2007 Toyota Prius Electrical System

Combination meter often does not turn on when turning the car on. This means you cannot see a speedometer, any warning lights, fuel tank levels, or mileage. Also the trunk gets locked and is unable to open. Sometimes the car will not turn off. This has been happening on and off for over a year but has gotten increasingly worse. There are no warning signs. This can happen any time you turn on the car but might not always happen. It can also prevent you from turning off the car. When searching online, it seems this is a common problem with high mileage Priuses between 2005-2009 and so Toyota extended a warranty on it but did not tell all of the owners, most likely to get out of a recall.

The Dash display (shows the speedometer, warning lights, etc) won't come on, and the rear back up camera doesn't either. They seem to both stop at the same time on start up. The car seems to run fine otherwise.

After I had auxiliary battery replaced at a Toyota dealer 10/13/21, I started noticing that intermittently, when I turned the car on that the lights on my instrument panel would not be lit (can't see speed, odometer, gas gauge). Then noticed other strange things when the instrument panel was dark, such as the back-up camera would not work, had a hard time turning the car off, and back trunk hatch would not open. Took it back to dealer on 11/12/21, thinking problem was related to the battery replacement. First service advisor said that it was the combination meter...that they see it all of the time with Prius'. While waiting for my car, I googled "combination meter" and saw how ultimately dangerous its malfunction could be over time - e.g. the electrical braking system fails and you have to use your emergency brake to stop the car, which would be exceedingly dangerous at 65 mph. When checking out, my service rep agreed with me that it is a safety and Toyota issue, but there was nothing the dealer could do but replace it (at cost to me of $1100+). I took to a non-dealer who read the code - B1271: "Combination Meter ECU communication stopped. Called Toyota who told me it had not been recalled for safety, but there was a warranty enhancement program to cover the replacement of combination meters, which had expired for my car in 2016. There was nothing they could do except contact the customer relations rep at dealer where I am taking car to get fixed on 11/22/21. They took no responsibility at all. I also know the combo meter had a safety recall for the 2019 Prius' so still an issue.

SOMETIMES WHEN I START MY CAR, THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL LEVEL AND ODOMETER CLUSTER DISPLAY GOES BLANK. I DO HAVE A SPEEDOMETER APP ON MY PHONE. I HAVE USED TIPS FROM PRIUS OWNERS ABOUT HOW TO GET THE DISPLAY BACK ON. I STILL BELIEVE THIS MAY BE A PROBLEM FOR NORMAL DRIVERS. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN I START THE CAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, A CODE ILLUMINATED INDICATING TRANSMISSION WOULD LOCK FOR SAFETY AND TO PLACE THE VEHICLE ON A FLAT SURFACE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE ARRIVED AT HIS RESIDENCE AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER NOR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

THE MAIN COMPUTER BOARD SHORTED OUT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP FOUND OUT IT WAS RECALLED 2007-2016 BUT SEARCHED FOR INFORMATION OR SOMETHING UNABLE TO FIND INFORMATION THE CAR STAYED RUNNING UNABLE TO TURN OFF DASHBOARD SPEED AND TRANSMISSION WAS DARK UNABLE TO PUSH BUTTON TO TURN OFF CAR. *TR

DASHBOARD TROUBLES SHUT OFF AND DONT SHOW DASHIGHT NOTHING

THE DASHBOARD WOULD NOT LIGHT UP EVEN OF THE CAR IS ON AND CAN BE DRIVEN.IT WON'T STOP THE CAR. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND I JUST STARTED IT BUT THE DASH BOARD WOULD NOT LIGHT UP THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAS LEVEL.

