advise. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Prius. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the instrument panel was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted or informed of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.

The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the instrument panel failed to light up or show any electrical functions. The contact restarted the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The contact was concerned with not knowing the speed, mileage, fuel level, or engine performance while driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY STOPPED WORKING IN MY 2005 PRIUS. YOU PRESS THE BUTTON TO START THE CAR AND THE CAR STARTS BUT NOTHING DISPLAYS. YOU CANNOT SEE YOUR FUEL GAUGE, SO I RAN OUT OF GAS AND ALMOST WAS HIT BY A VEHICLE WHILE WALKING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. YOU CANNOT SEE YOUR SPEEDOMETER SO YOU DON'T KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW SPEED LIMITS. IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND EVEN ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION ZTV TO COVER IT, BUT THEY DID NOT INFORM ME ABOUT THE EXTENSION IN 2013/14. NOW THAT EXTENSION HAS EXPIRED AND THEY WILL NOT REPAIR MY CAR. MY TECHNICIAN AT AUTOMOTIVE PERFECTION DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM, BUT TOYOTA WOULD NOT ACCEPT HIS DIAGNOSIS AND SPARTAN TOYOTA CHARGED ME $132.45 TO MAKE THE SAME DIAGNOSIS. THEY THEN TOLD ME A NEW METER WOULD COST ME $696.06 INSTALLED AND REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE AT LEAST 2012.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD REMAIN ON WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS USED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GETTEL TOYOTA OF LAKEWOOD (5959 E STATE RD 64, BRADENTON, FL 34208, (941)-567-1080) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

THE COMBINATION METER WHICH CONTAINS THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAS GAUGE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, HAS BEEN GOING DEAD FREQUENTLY (DOES NOT LIGHT UP WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED) FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS. IT USED TO BE 1-2 TIMES A MONTH, BUT RECENTLY IT OCCURS A FEW TIMES A WEEK. THE CAR DRIVES NORMALLY, BUT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO NOT KNOW THE SPEED OR TO KNOW HOW MUCH GAS REMAINS IN THE TANK. EVEN WHEN THE METER STARTS TO WORK AGAIN, THE GAS READING IS NOT ACCURATE. IT IS NOT EVEN POSSIBLE TO TELL IF THE CAR IS RUNNING OR NOT, BECAUSE THE SCREEN IS BLACK. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY TOYOTA BUT THEY NO LONGER OFFER REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ADDRESS ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. EVEN THE SEPARATE TOUCH SCREEN WHICH CONTAINS DIAGNOSTICS TESTS FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS BLACK, SO THERE IS NO WAY TO CORRECT THE ISSUE.

THE HEADLIGHTS WILL INTERMITTENTLY GO OUT. I WILL TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND ON, IT WILL COME BACK ON. THEN SHUTS OFF AGAIN AFTER A FEW MINUTES. YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE SWITCHING IT OFF AND ON, OFF AND ON. TAKEN IT TO TOYOTA SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT WAS IN AUGUST 2018 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ONLY REMEDY WAS TO REPLACE BOTH HEADLIGHTS. THE ESTIMATE TOTAL WAS $318.62 FOR ONE HEADLIGHT. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WANTS NO LIABILITY OR RECALL FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR NIGHT DRIVING AS THE HEADLIGHT WILL JUST SUDDENLY SHUT OFF.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER WAS NOT GOING OVER 300,000 MILES AND WAS STUCK AT 299,999. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN ODOMETER CLUSTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DUE TO THE VEHICLE NEEDING MAINTENANCE. THE DEALER (IRA TOYOTA OF DANVERS, 99 ANDOVER ST, DANVERS, MA 01923) DIAGNOSED THAT THE ODOMETER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT WAS NOT DUE TO A DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 299,999.

THE PRIUS ODOMETER STOPPED AT 299999 AND WON'T RECORD MORE MILEAGE. HOWEVER, THE TRIP ODOMETER CONTINUES TO REGISTER MILES, SO IT SEEMS CLEAR THE MECHANISMS ARE WORKING TO COLLECT MILES. THE PROBLEM THIS CAUSES IS THAT SOME STATES VIEW THIS FAILURE TO MOVE ON OR RESET AT 000000 AS AN INSPECTION FAILURE. SHOULD NOT BE A DESIGNED FAILURE, AS PREVIOUS COMLAINT INDICATED SINCE THIS IS A DIGITAL READOUT.

LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT HEAD LIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY ,

DURING CHARGING THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DURING THE PROCESS DISTROYING VEHICLE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY

CAR HEADLIGHTS WILL INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF DURING NIGHTTIME DRIVING. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.

MY FRONT RIGHT HEADLIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. NOW IT DOESN'T TURN ON AT ALL. I REPLACED THE BULB AND IT STILL DOESN'T WORK. MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AND HAVE ALSO FIILED COMPLAINTS BECAUSE TOYOTA DOESN'T ASSEMBLE OR RUN THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS PROPERLY.

DASHBOARDS LIGHTS WERE OFF. COULD NOT SEE SPEED OR GAS GAUGE AT NIGHT. VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN OFF.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE DEALER SERVICED THE VEHICLE FOR THE REPAIR. SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY PANEL WENT BLANK. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHUT OFF TWICE AND HAD TO BE LEFT RUNNING DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMBINATION METER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED WITH A LOANER AS THE DEALER FURTHER TESTED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING ON THEIR RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING THE DEALER'S REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ODOMETER GAUGE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THE GAUGE REMAINED AT 299,000 MILES. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ODOMETER GAUGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND ALSO STATED THAT THE GAUGE WAS DESIGNED TO STOP AT 299,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE ODOMETER GAUGE FAILING TO WORK AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MILES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 299,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE HYBRID BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYBRID BATTERY FAILED AND CAUSED THE RPMS TO REV AND THE BATTERY NEEDED TO THE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

DASH GOES COMPLETELY BLANK WHILE IN MOTION AND CAR WILL NOT TURN OFF

I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING TROUBLES WITH MY FRONT PASSENGER HEADLIGHT. THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED ABOUT A YEAR AGO (JAN. 2014) WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR USED FROM A CAR DEALER IN TYSONS CORNER VA. I TOOK THE CAR BACK WITHIN DAYS OF NOTICING THE LIGHT KEPT GOING OUT AND ASKED THEM TO REPAIR THE ISSUE SINCE I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY DID SO AND SAID THAT IT WAS MOST LIKELY A FAULTY LIGHT AND REPLACED IT. IT IS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR NOW AND THE SAME LIGHT IS GOING OUT AGAIN. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT WHEN I TURN THE CAR ON AND TURN ON ALL OF THE CAR LIGHTS TO DRIVE IT AT NIGHT, THEY TURN ON, BUT ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD AND UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, THE RIGHT PASSENGER LIGHT GOES OUT. BECAUSE OF THE SHAPE OF THE CAR, YOU CANNOT TELL THAT IT IS OUT. THE ONLY REASON I KNEW IT WAS OUT AGAIN WAS BECAUSE I GOT PULLED OVER AND GIVEN A TICKET. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND I HAVE READ A NUMBER OF SIMILAR OCCURRENCES ONLINE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY HAVE SAID (AFTER LOOKING ONLINE) THAT THE ISSUE IS THE "HEADLIGHT LIGHT CONTROL ECU SUB-ASSEMBLY". BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY RISK THIS POSSES TO THE DRIVER AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD, NOT TO MENTION THE COST OF THE SINGLE ITEM TO REPAIR IT, TOYOTA SHOULD MAKE APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL ACCOMMODATIONS TO THOSE HAVING THIS TROUBLE. NORMAL WARE AND TARE ON THE VEHICLE IS REASONABLE, SUCH AS BURT OUT LIGHTBULBS BUT SYSTEMS LIKE THIS THAT WORK FOR A COUPLE DAYS AND THEN SUDDENLY DO NOT IS NOT SAFE.

