2011 Toyota Prius Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Around 14 months ago (march 2024) I purcheded a replacment battery pack for our 2011 Toyota Prius form NexPower Energy (also going by, project lithium, sodiumhybrid) based out of CA. The battery pack is a lithum pack that replaces the orginal nickel metal hydride pack. In the beginning of June 2025, the car through an battery error and went into limp mode wile my wife was driving, when i go home and plugged in my scanner to check the battery out i noticed that the cells were out of balance and some were becoming very over charged. My fear is that if the cells were continued to be overcharged an thermal runaway event might occure due to BMS not being included with the overall pack.
Dc Dc Inverter , I did contact with Toyota corporate but they said my Vin it is not in recall, I need help please
Electric front window will not work. Could not find any bad fuses.
MY HEADLIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS COMMON PROBLEM AND IT REQUIRES A NEW ELECTRICAL HARNESS. THEY ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO FIX THIS, HOWEVER NOT EVERYONE GOT THE NOTICE (LIKE ME). IT EXPIRED IN NOV. 2019. I WAS QUOTED $700 TO FIX THIS, WHEN IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE CAR MANUFACTURING. I WOULD LIKE THIS BE A RECALL ITEM, SO EVERYONE CAN GET IT FIXED. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN TO GET IT FIXED THEY WERE FULLY AWARE OF MY PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. IT IS UNSAFE TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHT ALL THE SUDDEN BURN OUT, USUALLY WHEN I FIRST TURN THEM ON, PLEASE HELP. IT HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY 3 MONTHS OR LESS. THANK YOU.
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A FEW RECALLS A FEW MONTHS AGO FOR THE FLASHING REPAIR AND NOW MY INVERTER/CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I FELT LIKE IF I TOOK IT IN FOR THE REPAIRS LIKE MY CAR WOULD SUDDENLY GET WORSE DUE TO THE SO CALLED REPAIRS TO MANAGE THE DEFECTS BUT MY CAR STILL ENDED UP STALLING AND NEEDING MORE REPAIRS. I FEEL THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND EVEN SAW THERE WAS A CURRENT LAWSUIT DUE TO THE OVERHEATING COMPLICATION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAFETY SRS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GLENS FALLS TOYOTA (169 BROAD ST, GLENS FALLS, NY 12801, (518) 793-5611) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPIRAL CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1912090334. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 104,000.
THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM JUST CAME ON. WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 1 YEAR. ALTHOUGH IT WAS USED, IT HAS 116,000 MILES ON IT. WE DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IS A CALIFORNIA VEHICLE. WE BELIEVE IT IS A BATTERY ISSUE. THIS WOULD MEAN THAT THE BATTERY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED WHICH WOULD COST 2500 DOLLARS. THAT IS RIDICULOUS TO EXPECT WHEN WE JUST BOUGHT IT 1 YEAR AGO!
WE WERE ON FREEWAY WHEN AN ODD SMELL WAS DETECTED. THERE WERE SEVERAL LARGE TRUCKS IN THE AREA AND WE PASSED OFF THE SMELL TO THE TRUCKS. A COUPLE OF MILES LATER THE PASSENGER SAID, "THE FLOOR IS ON FIRE!" AT THIS POINT, AN ABUNDANCE OF SMOKE APPEARED ABOVE THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. WE EXITED THE FREEWAY, FOUND A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND WERE ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WAS INFORMED BUT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS TOTALED THE VEHICLE. WE ARE AWAITING THE SETTLEMENT CHECK. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT STARTED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INDICATORS I.E. WARNING LIGHTS/BUZZERS, ETC. PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE AREA UNDER THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IS A CHARRED MASS. THEREIN A LARGE HOLE AT THE TOP OF THE DASH NEAR WHERE THE SPEAKER FOR THAT SIDE IS HOUSED. *BF*JB
AFTER HEAVY RAINS, WATER GETS INTO THE SPARE TIRE STORAGE WELL, CAUSING A SHORT IN THE TPMS MONITOR FOR THE SPARE TIRE. ALL TIRES HAVE APPROPRIATE AIR PRESSURE BUT THE TELL-TALE SHOWS UNTIL THE SPARE TIRE STORAGE AREA DRIES OUT - SEVERAL DAYS. THIS IS A NEW PHENOMENON BUT THERE ARE NO TEARS OR DINGS IN THE GASKET AROUND THE HATCHBACK. NOT SURE WHERE THE WATER GETS IN.