THE RUBBER COVER TO THE EXTERNAL TRUNK LATCH HAS MELTED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS EITHER GOOEY TO THE TOUCH IN WARM WEATHER OR FROZEN SOLID AND IMMOVABLE IN COLDER TEMPERATURES. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE, AT TIMES, DUE TO THE INFLEXIBILITY OF THE RUBBER I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE TRUNK AND, THUS, ACCESS THE SPARE, ANY OF MY REPAIR TOOLS, OUR EARTHQUAKE KIT, FLARES, JUMPERS, ETC. THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE INTERNAL METHOD FOR OPENING THE HATCHBACK/TRUNK. TOYOTA NEEDS A RECALL OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART AS THE COST TO REPAIR IT IS EXORBITANT, QUOTED TO ME AS $352.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND PUSHED THE START BUTTON, HE HAD TO HOLD THE BUTTON FOR 3 TO 10 SECONDS BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTED. OCCASIONALLY, ALL THE INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO FUNCTION, WHICH PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM KNOWING HOW FAST HE WAS TRAVELING AND THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA WALNUT CREEK (2100 N BROADWAY, WALNUT CREEK, CA 94596) STATED THAT THE COMBINATION METER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOESN'T SHOW WHEN THE CAR IN TURNED ON AND THE CAR WOULDN'T SHUT OFF WITHOUT FOLLOWING ALTERNATE SHUT OFF INSTRUCTIONS. THIS HAPPENED IN OCTOBER 26,2018 AND AGAIN ON DECEMBER 9,2018. APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM IS THE COMBINATION METER WHICH TOYOTA DID A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT FOR 9 YEARS FROM PURCHASE DATE WHICH MEANS THEY WON'T FIX MINE UNLESS I PAY $800.00 PLUS TAX. SINCE I'M OUT OF THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAVE LESS THAT 100,000. MILES. IT'S DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH NO DISPLAY PANEL NOT KNOWING HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING OR GAS GUAGE AND A LOT OF SENIORS OWN THIS VEHICLE AND CAN'T AFFORD SUCH A COSTLY EXPENSE. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL NOT A WARRANTY NOTICE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO DISPLAY AND THE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. DURING THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (BEV SMITH TOYOTA, 5655 S. US HWY 1, STUART, FL) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMBINATION METER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

DASH BOARD GOES BLACK! NO INSTRUMENTATION. TOYOTA STATES THERE WAS A RECALL AND I DID NOT RESPOND. I DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE. THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE EMAILS DATING BACK FROM 2014.

COMBINATION METER DISPLAY FAILURE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE IN WHICH THE INSTRUMENTATION PANEL AND CRUISE CONTROL CEASE TO FUNCTION. THE CAR MAY ALSO NOT TURN OFF WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ELABORATE PROCEDURES. IT IS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS IN THAT THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE FUEL GAUGE DO NOT DISPLAY. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECTIVE OMPONENT AND ISSUED AN "ENHANCED WARRANTY" TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, BUT ONLY IF THE PROBLEM MANIFESTED ITSELF WITHIN THE DEFINED PERIOD OF THE ENHANCED WARRANTY.. FOR THOSE PRIUS OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS LIFE-THREATENING FLAW AFTER THE ENHANCED WARRANTY PERIOD ELAPSED, THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE OR TO PAY FOUR FIGURES FOR A REPAIR. A COMPONENT THAT IS KNOW TO BE DEFECTIVE SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE AT ANY TIME IF IT INVOLVES SAFETY.

THE 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS TOURING WITH 151K ON IT STARTED EXPERIENCING DASHBOARD GOING BLANK WHEN POWER BUTTON PRESSED. THE EMERGENCY SIGNAL AND DIRECTION SIGNAL WORKS BUT OTHER NAVIGATION OR MAIN DISPLAY INCLUDING SPEED, FUEL GAUGE AND MILEAGE DOESN'T WORK. DEALER SAID, IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY TO REPLACE EVEN THOUGH IT'S PART OF SAFETY WARNING BY TOYOTA BEFORE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RUN WITHOUT DASHBOARD DISPLAY INCLUDING BREAK SYSTEM WORKING BUT NOT SURE. IT'S VERY DANGER TO RUN THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT DASHBOARD AND MAY RUN OF FUEL OR GO OVER SPEED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO DISPLAY ANY WARNING INDICATORS OR THE FUEL AMOUNT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW WHAT PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