DRIVING AFTER DARK, TEMP 12 F, DASHBOARD LIGHT WENT BLACK ON AREA BEHIND STEERING WHEEL. UPON ARRIVING AT DESTINATION, VEHICLE TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE IT TURNED OFF. CAR WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA DEALER. I SUGGESTED THIS PROBLEM MAY BE ON A RECALL FOR THE MULTI SYSTEM LIGHT IN THE DASH. AFTER 2 HOURS TOYOTA DID NOT ADDRESS THE "RECALL" ISSUE AND DIAGNOSED LOOSE BATTER CABLE. CAR PERFORMED NORMALLY. NEXT MORNING THE CAR STARTED AND DASHBOARD LIGHTING CAME ON AS PER USUAL. END OF DAY WHEN TEMP DROPPED DASHBOARD WENT BLACK AGAIN AND THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN OFF AT END DESTINATION. TOYOTA DEALER WAS CALLED IMMEDIATELY (SUNDAY) LEFT MESSAGE. CALLED AGAIN NEXT MORNING AFTER 10AM NO CALL RECEIVED FROM DEALERSHIP. *TR

THE CAR KEPT SLIPPING INTO NEUTRAL WHEN WANTING TO DRIVE. PARKING BUTTON DIDN'T WORK.THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND I WAS TRYING TO DRIVE IT.

PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED AS A MEANS OF FUEL EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION WHILE I AM IN COLLEGE. I BEGAN EXPERIENCING HEADLIGHT FAILURE ON THE VEHICLE ABOUT A WEEK AFTER PURCHASING IT FROM THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE UNDER RECALL AND WOULD BE REPLACED. A FEW MONTHS LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT BEGAN FLICKERING AGAIN AND WENT OUT AGAIN. THE HEADLIGHT COMES ON INITIALLY BEFORE FLICKERING (SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY) AND GOING OUT AGAIN. I SUSPECT THAT IT IS A POWER SUPPLY ISSUE AND NOT A HEADLIGHT ISSUE. *TR

OUR DAUGHTER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO SCHOOL. SHE PARKED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN OFF. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM WAS A PART CALLED THE COMBINATION METER. HE ADVISED THAT THE PART WAS RECALLED AND WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY TOYOTA. HE PROVIDED ME WITH A PHONE NUMBER FOR THE TOYOTA CORPORATIONS RECALL DEPARTMENT. I TELEPHONED TOYOTA AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT I WAS MISINFORMED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR AND THAT THE PART WAS NOT RECALLED, BUT THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED ON THE PART IN 2012. I ASKED WHY THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED AND WAS TOLD BECAUSE IT WASN'T A SAFET MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE IF THIS PART FAILS. BY SURFING THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS BY OTHERS REGARDING THE SAME PROBLEM. IF MY DAUGHTER WOULD HAVE DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE HOME, PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE AS SHE USUALLY DOES. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT HAVE TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE IS A HYBRID AND WHEN THE BATTERY POWER WAS DEPLETED, THE GASOLINE ENGINE WOULD HAVE KICKED ON. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A DANGER, DUE TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING TO ANY OCCUPANTS WITHIN THE HOUSE. ADDITIONALLY, IF THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM NO LONGER WORKS WHEN THIS PART FAILS, THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASES IN AN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATION. WHEN THIS PART FAILS THE DASH GOES COMPLETELY BLACK, THE DRIVER IS UNAWARE THAT THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM IS NO LONGER WORKING. THE DRIVER IS ALSO UNABLE TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER OR ANY OTHER GAUGES IN THE DASH. DUE TO RECENT DEATHS, DUE TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING CAUSED BY VEHICLES NOT TURNING OFF. I FEEL THAT TOYOTA IS NEGLIGENT FOR NOT TAKING MY CONCERNS MORE SERIOUSLY. TOYOTA IS AWARE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART, THEY ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IN 2012.

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF (FAILED). STOPPED VEHICLE AND WAITED A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND TURNED LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND BACK ON. LIGHTS FUNCTIONED OK. ONE WEEK LATER, SAME FAILURE OCCURRED. *TR

JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR. THERE IS A PUNGENT ODOR IN CAR RESULTING IN DIZZINESS AND NAUSEOUS AND IT LEAVES A STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR ON THE HAIR AND CLOTHING FOR HOURS AFTER BEING IN THE VEHICLE. IT IS A STRONG, PLASTICS ODOR. I GOOGLED THIS AND FOUND IT IS A COMMON ISSUE. THERE WAS ONE POST THAT EXPLAINED VERY CLEARLY WHAT THE ISSUE IS. TOYOTA HAS IGNORED THE PROBLEM BUT IT CAN CAUSE PHYSICAL HARM DUE TO THE TOXINS IN THE AIR AS A RESULT OF THE PROBLEM.