JUNE 29TH 2018 WAS IN THE CAR WASH GOING THORUGH WHEN THE DASH BOARD PANEL SAID TRACTION BATTERY LOW PUT IN PARK THE BATTERY INDICATOR SHOWED ONE BAR LIGHT ON BUT I COULDNT PUT IT IN PARK FOR I WAS STILL GOING THORGH CAR WASH WHEN IT WAS DONE WASHING PUT CAR IN DRIVE AND IT WAS VERY SLOW IN DRIVING IT TOOK IT AWHILE TO COME BACK UP IN POWER JULY 6TH TOOK IT TO LOCAL DEALER AND I THINK THEY THOUGHT I WAS NUTS THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF SUCH OF A THING HAPPING LIKE THAT. THOUGHT MATBE IT WAS THE NEW BATTERY THEY PUT IN MY CAR IN MARCH OF 20018 SO I WANT THIS ON RECORD THAT I HAD IT CHECKED EVEN CALLED AND CHECKED ON LINE IF THERE WAS A TRECALL ONLY THING I FOUND WAS A 2014 RECALL ON MY YEAR BUT NOT MY VION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SOFTWARE. IS IT POSSABLE THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR. HOPE YOU CAN GIVE ME A ANSWER
I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON THE FREEWAY TRYING TO GET HOME AND SUDDENLY MY PRIUS LOST POWER. I WAS PANICKING, GOOD THING I HAD MY BROTHERS WITH ME OR ELSE I WOULD HAVE LOST IT. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON! WE MANAGED TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY SAFELY, BUT WE WERE DISTRESSED.
DASH BOARD KEEPS BEEPING, YET I HAVE REPLACED THE KEY BATTERY 3 TIMES AND NOW DEALER SAYS KEY NOT DETECTED, YET CAR RUNS SO THE KEY IS DETECTED BUT THE BEEPING WILL NOT STOP. TOOK TO DEALER PAID 89.99 FOR DIAGNOSTIC PER DEALER. DEALER NOW SAYS THE LEFT HARNESS NEEDS REPLACED FOR $1802 PLUS TAX. I FEEL MANUFACTURER SHOULD ALLOW CONSUMERS WHO BOUGHT THERE PRODUCT BE GIVEN INFORMATION ABOUT HISTORY OF FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRES EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD. JUST TURN OFF THE BEEPING NOISE IF THAT IS THE ONLY ISSUE. MILEAGE 58847...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S HORN LOST FUNCTIONALITY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.
THE CD PLAYER BURNS THE CD IMAGE LABEL. WHEN ENTERING 4 CDS INTO THE CHANGER THE CD IN THE 4TH POSITION BURNS ALMOST THE ENTIRE IMAGE LABEL. THE OTHER CDS HAD THE IMAGE PAPER BURNED ON THE OUTER 1/4 IN OF THE LABEL. I REPORTED THIS TO THE TOYOTA DEALER ON MAY 1, 2016. ON MAY 16,2016 I DOVE FROM WILMINGTON OHIO TO LORAIN OHIO, 3 HOURS PLAYING 4 CDS CONTINUOUSLY. THIS CAUSED THE HEAT IN GHE CD PLAYER TO INCREASE AND BURN THE CDS. THE CD PLAYER FEELS VERY HOT TO THE TOUCH AFTER USE.
MICE INVADED MY CAR. TRAPPED 6. FOUND NESTS IN ENGINE AREA, UNDER TRUNK, INSIDE HOOD FELT IN GLOVE COMPARTMENT IN A WATER BOTTLE. THE SMELL DOES NOT LEAVE AFTER HAVING CAR DETAILED AND STEAM CLEANED. TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS. NOT THE CONSUMER PROBLEM. MY CAR WAS DRIVEN EVERY DAY AND INSIDE A GARAGE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE DEALER UPDATED THE SOFTWARE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY DIF NOT HAVE THE CORRECT CODE FOR THE SOFTWARE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
THE SPIRAL CABLE IS DEFECTIVE, HORN STOPPED WORKING TWO WEEKS AGO, CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING LAST WEEK. THERE HAS BEEN ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CABLE. TOYOTA HAS HAD RECALLS FOR THE TACOMA AND YARIS THAT USE THE SAME PART NUMBER. THE AIR BAG USES THE SAME CABLE. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS CABLE IS $890.00. SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR A RECALL, SOMEONE DIEING.
SECURITY AND SAFETY THREAT IN 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS DUE TO POWER LOCKS FAILING. ACTUATOR IN THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS IS DEFECTIVE AND FAILS VERY EARLY IN THE AUTO'S LIFE. FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK FAILED SEPT 2013. FRONT DRIVER DOOR LOCK FAILED FEB 2014. REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK FAILED SEPT 2014. TOYOTA CHARGES $500 PER DOOR TO FIX, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS SECURITY AND SAFETY RISK IS OBVIOUSLY CAUSED BY THE USE OF CHEAP, DEFECTIVE PARTS USED TO MANUFACTURE THE 2011 PRIUS. *TR
OWNER OF VEHICLE DRIVING TO WORK WHEN THEY OBSERVED A RED GLOW IN FRONT OF THEM. THE OWNER THEN OBSERVED SMOKE FROM THE FRONT. THE OWNER PULLED OFF ROADWAY AND MORE SMOKE DEVELOPED. THE VEHICLE THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE CONSUMED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. A FIRE SCENE EXAMINATION WAS PERFORMED AND THE ORIGIN WAS DETERMINED TO BE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH AREA WHERE CIRCUIT BOARDS AND WIRING BUNDLES WERE LOCATED. THE FIRE RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2011 Toyota Prius has 19 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.