THE DASHBOARD GOES BLACK! NO INSTRUMENTS. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID I MISSED THE RECALL AND WON'T FIX IT. IT HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY! 3/02/2018 YOU HAVE TO PUT THE FOB IN AND PRESS THE START BUTTON FOR 3 SECONDS JUST TO GET THE CAR TO TURN OFF.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN DROVE TO KOONS TYSON'S TOYOTA IN TYSON'S CORNER, VA WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMBINATION METER WAS FAULTY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN 2015, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER BECAUSE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING FLICKERED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER TO DISREGARD THE SYMPTOM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 1801160899. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT DARK AND FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (TOYOTA OF REDLANDS, 921 NEW YORK ST, REDLANDS, CA 92374) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND REFERRED THE MANUFACTURER'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT PER THE CONTACT'S REQUEST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 191,000.

MY DASHBOARD WENT DARKING INCLUDING THE SPEEDOMETER AND IT APPEARS TO ALSO DISABLE THE ODOMETER WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS HAPPENED AFTER STOPPING TO FILL UP FOR GAS. AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR THE DASHBOARD WILL NO LONGER LIGHT UP. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU CAN TEMPORALLY RESET THE FAULTY PART BY DISCONNECTING IT FROM THE BATTERY AND RECONNECTING IT. THIS ISSUE IS REGARDING A PROBLEM THAT IS KNOWN TO TOYOTA, THEY HAVE EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THIS PART TO 9 YEARS/UNLIMITED MILES. MY PRIUS WAS EFFECTED AFTER 9 1/2 YEARS PUTTING ME PAST THE WARRANTY THEY EXTENDED. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE "COMBINATION METER", IT APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY A BAD SOLDER DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. RESEARCH SHOWS ME THIS EFFECTS 2004-2009 PRIUS MODELS AND IT LOOKS LIKE MOST PRIUS WILL RUN INTO THE ISSUE AT SOME POINT. I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS HASN'T BEEN A RECALL AS NO SPEEDOMETER IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE, THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AND TOYOTA SEEMS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR WARRANTY EXTENSION. I IMAGINE IT TOOK ME MORE THAN NINE YEARS AS WE ONLY HAVE 90,000 MILES AFTER NEARLY 10 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. A GOOGLE SEARCH ON TOYOTA PRIUS COMBINATION METER PROBLEM WILL BRING UP A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

OUR CAR WAS STATIONARY ALL 3 TIMES THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT OUT, WHERE WE COULD NOT SEE WHAT GEAR WE WERE IN, THE SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER OR FUEL GAUGE. ONE TIME, EVEN THOUGH WE PUSHED THE POWER BUTTON, THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF. TOYOTA ADVISED THEY ISSUED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT, AFTER A TECHNICAL SERVICES BULLETIN WAS ISSUED, BUT WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE NOTICE. WE FEEL THE NHTSA SHOULD HAVE MADE THEM ISSUE A RECALL AS THIS IS NOT SAFE. TOYOTA TOLD US WE ARE PAST THE 9 YEAR ENHANCEMENT SO THEY ARE REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED IT, WE WERE TOLD OTHERS HAVE BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE THE CAR CONKED OUT ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THEY WERE GOING 65 MPH. WE HOPE NHTSA WILL MAKE TOYOTA ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 65 MPH WHEN THE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK I COULD NO LONGER TELL HOW FAST I WAS GOING, HOW MUCH FUEL I HAD LEFT OR IF ANY OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ( LOW TIRE, LOW OIL, RUNNING HIGH TEMPERATURE, ETC. ) WERE ON. THE DISPLAY ORIGINALLY WENT OUT IN 2010 BUT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME HOW TO CORRECT IT. IT HAS HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES SINCE THEN THE LATEST BEING THE THIRD. THIS TIME IT HAS RENDERED THE CAR UNSAFE AND UNDRIVEABLE. I FOUND OUT SEARCHING THE INTERNET THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2009. SITING T-SB-0172-09 COMBINATION METER INTERMITTENT DISPLAY WHICH AFFECTED PRIUS FROM 2004 TO 2009, FOR 3 YEARS 36000 MILES. IN 2012 THEY ISSUED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE SAME PROBLEM COMBINATION METER INTERMITTENT DISPLAY AND THEN BECAME 9 YEARS FROM DATE OF FIRST USE OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER OF 2013 WITH UNLIMITED MILEAGE. SINCE IT WAS A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT INSTEAD OF A RECALL THEY DID NOT SEND NOTICES TO EVERYONE WITH PRIUS ABOUT THIS DEFECT. SINCE NOTICE WAS NOT SUPPLIED I WAS ONE OF I AM SURE QUITE A FEW WHO FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS. I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THE SITUATION AND WAS INFORMED THAT TOYOTA WOULD DO NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY DIM. AFFECTING TONS OF PRIUS OWNERS. SHIFT KNOB WAS WORKING AND HAS NOT GONE OUT AS WELL. TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE THE LIGHT BULB IN SHIFTER KNOB. NO SOLUTION FOR INTERIOR DIMMED LIGHTING THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT. DEALER SAID THEY KNOW OF THE ISSUE AND IT EXISTS IN ALL 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS MODELS.

IN SEPTEMBER 2014 I TURNED ON THE IGNITION AND THE DASH DID NOT COME ON. THE CAR WOULD DRIVE BUT IT DID NOT INDICATE SPEED, GEAR SELECTOR ETC. UPON PARKING THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN OFF. BY MOVING FORWARD AND BACKWARD AND TRYING TO TURN IT OFF REPEATEDLY IT EVENTUALLY TURNED OFF. THIS DID NOT REOCCUR UNTIL THE FOLLOWING YEAR WHEN THE WEATHER GOT WET IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. IT WOULD HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY ON COLD DAMP MORNINGS AND THEN EVERYTHING WOULD BE FUNCTIONAL THE NEXT TIME I DROVE IT. IT STARTED HAPPENING OFTEN AND FOR MULTIPLE DAYS IN 2016. IT BECAME SO DIFFICULT TO TURN THE CAR OFF (AND IF THE CAR DOES TURN OFF THERE IS LITTLE INDICATION SO I HAD A CLOSE CALL WHEN I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO ROLL AWAY) THAT I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD HAD THIS PROBLEM. APPARENTLY IT IS VERY COMMON AND TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE DESIGN FLAW, SO THEY WILL REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY FOR 9 YEARS FROM THE NEW VEHICLE PURCHASE DATE. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THAT THE CAR WAS 9 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS OLD AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT AND IT WOULD BE ~$1500 TO FIX. I EXPLAINED THAT IT HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR 2+ YEARS AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I ASKED WHY THEY HAD NOT NOTIFIED OWNERS AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT A "RECALL" SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND AN ACKNOWLEDGED DESIGN FLAW THAT POSES A SAFETY HAZARD TO THE PUBLIC. WHEN THE PRIUS "COMBINATION METER" IS NOT FUNCTIONING THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE TURNED OFF QUICKLY AND THE VEHICLE MAY DRIVE OFF IF THE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE ENGINE. PLEASE COMPEL TOYOTA TO AT LEAST NOTIFY OWNERS OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THIS DESIGN FLAW. EVEN BETTER, COMPEL THEM TO FIX DEFECTIVE VEHICLES OR ISSUE A RECALL FOR ALL VEHICLES TO HEAD OF THIS POTENTIAL PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT.

THE RUBBER COVER OF THE REAR LIFT GATE SWITCH HAS DETERIORATED TO THE POINT WHERE THE SWITCH WON'T WORK ANY MORE. I AM UNABLE TO ACCESS THE SPARE TIRE AND OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE BACK OF THE CAR.